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set forth below is a description of what are currently believed to be the preferred embodiments and / or best examples of the invention claimed . present and future alternatives and modifications to these preferred embodiments are contemplated . any alternatives , or modifications , which make insubstantial changes in function , in purpose , in structure or in result are intended to be covered by the claims of this patent . referring to fig1 - 2 , the process controller is generally designated as 10 . process controller 10 enables the automatic and sequential start - up and shut - down of one or more fastener coating machines and / or subsystems for such machines . referring now to fig2 in a preferred embodiment , process controller 10 includes : a fiber optic light source 20 ; a programmable logic controller ( plc ) 25 ; a camera controller 27 which may accommodate color or gray scale data acquisition ; external and internal terminal strips 30 , 31 for accommodating wiring for conveyors , motors , etc . ; a vacuum switch 33 for monitoring a remote powder collection system ; a dc power supply 40 ; a pressure switch 35 for sensing the presence of compressed air ; a main air solenoid 37 for supplying compressed air to the fastener machines ; and various other solenoids 38 for supplying air to a rejected fasteners air ejector , a purged fasteners air ejector , and a powder pump . line filter 41 may be used to prevent electrical noise from entering process controller 10 via the electrical power line . a particularly preferred process controller 10 includes an interactive display ( 24 v dc 10 w source ), a programmable logic controller ( plc , e . g ., model cqm1 ), a plc cpu unit ( 24 v dc input , e . g ., model cqm1h - cpu51 ), and a power supply ( 24 v dc ), each available from omron corporation of japan . referring to fig1 and 3 , a typical display screen 50 , which may preferably constitute a touch screen display , may show the state of readiness of various fastener processing systems , including : a parts feeder (“ feeder ”); compressed air (“ comp . air ”); vacuum pressure for powder coating reclamation (“ vacuum ”); heater readiness and heater functioning (“ htr ready ”, “ htr funct .”); fastener conveyors being operable (“ parts motion ”); powder flow (“ pwdr . flow ”); dial switch position (“ dial sw pos ”); and mode switch position ( mode sw pos ”). referring now to fig4 - 7 , a dial machine 60 for coating internally threaded fasteners is shown . dial machine 60 has a horizontally rotating turntable 61 controlled by process controller 10 , and includes induction heating coil 62 . following heating , a coating is applied using an appropriate coating applicator such as spray nozzles 12 which are evenly spaced around dial machine 60 . a powder collection “ horn ” 68 removes excess powder from the spray zone , and directs this powder back to a dust collection system ( not shown ). referring to fig4 - 7 , various ejector tubes for accommodating fasteners may include a “ purge ” ejector tube 64 for conveying parts to a recycling location , a “ defective parts ” ejector tube 66 for conveying parts to a defective parts bin , and a “ good parts ” ejector tube 65 for conveying properly coated parts to a cooling location . fasteners may be selectively ejected from the turntable track using bursts of compressed air from tubes 75 . still referring to fig4 - 7 , a camera housing 63 is provided for conveying video images to the process controller 10 . a suitable camera trigger , such as a cam follower proximity switch located on the coating machine , may be used with the camera and camera controller . preferably , the object field of the camera is bathed with high intensity light emitted from the discharge end of the fiber optic light conduit 72 , which also is also housed within camera housing 63 . this light preferably is of such a high intensity that it “ swamps ” ambient light , ensuring that variations in ambient light do not distort data acquisition by the machine vision system . most preferably , a light source is used which maintains a constant light emitting power , rather than one whose light emitting power diminishes over use ; this , again , ensures that data acquisition and processing will not be distorted by a changing light source . a preferred light source is a halogen 3900 lightsource smart - lite ™, available from illumination technologies of syracuse , n . y ., whose long - term light power output change is less than 1 %. while the preferred vision system of the present invention utilizes a fiber optic cable and a halogen bulb , vision systems according to the invention need not use these features , but may instead utilize less expensive components such as led solid state light sources , as now commonly used . a suitable machine vision system , which may be used with process controller 10 of the present invention is available from omron corporation of japan , e . g . model f - 150 - 2 . the machine vision system may be programmed to monitor various predetermined criteria , such as : proper coating coverage ( e . g ., using lightness / darkness parameters on a 0 - 255 greyscale black / white shade range for each pixel , or suitable color criteria for colored coatings ); proper thread number and / or orientation and / or pitch ; proper fastener orientation ; and proper powder and liquid deposition and quantity . referring to fig8 a and 8 b , monitor 55 of process controller 10 , shown in fig1 may display video images captured by the camera , together with the grid or zone selected for inspection . monitor 55 preferably permits manual operator setup , programming , and evaluation of the inspected parameters . thus , monitor 55 may show the fastener orientation , coating coverage ( using black and white shading differences ) or other parameters . error indicators may be used to show the reason why a particular defective part was rejected ( e . g ., coating coverage , faulty number of threads , etc .). various advantages flow from the use of the present invention , some of which are now described . using main air solenoid 37 of the process controller , compressed air is only supplied when needed , as directed by controller 10 . this reduces noise , compressed air consumption , and electrical power requirements . using appropriate heat sensors , such as an optical pyrometer available from ircon , inc . of niles , ill ., a temperature gauge for monitoring the process heat of the fasteners may be provided , as well as a visual , led display of temperature . if the process temperature does not reach a desired operating range , or if a failure of the heating source is detected , controller 10 may be programmed to shut down the process and display the corresponding system fault . process controller 10 may also require machine shut - down if an appropriately located proximity switch or other motion sensor fails to detect the presence and / or movement of conveyed parts . for detecting moving fasteners , a variety of commonly available sensors may be used , including inductive proximity sensors for sensing metal , capacitive sensors for sensing material density , or photoelectric sensors . closed loop speed controls are preferably used with the fastener coating machines and systems of the present invention . for use with a dial machine , for example , a tachometer may be built onto the motor ( e . g ., a standard baldor motor ), so that the motor automatically compensates for differences in heating and / or load , to ensure that the speed that is set is the speed that is actually achieved . a properly sized motor , when equipped with a tachometer and matched to a suitable electronic motor drive , will ensure high torque and accurate speed regulation . various types of level sensors ( inductive , capacitive , or photoelectic ) may be used to verify that coating materials are available from bulk delivery sources , such as bulk hoppers , screw feeders or liquid reservoirs . additionally , suitable flow sensors may be used for verification of adequate powder or liquid material flow to the application process . preferably , different sensors are employed for sensing powder or liquid coatings . for example , suitable powder flow monitors include cross - correlating sensors , such as those available from endress hauser of greenwood , ind ., or triboelectric flow monitors such as those available from auburn international inc . danvers , mass ., as disclosed in u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 448 , 172 and 5 , 287 , 061 , incorporated herein by reference . there are a variety of suitable liquid flow monitors or detectors , which can sense the presence or flow of liquid by using color detectors or photocells ( e . g ., many liquid coatings are brightly colored , which clearly shows within a clear tube ). a variety of pressure and flow switches , detectors , and instrumentation , may also be used for this purpose . the process controller preferably insures that coatings are not applied to “ purged ” fasteners ( e . g ., parts passing through an induction heating coil system before attaining a suitable process power or temperature ), since the coating material may not properly adhere . using the present invention , uncoated purged parts , then , may be advantageously recycled by being passed or shunted to a separate recycle bin . each process controller 10 is provided with the capability of interfacing with one or more different fastener coating machines . the input / output capability of the plc is designed to be sufficient for this purpose , while also minimizing operator interactions . preferably all purchased electrical components used with the process controller of the present invention meet the requirements of various country testing requirements , including ul ( underwriters labs ), ce ( european equivalent of ul ) and csa ( canadian standards association ). using the particularly preferred embodiment of process controller 10 disclosed here , a number of inputs may be provided to the plc : ( 1 ) an operator commences the processing of fasteners by initiating a “ cycle start ” signal ; ( 2 ) an air pressure sensor switch verifies the presence of shop air - pressure before the cycle is allowed to start ; ( 3 ) a fastener infeed track motion sensor , such as a proximity switch , senses when parts are moving through the heater , e . g ., induction coil ; ( 4 ) the heater power is verified ; ( 5 ) an optical pyrometer or other sensor monitors fastener temperature ; ( 6 ) a powder or liquid flow sensor monitors material flow rate ; ( 7 ) a level sensor ( for screw feeders or liquid reservoirs , for example ) verifies that coating materials are available from a bulk delivery source ; ( 8 ) proximity switch functions as a source for the camera &# 39 ; s trigger signal ; ( 9 ) push buttons ( e . g ., “ reset 25 ” or “ reset 75 ”) reset the error indicator after detecting a predetermined number of defective parts ( e . g ., 25 / 100 or 75 / 1000 ). in the particularly preferred embodiment , output signals may be provided by plc to accomplish the following : ( 1 ) an enable signal is provided to the main air solenoid , to supply compressed air to the system ; ( 2 ) an enable signal is provided to the drive motor , to provide power to the fastener conveyor driver motor ; ( 3 ) an enable signal is provided to the induction heater , to power the induction heater ; ( 4 ) an enable signal is provided to the coating material application system , to supply powder or liquid ; ( 5 ) a signal is provided to the air ejector solenoid to eject fasteners that are not sufficiently heated during the cycle start - up period ; these purged fasteners may then be recycled rather than being considered as scrap ; ( 6 ) an enable signal is provided to power / energize the liquid or powder flow monitor ; ( 7 ) a red indicating light ( s ) is enabled to signal defective parts ( e . g ., 25 / 100 or 75 / 1000 led ); ( 8 ) a signal is provided to the air ejector solenoid to eject defective parts , as identified by the vision system ; ( 9 ) counters / rate meters are signaled to increment when “ good ” or “ defective ” fasteners are detected ; and ( 10 ) light towers are signaled to indicate “ major ” system faults shutting down the processing system ( red light ), “ minor ” system faults allowing continued processing ( amber light ), or normal processing conditions ( green light ). referring to fig9 the processing sequence shown for a preferred embodiment should now be understood . in overview , when electrical power is first applied to the process controller 10 , the system will automatically perform a number of system tests , and a system self - test screen will be automatically displayed on touchscreen interface 50 . when all system self - tests are successfully completed , the touchscreen will automatically display the run mode screen . once normal operation has been established , if any major system fault should be detected , the system will automatically perform a controlled shut down , and the system self - test screen will , once again , be automatically displayed , clearly indicating the cause of the system shut down . suitable , well - known devices may be provided for operator safety . for example , a manually - operated fused electrical disconnect interlocked to the door of the control cabinet of process controller 10 may be provided , so that electrical power is removed upon opening of the door . additionally , an immediate emergency shut - down of all energy - storage devices within the process ( electrical , pneumatic , hydraulic , etc .) may be provided in the form of a single pushbutton or other actuator . the above description is not intended to limit the meaning of the words used in the following claims that define the invention . rather , it is contemplated that future modifications in structure , function or result will exist that are not substantial changes and that all such insubstantial changes in what is claimed are intended to be covered by the claims . for example , while the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings illustrates a dial machine , it will be readily understood that various fastener processing machines , including those machines disclosed in the patents incorporated herein by reference such as those using linear ( e . g ., belt conveyor ) as well as rotary conveyors , may be advantageously used with the present invention . | 1 |
while the present invention can be advantageously employed in various kinds of electric lamp units which contain a compact or miniature lamp that is mounted within a protective housing or casing , it is especially adapted for use in conjunction with sealed - beam lamp units of the type used as motor vehicle headlamps and it has accordingly been so illustrated and will be so described . a sealed - beam lamp unit l that embodies the invention and contains a mount assembly m which includes a compact single - filament incandescent lamp 15 is shown in fig1 . the lamp unit consists of the usual concave reflector component 16 that is molded from glass or other suitable vitreous material and is provided with an inner coating 17 of aluminum or the like which defines a reflector surface of parabolic or other suitable configuration . the reflector component 16 is peripherally sealed to a vitreous cover component 18 that is light transmitting and may be provided with integral flutes , prisms , and the like to serve as a lens which directs the transmitted light rays into a desired beam pattern in accordance with standard practice in the art . a pair of metal ferrules 19 are sealed into openings in the back of the reflector component 16 and have their outer ends brazed or otherwise fastened to a pair of blade - like connectors 20 which permit the lamp unit l to be inserted into the socket fixture of the motor vehicle . a pair of rigid main conductors such as lead - support wires 21 , 22 of iron , nickel or nickel - plated iron are brazed to the ferrules 19 and extend inwardly into the concave reflector component 16 in the usual fashion . the housing or casing formed by the reflector 16 and lens - cover 18 is evacuated and filled with a non - oxidizing inert gas , such as argon or nitrogen at a suitable pressure , in accordance with the usual practice . the incandescent lamp 15 is preferably of the halogen - cycle type and comprises an integral structural part of a mount assembly m which retains it in the proper optical relationship with the focal point of the reflector defined by the specular metal coating 17 . the compact lamp 15 thus includes a vitreous envelope 26 of suitable high - temperature material ( such as quartz , vycor or hard glass ) and contains a tungsten filament 28 , an inert fill gas such as nitrogen at a suitable fill pressure , and a measured amount of a halogen such as iodine or bromine that is introduced into the envelope during lamp manufacture either in elemental form or in the form of a suitable halogen - containing compound . the lamp 15 is anchored to the inner end portions of the lead - support wires 21 , 22 by a holder assembly that is fabricated from sheet metal and , in this particular embodiment , comprises a pair of clip - like members 34 that nestingly embrace a selected part of the lamp envelope and are fastened to the lead - support wires 21 and 22 and to a pair of rigid lead - in conductors such as molybdenum wires 29 and 30 that extend from the lamp 15 . as shown more clearly in fig2 and 3 , the incandescent halogen - cycle lamp 15 is of the baseless type and terminated at one end by a pinch or press seal 27 of fused vitreous material that is generally rectangular in shape and thus has two side edges and an end face from which the rigid lead - in wires 29 and 30 extend . the tungsten filament 28 is suspended within the envelope 26 in the usual manner by attaching it to a pair of inner lead - in conductors that are fastened to a pair of metal foils or ribbons that are hermetically embedded in the press seal and connected to the rigid outer lead - in wires 29 and 30 . lead - in wires 29 , 30 may be made of molybdenum and each may comprise a one - piece lead , if desired , thus eliminating the need for ribbons and conjoined inner heads . as will be noted in fig4 each of the clip - like members 34 are fabricated from a single piece of suitable sheet metal ( such as stainless steel or cold rolled steel ) that is bent to provide a hollow tubular segment 35 that merges with a pair of laterally extending panels 36 that define a pocket of generally u - shaped cross - section which is located above a pair of laterally extending tabular segments 37 . the tabular segments extend from the terminus of tubular segment 35 and are disposed closer to one another than the panels 36 and thus partially close and obstruct the entrance to the pocket . the spacing of the panels 36 is such that they snugly embrace and nestingly accommodate the side edges of the press seal 27 when the lamp 15 is inserted into the clip - like members 34 . the spacing between the tabular segments 37 is just slightly larger than the cross - sectional dimension of the lead - in wires 29 , 30 and the inner dimension of the tubular segments 35 are such that they snugly receive the inserted end portions of the large - diameter lead - support wires 21 , 22 . the manner in which the halogen - cycle lamp 15 is interfitted with the clip - like members 34 and lead - support wires 21 , 22 to form the mount assembly m is shown in fig5 . as indicated , the inner end portions of the wires 21 and 22 are inserted into the tubular segments 35 of the respective clip - like members 34 and the latter are then slip - fitted onto the side edges of the press seal 27 of the lamp envelope 26 with the respective lead - in wires 29 and 30 of the lamp 15 disposed between the associated tabular segments 37 and with the latter seated against the curved end face of the press seal , thus producing the mount m shown in fig1 - 3 . the tabular segments 37 accordingly serve as stop means for the press seal 27 and insure that the lamp 15 is oriented in the proper relationship with the main conductors 21 and 22 . this is important since the lamp filament 28 must be located in predetermined optical relationship with the focal point of the paraboloidal reflector component 16 in order to control the beam pattern and beam intensity . proper positioning of the lamp 15 relative to the lead - support wires 21 , 22 is also insured by the fact that the inner end portions of the wires are bent toward one another ( as shown in fig1 and 5 ) and the clip - like members 34 are pressed down onto the ends of the wires until the members engage the right - angle bends of the respective wires and the parts are in force - fitted telescoped relation . the mount components are mechanically locked in their assembled relationship by welding the tubular segments 35 of the clip - like members 34 to the enclosed ends of the lead - support wires 21 and 22 and also welding the tabular segments 37 to the respective lamp lead - in wires 29 and 30 , the welds being indicated by the &# 34 ; asterisk &# 34 ; indicia shown in fig2 . since the metal clip - like members 34 embrace and extend over only the side edge portions of the press seal 27 , they are physically and electrically isolated from one another and serve as mechanical and electrical coupling members for the halogen - cycle lamp 15 , with the various components of the mount assembly m being held together by the lamp 15 itself and its rigid lead - in wires 29 and 30 . the positioning of the finished mount m relative to the reflector component 16 is achieved by inserting the free ends of the lead - support wires 21 , 22 into the ferrules 19 , adjusting the location of the mount m until the desired orientation with the reflector surface 17 is obtained , and then brazing the wires to the ferrules . the lens - cover 18 is then joined to the reflector component 16 , the resulting airtight casing is evacuated , charged with fill gas and finally hermetically sealed in the usual manner . a modified sealed - beam lamp mount assembly m a that includes a single - filament type halogen lamp 15a is shown in fig6 and 7 . as will be noted , it employs only one clip - like member 34a of sheet metal that is slip - fitted over a side edge of the press seal 27a of the lamp envelope 26a and has its tabular segments 37a welded to one of the lamp lead - in wires 29a and its hollow tubular segment 35a disposed in telescoped and welded relationship with the end portion of the associated lead - support wire 22a . according to this embodiment , however , the other rigid lead - in wire 30a is connected directly to the end portion of the other lead - support wire 21a by a weld to complete the electrical circuit with the lamp filament 28a . lead - support wire 21a is mechanically coupled to the lamp 15a by slipping a suitable sleeve - like insulator 38 of suitable ceramic over the end portion of the wire 21a and clamping it and the wire 21a in compressed abutting relationship with the side edge of the press seal 27a by a u - shaped band 40 of sheet metal . as shown most clearly in fig7 the metal band 40 laterally extends around the press seal 27a and overlies the clip - like member 34a and has its free ends welded to the tubular segment 35a of the clip - like member . the closed or &# 34 ; loop &# 34 ; end of the metal band 40 overlies and tightly grips the insulator 38 so that all of the mount components are securely locked together and the welds joining the lead - in wires 29a and 30a to the clip - like member 34a and lead - support wire 21a , respectively , are reinforced and thus protected from mechanical shocks and stresses which might cause the welds to fracture and render the sealed - beam lamp unit inoperable . an alternate sealed - beam mount embodiment m b which requires only one sheet - metal component is shown in fig8 - 9 . as illustrated , according to this embodiment the rigid lead - in wire 30b of the halogen incandescent lamp 15b is welded directly to the end portion of one of the stiff lead - support wires 21b which is bent so that its end portion extends laterally and terminates adjacent the end of the press seal 27b . the other main conductor 22b is mechanically and electrically coupled to the lamp 15b by a sleeve - holder 42 of sheet metal that laterally extends around the press seal 27b and is electrically isolated from the lead - in wire 30b and conjoined main conductor 21b . as will be noted in fig9 the sleeve - holder 42 is fabricated from a single piece of sheet metal and has its free ends disposed in overlapped welded relationship with one another and bent around one side edge of the press seal 27b . the opposite or closed end of the metal sleeve holder is formed into a hollow tubular segment 43 that is slipped over and welded to the end portion of the other main conductor 22b . as in the previous embodiments , the sheet - metal holder 42 has paired laterally - extending tabular segments 46 ( fig8 ) that are spot welded in overlapped relationship with the other lamp lead - in wire 29b and also serve as a seat and stop means for the end of the press seal 27b to insure proper positioning of the lamp 15b relative to the main conductors 21b , 22b and the reflector component of the sealed - beam lighting unit . the invention is not limited to sealed - beam lighting units that contain single - filament incandescent lamps as inner light sources but can also be employed with headlamps and lighting units that contain dual - filament lamps of compact size . a sealed - beam unit l c of such construction is shown in fig1 and consists of the usual concave component 16c of glass or other suitable material that has a reflective inner surface 17c and is hermetically joined along its periphery to a light - transmitting cover or lens 18c . the resulting airtight housing encloses a mount assembly m c that includes a compact incandescent lamp 15c which contains a pair of tungsten 48 and 50 . the inner lamp component 15c is preferably of the halogen - cycle type and , in accordance with the usual practice in the art , one end of each of the filaments 48 , 50 is connected to a single outer lead - in wire 51 through a common ribbon or foil conductor that is hermetically embedded in the press seal 27c which is formed on the end of the lamp envelope 26c . lead - in wire 51 is thus electrically &# 34 ; common &# 34 ; to both filaments . the other ends of the filaments 48 and 50 are connected to separate lead - in wires 52 and 53 , respectively , by separate foil conductors that are also embedded in the press seal . the outer lead - in wires 51 , 52 , 53 are composed of molybdenum , or other suitable rigid conductive material , since they are used to mechanically anchor the lamp 15c in place as previously described . as in the previous embodiments , the compact incandescent lamp 15c is mechanically and electrically coupled to the main conductors of the concave reflector member 16c by a sheet - metal holder assembly that engages the press seal 27c and utilizes the lamp 15c itself and its outer leads as the components that lock the mount elements together in operative relation . since the lamp 15c contains a pair of filaments , the reflector component 16c is provided with three sealed - in metal ferrules 19c and associated blade connectors 20c , and the ferrules are brazed to three rigid lead - support wires 54 , 55 and 56 of iron , nickel or nickel - plated iron that extend inwardly into the reflector component . as shown more clearly in fig1 - 13 , body portion of lead - support wire 56 is disposed in substantially the same plane as wire 54 but has its end portion bent laterally and skewed slightly so that it terminates below and adjacent the end of the press seal 27c in line with the protruding &# 34 ; common &# 34 ; lead - in wire 51 . as will be noted , the tip of lead - in wire 51 is also bent to extend laterally and the tip of the lead - support wire 56 is formed into a clamp 57 that is crimped in positive electrical engagement around the tip of the common lead - in wire . the remaining lead - support wires 54 and 55 are mechanically and electrically coupled to the other lead - in wires 52 and 53 of the lamp 15c by a sheet - metal holder assembly which comprises a pair of clip - like members 34c , each of which are formed from a single piece of material and are constructed in the same fashion as described in the fig1 - 3 embodiment . the side edges of the press seal 27c are thus slip - fitted into snug nested relationship with the panel segments 36c of the clip - like members 34c and the end of the press seal 27c is seated against the paired tabular segments 37c that are spot welded to the respective lead - in wires 52 and 53 . hollow tubular segments 35c of the clip - like members are in telescoped relationship with and welded to the bent end portions of the lead - support wires 54 and 55 that are located adjacent to and extend along the side edges of the press seal 27c , the welds being indicated by asterisks as in the previous embodiments . as will be noted in fig1 and 13 , the laterally - extending medial portion of lead - support wire 55 is disposed at an angle relative to the plane containing the press seal 27c and tubular segments 35c of the clip - like members 34c so that the straight body portion of wire 55 is aligned with and extends into the associated ferrule 20c . as will be appreciated to those skilled in the art , the sheet - metal components of the holder assembly employed in each of the embodiments are so shaped and designed that they can be readily fabricated and assembled with the incandescent lamp and stiff main conductors of the reflector component in a positive and efficient manner on a mass - production basis , using suitable jigs and welding apparatus , to provide a mount structure that is light in weight and inexpensive but rugged and able to withstand the high - temperature environment characteristic of halogen - cycle type lamps . while a vitreous reflector component of paraboloidal shape and circular periphery has been illustrated in each of the embodiments , the invention is not limited to sealed - beam headlamps utilizing such components but can also be used with equal advantage in headlamps of rectangular configuration and those which employ a sheet - metal reflector that is fitted with a glass lens member . the juncture of the metal parts of the mount with the lamp conductors can also be effected by brazing or soldering instead of welding , if desired . | 7 |
the illustrated structure comprises a main waveguide 1 of usual rectangular cross section provided with an array of slots 3 disposed along one of its narrow walls , and a plurality of branch waveguides 4 , each coupled at one of its ends to a respective one of slots 3 . the open ends 5 of the branch waveguides 4 remote from the main waveguide are hereinafter referred to as array ports . the array ports are disposed at intervals along an array line extending in the direction indicated by line 6 . the array line lies at an acute angle φ with respect to the longitudinal axis 8 of the main waveguide . preferably , although not necessarily , the angle φ is less than 45 °, say about 20 °. in the present example , the array ports are connected directly to the throats of respective horn - like radiator elements 9 which are similarly directed perpendicularly to the array line . the branch waveguides 4 may be curved near their ends as shown so as to approach the array line and the main waveguide squarely . throughout the major portions of their lengths , between the curved end regions , the branch waveguides lie parallel to each other and at an angle 2φ with respect to the main waveguide . the end 10 of the main waveguide nearer the longest branch waveguide 13 constitutes the main feed port , and is adapted to be connected by way of a flange to microwave transmitter and / or receiver equipment , not shown . the other end 11 of waveguide 1 , nearer the shortest branch waveguide 14 , may be terminated as by a tapered block 12 of dissipative material . the slots 3 are inclined at respective angles from perpendicularity to the broad walls of waveguide 1 . as in the conventional edge - slot waveguide array , the angle of inclination of each slot is determined in known manner to provide the required degree of coupling to the main waveguide at that location . preferably the slots 3 are spaced along the waveguide 1 at intervals somewhat less or somewhat greater than one - half guide wavelength for all frequencies throughout the intended operating band , as in the so - called nonresonant slot array antenna . however , the slots 3 are all inclined in the same sense , for example , clockwise , rather than alternately inclined in opposite senses as in the usual slot array antenna . the slots may extend beyond the narrow walls of the main waveguide into the broadwalls to obtain the required length for resonance . the main and branch waveguides are dimensioned to support the te 10 mode , but their broadwalls are oriented orthogonally to accommodate a 90 ° rotation in the e - field which occurs as the signals pass through the slots . the waveguides are joined by notching the broadwalls of the branch waveguides at one end to accept the narrow wall of the main waveguide . the notched ends enclose the portions of the slots in the narrow wall of the main waveguide , while the protrusions of the branch waveguides above and below the notches extend over the broadwalls of the main waveguide , enclosing the portions of the slots that extend into this region . a signal supplied to the system through the main feed port 10 travels through the main waveguide towards the terminating block 12 , coupling energy to the branch guides by way of the slots . the slots are spaced along the main waveguide at non - resonant intervals , such as 0 . 45 or 0 . 55 wavelengths to prevent reflection reinforcement and thus maintain a low vswr at the main input port . the slots are inclined in the same sense to pass the signals through the slots with the same phase shift . this type of coupling arrangement is referred to hereinafter as like - polarity coupling . the branch waveguides in this invention are adjusted in length to equalize the path length and thus the propagation time from the main feed port 10 to the radiator elements 9 . for example , the path lengths from the main input port 10 to the respective radiator elements of the longest branch waveguide 13 and the shortest branch waveguide 14 are identical . the waveguide 13 is longer than the waveguide 14 to compensate for the additional path length the signal must travel through the main waveguide to reach the waveguide 14 . for broadband applications , the change in propagation velocity with changes in frequency must be identical for all paths . this is easily achieved by using waveguide of the same width throughout the system . as a result of the equalization of the path lengths and the like - polarity coupling through the slots , all the signals emerging from the radiator elements 9 are cophasal and contemperaneous . this feature of the invention overcomes the variations in beam direction occurring in conventional slotted array because of variations in temperature and frequency . the beam direction in a slotted array is a function of the relative phase of the signals emitted from each radiator . variations in temperature change the dimensions of the waveguides including the spacing between the slots as well as the width of the waveguide . these changes vary the propagation time between the slots and thus the relative phase of the signals radiated from the slots of a conventional array . changes in frequency have a similar effect on the relative phase of the signals radiated from the slots . although the slot separation may remain dimensionally constant , it varies in terms of wavelength and phase as a function of frequency , causing the beam direction to vary accordingly . in the present invention , the direction of the antenna beam does not change significantly with changes in temperature or frequency . for example , the change in the beam direction of an experimental model of the present invention is only ± 0 . 06 ° over the frequency range of 15 to 16 ghz . although the path length in terms of phase from the main input port to each radiator is subject to variation with changes in temperature and frequency , the radiated signals remain cophasal and contemperaneous because these variations are identical in all paths . the radiation of undesired cross polarized energy , often encountered in conventional slotted arrays , is reduced in the present invention by the orthogonal orientation of the main and branch waveguides . the orientation of the branch waveguides with respect to the e - field of the cross polarized energy prevents its propagation from the slots to the radiator elements . the feed system as shown in the figure may be made more compact by reducing the distance from the main feed port to the array line . this is accomplished quite simply and without any loss in aperture by reducing the angle φ . there is , however , a point reached where the branch waveguides mechanically interfere with one another , preventing any further reduction in φ with standard height waveguide . by substituting reduced height waveguide for the standard height guide , the space between the branch waveguides is increased , making it possible to reduce φ further before mechanical interference occurs . no change in the length of the branch guides is necessary when reduced height guide is substituted for the standard guide as the propagation velocity is identical . | 7 |
preferred features of embodiments of this invention are now described with reference to the figures . it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the embodiments selected for illustration . also , it should be noted that the drawings are not rendered to any particular scale or proportion . it is contemplated that any of the configurations and materials described hereafter may be modified within the scope of this invention . referring to fig1 , tungsten filament manufacturing system 10 includes heater 14 , swaging device 18 , microcavity forming device 22 , pulling device 26 , and coiling device 32 . in operation , tungsten material 12 is heated by heater 14 to form heated tungsten material 16 . the tungsten is heated by heater 14 to a malleable temperature ( 1 , 200 ° c . to 1 , 500 ° c .). the resulting tungsten material 16 is drawn , utilizing swaging device 18 , to reduce the diameter of the tungsten material . the heating and drawing steps are repeated until heated tungsten wire 20 of requisite diameter , typically between 40 microns and 100 microns , is formed . as explained below , microcavity forming device 22 is adapted to form microcavities on the outer surface of heated tungsten wire 20 . microcavitied filament wire 30 is coiled by coiling device 32 to form filament coil 34 . the present invention includes several embodiments of microcavity forming device 22 , and is discussed in detail below . referring next to fig2 , an embodiment of microcavity forming device 22 , generally designated as 22 a , is illustrated . microcavity forming device 22 a includes sprayer 36 for depositing particles 38 on heated filament wire 20 . sprayer 36 includes a hollow , circumferential housing 40 , which is positioned at a distance from swaging device 18 and is adapted to receive heated tungsten wire 20 . jet nozzles 42 , as shown , are mounted at various locations on the inner surface of housing 40 , and positioned to spray particles 38 in a radial direction toward tungsten wire 20 . pressurized particle source 44 is adapted to supply particles 38 to distribution bars 46 , which in turn , deliver particles 38 to jet nozzles 42 . as heated tungsten wire 20 is drawn through circumferential housing 40 , jet nozzles 42 spray particles 38 onto tungsten wire 20 . particles 38 are embedded in wire 20 to form tungsten wire having microcavities with particles 38 embedded therein . the tungsten wire with the particles embedded therein is generally designated as 48 . fig3 a and 3b are cross - sectional views of sprayer 36 of fig2 . fig3 a illustrates a cross - sectional view of four rows of jet nozzles 42 arranged radially 90 degrees apart within housing 40 . fig3 b illustrates a cross - sectional view of eight rows of jet nozzles 42 arranged radially 45 degrees apart within housing 40 . the present invention , however , may have another number of rows of jet nozzles 42 different from that shown in fig3 a and 3b . housing 40 may be made from silicon carbide or any other hardened material capable of withstanding the temperature of heated tungsten wire 20 and hardened to prevent damage from the jet sprays . the diameter of particles 38 is preferably 0 . 35 – 0 . 75 micron , and most preferably 0 . 5 micron . particles 38 may be made from tantalum , rhenium , molybdenum , tungsten , silicon carbide , rare earth elements , glass beads , or any other hardened material . in operation referring to fig1 – 3 , heated tungsten wire 20 exits swaging device 18 and is drawn by pulling device 26 through sprayer 36 of microcavity forming device 22 a . high velocity jet nozzles 42 propel particles 38 toward the surface of heated tungsten wire 20 as it moves in direction a through housing 40 . due to malleability from the heating process , as particles 38 contact the surface of heated tungsten wire 20 , they form and become embedded in microcavities therein . as will be appreciated , the diameter of housing 40 and the spacing between jet nozzles 42 in a row may be adjusted based upon a desired density of the embedded particles 38 in the wire . similarly , the pressure of jet nozzles 42 may be adjusted based upon a desired depth of the microcavity formed by each of the embedded particles 38 . referring next to fig4 , another embodiment , generally designated as 22 b , of microcavity forming device 22 is illustrated . microcavity forming device 22 b includes microcavity forming device 22 a ( illustrated in fig2 ) and particle remover 54 . cross - sectional views of an exemplary sprayer 36 are illustrated in fig3 a and 3b . particle remover 54 is disposed downstream of sprayer 36 and removes particles 38 from particled - wire 48 as the wire is drawn from sprayer 36 through particle remover 54 . the removal of particles 38 forms microcavitied wire 24 . fig5 is a schematic diagram of particle remover 54 of fig4 . the exemplary particle remover 54 includes reactor tube 56 , chemical flow control system 58 , and vacuum pumping system 60 . reactor tube 56 is surrounded by heater 62 . particles 38 may be removed from wire 48 in several ways . in one approach , a chemical dissolution process may be used . chemical solutions suitable for separating particles 38 from wire 48 , such as a mixture of nitric acid , sulphuric acid and water , may be placed in chemical flow control system 58 , and wire 48 may be placed in reactor tube 56 . the wire , which may be wound on a mandrel to form a cassette , may be chemically treated with the chemical solutions to dissolve , or remove the embedded particles . one , or several cassettes may be used . vacuum pumping system 60 may be utilized to provide a vacuum in reactor tube 56 and a flow of the chemical solutions through reactor tube 56 . vacuum pumping system 60 may also provide suction to deliver the particles removed from the wire to a reservoir ( not shown ). in operation , reactor tube 56 is sealed from the atmosphere , and a chemical solution is added through chemical flow control system 58 . dissolution of particles 38 begins immediately and no x gas is formed and mixes with air above the acidic surface . the no gas combines with o 2 in the air and is dissolved . as a result , a low - pressure condition occurs in reactor tube 56 . this condition causes a caustic soda solution to be sucked into vacuum pumping system 60 . the process acid is removed through vacuum pumping system 60 to a waste reservoir ( not shown ). the removal of particles 38 results in voids in the outer surface of wire 48 , thereby producing microcavitied wire 24 . in an alternate approach , particles 38 may be removed by melting the particles 38 . as shown in fig4 , microcavity former 22 b continues to pass wire 48 in direction a through particle remover 54 , heaters 62 may apply heat into reactor tube 56 , and melt the particles . this approach is effective if the particles have a lower melting point than the tungsten wire . for example , if the particles are of molybdenum , the particles may be removed by heating since tungsten has a higher melting point than molybdenum . a further alternate approach for removing particles 38 may be via a blowing process . after cooling , wire 48 may be positioned in a chamber , such as reactor tube 56 . particles 38 may be separated from wire 48 by blowing force of air - flow . referring next to fig6 , another embodiment of tungsten filament manufacturing system 10 is shown and is generally designated as 70 . tungsten filament manufacturing system 70 includes system 10 with microcavity former 22 a ( fig2 ) and particle remover 54 positioned downstream after coiling device 32 , as shown in fig6 . system 70 , by way of microcavity former 22 a , may form wire 48 having microcavities with particles embedded therein . wire 48 may then be coiled or wound on a mandrel , as disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 291 , 444 to mccarty et al . althouah fig6 shows the particle remover 54 being positioned downstream of the coiling device 32 , it is contemplated that it may be positioned upstream of the coiling device 32 . in this alternative embodiment , the positions of blocks 54 and 32 would be switched in fig6 . coiled wire 34 may then be passed through particle remover 54 , as previously described , to form coiled microcavitied filament 64 . it will be appreciated that if heated wire 20 is sprayed with molybdenum particles and then coiled or wound on a molybdenum mandrel , as disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 291 , 444 to mccarty et al ., particle remover 54 may use a heating approach to melt both the particles and the mandrel away from the tungsten wire . the present invention provides an improvement over conventional methods of forming microcavities in a filament , as it is suitable for mass manufacturing environments where cost and efficiency are important factors . the present invention does not require complicated and costly devices , and instead utilizes simple mechanical structures to form microcavities . the present invention may also be implemented with minimum changes to a conventional filament manufacturing production line . it will be appreciated that other modifications may be made to the illustrated embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention , which is separately defined in the appended claims . | 1 |
as used herein the &# 34 ; pharmaceutically acceptable non - toxic salt &# 34 ; derivatives of the compounds of formulas ( a ), ( b ), ( c ), ( d ), are those compounds wherein h of the cooh moiety is replaced by a positive ion such as for example sodium or is combined with a suitable amine . these salt derivatives are prepared as discussed hereinafter by reacting the acid of formula ( a ), ( b ), ( c ) or ( d ) with a suitable base . the pharmaceutically acceptable non - toxic esters of formula ( a ), ( b ), ( c ) or ( d ) are those compounds wherein the oh of the cooh moiety is replaced by an alkoxy of 1 to 12 carbon atoms or an esterified glycerol . these are prepared as discussed hereafter by reacting an appropriate alcohol with the acid of formula ( a ), ( b ), ( c ) or ( d ). the term &# 34 ; alkyl &# 34 ; refers to and includes branched and straight chain hydrocarbons containing the number of carbons indicated . typical alkyl groups include methyl , ethyl , propyl , isopropyl , butyl , tertiary butyl , neopentyl , isopentyl , hexyl , octyl , nonyl , isodecyl , 6 - methyldecyl . the term &# 34 ; lower alkyl &# 34 ; means a branched or unbranched saturated hydrocarbon of 1 - 4 carbons , such as , for example , methyl , ethyl , n - propyl , i - butyl and the like . the term &# 34 ; alkoxy &# 34 ; refers to a straight or branched chain alkyl ether group wherein &# 34 ; alkyl &# 34 ; is as defined above . this includes radicals such as methoxy , ethoxy , 2 - propoxy , butoxy , 3 - pentoxy and the like . &# 34 ; lower alkoxy &# 34 ; means the group -- or wherein r is lower alkyl as herein defined . &# 34 ; halo &# 34 ; as used herein means a halogen ion chosen from those of fluoro , iodo , bromo , or chloro . &# 34 ; aroyl &# 34 ; as used herein refers to the radical r -- co -- wherein r is five or six carbon aromatic group . exemplary compounds of aroyl are benzoyl , 2 - furoyl , 2 - thenoyl , 3 - furoyl or 3 - thenoyl and the like . in naming the compounds of this invention iupac nomenclature is used . the substituents attached to the aromatic ring are identified by number of the carbon atom on the aromatic ring to which said substituent is attached according to the following scheme illustrations : ## str3 ## the r 2 substituent on the phenyl ring is at the ortho , meta or para positions , while the r 2 substituent on the furan or thiophene ring is at the 3 , 4 or 5 position . the broadest aspect of this invention is given in the &# 34 ; summary of the invention &# 34 ; in this specification . a preferred subgroup of compounds is represented by formula ( a ), particularly those wherein r 1 is h or methyl and more particularly those where r 2 is h or methyl , methoxy , methylthio , or chloro at the para position . most preferred and exemplary compounds useful in the method of the present invention include , but are not limited to , and individual ( l -) and ( d -) acid isomers thereof and the pharmaceutically acceptable nontoxic alkyl esters and salts . detailed description of the preparation of 5 - aroyl - 1 , 2 - dihydro - 3h - pyrrolo [ 1 , 2 - a ] pyrrole - 1 - carboxylic acid compounds of formula ( a ) and their pharmaceutically acceptable non - toxic esters and salts thereof is hereby incorporated by reference to the u . s . pat . no . 4 , 089 , 969 to muchowski et al , issued on may 16 , 1978 . detailed description of the preparation of 5 - aroyl - 6 - chloro or 6 - bromo - 1 , 2 - dihydro - 3h - pyrrolo ( 1 , 2 - a )- pyrrole - 1 - carboxylic acid compounds of formula ( b ) and the pharmaceutically acceptable non - toxic esters and salts thereof is hereby incorporated by reference to the patent application no . 06 / 157 , 719 , to muchowski , allowed on apr . 22 , 1981 , not issued as yet . detailed description of the preparation of 5 - substituted - 1 , 2 - dihydro - 3h - pyrrolo ( 1 , 2 - a ) pyrrole - 1 - carboxylic acid of formulas ( b ) and ( c ) and the pharmaceutically acceptable non - toxic esters and salts thereof is hereby incorporated by reference to the u . s . pat . no . 4 , 087 , 539 to muchowski et al , issued in may 2 , 1978 . detailed description of the preparation of 5 -( 2 - pyrroyl ) and 5 -( n - lower alkyl - 2 - pyrroyl )- 1 , 2 - dihydro - 3h - pyrrolo [ 1 , 2 - a ] pyrrole - 1 - carboxylic acid compounds of formula ( d ) and the pharmaceutically acceptable non - toxic esters and salts thereof is hereby incorporated by reference to the u . s . pat . no . 4 , 097 , 579 to muchowski et al , issued in june 27 , 1978 . detailed description of the preparation of 5 - alkylsulfinylbenzoyl - and 5 - alkylsulfonylbenzoyl - 2 - dihydro - 3h - pyrrolo [ 1 , 2 - a ] pyrrole - 1 - carboxylic acid compounds of the formula ( a ) and their pharmaceutically acceptable non - toxic esters and salts is hereby incorporated by reference to the u . s . pat . no . 4 , 232 , 038 to kluge et al , issued on nov . 4 , 1980 . 5 - alkylthiobenzoyl - 1 , 2 - dihydro - 3h - pyrrolo [ 1 , 2 - a ] pyrrole - 1 - carboxylic acid compounds of formula ( a ) are prepared by a process illustrated by the following reaction sequence : ## str4 ## r 1 represents hydrogen ; lower alkyl group having from one to four carbon atoms ; chloro or bromo ; r 5 represents methyl , ethyl , isopropyl or n - butyl depending on whether methanol , ethanol , isopropanol or n - butanol are used for esterification ; the starting compound 2 - aminoethanol acetate ( not shown ) is prepared by reacting 2 - aminoethanol with glacial acetic acid at a temperature of between 5 ° and 50 ° c . this compound is then reacted with dimethoxytetrahydrofuran at reflux temperature for a period of time sufficient to give the desired pyrrole and the corresponding acetate . the reaction takes generally less than about 5 hours . after extracting the product from the reaction mixture , the mixture is hydrolyzed using a basic alcohol mixture such as sodium hydroxide and methanol at room temperature to give solely the desired product represented by formula ( i ). this in turn is reacted at slightly elevated temperatures , e . g . 20 °- 60 ° c ., with a solution of dimethylamine hydrochloride in aqueous formaldehyde to give 1 -( 2 - hydroxyethyl )- 2 - dimethylaminomethylpyrrole ( ii ). after extraction with a suitable organic solvent such as dichloromethane and subsequent purification by evaporation and distillation , the compound represented by formula ( ii ) is then dissolved in acetone and is maintained in an inert atmosphere using nitrogen or argon and a slight molar excess of dimethylsulfate is added to the cooled reaction mixture at such a rate that the temperature does not exceed about 5 ° c . when addition of the dimethylsulfate is completed , the solution is stirred at room temperature and a solution of sodium cyanide in water is added . the resulting reaction mixture is heated to reflux temperature , i . e . generally about 90 °- 100 ° c . and the distillate is collected . the reaction mixture is heated at gentle reflux for a suitable period of time , generally less than 2 hours , preferably about 1 / 2 hour and water is added to the mixture . after extracting , drying and purification by column chromatography , a nitrile represented by formula ( iii ) is obtained , namely 1 -( 2 - hydroxyethyl ) pyrrol - 2 - yl - acetonitrile . the compound of formula ( iii ) is then converted to the corresponding 1 -( 2 - methanesulfonyloxy ) ethylpyrrol - 2 - yl - acetonitrile by esterification with methanesulfonyl chloride in the presence of a tertiary amine , i . e ., triethylamine , pyridine and the like . optionally , in the presence of a solvent such as dichloromethane , at a temperature from about - 10 ° c . to about room temperature , for about 10 minutes to about 2 hours esterification produces the corresponding mesyl ester . the mesyl ester represented by formula ( iv ) is converted to the corresponding 1 - cyano - 1 , 2 - dihydro - 3h - pyrrolo -[ 1 , 2 - a ] pyrrole of formula ( v ). by reaction with sodium iodide in acetonitrile solution , at reflux temperature for from about 1 to about 10 hours . the preparation of the compound of formula ( v ) is discussed in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 100 , 698 to van horn et al and that patent is incorporated herein by reference . nitrile of formula ( v ) can be converted into the acid represented by formula ( vi ) by reacting with aqueous sodium or potassium hydroxide in ethylene glycol at elevated temperatures of up to 120 ° c . for a time sufficient for the reaction to take place , generally less than about 5 hours . extracting the reaction mixture with a suitable organic solvent , bringing the aqueous phase to an acid ph by using concentrated hydrochloric acid and extracting from water , results in the acid represented by formula ( vi ). the acid , in turn , is converted to the ester of formula ( vii ) by reaction with a lower aliphatic alcohol in the presence of an acid such as hydrochloric acid . the carboxylic acid group at the c - 1 position in compound ( vi ) is selectively esterified by treatment with a lower aliphatic alcohol , e . g ., methanol , ethanol , isopropanol , n - butanol and the like in the presence of hydrogen chloride , to produce the corresponding alkyl 1 , 2 - dihydro - 3h - pyrrolo [ 1 , 2 - a ] pyrrole - 1 - carboxylic acid of formula ( vii ). the reaction is conducted at a temperature of from about 0 ° to about 50 ° c ., for about 1 to about 4 hours . a compound of formula ( vii ) is then converted to the alkylthiobenzoyl compound of formulas ( viii ) and ( a ) by a condensation of a compound ( vii ) with either an acid chloride of the formula ## str5 ## or a reagent prepared from an amide of the formula ## str6 ## and phosphorus oxychloride wherein r 6 has the above - indicated meaning , affords the corresponding alkyl 5 - benzoyl - 1 , 2 - dihydro - 3h - pyrrolo [ 1 , 2 - a ] pyrrole - 1 - carboxylic acid ( viii ). this is done following process conditions set forth in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 089 , 969 . in the preferred embodiment of this process , this condensation is carried out by adding a solution of compound of formula ( vii ) in a suitable solvent to a previously refluxed mixture of 1 . 1 to 5 molar equivalents of both the desired amide and phosphorus oxychloride in the same solvent , refluxing the reaction mixture thus obtained for from about 6 to about 72 hours under an argon atmosphere and thereafter adding thereto from about 3 to about 10 molar equivalents of sodium acetate , followed by an additional reflux period for from about 4 to about 6 hours . alternatively , the intermediate nitrile of formula ( v ) can be converted into the nitrile of formula ( ix ) in reaction scheme using reaction conditions discussed hereinbefore in the conversion of the compound of formulas ( vii ) to ( viii ). the compound of formula ( ix ), in turn , is converted to a compound ( a ) of the invention by converting the nitrile moiety to an acid as discussed hereinbefore . the compounds of formula ( a ) can be resolved , according to methods known in the art , to obtain the corresponding individual isomers thereof . the ( l )- acid isomers and ( d )- acid isomers of the compounds of formula ( a ) can be obtained by applying the known technique of high pressure liquid chromotography ( hplc ) to the α - phenethyl diastereoisomeric esters of the compounds of formula ( a ), followed by acid cleavage . thus , for example , the compounds of formula ( a ) wherein r 1 and r 6 are both hydrogen can be subjected to further treatment in accordance with the following flow diagram : ## str7 ## the free acids of formula ( a ), ( b ), ( c ) and ( d ) can be converted into other alkyl esters having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms by conventional methods , e . g ., by treatment with ( a ) the alcohol corresponding to the desired ester in the presence of a strong mineral acid , ( b ) an ethereal diazoalkane or ( c ) the desired alkyl iodide in the presence of lithium carbonate . the salt derivatives of the compounds of formula ( a ), ( b ), ( c ) and ( d ) are prepared by treating these free acids with an appropriate amount of a pharmaceutically acceptable base . representative pharmaceutically acceptable bases are sodium hydroxide , potassium hydroxide , lithium hydroxide , ammonium hydroxide , calcium hydroxide , magnesium hydroxide , ferrous hydroxide , zinc hydroxide , copper hydroxide , manganous hydroxide , aluminum hydroxide , ferric hydroxide , manganic hydroxide , isopro - pylamine , trimethylamine , diethylamine , triethylamine , tripropylamine , ethanolamine , 2 - dimethylaminoethanol , 2 - diethylaminoethanol , tromethamine , lysine , arginine , histidine , caffeine , procaine , hydrabamine , choline , betaine , ethylenediamine , glucosamine , methylglucamine , theobromine , purine , piperazine , piperidine , n - ethyl - piperidine , polyamine resins and the like . the reaction is conducted in water , alone or in combination with an inert , water - miscible organic solvent , at a temperature of from about 0 ° to about 100 ° c ., preferably at room temperature . typical inert , water - miscible organic solvents include methanol , ethanol , isopropanol , butanol , acetone , dioxane or tetrahydrofuran . the molar ratio of compounds of formula ( a ), ( b ), ( c ) and ( d ) to base used are chosen to provide the ratio desired for any particular salt . for preparing , for example , the calcium salts or magnesium salts of the compounds of formula ( a ), ( b ), ( c ) and ( d ) the free acid starting material can be treated with at least one - half molar equivalent of pharmaceutically acceptable base to yield a neutral salt . when the aluminum salts of the compounds of formula ( a ), ( b ), ( c ) and ( d ) are prepared , at least one - third molar equivalent of the pharmaceutically acceptable base are employed if a neutral salt product is desired . in the preferred procedure , the calcium salts and magnesium salts of the compounds of formula ( a ), ( b ), ( c ) and ( d ) can be prepared by treating the corresponding sodium or potassium salts thereof with at least one - half molar equivalent of calcium chloride or magnesium chloride , respectively , in an aqueous solution , alone or in combination with an inert water - miscible organic solvent , at a temperature of from about 20 ° to about 100 ° c . preferably , the aluminum salts of the compounds hereof , can be prepared by treating the corresponding free acids with at least one - third molar equivalent of an aluminum alkoxide , such as aluminum triethoxide , aluminum tripropoxide and the like , in a hydrocarbon solvent , such as benzene , xylene , cyclohexane and the like , at a temperature of from about 20 ° to about 115 ° c . similar procedures can be used to prepare salts of inorganic bases which are not sufficiently soluble for easy reaction . the salt derivatives of the compounds of formula ( a ), ( b ), ( c ) and ( d ) can be reconverted to their respective free acids by acidifying said salts with an acid , preferably an inorganic acid , e . g ., hydrochloric acid , sulfuric acid , and the like , at temperature of from about 0 ° c . to about 50 ° c ., preferably at room temperature . the pharmaceutically acceptable non - toxic esters of formula ( a ), ( b ), ( c ) and ( d ) are prepared by esterifying the corresponding free acids with an alcohol reagent corresponding to the desired ester , e . g ., an alkanol having up to 12 carbon atoms or with glycerol which is already esterified at two hydroxyls to other suitable acids . this reaction is conducted in the presence of a strong acid , such as boron trifluoride , hydrogen chloride , sulfuric acid , p - toluenesulfonic acid , and the like . if the alcohol reagent used in the esterification is a liquid at the reaction temperature , the alcohol reagent can be the reaction solvent . optionally , the reaction can be carried out in an inert organic solvent in which the free acids and the alcohol reagent are soluble , such as a hydrocarbon solvent , e . g ., hexane , isooctane , decane , cyclohexane , benzene , toluene , xylene , a halogenated hydrocarbon solvent , e . g ., methylene chloride , chloroform , dichlorethane ; or an ether solvent , e . g ., diethyl ether , dibutyl ether dioxane , tetrahydrofuran , and the like . in the case where the alcohol reagent is a solid , the reaction preferably is conducted in a non - aqueous liquid inert organic solvent . the reaction is conducted at from about 0 ° c . to the reflux temperature of the reaction mixture , preferably using hydrogen chloride at a temperature of from 15 ° c . to about 35 ° c . the product is isolated by conventional means such as diluting the reaction mixture with water , extracting the resulting aqueous mixture with a water - immiscible inert organic solvent , such as diethyl ether , benzene , methylene chloride , and the like , combining the extracts , washing the extracts with water to neutrality and then evaporating under reduced pressure . typical esters are those ester derivatives prepared from methyl alcohol , ethyl alcohol , propyl alcohol , isopropyl alcohol , butyl alcohol , 2 - butyl alcohol , 2 - pentyl alcohol , isopentyl alcohol , 2 - hexyl alcohol , and the like . alternatively , the alkyl esters can be prepared by transesterification , according to methods known in the art . it is preferred in preparing the esters via transesterification to go from a lower ester to a higher ester , e . g ., from the methyl ester , for example , to the isoamyl ester , for example . however , by using a substantial excess of a lower alcohol , a higher ester can be transesterified to a lower ester ; thus , for example , by using a substantial excess of ethanol , the hexyl ester is converted by the transesterification to the ethyl ester . it is to be understood that isolation of the compounds described herein can be effected , if desired , by any suitable separation or purification procedure , such as for example , extraction , filtration , evaporation , distillation , crystallization , thin - layer chromatography or column chromatography , high pressure liquid chromotography ( hplc ) or a combination of these procedures . the novel compounds of formula ( a ), ( b ), ( c ) and ( d ) depicted above exist as pairs of optical isomers ( or enantiomorphs ), i . e ., a ( dl ) mixture . however , each optical isomer as well as the ( dl ) mixtures thereof are included within the present invention . while the ( d )- acid isomers are not used as a medicinal of agents per se , they can , if desired , be converted to their pharmaceutically acceptable , nontoxic esters and salts thereof according to the methods described for the conversion of the ( l -) acid isomers to their pharmaceuticably acceptable , nontoxic esters and salts thereof . this invention is directed to a method useful for relieving , inhibiting or preventing microvascular diseases associated with diabetes mellitus in mammals . these diseases may be , among others , diseases of the retina , diseases of the skin , diseases of the kidney , or peripheral , central or autonomic nervous system . all these may , and often occur , as symptoms associated with the acute or chronic complications of diabetes mellitus such as initial leakage from the capillaries to the extracellular space in acute form of diabetes up to such chronical complications as diabetic retinopathy , diabetic nephropathy or diabetic neuropathy . the method of this invention is both curative and preventative . while not intending to be bound by any theoretical mechanisms of action , the method herein is believed to prevent the changes in the permeability of the vascular wall , thus preventing the leakage from the vascular wall into the extracellular space and thus preventing the damage to the vascular system which would otherwise be caused by such leakage . moreover , the method also operates to prevent neovascularization , the formation of new capillaries or blood vessels in the later stages of disease . while the preventative action of the claimed compounds affects the stages prior to development of serious complications of diabetes mellitus , the secondary action brings relief to the patients with diabetes where chronical complications are in advanced stage and well developed . the administration of these compounds during the chronic disease inhibits further deterioration of microvascular system and development of microvascular diseases associated with diabetes . the method is useful in treatment of a mammal , particularly a human being , having diabetes mellitus , whether the patient already exhibits the symptoms or whether the symptoms are not as yet detectable . the compounds of this invention and their pharmaceutically acceptable non - toxic alkyl esters and salts have been found , in animal experiments , to have a profound effect on development and prevention of microvascular diseases when administered systemically to the animal with experimentally induced microvascular disease . these compounds are highly potent in preventing the development of neovascularization during diabetic retinopathy , or in preventing the leakage from the blood vessels into the vitreous humor which is characteristic of various microvascular diseases . in the practice of the method of the present invention , an effective amount of compounds of the present invention or pharmaceutical compositions thereof , as defined above , are administered via any of the usual and acceptable methods known in the art , either singly or in combination with another compound or compounds of the present invention or other pharmaceutical agents , such as antibiotics , hormonal agents for the treatment of microvascular diseases such as insulin and so forth . these compounds or compositions can be administered orally , topically , parenterally , or by inhalation and in the form of either solid , liquid , or gaseous dosage including tablets , suspensions , and aerosols . however , it should be noted that the method of administering the active ingredients of the present invention is not considered as limited to any particular mode of administration . the administration can be conducted in single unit dosage form with continuous therapy or in single dose therapy ad libitum . other modes of administration are effective for treating the conditions of retinopathy , nephropathy or neuropathy . in the preferred embodiments , the method of the present invention is practiced when relief of symptoms is specifically required , or , perhaps , imminent . the method hereof may also be usefully practiced as a continuous or prophylactic treatment . in view of the foregoing as well as in consideration of the degree of severity of the condition being treated , age of subject , body weight , and so forth , all of which factors being routinely determinable by one skilled in the art , the effective dosage in accordance herewith can vary over a wide range . generally , an effective amount ranges from about 0 . 005 to about 50 mg / kg / body weight / day and preferably from about 0 . 01 to about 20 mg / kg / body weight / day . in alternate terms , an effective amount in accordance herewith generally ranges from about 0 . 175 to about 3500 mg / day / subject weighing 70 kg , preferably about 3 to 700 mg . of course , the dosage of each compound is given in accordance with the range designated on the label of the formulated drug where known and otherwise in accordance with good medical practices . in essence , in accordance with the invention the compounds can be administered for the treatment of microvascular diseases in essentially the same amounts as being administered for the treatment of inflammatory conditions , or conditions where treatment with an analgesic is indicated . useful pharmaceutical carriers employed for the preparation of the compositions hereof , can be solids , liquids , or gases . thus , the compositions can take the form of tablets , pills , capsules , powders , sustained release formulations , solutions , suspensions , elixirs , aerosols , and the like . the carrier can be selected from the various oils including those of petroleum , animal , vegetable or synthetic origin , or example , peanut oil , soybean oil , mineral oil , sesame oil , and the like . water , saline , aqueous dextrose and glycols are preferred liquid carriers , particularly for injectable solutions . suitable pharmaceutical excipients include starch , cellulose , talc , glucose , lactose , sucrose , gelatin , malt , rice , flour , chalk , silica gel , magnesium stearate , sodium stearate , glyceryl monostearate , sodium chloride , dried skim milk , glycerol , propylene glycol , water , ethanol , and the like . suitable pharmaceutical carriers and their formulation are described in remington &# 39 ; s pharmaceutical sciences , easton , pa ., mack publishing company , fifteenth ed ., 1975 . such compositions will , in any event , contain an effective amount of the active compound together with a suitable amount of carrier so as to prepare the proper dosage form for proper administration to the host . generally , the active ingredient will be present in an amount of about 0 . 1 % to 99 % by weight , preferably 5 to 75 % by weight while the pharmaceutical excipients will be present in an amount of about 99 . 9 % to about 1 % by weight , preferably about 95 to about 25 % by weight . a more recently devised approach for parenteral administration employs the implantation of a slow - release or sustained - release system , such that a constant level of dosage is maintained . see , e . g ., u . s . pat . no . 3 , 710 , 795 . the following examples are given to indicate how to determine the initial activity of the compounds which were useful in the method of this invention and to set forth useful formulations . the examples are given as representative only and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention to only the use of the compounds which are disclosed therein . it has been found in clinical studies of diabetic human patients that prior to any visible change in the retinal blood vessels , there is leakage from the blood vessels into the vitreous humor . this can be demonstrated by injecting fluorescein into the blood stream of the patient , then monitoring the vitreous humor for the presence of fluorescein . the amount of fluorescein present in the vitreous humor can then be determined by vitreous fluorophotometry as described by cunha - vaz et al ( brit . j . ophthal 59 : 649 - 656 , 1975 ). this same phenomenon can be seen in diabetic laboratory rats . thus , rats are used in this experiment to determine the effect of active compounds on diabetic retinopathy . forty male long - evans rats ( 200 - 250 grams ) are divided into three groups of ten each . two of the three groups receive streptozotocin ( 65 mg . per kg .) intravenously to induce diabetes . the remaining group receives only the vehicle ( a citrate buffer ) and serves as the control group . the three groups are as follows : ______________________________________group no . diet______________________________________i - control purina lab chowii - diabetic purina lab chowiii - diabetic / active 0 . 05 % active compound compound in purina lab chow______________________________________ each group remains on the above diet for three weeks . the rats in group iii ingest about 10 mg of active compound per day . after three weeks , each rat receives fluorescein ( 10 mg / kg ) and is sacrificed one hour later . a blood sample is taken by cardiac puncture at the time of sacrifice . the eyes are removed and frozen in dry ice / isopropanol bath . the vitreous humor is extracted while the eye is frozen and each sample is weighed and dissolved in 1 ml . of 0 . 1 normal sodium hydroxide . the fluorescein content is determined fluorometrically at 460 nanometers ( nm ) excitation and 510 nm emission wavelengths . fluorescence readings are converted into units of fluorescein ( nanograms ng ) by the use of a standard curve . plasma fluorescein is also determined and expressed as micrograms ( μg ) fluorescein per ml of plasma . results are expressed as leakage which is defined as : ## equ1 ## thus , the higher the leakage value , the greater the ratio of fluorescein in the vitreous compared with the amount present in plasma . this indicates that the fluorescein could get into the vitreous humor readily by breakdown of the blood - retinal barrier and by leakage of fluorescein through microvessels . plasma glucose is determined in all groups to confirm that animals are actually diabetic in the diabetic groups . glucose is determined by specific hexokinase enzymatic method specific for glucose . active compounds of this invention are able to prevent the increase in leakage associated with diabetes . ______________________________________ingredients quantity per tablet , mg . ______________________________________5 - benzoyl - 1 , 2 - dihydro - 2503h -- pyrrolo ( 1 , 2 - a )- pyrrole - 1 - carboxylic acidcornstarch 50lactose 198magnesium stearate 2______________________________________ ______________________________________ingredients quantity per tablet , mg . ______________________________________5 -( para - methylthio ) benzoyl - 2501 , 2 - dihydro - 3h -- pyrrolo -( 1 , 2 - a )- pyrrole - 1 - carboxylic acidcornstarch 50lactose 198magnesium stearate 2______________________________________ ______________________________________ingredients quantity per tablet , mg . ______________________________________5 -( para - methoxy )- benzoyl - 2501 , 2 - dihydro - 3h -- pyrrolo -( 1 , 2 - a )- pyrrole - 1 - carboxylic acidcornstarch 50lactose 198magnesium stearate 2______________________________________ the above ingredients are mixed intimately in the above ratios and pressed into single scored tablets . an intimate mixture is prepared of equal parts of 5 - benzoyl - 1 , 2 - dihydro - 3h - pyrrolo ( 1 , 2 - a )- pyrrole - 1 - carboxylic acid and a tablet base comprising starch with the addition of 1 % magnesium stearate as a lubricant . the mixture is compressed into tablets containing 400 mg of active compound . an intimate mixture is prepared of equal parts of 5 -( para - methylthio ) benzoyl - 1 , 2 - dihydro - 3h - pyrrolo ( 1 , 2 - a )- pyrrole - 1 - carboxylic acid , and a tablet base comprising starch with the addition of 1 % magnesium stearate as a lubricant . the mixture is compressed into tablets containing 400 mg of active compound . an intimate mixture is prepared of equal parts of 5 -( para - methoxy )- benzoyl - 1 , 2 - dihydro - 3h - pyrrolo ( 1 , 2 - a )- pyrrole - 1 - carboxylic acid and a tablet base comprising starch with the addition of 1 % magnesium stearate as a lubricant . the mixture is compressed into tablets containing 400 mg of active compound . an intimate mixture is prepared of 50 parts 5 - benzoyl - 1 , 2 - dihydro - 3h - pyrrolo ( 1 , 2 - a )- pyrrole - 1 - carboxylic acid , 149 parts cornstarch and 1 part magnesium stearate . the mixture is placed in capsules containing 50 mg active ingredient . an intimate mixture is prepared of 50 parts 5 -( para - methylthio ) benzoyl - 1 , 2 - dihydro - 3h - pyrrolo ( 1 , 2 - a )- pyrrole - 1 - carboxylic acid , 149 parts cornstarch and 1 part magnesium stearate . the mixture is placed in capsules containing 50 mg active ingredient . an intimate mixture is prepared of 50 parts 5 -( para - methoxy )- benzoyl - 1 , 2 - dihydro - 3h - pyrrolo ( 1 , 2 - a )- pyrrole - 1 - carboxylic acid , 149 parts cornstarch and 1 part magnesium stearate . the mixture is placed in capsules containing 50 mg active ingredient . | 0 |
fig1 a represents one embodiment of the essential means of the invention represented by the attachment part 1 . this is moulded by hot compression in a composite material such as bundles of carbon fibres pre - impregnated with a heat - set resin . the resin can be epoxy resin , for example . to this end a mould is produced for the attachment part . in the remainder of the description a distinction is made between two different functional parts of the one - piece attachment part 1 . the first constitutes the bar 2 that is used to fix the attachment part 1 to another attachment part , for example by means of a screw , and in fig1 the second consists of two parallel faces 3 , 3 ′, for which the technical term is “ blades ”. in particular they receive a plane panel the thickness whereof is substantially equal to the distance between these two faces . the attachment part is moulded at a temperature close to 120 ° c . to soften the carbon - based material so that it is able to assume the shape of the mould . curing takes approximately 5 minutes . the mould includes two projecting portions for producing holes 5 , 5 ′ in the blades 3 , 3 ′ of the attachment part 1 . the holes 5 , 5 ′ are used to infiltrate glue onto the internal surfaces of the attachment part 1 . fig1 b is a view in section of the attachment part 1 . the invention moulds the attachment part 1 and inserts a metal insert 6 into it during moulding . the metal insert 6 can advantageously be in aluminium and comprise a cylindrical first part 6 ′ and a second part 6 ″ forming a flange , the two parts being joined together . the flange 6 ″ retains the insert inside the attachment part 1 when transmitting axial forces . in its end use , the insert is intended to be tapped in order to enable an axial attachment to be fixed by means of a screw , for example . in a preferred embodiment , the flange 6 ″ can also be of cylindrical shape and concentric with the cylindrical first part 6 ′. the metal insert is advantageously positioned so that the axis of the cylindrical first part 6 ′ of the insert 6 is in the plane of the blades 3 , 3 ′, the axis of the insert being parallel to the direction of application of the attachment part to a panel . to optimize the distribution of loads , the metal insert can be centred on the external face of the bar . during moulding of the attachment part by hot compression at a temperature close to 120 ° c ., the expanded metal insert advantageously produces on cooling a small clearance between the metal insert and the attachment part . this clearance , on subsequent expansion in an environment at temperatures in the range [− 50 ° c ., + 80 ° c . ], prevents additional forces on the attachment part caused by thermal expansion of the metal insert . on the inside of the part 1 , the blades 3 , 3 ′ each comprise a recess 7 , 7 ′. this recess 7 , 7 ′ receives the glue when it is introduced via the orifices 5 , 5 ′ with the panel inserted between the blades 3 , 3 ′. fig2 represents a structural device of the invention comprising the attachment part 1 , a panel 21 comprising an upper skin and a lower skin , and a glue 20 , 20 ′ inserted via the orifices 5 , 5 ′. the panel 21 is inserted between the two blades 3 , 3 ′ of the attachment part 1 . the glue is injected via the orifices 5 , 5 ′ and accumulates in the recesses 7 , 7 ′. the panel 21 is then held in the part 1 by adhesion of the faces of the attachment part 1 and the skins of the panel . one example of a satellite structural panel of the invention comprises two exterior carbon skins intended to be glued to the inside faces of the attachment part 1 and a honeycomb structure inside the panel . fig3 represents the attachment part 1 and the insert 6 in the bar 2 . the insert 6 as finally machined is threaded and includes a thread 30 adapted to receive a screw 31 . the main advantage of this kind of device is the reduction of the forces on the glued joint given the similar coefficients of expansion of the carbon skins of the panels and the attachment parts consisting of bundles of carbon fibres impregnated with a heat - set resin . an advantage of this kind of solution is that it simplifies the gluing process thanks to the geometry of the attachment part . also , the surfaces of the attachment part intended to be glued necessitate no specific treatment before gluing . furthermore , production costs are low compared to producing attachment parts in titanium . another advantage is the high strength of the axial screwed connection supported by the insert , which is positioned and retained in the attachment part at the moulding stage . fig4 represents an example of assembling five structural panels 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 held together by attachment parts as described above , fixed together and forming double axial attachments 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 . this example illustrates one instance of assembling a number of structural panels . another way to produce the structural device of the invention is to produce a moulded part having only one face , i . e . having only one blade . the principle of gluing together the blade of the attachment part and the skin of the panel remains as described above . another embodiment provides blades of the attachment part 1 including a number of holes or orifices . for example , moulding the attachment part 1 enables the mould to form three holes in each of the blades . in this embodiment , one hole in each of the blades of the attachment part 1 is for inserting the glue into the recess and the other two holes are for positioning the blades on the panel by means of markings applied to the panel beforehand . the markings can advantageously be holes so that the position of the blades on the skins of the panel can be checked by inserting a pin into the two holes in each of the blades . the respective holes in the blades and the skins can then be superposed and held by a cylindrical axial insert during gluing of the attachment part and the panel and removed afterwards , for example . the structure of the invention is not limited to the [− 50 ° c ., + 80 ° c .] range of this application and can advantageously withstand temperatures outside these limits , in particular in a wider range of temperature from − 180 ° to + 200 °. it will be readily seen by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention fulfils all of the objects set forth above . after reading the foregoing specification , one of ordinary skill in the art will be able to affect various changes , substitutions of equivalents and various aspects of the invention as broadly disclosed herein . it is therefore intended that the protection granted hereon be limited only by definition contained in the appended claims and equivalents thereof . | 5 |
fig1 illustrates a representative workstation or server hardware system in which the present invention may be practiced . the system 100 of fig1 comprises a representative computer system 101 , such as a personal computer , a workstation or a server , including optional peripheral devices . the workstation 101 includes one or more processors 106 and a bus employed to connect and enable communication between the processor ( s ) 106 and the other components of the system 101 in accordance with known techniques . the bus connects the processor 106 to memory 105 and long - term storage 107 which can include a hard drive , diskette drive or tape drive for example . the system 101 might also include a user interface adapter , which connects the microprocessor 106 via the bus to one or more interface devices , such as a keyboard 104 , mouse 103 , a printer / scanner 110 and / or other interface devices , which can be any user interface device , such as a touch sensitive screen , digitized entry pad , etc . the bus also connects a display device 102 , such as an lcd screen or monitor , to the microprocessor 106 via a display adapter . the system 101 may communicate with other computers or networks of computers by way of a network adapter capable of communicating with a network 109 . example network adapters are communications channels , token ring , ethernet or modems . alternatively , the workstation 101 may communicate using a wireless interface , such as a cdpd ( cellular digital packet data ) card . the workstation 101 may be associated with such other computers in a local area network ( lan ) or a wide area network ( wan ), or the workstation 101 can be a client in a client / server arrangement with another computer , etc . all of these configurations , as well as the appropriate communications hardware and software , are known in the art . fig2 illustrates a data processing network 200 in which the present invention may be practiced . the data processing network 200 may include a plurality of individual networks , such as a wireless network and a wired network , each of which may include a plurality of individual workstations 101 . additionally , as those skilled in the art will appreciate , one or more lans may be included , where a lan may comprise a plurality of intelligent workstations coupled to a host processor . still referring to fig2 , the networks may also include mainframe computers or servers , such as a gateway computer ( client server 206 ) or application server ( remote server 208 which may access a data repository ). a gateway computer 206 serves as a point of entry into each network 207 . a gateway is needed when connecting one networking protocol to another . the gateway 206 may be preferably coupled to another network ( the internet 207 for example ) by means of a communications link . the gateway 206 may also be directly coupled to one or more workstations 101 using a communications link . the gateway computer may be implemented utilizing an ibm eserver , zserver and 900 server available from ibm . software programming code which embodies the present invention is typically accessed by the processor 106 of the system 101 from long - term storage media 107 , such as a cd - rom drive or hard drive . the software programming code may be embodied on any of a variety of known media for use with a data processing system , such as a diskette , hard drive , or cd - rom . the code may be distributed on such media , or may be distributed to users from the memory or storage of one computer system over a network to other computer systems for use by users of such other systems . alternatively , the programming code 111 may be embodied in the memory 105 , and accessed by the processor 106 using the processor bus . such programming code includes an operating system which controls the function and interaction of the various computer components and one or more application programs . program code is normally paged from dense storage media 107 to high speed memory 105 where it is available for processing by the processor 106 . the techniques and methods for embodying software programming code in memory , on physical media , and / or distributing software code via networks are well known and will not be further discussed herein . in the preferred embodiment , the present invention is implemented as one or more computer software programs 111 . the implementation of the software of the present invention may operate on a user &# 39 ; s workstation , as one or more modules or applications 111 ( also referred to as code subroutines , or “ objects ” in object - oriented programming ) which are invoked upon request . alternatively , the software may operate on a server in a network , or in any device capable of executing the program code implementing the present invention . the logic implementing this invention may be integrated within the code of an application program , or it may be implemented as one or more separate utility modules which are invoked by that application , without deviating from the inventive concepts disclosed herein . the application 111 may be executing in a web environment , where a web server provides services in response to requests from a client connected through the internet . in another embodiment , the application may be executing in a corporate intranet or extranet , or in any other network environment . configurations for the environment include a client / server network , peer - to - peer networks ( wherein clients interact directly by performing both client and server function ) as well as a multi - tier environment . these environments and configurations are well known in the art . our invention is an annotation system for annotating a diverse variety of “ documents ” including for example text or images , wherein annotations can be collaboratively authored by multiple users at different times and from different machines . also , as the annotation is collaboratively authored , different users may see different views of the annotation such as different data entry fields in the annotation according to their role or privileges . the annotation system also has the ability to notify users as appropriate that their attention to an annotation is required , such as when they must perform their portion of the annotation authoring or that previously authored annotations have been changed . our invention provides the ability to attach a workflow to arbitrary target data via an annotation . a traditional workflow system is typically a standalone program , whereas annotation — by definition — is integrated with the data and so can easily enable workflow for all annotatable data without requiring a standalone workflow client program . fig1 shows an example of a prior art forms based workflow software task list 1102 . typically , a user would run a workflow application and see a screen 1101 such as that of fig1 . the documents and data relating to the workflow tasks are completely separate to the standalone workflow software . in contrast , fig1 and 13 show two examples of annotation - based workflow task lists 1203 1304 1305 1306 . the task list in an annotation - based workflow system is not a flat list . instead , each task is represented in context as an annotation . in fig1 , each task 1204 1205 1206 1207 1208 is represented by the paper icons 1210 1212 1213 1214 over the map . in fig1 , the tasks are represented by the oval comment boxes 1304 1305 1306 that reference specific contextual parts of the document 1303 with the dashed delimiting lines shown . those two examples illustrate that with the annotation - based workflow system of the present invention , the document is the central aspect of the workflow system . the workflow system has no stand - alone application for viewing and managing tasks . instead since the workflow is represented as an annotation , then any annotation - enabled application can be enhanced with workflow - functionality . the examples in fig1 show microsoft mappoint and microsoft word ( from microsoft corporation ) as examples of existing applications that can be extended to be annotation - workflow aware simply by having annotation support . an architecture such as that used by the ibm insightlink ( from ibm corp ) annotation system and described in the ibm u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 600014 “ universal annotation management system ” filed jun . 20 , 2003 incorporated herein by reference , can be used to extend application with annotation functionality . the present invention merges the traditional workflow software concepts of tasks and collaborative work on the same task together with the tradition annotation concepts of deep integration with a document and simple discovery and analysis . previously , annotations were thought of as a single observation by a single individual about object ( s ) and sub - object ( s ). however , some processes benefit from a collection of different individual thoughts . our invention provides an annotation system with such a benefit . by combining the two ideas a new type of system is created in which workflow process can be automatically attached to any objects that can annotated , without requiring that the object being annotated or actually be under the control of the workflow process . the presence of annotation is the vehicle for gathering the output of each stage of a workflow pipeline . where this in particular is different from a regular workflow system is that any actor ( with permission to see the annotation ) can now participate in editing or simply viewing the results of a workflow process . the annotation paradigm gives the user an improved view of the pending tasks , and more importantly , an improved association with the target data relevant to the workflow task . in a traditional form - based workflow system , the pending task list presented to the user is workflow - centric . that means that the user interacts with the system mainly as a flat list of tasks . the user opens or starts a pending task to determine the data that is relevant to accomplishing the task . the annotation paradigm of our invention is not workflow - centric or based around a flat list of pending tasks . the annotation paradigm of our invention presents a data - centric interaction mechanism that is more suited to many types of problems . for example , imagine a hypothetical application that is used by city real estate assessors . every day , a real estate assessor must travel to multiple properties to assess their value for property tax collection purposes . a traditional workflow system would present the user ( assessor ) with a flat list of properties to be assessed . fig9 shows a flowchart that describes the steps a user , such as a real estate assessor for example , would take in using a prior art traditional workflow system for this task . typically the assessor would open or view the first task 902 from a flat list of pending tasks 901 , look for the address 904 stored in a target database 905 , and travel to the property to assess it . the assessor would , after 906 assessing the property , complete a form 907 and enter it into the workflow system 911 and send it on to the next workflow step 909 unless his was the last step 910 . then the assessor would open or view the next task in the list 903 , look at the address 904 , and travel to the next property to assess it 906 . such a traditional workflow system would make it difficult for the assessor to efficiently map out his route between properties to travel the least distance or choose convenient locations . it is possible the traditional workflow system could be enhanced to perform path planning in or in some way prioritize the list based on some metric , but such functionality would be custom designed and not part of the workflow system itself . the present invention provides for the user to customize his activities rather than deal with restrictions imposed by prior art forms based workflow system . in this example , the “ document ” 905 that the user interacts with to perform the task 906 of traveling to a property and assessing it is the address of the house to be assessed . it is the information the user needs to accomplish his task . notice that in the traditional workflow flowchart the user reads this “ document ” 904 late in the stage after selecting the task . our invention , using the annotation paradigm would allow for a much more natural and efficient operation by the user . our annotation based workflow system would treat the property as the relevant target “ document ” for the annotation . the assessor could then use an annotation - enabled geographic information system ( gis ) or mapping application such as microsoft mappoint from microsoft corp . to view the task list in a data - centric manner rather than the traditional workflow - centric flat task list . with the present invention , each morning the assessor would open his map application and see a map of the city ( reference fig1 ) 1215 . as he zooms into the area for which he is responsible , he sees icons 1210 1212 1213 1214 on the map 1215 over properties that need to be assessed . those icons 1210 1212 1213 1214 represent annotations and in our invention , they are his pending tasks . by presenting the task list 1210 1212 1213 1214 in a data - centric manner , the assessor is immediately able to easily prioritize and map an efficient route to perform the current day &# 39 ; s property assessments . the fact that our invention attaches a workflow to arbitrary target data makes this functionality an inherent advantage of the system . simply because the property was chosen as the target data for the annotation , the assessor sees immediate advantages over the traditional workflow task list model . fig1 shows a flowchart that describes the steps a user , such as an assessor as in this example , would take in using an annotation - based workflow system for this task . notice that the “ document ” 1006 , in this example being the location of the property 1210 1212 1213 1214 upon a map 1215 , is the driving factor in task selection rather than simply a referenced data as in the traditional flowchart in fig9 . according to fig1 , a user ( assessor ) opens a document 1215 from storage 1006 relating to the task . the user sees annotations ( as icons 1210 1212 1213 1214 ) made by others in the document 1215 . the user selects an annotation 1212 to view a task represented by the annotation 1212 retrieved from the annotation database 1007 . the user completes the task ( assessment ) 1004 and modifies or creates an annotation on the document 1215 with relevant information about the completed task 1005 . the data is stored 1011 in the annotation system 1007 . if 1008 the workflow is complete , the process is ended 1010 . if not , annotations 1210 1212 1213 1214 representing the next step in the workflow are instantiated for relevant users to find 1009 . fig3 illustrates an example of the interaction between users and the annotation workflow system . first , user a , having located a target document 305 of interest , creates an annotation 301 upon the target document using the annotation workflow system 302 . upon submitting that annotation 301 , a specific workflow configured in the annotation workflow system is started and the next step in the workflow is taken . this step can include the notification of a plurality of users 306 . in fig3 , user l 307 through n 309 might be human users but can also be agents or computer programs that perform a specific task . once the human or computer user 307 308 309 records their results 310 , if any , in the form of changes and additions to the annotation , then the annotation workflow system 302 retrieves the next step in the configured workflow 306 . if there are no steps remaining 304 in the workflow , then the task is complete , otherwise , the appropriate users for the next step are notified 306 . the process continues until the workflow task is complete . at any step in the workflow , the user has access to and can makes use of the target document to view the annotation in context . fig4 through 8 show example user interface screens of the collaboration between multiple users . the users are being assisted in their collaboration by an example embodiment of the annotation workflow system as they accomplish an example task . the example task is that of evaluating a candidate for a job opening . there are three users involved in the example workflow : the resume evaluator , the interviewer , and the hiring manager . each user in this example workflow takes a step in sequential order . that is , the resume evaluator must decide whether to interview the candidate at which point the interviewer will be assigned to proceed with the interview upon which the hiring manager will be tasked with deciding the salary and whether to hire the candidate . fig4 shows the screen 401 of the resume evaluator after he has hit the ‘ create annotation ’ button and is being prompted by a select annotation form window 408 for the type of annotation to create . the annotation workflow system can be configured with many types of annotations , each representing different data to gather for a different task to be accomplished . the evaluator chooses to create a ‘ candidate resume evaluation ’ type 412 of annotation by highlighting the corresponding entry 412 in the select form area 414 of the window 408 . then the evaluator sees the screen shown in fig5 with a create annotation window 501 . the annotation 501 has many fields 505 - 511 513 to be entered by the evaluator such as the type of employment 507 and prior experience information 509 . however , the annotation also shows fields that are not writeable 512 514 515 516 by the evaluator as signified by a black padlock icon next to the field name 512 515 . those fields are the responsibility another user in the workflow . once the evaluator is done entering information he submits the annotation 502 . the interviewer is now notified of a pending annotation and when the interviewer opens the resume document 402 , the interviewer sees that there is an annotation 601 on the document 402 as shown in fig6 . the list 601 on the left of the document shows the annotations on the document . the interviewer clicks on the list item 601 which opens a window 610 that presents information about the annotation associated with the list item 601 . the interviewer then interviews the candidate and opens the annotation window 710 for editing as shown in fig7 . note that the interviewer has a different view of the annotation customized to his particular task . specifically , the evaluator &# 39 ; s previously entered fields are read - only as shown by the black padlocks 505 506 507 509 511 and his fields 512 515 are available for entry . once the interviewer submits 502 his comments about the candidate , the hiring manager is notified of a pending annotation . when the manager opens the document ( fig8 ) 401 and opens the annotation 501 for editing the manager sees the screen 810 for annotation . note that this view is different from both the evaluator and interviewer &# 39 ; s annotation views . the screen 810 shown has been scrolled down to reveal two extra fields 801 802 at the end , ‘ salary ’ 801 803 and ‘ hire ?’ 802 804 . the annotation workflow system was configured to hide these fields for the evaluator view 610 and interviewer view 710 . only the manager view 810 is privileged to see and modify those fields . note also that all of the information previously entered by the evaluator and interviewer is shown for the manager to use in making his judgment . once the manager submits 502 the annotation with his changes 801 , even further automated workflow steps might be initiated such as the mailing of an offer letter , or forwarding to other managers for awareness . an awareness recipient might choose to annotate the document adding another item to the list , for instance , a manager might see that the employee having widget skills 405 might paste an annotation to that item on the resume document 402 indicating that the skill would be of particular use on a certain project . the manager of the project would then see the item indicating a skill annotation and modify the annotation with specific roles , time frame , and sub - project portion that the candidate might be assigned when hired . the system can also be configured to make automated decisions at any point . for instance , after the resume was evaluated initially 610 , the system might drop any candidates that have no experience . the interviewers views 710 would automatically only receive qualified candidates . also , notifications can be sent out intelligently based on conditions and query parameters such as only interviewing the top 10 candidates of all the resumes evaluated . the important thing to note is that this task was heavily focused around the annotation of a document . the natural post - it note paradigm was infused by our invention with a collaborative authoring and workflow functionality . one embodiment of the annotation workflow system consists of an annotation workflow engine which communicates with a database to store annotations . the annotation workflow engine is configured with the annotation layouts and specific workflow for each annotation . the annotation workflow engine also communicates with a user directory for determining particular user &# 39 ; s roles and privileges in the configured workflows . the annotation workflow engine exposes the following set of operations to its clients : 1 . query of all annotations upon a given document for a given user 2 . retrieval of specific annotations given an annotation id and specific user 3 . editing of specific annotations given an annotation id and specific user 4 . listing of configured annotation types or workflows 5 . creation of a new annotation based on one of the configured types of annotations the annotation workflow engine can be implemented as a web service , the user directory can be a standard lightweight directory access protocol ( ldap ) server , and the annotation database can be a standard relational database such as ibm &# 39 ; s db2 system . the clients that interact directly with the users and communicate on their behalf with the annotation workflow engine can be written as plug - ins into existing document viewer applications . for instance , the microsoft office suite of products from microsoft corporation provides an extensibility and integration application programming interface ( api ) to allow third parties to extend the functionality of the applications directly . the communication with the annotation workflow engine and the presentation of annotations can be implemented as such a plug - in . the architecture described so far is consistent with the architecture for an annotation system described in ibm u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 600014 “ universal annotation management system ” filed jun . 20 , 2003 incorporated herein by reference . the main changes from that architecture is that the annotation engine has the added configuration information and functionality of interpreting configured workflows and taking the appropriate action at each step of the workflow such as pending work notifications . the configuration of a workflow can be achieved together with the configuration of an annotation type . with every field that is added to annotation information about who is able to read and write each field is added along with constraints on the field being required or optional and other such restraints . also with each field in the configuration for an annotation type a list of conditions and actions is defined . these conditions will be evaluated upon annotation submission by the annotation workflow engine . the engine will perform the action described for any conditions that evaluate to a ‘ true ’ value . conditions and actions can even be described in languages such as javascript and perl but need not be so generic . conditions and actions can reference external data sources such as other databases and web services and can even modify annotations or other data sources when executed . however , they need not be so elaborate , especially for security reasons , the actions should run in a limited or sandboxed environment . the conditions and actions can also be evaluated and performed either at the annotation workflow engine or also at the client plug - in application . the following describes the implementation of a user interaction with the system from start to finish as the user opens a document to view the tasks , presented in the form of annotations , and completes the task . the embodiment of the described invention is illustrative of the elements of the invention . the scenario is that of the assessor example described above . an assessor is assigned properties to assess via the workflow system . the assessor is a central step in the example workflow . the tasks have been assigned to him by a user in a prior step of the workflow , such as the assessor &# 39 ; s manager or supervisor by attaching an annotation icon ( fig1 ) 1212 1210 1214 1213 to a map 1215 . after the assessor finishes each task , the next step in the workflow is given a subsequent task in the workflow . for example , the subsequent task after a property is assessed might be the responsibility of a tax collector to send a tax bill to the property owner . the first step is the assessor starts the annotation - enabled microsoft mappoint application to view his assigned tasks . the assessor sees a screen 1201 as shown in fig1 . the annotations 1204 1205 1206 1207 1208 represent the tasks . to provide this view , a plugin component has been added to microsoft mappoint to communicate with a central annotation - workflow server . upon the user starting the microsoft mappoint application , the application loads the annotation plugin in the form of a component object model ( com ) component contained in a windows dynamic link library ( dll ) file and registered as a mappoint plugin in the microsoft mappoint section of the windows registry . once the annotation - workflow plugin has been loaded by the mappoint application , the plugin queries the annotation - workflow server for all annotations that apply to the assessor and the area being viewed by him . this query is accomplished as an http request to the annotation - workflow server at a well - known address on the network . typically the assessor would have previously configured the plugin with the network address of his company &# 39 ; s deployed annotation - workflow server . the http request sent to the server includes information such as the particular document for which annotations should be retrieved as well as contextual information such as the particular user making the request and the application from which the request is being made . all of that information is then used by the annotation - workflow engine as input parameters to create a structured query language ( sql ) query to a relational database store which contains the annotation and workflow information . the response to the http request contains the resulting annotations that match those query parameters . in particular a unique identifier for each annotation along with information about where in the document the annotation applies is returned . the plugin then uses that information to render the icons appropriately on screen for the user to see . next , the assessor chooses an annotation to edit . the assessor double - clicks on one of the annotations displayed 1212 and an annotation editing gui is presented by the plugin . to present this gui , the plugin communicates again with the annotation - workflow server . it sends another http request to the server including , as a parameter within the http request , the unique annotation identifier of the user - selected annotation . in response , the server does another sql query to retrieve the data inside the particular annotation as well as the schema to which the annotation data conforms . when the plugin receives this data , which is formatted as an extensible markup language ( xml ) document , the plugin uses an extensible stylesheet language ( xsl ) document to transform the annotation data and schema into a rendered presentable form . specifically , the xsl document converts the data and schema into a hypertext markup language ( html ) document which is presentable to the user using a web browser component such as microsoft internet explorer . the annotation schema describes the annotations structure and includes information such as data entry fields and their types ( i . e . string field called title , number field called zipcode , or currency field called assesedvalue ). the schema information can contain more advanced information also such as access control lists for fields ( i . e . salary field is read - only to everyone except user in the managers group ) and information about the field being required or optional among other such information . the annotation data simply contains the actual values that exist for the fields described in the schema ( i . e . zipcode field value is 02142 ). the annotation - workflow system can typically be configured to contain multiple annotation schemas to define different types of annotations . the particular schema that applies to an annotation is selected by the user upon creation of the annotation . after that , the annotation &# 39 ; s unique identifier is associated with its schema within the relational database employed by the annotation - workflow server . once the annotation form is rendered via an embedded web browser component such as microsoft internet explorer as described above , the user is allowed to enter and edit the data of the annotation . the assessor in this case adds notes about the property as prescribed by the annotation form and enters the final assessment of the property &# 39 ; s value into the annotation form . once all of the data is entered , the user clicks the ‘ submit ’ button on the form to submit the annotation data . at this point , the plugin gathers the entered and edited annotation data and formats it as parameters into another http request sent to the annotation - workflow server . when the server receives this request , it inserts the new data into its relational database store keyed by the unique annotation identifier . it then queries its configuration information to determine the next workflow step associated with a submission of that annotation . the workflow steps are previously configured by a system administrator . having found the next step in the workflow , the annotation - workflow server performs the required action which typically includes making the annotation available in the appropriate place for the next user in the workflow . in the example above , the plugin communicates via http requests . that communication can be accomplished via multiple means including but not limited to webservices via a number of different transport protocols and wire encodings or other distributed computing technologies such as the component object request broker architecture ( corba ) or even simple sockets - based custom tcp protocols . the capabilities of the present invention can be implemented in software , firmware , hardware or some combination thereof . as one example , one or more aspects of the present invention can be included in an article of manufacture ( e . g ., one or more computer program products ) having , for instance , computer usable media . the media has embodied therein , for instance , computer readable program code means for providing and facilitating the capabilities of the present invention . the article of manufacture can be included as a part of a computer system or sold separately . additionally , at least one program storage device readable by a machine , tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform the capabilities of the present invention can be provided . the flow diagrams depicted herein are just examples . there may be many variations to these diagrams 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 of the invention has been illustrated and described herein , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction herein disclosed , and the right is “ reserved ” to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims . | 6 |
fig1 illustrates aspects of a system 100 for providing content in accordance with embodiments of the present invention . in general , the system 100 includes one or more client devices 104 interconnected to a content system server 108 by a communication network 112 . a client device 104 , as will be described in greater detail elsewhere herein , may comprise a general purpose computer , such as , but not limited to , a laptop or desktop personal computer . the communication network 112 may comprise one or more networks , including the internet . the content system server 108 may comprise one or more devices that perform functions in support of the provision of content to client devices 104 over the communication network 112 . more particularly , a content system server 108 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention can include one or more firewalls 116 , gateways 120 , edge server clusters 124 and core servers 126 . an edge server cluster 124 and / or core server 126 provided as part of a content system server 108 can include one or more databases 128 , data warehouse / reporting engines or modules 132 , and accounting data collection engines or modules 136 . the content system server 108 can additionally include analytics 140 , accounting 144 , and customer contact 148 engines or modules . although the various components of the content system server 108 are depicted in fig1 as discrete pieces of interconnected hardware , it should be appreciated that embodiments of the present invention are not limited to such configurations . for example , a content system server 108 can be implemented using one or a small number of server computer devices . a content system server 108 can also be distributed among a number of different devices , various functions performed by the content system server 108 can be distributed among such devices , and the devices making up the content system server 108 can be distributed among different locations . fig2 illustrates another view the content distribution system 100 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention , and in particular illustrates additional aspects of the client device 104 . the client device 104 executes a client application or concert application 204 . the client application 204 can function to retrieve content from the content system server 108 via the communication network 112 , to enable access to that content , and to enforce rules associated with that content . the client application 204 can also function to prepare content for delivery from the client device 104 to other client devices 104 and / or the content system server 108 . the client application 204 can also control the collection and release of information , such as demographic information regarding a user associated with the client device 104 , interests of the user associated with the client device 104 or other personal information . in accordance with embodiments of the present invention , content can be maintained in an object store 208 on or associated with the client device 104 . moreover , in accordance with embodiments of the present invention , and as will be described in greater detail elsewhere herein , content 206 is stored in the object store 208 in encrypted form . content 206 can be maintained in the object store 208 as part of one or more groupings , referred to herein as concerts 212 . moreover , access to content 206 can be through an associated concert 212 . each concert 212 can include various information or concert content 216 , such as content object metadata ( e . g ., digital rights management ( drm ) information , history , analytics , identities of parent objects , child objects , etc . ), pointers to content objects , permission keys 218 , object keys , and object type information . each concert 212 is also associated with an access key , which can be in the form of a client side system key 234 . in addition , different concerts 212 can access or share the same items of content 206 . the client device 104 also includes a public key ring 220 , one or more content ( concert ) key rings 224 , and a private key ring 228 . the public key ring 220 can maintain public keys or encryption keys 222 that the client device 104 uses to encrypt information to be sent to other client devices 104 or to a content system server 108 . the public keys 222 can be distributed by the content system server 108 to a client device 104 when requested by the client device 104 . the content key ring 224 can be encrypted , and can comprise access or content keys 226 for decrypting items of content 206 maintained in the object store 208 . where there are multiple content key rings 224 associated with a client device 104 , the different content key rings 224 can comprise concert key rings that are grouped according to the concert 212 to which they pertain . the private key ring 228 can include the private keys 230 needed to decrypt messages sent to the client device 104 using the corresponding public keys . in accordance with embodiments of the present invention , the user of the client device 104 does not have direct access to the content keys 226 maintained in the content key ring 224 or the private keys 230 maintained in the private key ring 228 . instead , the content key ring 224 and the private key ring 228 are encrypted and accessed using hidden or system keys 234 that only the client application 204 can access . therefore , access to the content 224 and private 228 key rings must be made through the client application 204 , allowing policies regarding distribution and / or use of content 206 established by an author , publisher , or other authority to be enforced . moreover , the client side system key may be a symmetric key that is protected by the user &# 39 ; s private key . fig3 is a block diagram depicting components of a system 100 for providing content in accordance with embodiments of the present invention . more particularly , additional components of the client device 104 and content system server 108 are illustrated . in general , the client device 104 can comprise a general purpose computer , smart phone , or other device capable of supporting communications over a communication network 112 , and of running a suitable version of the client application 204 . the server system 108 may comprise one or more server computers capable of communication over a communication network 112 , and of running a suitable server application 302 . in general , the client device 104 and server system 108 include a processor 304 , memory 308 , data storage 312 , and a communication or network interface 316 . in addition , the client device 104 and / or server system 108 can include one or more user input devices 320 , such as a keyboard and a pointing device , and one or more user output devices 324 , such as a display and a speaker . the processor 304 may include any processor capable of performing instructions encoded in software or firmware . in accordance with other embodiments of the present invention , the processor 304 may comprise a controller or application specific integrated circuit ( asic ) having or capable of performing instructions encoded in logic circuits . the memory 308 may be used to store programs or data , including data comprising content 206 . as examples , the memory 308 may comprise ram , sdram , or other solid state memory . alternatively or in addition , data storage 312 may be provided . the data storage 312 may generally include storage for programs and data . for example , the data storage 312 may store various data and applications . for instance , with respect to a client device 104 , data storage 312 may provide storage for a client application 204 , object store 208 , concerts 212 and concert contents 216 , and the public key ring 220 . data storage 312 associated with a client device 104 can also provide storage for a content key ring 224 and the private key ring 228 for the client device 104 . in addition , operating system 328 instructions , an email application 330 , other communication applications 332 , or other applications and data can be stored in data storage 312 . the data storage 312 associated with the server system 108 can include the content database 128 , data warehouse 132 , analytics information 140 , accounting information 144 , and various indices 334 , for example for use in connection with the storage and organization of content 206 , user information , and other information . instructions related to the server system 108 operating system 328 may also be stored in data storage 312 of the server system 108 . data storage 312 may comprise fixed data storage , such as one or more internal hard disk drives , or logical partitions . in accordance with still other embodiments , external data storage 336 can be interconnected to the client device 104 , for example via a communication interface 316 . the external data storage 336 can provide data storage for some or all of the system 100 applications and data associated with a particular user . accordingly , external data storage 336 can provide for storage of a client application 204 , object store 208 , concerts 212 and concert contents 216 , key rings 220 , 224 , 228 and / or any other applications or data . particular examples of external data storage 336 include external hard disk drives , universal serial bus ( usb ) drives , including flash drives , or other external data storage or memory devices . fig4 is a flowchart depicting aspects of a process for composing content 206 , in this example a document , in accordance with embodiments of the present invention . at step 404 , a user , for example a user of a client device 104 , composes a document or other content 206 . when the content is ready for sending or is at least partially created , a new content encryption key 226 is requested ( step 408 ). at step 412 , the document is assembled . assembly of the document can include associating header information with the document . in accordance with embodiments of the present invention , some of the header information can be encrypted along with the contents of the document , while other portions of the header data will not be encrypted using the content key 226 that is applied to the document contents . if the document will be sent to other users , public encryption keys 222 for those other users are requested ( step 416 ). after obtaining the required key or keys 222 or 226 , the document is encrypted ( step 420 ). at step 424 , the created document is added to a concert 212 . in particular , content object metadata is added to the concert or concerts 212 to which the document is assigned . in addition , the content key 226 requested at step 408 is added to the content key ring 224 of the user ( step 428 ). at step 432 , the encrypted document is queued for storage and / or delivery . in accordance with embodiments of the present invention , documents and other content are stored in an object store 208 in encrypted form . therefore , storage can include storing the document , as encrypted using the content key 226 , on data storage 312 associated with the client device 104 . as described in greater detail elsewhere herein , for a document that is to be sent to another client device 104 or a server device 108 , the content key 226 is encrypted using the recipient &# 39 ; s public key 230 . a document package comprising the encrypted content 206 , the encrypted content key 226 , and header or other information ( which can be encrypted using the public key 230 of a user of the recipient device 104 and / or 108 ), metadata associated with the document ( either unencrypted or encrypted with a permissions key 218 and / or the content key 226 ), the permissions key 218 , and the encrypted content key 226 can then be delivered to a recipient device , for example across a public network . fig5 illustrates aspects of a process for reading a document or other content 206 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention . initially , at step 504 , an instruction to open the document is received . the document that is opened can be a document that is opened for the first time , or an existing document in a concert 212 on the client device 104 being used to open the document that has previously been accessed . at step 508 , a determination is made as to whether the document has been seen before . if it has been seen before , the client application 204 requests the content key 226 for that document from the content key ring 224 for the concert 212 that includes the document ( step 512 ). in particular , for a document that has been seen before , decryption of content on the client device 104 includes the client application 204 applying the user &# 39 ; s private key 230 to access a permissions key 218 , which in turn enables access to the required content key 226 included in the content key ring 224 . if the document has not been seen before , the accessible information is decrypted using the user &# 39 ; s private key 222 ( step 516 ). the content key 226 for the document is extracted by the client application 204 and is added to the content key ring 224 , and metadata and permissions ( as established by the associated permissions key 218 ) are stored in the content properties store included as part of the concert information 216 ( step 520 ). accordingly , whether extracting the content key 226 from the header or obtaining the content key 226 from the content key ring 224 , the client application 204 can be required to apply the user &# 39 ; s private key 230 . after extracting the content key 226 from document header information , or after obtaining the content key 226 from the content key ring 224 , the client application applies the required content decryption key 226 to decrypt the document in memory ( step 524 ). following decryption , the content key 226 in memory is overwritten ( step 528 ), and the document is displayed by the client application 204 ( step 532 ). because access and display of the document is through the client application 204 , actions that the user can take with respect to the document can be limited as determined by permissions associated with the document . at step 536 , a determination is made as to whether the document is to be saved . if the document is not to be saved , the memory is overwritten , the content key 226 is deleted from the content key ring 224 , and metadata and permissions associated with that content 206 are deleted from the concert contents or properties store 216 , and any other concert object metadata related to the document is deleted ( step 540 ). if the document is to be saved , the content key 226 for the document is requested from the content key ring 224 ( step 544 ) and the document is encrypted in memory ( step 548 ). the encrypted document is then saved or resaved in the object store 208 ( step 552 ). at step 556 , metadata related to the document is updated . the memory is then overwritten , to remove any unencrypted versions or portions of the document from the memory ( step 560 ). fig6 illustrates aspects of a process for forwarding a document or other content 206 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention . initially , at step 604 , the user opens ( reads ) a document using a client device 104 , for example as described in connection with fig5 . at step 608 , the user composes a forward message in memory . in preparation for sending the message , the client application 204 running on the client device 104 requests a new content encryption key 226 ( step 612 ). the document is assembled ( step 616 ), and public encryption keys 222 for the recipient or recipients are requested ( step 620 ). the document is next encrypted ( step 624 ), and is added to the concert or concerts 212 to which the document is assigned ( step 628 ). at step 632 , the content key 226 is added to the content key ring 224 of the user . the encrypted document is then queued for storage and / or delivery ( step 636 ). fig7 illustrates aspects of a process for requesting a content encryption key 226 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention . in response to a request for a content encryption key 226 ( step 704 ), an encryption algorithm is selected ( step 708 ). as can be appreciated by one of skill in the art , some encryption algorithms are more suited to particular types of encrypted content than others . in addition , different encryption algorithms may be selected based on the level of security deemed necessary for the content 206 being encrypted . in view of these various considerations , embodiments of the present invention support multiple encryption algorithms . after an algorithm is selected , a content key 226 is generated ( step 712 ) and the strength of that key 226 is tested ( step 716 ). if the content key 226 is determined to be weak , a new content key 226 is generated ( step 712 ), and that new key 226 is again tested ( step 716 ). once an approved key 226 has been generated , it is returned to the client application 204 ( step 720 ). returning the approved key ( step 712 ) can include placing the content key 226 one of the key rings on the client device 104 . the version of the content key 226 in memory is then overwritten ( step 716 ). fig8 illustrates aspects of a process for assembling a document or other content 206 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention . at step 804 , metadata that is to be encrypted with a document or content key 226 is collected . metadata for encryption can include , for example , citations , or metadata that is not required until the document is actually viewed , such as information relating to the resolution of graphical elements of the document . at step 808 , the document and related metadata is encrypted using the unique content key 226 . at step 812 , metadata that is part of the document header but that may not be encrypted using the content key 226 is collected . examples of metadata that may not be encrypted can include a synopsis that the author or other authority desires to make public , the author , size of the document , creation date , etc . the header for the document , including the content key 226 required to access the document , is then encrypted with a permissions key 218 ( step 816 ). at this point , the document and the associated information can be sent to the content system server 108 . at step 820 , recipients of the document are identified , and the content system server 108 can request the public key 222 for each recipient of the document ( step 824 ). the header information which has been encrypted using the appropriate permissions key 218 , and the document or content key 226 , is then wrapped with the recipient &# 39 ; s public key 222 and appended to the encrypted document ( step 828 ). the document is then delivered to the recipient client device 104 ( step 832 ). accordingly , a holder of the private key that is the pair to the public key 222 can access the header information , and can access the content key 226 by applying an appropriate private key 230 , but can only perform actions enabled by the permissions key 218 . fig9 illustrates aspects of a process for managing content keys 226 . in general , content keys 226 are stored in encrypted key rings that are each associated with a concert or grouping of content 212 . accordingly , at step 904 , a concert 212 is created . at step 908 , a key for the content ( concert ) key ring 224 is generated . at step 912 , a determination may be made as to whether a content key 226 for a content object 206 associated with the concert 212 is available for encryption . if the content key 226 is available for encryption , that content key 226 is encrypted using the key for the content key ring 224 ( i . e ., the content key ring 224 for the applicable concert 212 ) ( step 916 ). at step 920 , a determination may be made as to whether there is a need to access a content object 206 included in a concert 212 . if there is a need to access content 206 , the necessary system key 234 is applied to obtain the content key 226 for the required content from the content key ring that includes that content key 226 ( step 924 ). application of the system key 234 can include the client application 204 using the private key 230 to access the system key 234 . the content 206 can then be displayed to the user through the client application 204 ( step 928 ). at step 932 , a determination may be made as to whether access to the concert 212 should be discontinued . if access is continued , the process returns to step 912 . alternatively , the process may end . fig1 - 13 illustrate different security procedures that may be implemented for accessing content stored as part of an object store 208 and associated with one or more concerts 212 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention . a first level of security is implemented by the process illustrated in fig1 . according to that process , the client application or concert application 204 is started ( step 1004 ). the concert store or concert 212 to mount is then selected ( step 1008 ), and a password for that concert store is entered ( step 1012 ). upon entry of the password , the content 206 can be accessed , and work on that content begun ( step 1016 ). in fig1 , a next level of security is illustrated . initially , the client application or concert application 204 is started ( step 1104 ), the concert store to mount is selected ( step 1108 ), and the required password is entered by the user ( step 1112 ). accordingly , steps 1104 through 1112 generally correspond to steps 1004 to 1012 . at step 1116 , a challenge question is displayed to the user . the user &# 39 ; s response is entered at step 1120 . if the proper response is entered , the content 206 can be accessed , and work can be begun ( step 1124 ). in fig1 , a further level of security that can be implemented is illustrated . initially , at step 1204 , the client application or concert application 204 is started , the concert store to mount is selected ( step 1208 ), and the user enters a required password ( step 1212 ). at step 1216 , the system requests that the user enter a key file name . various options may then be implemented . for example , the user may enter the key file name ( step 1220 ) for content 206 immediately accessible to the client device 104 , and access to that content may be granted and work begun ( step 1224 ). as an alternative , the user may enter the names of multiple key files ( step 1228 ), and access to that content can be grated and work begun ( step 1232 ). as still another option , after the request for a key file name has been made , the user may mount a removable volume ( step 1236 ) and then enter the name of the key file or files for the desired content ( step 1240 ). access to the desired content 206 can then be granted , and work begun ( step 1244 ). in fig1 , a further level of security is implemented . initially , at step 1304 , the client application or concert application 204 is started , the concert store to mount is selected ( step 1308 ) and the user enters a required password ( step 1312 ). at step 1316 , the client application 204 requests that the user enter the key file name for the requested content 206 . in response to the request , different procedures may be supported . for example , the user may insert a smart card ( step 1320 ) containing a key or other required information . in addition , the user may then enter a personal identification number or password ( step 1324 ). as an alternative , in response to the request for a key file name , the user may insert a pin encrypted disk ( step 1328 ), and additionally enter the pin ( step 1332 ). after entering the pin at steps 1324 or 1332 , the user may enter the required key file name ( step 1336 ) or the names of multiple key files ( step 1340 ). the desired content 206 can then be accessed , and work begun ( step 1344 ). fig1 - 18 illustrate different options for storing concert information . more particularly , in fig1 , data storage 312 that is local to the client system 104 can contain all of the object data in an object or volume file store 208 , concert object metadata and keys in associated concerts 212 , a log file database 1404 , and the client application 204 . in fig1 , the object store 208 , concerts 212 , and a log file database 1404 are stored on data storage 312 b comprising a second data drive that is separate from a first data device comprising the data storage 312 a on which the client application 204 is stored . for example , the first data drive may comprise a first hard disk drive or flash drive that is internal to the client device 104 , while the second data drive may comprise a second hard disk drive or flash drive that is also internal to the client device 104 . for example , the object store 208 , concerts 212 , and log file database 1404 may be stored on a second internal hard drive provided as part of the client device 104 . in accordance with embodiments of the present invention , the log file data base 1404 can contain a record indicating the concerts 212 that particular content objects 206 are shared with , version information , or other information related to the organization and maintenance of content 206 within the concerts 212 . in fig1 , an object store 208 , concerts 212 , and a log file database 1404 are stored on data storage 312 comprising a local disk drive of a client device 104 , together with the client application 204 . in addition , a second object store 208 , other concerts 212 , and a log file database 1404 associated with those other concerts 212 are stored on data storage 336 comprising a removable usb drive . in fig1 , the client application 204 is stored on data storage 212 comprising a local disk drive of a client device 104 . the object store 208 , concerts 212 , and log file database 1404 are all on data storage 336 comprising a removable usb drive . in fig1 , data storage 212 comprising a local disk drive of the client device 104 contains operating system software 304 , but does not contain the client application 204 , an object store 208 , or concerts 212 . instead , those components are all stored on data storage 336 comprising a removable usb drive . fig1 illustrates an example system 100 architecture in accordance with embodiments of the present invention . in particular , the content system server 108 can be implemented as a core server 126 operating in cooperation with a plurality of edge servers 124 . the core server 126 can implement various content distribution functions , including security and key management , directory update , search , cache management , analytics , match making , taxonomy and backup functions . in addition , the core server 126 can perform various administrative functions , such as data center management , call center management , billing and accounting . the edge servers 124 can also provide security and key management . in addition , edge servers 124 can implement synchronization agents , auto updates , content management , manage plug - ins , caching , directory and message authentication . client devices 104 included in the system 100 implement security and key management . in addition , collaboration , commerce , media and article builder functions and services can be supported . moreover , different content and functionality can be accessed through different modules and services . fig2 illustrates an embodiment of a user interface 2000 that may be presented to a user , for example by a display included in or associated with a client device 104 . the user interface 2000 and other user interfaces described herein may be visual display presented in a window on a user &# 39 ; s display device . in some embodiments , the client application 204 renders the user interfaces for display and receives user input through one or more user input devices ( e . g ., selectable buttons , menus , icons , etc .). however , in other embodiments , the content system server 108 may render the user interfaces as multimedia document sent to the client 104 and displayed as a document in the client application 204 . further , selections by the user in the multimedia document may cause the generation of requests that are sent to the content system server 108 from the client 104 . the user interface 2000 provides a window 2002 that can be a first information window for the client application 204 . the window 2002 can include a display area 2004 for displaying content 206 . in addition , a search field 2006 can be included through which a user can search for content . further , the window 2002 can include a second display area 2008 that can display a set of user - selectable folders 2010 that organize the user &# 39 ; s content . the window 2002 can include further user - selectable devices ( e . g ., the menu bar 2012 or menus 2014 ) for receiving user selections . although certain examples provided herein discuss the encryption of and operations related to content 206 comprising documents , embodiments of the present invention are not limited to use in association with documents . instead , any form of content , information , data or the like capable of being stored on and exchanged by computers or like devices can comprise content for purposes of the present disclosure . the foregoing discussion of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description . further , the description is not intended to limit the invention to the form disclosed herein . consequently , variations and modifications commensurate with the above teachings , within the skill or knowledge of the relevant art , are within the scope of the present invention . the embodiments described hereinabove are further intended to explain the best mode presently known of practicing the invention and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention in such or in other embodiments and with various modifications required by the particular application or use of the invention . it is intended that the appended claims be construed to include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art . | 7 |
the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to fig1 and 2 of the drawings . identical elements in the various figures are identified with the same reference numbers . elements and compounds of nature are known to emit energy , when the elements or compounds transition from one energy state to another . energy is typically emitted in an emission spectrum of frequencies of electromagnetic radiation . each element &# 39 ; s emission spectrum is unique . the emission spectrum of a chemical element or chemical compound is the spectrum of frequencies of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the element &# 39 ; s atoms or the compound &# 39 ; s molecules when returned to a lower energy state after excitation of the element &# 39 ; s atoms or the compounds molecules . when electrons in an atom are excited , for example by being heated , additional energy from the heat pushes the electrons to higher energy orbitals . when the electrons fall back to lower energy orbitals , as the heat dissipates , and the electrons leave the excited state , energy is re - emitted in the form of a photon or photons . the wavelength or frequency of the photon is determined by the energy difference between the two states . these emitted photons form the element &# 39 ; s emission spectrum . hydrogen emits an emission spectrum , comprising an electromagnetic radiation spectral line , often called the hydrogen line , 21 centimeter line , or hi line , that is created by a change in energy state of neutral hydrogen atoms . since each element &# 39 ; s emission spectrum is unique , spectroscopy can be used to identify the elements in matter of unknown composition . similarly , the emission spectra of molecules can be used in chemical analysis of substances . the hydrogen line , 21 centimeter line , or hi line that is created by a change in energy state of neutral hydrogen atoms refers to the electromagnetic radiation is at the precise frequency of 1420 . 40575177 mhz , which is equivalent to the vacuum wavelength of 21 . 10611405413 cm in free space . this frequency or wavelength falls within the microwave radio region of the electromagnetic spectrum , and it is observed frequently in radio astronomy , since radio waves in this frequency range can penetrate the large clouds of interstellar cosmic dust that are opaque to visible light . the periodic table is a tabular display of chemical elements , organized on the basis of their properties . of the 92 natural elements , 25 are essential for life . of these , there are six main elements that are the fundamental building blocks of life . these six main elements are , in order of least to most common : sulfur , phosphorous , oxygen , nitrogen , carbon , and hydrogen . hydrogen is considered to be the most common element that is considered to be the fundamental building block of life , as we know it . hydrogen , which is the first element in the periodic table , has an atomic number of 1 and an average atomic weight of 1 . 00794 u ( 1 . 007825 u for hydrogen - 1 ), is the lightest and most abundant chemical element , constituting roughly 75 % of the universe &# 39 ; s chemical elemental mass . stars in the main sequence are mainly composed of hydrogen in its plasma state . the present invention is directed to a measurement device and a system of units of measurement based upon natural units derived from the natural element hydrogen , based on properties of nature . selection of hydrogen as the basis for the system of units of measurements and the measuring device is based in part on the facts that : hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element , constituting roughly 75 % of the universe &# 39 ; s chemical elemental mass ; stars in the main sequence are mainly composed of hydrogen in its plasma state ; the frequency or wavelength of the emission spectrum of hydrogen falls within the microwave radio region of the electromagnetic spectrum , and it is observed frequently in radio astronomy , since radio waves in this frequency range can penetrate the large clouds of interstellar cosmic dust that are opaque to visible light ; a measurement device and system of natural units of measurement based upon nature , using the same natural hydrogen based units will be capable of being used . fig1 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of the present invention , apparatus for manufacturing a hydrogen 21 line precision measuring device 10 , comprising a hydrogen 21 line generator 12 , the emission spectrum output of which is directed to a frequency counter 14 , which measures or evaluates the frequency of the spectral line output of the emission spectrum emitted by hydrogen during a change in energy state of the hydrogen , a computer 16 for calculating or evaluating wavelength of the frequency of the spectral line output measured or evaluated by the frequency counter 14 and controlling the computer numerical control ( cnc ) machine 18 , which scribes markings and appropriate subdivisions thereof on a measuring device substrate or ruler substrate 20 . the markings and appropriate subdivisions may include indicia , insignia , indicators and / or other suitable measurement and / or marking means . once marked with the markings and appropriate subdivisions , the marked and / or scribed measuring device substrate or the marked and / or scribed ruler substrate 20 results in a hydrogen 21 line precision measuring device and / or hydrogen 21 line precision ruler , respectively . elements and compounds of nature are known to emit energy , when the elements or compounds transition from one energy state to another . energy is typically emitted in an emission spectrum of frequencies of electromagnetic radiation . each element &# 39 ; s emission spectrum is unique . a hydrogen maser generates high spectral purity microwave energy , as a consequence of quantum resonance transitions of hydrogen atoms between magnetic hyperfine states . this energy is familiar to radio astronomers as the 21 - cm line of atomic hydrogen . the hydrogen line , 21 centimeter line , or hi line that is created by a change in energy state of neutral hydrogen atoms refers to the electromagnetic radiation is at the precise frequency of 1420 . 40575177 mhz , which is equivalent to the vacuum wavelength of 21 . 10611405413 cm in free space . this frequency or wavelength falls within the microwave radio region of the electromagnetic spectrum , and it is observed frequently in radio astronomy , since radio waves in this frequency range can penetrate the large clouds of interstellar cosmic dust that are opaque to visible light . in a preferred embodiment of the present invention , the hydrogen 21 line generator 12 comprises a hydrogen maser , which generates a hydrogen 21 line at a frequency of substantially 1420 . 40575177 mhz , which is equivalent to the vacuum wavelength of substantially 21 . 10611405413 cm in free space , although other suitable hydrogen 21 line generators may be used . the hydrogen maser typically has a cavity , which , in the preferred embodiment , comprises a signal receiving loop , although another suitable antenna may be used interior or external to the cavity , to receive the hydrogen 21 line emission spectrum . the emission spectrum received by the signal receiving loop or other suitable antenna of the hydrogen 21 line generator 12 , or in the case of the preferred embodiment , received from the signal receiving loop or the other suitable antenna of the hydrogen maser , is directed to the frequency counter 14 . the frequency counter 14 measures or evaluates the frequency of the spectral line of the emission spectrum received from the signal receiving loop or the other suitable antenna of the hydrogen 21 line generator 12 , or in the case of the preferred embodiment , the frequency counter 14 measures or evaluates the frequency of the spectral line of the emission spectrum received from the signal receiving loop or the other suitable antenna of the hydrogen maser . the frequency of the hydrogen 21 line measured by the frequency counter 14 , which is preferably digitally encoded , is directed to the computer 16 . the computer 16 calculates the wavelength of the frequency measured by the frequency counter 14 and instructs the computer numerical control ( cnc ) machine 18 to scribe the markings and the appropriate subdivisions thereof on the measuring device substrate or the ruler substrate 20 . a plurality of markings are scribed onto the measuring device substrate or the ruler substrate 20 , each pair of the plurality of markings being equal to the wavelength of the frequency of the hydrogen 21 line measured by the frequency counter 14 and calculated by the computer 16 from the output of the frequency counter 14 . the computer 16 also calculates subdivisions of the wavelength of the frequency of the hydrogen 21 line measured by the frequency counter 14 to be scribed onto the measuring device substrate or the ruler substrate 20 in between the plurality of markings equal to the wavelength of the frequency of the hydrogen 21 line . the subdivisions are preferably scribed as decimal subdivisions of the wavelength of the frequency of the hydrogen 21 line measured by the frequency counter 14 , although other suitable subdivisions may be used . the computer 16 may be a distinct from the computer numerical control ( cnc ) machine 18 or the frequency counter 14 , or the computer 16 may alternatively be integral with the computer numerical control ( cnc ) machine 18 or the frequency counter 14 , or any combination thereof . the measuring device substrate or the ruler substrate 20 is typically of a stable metal , preferably of platinum - iridium alloy , which is preferably ninety percent platinum and ten percent iridium by mass , although other suitable materials may be used . the hydrogen 21 line generator 12 , which is preferably the hydrogen maser , the frequency counter 14 , the computer 16 , the computer numerical control ( cnc ) machine 18 , and the measuring device substrate or the ruler substrate 20 are each selected for their high precision , high accuracy , high stability , and minimum drift . a laser or other suitable scribing , marking , cutting , etching , or engraving apparatus , which is preferably controlled by the computer 16 , may be used alternatively to the computer numerical control ( cnc ) machine 18 to scribe , mark , cut , etch , and / or engrave the plurality of markings and subdivisions onto the measuring device substrate or the ruler substrate 20 . the computer 16 may be integral with the computer numerical control ( cnc ) machine 18 or other suitable scribing , marking , cutting , etching , or engraving apparatus and / or the frequency counter 14 , a combination thereof , or separate therefrom . the apparatus for manufacturing the hydrogen 21 line precision measuring device 10 should be located in a vibration free , clean , temperature controlled environment to maximize accuracy and precision of the measuring device or the ruler being manufactured . the measuring device or the ruler manufactured by the hydrogen 21 line precision measuring device 10 , then , typically comprises a plurality of markings scribed onto the measuring device substrate or the ruler substrate 20 , each pair of the plurality of markings being equal to the wavelength of the frequency of the hydrogen 21 line measured by the frequency counter 14 and calculated by the computer 16 from the output of the frequency counter 14 . the measuring device or the ruler manufactured by the hydrogen 21 line precision measuring device 10 , then , typically also comprises subdivisions of the wavelength of the frequency of the hydrogen 21 line measured by the frequency counter 14 scribed onto the measuring device substrate or the ruler substrate 20 in between the plurality of markings equal to the wavelength of the frequency of the hydrogen 21 line . the subdivisions are preferably scribed as decimal subdivisions of the wavelength of the frequency of the hydrogen 21 line measured by the frequency counter 14 , although other suitable subdivisions may be used . alternate embodiments of the present invention may be derived , using the schematic representation of the apparatus for manufacturing a precision measuring device , merely by substituting an alternate emission spectrum generator for the hydrogen maser , which may be used to generate the hydrogen 21 line . other alternate embodiments of the present invention may be derived , using the schematic representation of the apparatus for manufacturing a precision measuring device , in accordance with the present invention , similar to the embodiment shown in fig1 , merely by substituting an alternate emission spectrum generator for the hydrogen 21 line generator , the alternate emission spectrum generator being used to generate an emission spectrum from one or more alternate natural elements , since other natural elements may alternatively be used to generate alternate emission spectra . fig2 shows a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment of an apparatus for manufacturing a hydrogen 21 line precision measuring device 30 , which is substantially the same as the apparatus for manufacturing a hydrogen 21 line precision measuring device 10 , except that the apparatus for manufacturing a hydrogen 21 line precision measuring device 30 has a hydrogen maser 32 and a laser 38 . the apparatus for manufacturing a hydrogen 21 line precision measuring device 30 , comprises the hydrogen maser 32 , the emission spectrum output of which is directed to a frequency counter 34 , which measures or evaluates the frequency of the spectral line output of the emission spectrum emitted by hydrogen during a change in energy state of the hydrogen , a computer 36 for calculating or evaluating wavelength of the frequency of the spectral line output measured or evaluated by the frequency counter 34 and the laser 38 , which scribes , marks , cuts , etches , or engraves markings and appropriate subdivisions thereof on a measuring device substrate or ruler substrate 40 . the computer 36 is also used to control the laser 38 . the laser 38 may be a laser engraver or other suitable laser scribing , marking , cutting , etching , or engraving apparatus . the computer 36 may be integral with the laser 38 or other suitable laser scribing , marking , cutting , etching , or engraving apparatus , the frequency counter 34 , combination thereof , or separate therefrom . the apparatus for manufacturing the hydrogen 21 line precision measuring device 30 should also be located in a vibration free , clean , temperature controlled environment to maximize accuracy and precision of the measuring device or the ruler being manufactured . although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof , other versions are possible . therefore , the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein . | 2 |
the present disclosure relates to a system and method for signal processing in communications systems , as discussed in detail below in connection with fig2 - 6 . referring to fig2 , a block diagram of the system of the present disclosure will be explained in greater detail . rf signal 110 is first received by an analog - to - digital converter 112 which converts the analog signal into a digital signal . after the analog - to - digital converter 112 converts the analog signal to the digital signal , the atdma and combined atdma / ofdm signals are processed in different channels . for example , atdma signals are processed by a plurality of atdma channel processors 114 - 114 n . each of the atdma channel processors 114 a - 114 n are identical in the signal processing methods that are employed . the output of the analog - to - digital converter 112 first goes to mixers 116 a - 116 n to shift the signal to a common known frequency , which moves the selected atdma channels to a baseband . the outputs from the mixers 116 a - 116 n are then received by filters 118 a - 118 n to recover the atdma signals from either combined signals or adjacent atdma signals . the clean atdma outputs from filters 118 a - 118 n are then received by modules 120 a - 120 n for timing and carrier recovery . the outputs are then received by time domain equalizers 122 a - 122 n for reconstructing the qam signals . finally , the outputs from the equalizers 122 a - 122 n are received by slicers 124 a - 124 n for eliminating a portion of the signals to obtain the output atdma signals 126 a - 126 n . this process allows docsis 3 . 0 systems to receive and process atdma signals 126 a - 126 n . the analog - to - digital converter 112 also outputs a combined atdma and ofdm signal to an ofdm channel processor 130 . the output of the analog - to - digital converter 112 first goes to a mixer 132 to shift the signal to a common known frequency , which moves the whole combined signal channel to a baseband . as noted above , the baseband channel is up to 95 mhz in bandwidth in docsis 3 . 1 upstream and up to 190 mhz in bandwidth in docsis 3 . 1 downstream . the output from the mixer 132 is then received by a filter 134 to obtain a clean combined ofdm and atdma signal . the filter 134 can remove the band noise in the combined signal . the result is a combined signal including tdma signals 162 and ofdm signals 160 as shown in fig3 . alternatively , the filter 134 could recover a clean ofdm signal from combined signals or ofdm only signals . in statistic combined signal cases , additional filter parameters could be needed in filter 134 to remove all atdma signals . in dynamic combined cases , dynamic - adjustable filters could be utilized . as noted above , for each atdma channel processor 114 , the filter 118 recovers the interfering signals . these signals are then received by a plurality of corresponding mixers 150 a - 150 n , which are used to reconstruct the original interfering signals for all the atdma channels . an alignment module 152 aligns the combined ofdm and atdma signal with the interfering signals for all the atdma channels . each of the plurality of the atdma channel processors 114 a - 114 n know when and in which frequencies the atdma signals appear , and can provide in real - time the correct known atdma signals to the ofdm channel processor 130 and more specifically , the summation module 154 . therefore , the summation module 154 can use these known atdma signals to obtain clean ofdm signals by subtracting the known atdma signals from the combined signal found in fig3 . the result is a clean ofdm signal shown in fig4 . additionally , a clean tdma signal can be extracted as shown in fig5 . it should be noted that the system of the present disclosure can be used to cancel any interfering signal , not just atdma signals as previously described . the output from the summation module 154 is received by a module 136 for fast fourier transformation of the signal . the output is then received by an equalizer 138 for adjusting the amplitude and reconstructing the signal . finally , the output from the equalizer 138 is received by a slicer 140 for eliminating a portion of the signal to obtain the output ofdm signal 142 . the ofdm signal 142 is clean and does not contain any interference with atdma signals due to the summation module 154 . reference will now be made to fig6 showing an alternative embodiment of the disclosure of the present application . rf signal 210 is first received by an analog - to - digital converter 212 which converts the analog signal into a digital signal . after the analog - to - digital converter 212 converts the analog signal to the digital signal , the atdma and combined atdma / ofdm signals are processed in different channels . for example , atdma signals are processed by a plurality of atdma channel processors 214 - 214 n . each of the atdma channel processors 214 a - 214 n are identical in the signal processing methods that are employed . the output of the analog - to - digital converter 212 first goes to mixers 216 a - 216 n to shift the signal to a common known frequency , which moves the selected atdma channels to a baseband . the outputs from the mixers 216 a - 216 n are then received by filters 218 a - 218 n to recover the atdma signals from either combined signals or adjacent atdma signals . the clean atdma outputs from filters 218 a - 218 n are then received by modules 220 a - 220 n for timing and carrier recovery . the outputs are then received by time domain equalizers 222 a - 222 n for reconstructing the qam signals . finally , the outputs from the equalizers 222 a - 222 n are received by slicers 224 a - 224 n for eliminating a portion of the signals to obtain the output atdma signals 226 a - 226 n . this process allows docsis 3 . 0 systems to receive and process atdma signals 226 a - 226 n . as mentioned above , for each atdma channel processor 214 , the filter 218 recovers the interfering signals . these signals are then received by a plurality of corresponding mixers 250 a - 250 n , which are used to reconstruct the original interfering signals for all the atdma channels . the analog - to - digital converter 212 also outputs a combined atdma and ofdm signal to an ofdm channel processor 230 . the output of the analog - to - digital converter 212 first goes to an alignment module 252 for aligning the combined ofdm and atdma signal with the interfering signals for all the atdma channels , which are being sent from the mixers 250 a - 250 n . each of the plurality of the atdma channel processors 214 a - 214 n know when and in which frequencies the atdma signals appear , and can provide in real - time the correct known atdma signals to the ofdm channel processor 230 and more specifically , the summation module 254 . therefore , the summation module 254 can use these known atdma signals to obtain clean ofdm signals by subtracting the known atdma signals from the combined signal found in fig3 . the result is a clean ofdm signal shown in fig4 . additionally , a clean tdma signal can be extracted as shown in fig5 . it should be noted that the system of the present disclosure can be used to cancel any interfering signal , not just atdma signals as previously described . the clean ofdm signal as shown in fig3 is then received by mixer 232 to shift the signal to a common known frequency , which moves the whole combined signal channel to a baseband . as noted above , the baseband channel is up to 95 mhz in bandwidth in docsis 3 . 1 upstream and up to 190 mhz in bandwidth in docsis 3 . 1 downstream . the output from the mixer 232 is then received by a filter 234 to obtain a clean ofdm signal . the filter 234 can remove the band noise in the signal . the output from the filter 234 is received by a module 236 for fast fourier transformation of the signal . the output is then received by an equalizer 238 for adjusting the amplitude and reconstructing the signal . finally , the output from the equalizer 238 is received by a slicer 240 for eliminating a portion of the signal to obtain the output ofdm signal 242 . the ofdm signal 242 is clean and does not contain any interference with atdma signals due to the summation module 254 . having thus described the system and method in detail , it is to be understood that the foregoing description is not intended to limit the spirit or scope thereof . it will be understood that the embodiments of the present disclosure described herein are merely exemplary and that a person skilled in the art may make any variations and modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure . all such variations and modifications , including those discussed above , are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure . | 7 |
the chemical 1 , 3 , 5 , 7 - tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane ( such as tomcats ® siloxane available from schumacher of carlsbad , calif .) is used as a precursor for the chemical vapor deposition ( cvd ) of sio 2 for semiconductor device manufacturing . tomcats type siloxane is currently under evaluation by semiconductor device manufacturers for use as a cvd precursor for sio 2 because of its ability to form high quality films with excellent electronic and mechanical properties . tomcats type siloxane is known to polymerize when subjected to extended periods of heating or upon exposure to certain chemicals . in this invention we disclose the use of various free radical scavengers that inhibit the polymerization of tomcats type siloxane . the low concentration of the additive does not significantly impact the overall product purity , nor is it anticipated to have a negative impact on the critical properties of the resulting films produced by cvd . therefore , an object of the present invention is to eliminate or inhibit the polymerization of tomcats type siloxane under typical cvd process conditions . these tomcats type siloxanes include substituted cyclotetrasiloxanes of the formula : where r 1 - 7 are individually selected from the group consisting of hydrogen , a normal , branched or cyclic c 1 - 10 alkyl group , and a c 1 - 4 alkoxy group . this is done through the use of additives that inhibit the polymerization of tomcats type siloxane under conditions that would normally favor polymerization . the present invention demonstrates that certain additives are effective at inhibiting polymerization , such as antioxidants , e . g ., free radical scavengers . tomcats type siloxanes are sensitive to oxygen , carbon dioxide and nitrogen trifluoride ( nf 3 ) at elevated temperatures . tomcats type siloxanes react with oxygen forming oligomeric and polymeric species at temperatures equal to or greater than 60 ° c . this is significant because oxygen , carbon dioxide and nitrogen trifluoride are commonly used in the manufacture of semiconductor devices , such as the oxidizing gas in plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition ( pecvd ) processes for the deposition of sio 2 films from tomcats type siloxane . in certain embodiments , these antioxidants or scavengers work by deterring chemical reactions that proceed by a free - radical reaction pathway . examples of antioxidants or free radical scavengers contemplated for the composition or process disclosed herein as o 2 —, co 2 — and / or nf 3 — stabilizers include , but are not limited to , 2 , 6 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - methyl phenol ( or bht for butylhydroxytoluene ), 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethyl - 1 - piperidinyloxy ( tempo ), 2 - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxyanisole , 3 - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxyanisole , propyl ester 3 , 4 , 5 - trihydroxy - benzoic acid , 2 -( 1 , 1 - dimethylethyl )- 1 , 4 - benzenediol , diphenylpicrylhydrazyl , 4 - tert - butylcatechol , n - methylaniline , p - methoxydiphenylamine , diphenylamine , n , n ′- diphenyl - p - phenylenediamine , p - hydroxydiphenylamine , phenol , octadecyl - 3 -( 3 , 5 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxyphenyl ) propionate , tetrakis ( methylene ( 3 , 5 - di - tert - butyl )- 4 - hydroxy - hydrocinnamate ) methane , phenothiazines , alkylamidonoisoureas , thiodiethylene bis ( 3 , 5 ,- di - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxy - hydrocinnamate , 1 , 2 ,- bis ( 3 , 5 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxyhydrocinnamoyl ) hydrazine , tris ( 2 - methyl - 4 - hydroxy - 5 - tert - butylphenyl ) butane , cyclic neopentanetetrayl bis ( octadecyl phosphite ), 4 , 4 ′- thiobis ( 6 - tert - butyl - m - cresol ), 2 , 2 ′- methylenebis ( 6 - tert - butyl - p - cresol ), 2 , 6 - di - tert - butyl - p - cresol , methyl - 2 , 4 , 6 - tris ( 3 ′ 5 ′- di - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxybenzyl ) benzene , oxalyl bis ( benzylidenehydrazide ) and naturally occurring antioxidants such as raw seed oils , wheat germ oil , tocopherols and gums . further examples of antioxidants that may work as free radical scavengers or via other mechanisms include , but are not limited to , aromatic amines ( e . g ., n , n - phenyl - n ′-( 1 , 3 - dimethylbutyl )- p - phenyldimanine , n ′, n ′- di - sec - butyl - p - phenylenediamine , dihydroquinoline , 2 , 2 , 4 - trimethyl - 1 , 2 - dihydroquinoline , and 4 , 4 ′- bis ( α , α - dimethylbenzyl ) diphenylamine ), hindered amines ( e . g ., 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethylpiperidine ), hydroxylamines , benzofuranes , divalent sulfur derivatives , trivalent phosphorous compounds , metal deactivators , ( e . g ., aeroxalyl bis ( benzylidene ) hydrazide , n , n ′- bis ( 3 , 5 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxylhydrocinnamoylhydrazine , 2 , 2 ′- oxamidobis - ethyl ( 3 , 5 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxyhydrocinnamate , n , n ′-( disalicylidene )- 1 , 2 - propanediamine , ethylenediaminetetra - acetic acid and its salts and critic acid ), and combinations thereof . still further examples of antioxidants are found , for example , in the chapter entitled “ antioxidants ” in the kirk - othmer encyclopedia of chemical technology , vol . 3 , pages 102 - 134 . in certain embodiments , phenolic compounds , or compounds containing at least one phenyl group , such as , but not limited to , 2 , 6 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - methyl phenol , may be used . the one or more antioxidants used herein may be added alone based upon its method of inhibiting polymerization ( e . g ., free radical inhibitors ) or alternatively in a mixture of antioxidants that inhibit polymerization using different methodologies ( e . g ., free radical inhibitor + hydroperoxide decomposers ). in certain embodiments , it may be preferable that the antioxidant added be soluble in the cyclotetrasiloxane . in this and other embodiments , it may be preferable that the one or more antioxidants added volatilize at temperatures at or below the processing temperature of the cyclotetrasiloxane to minimize the accumulation of antioxidant and / or its transformation products in the processing equipment or the deposited film . further , in certain embodiments it may be preferable that the amount of antioxidant and / or its transformation products be present in the as - deposited film in an amount of 1 % or less . in certain embodiments , the antioxidant is provided in an amount of 10 - 1000 ppm ( wt . ); more preferably an amount of 50 - 500 ppm ( wt . ); most preferably , an amount of 50 - 250 ppm ( wt . ); optimally , an amount of 100 - 200 ppm ( wt .). in other embodiments , such as those where the substituted cyclotetrasiloxane may be exposed , for example , to higher temperatures ( e . g ., 90 ° c . or greater or 105 ° c . or greater or 120 ° c . or greater ); longer shelf life ; greater exposure to o 2 —, co 2 —, nf 3 —, and / or other atmospheric gases ; or at least one or all of the foregoing , higher amounts of antioxidant may be added . in these embodiments , the antioxidant is provided in an amount ranging from 10 to 10 , 000 ppm ( wt .) or an amount ranging from 50 - 5 , 000 ppm ( wt .) or an amount ranging from 50 - 2 , 000 ppm ( wt .). for example , in embodiments wherein the cyclotetrasiloxane is tomcats and the antioxidant is bht , it has been observed that tomcats may become more resistant to oxygen - promoted polymerization as the amount of antioxidant increased . in this regard , under oxygen exposure levels consisting of a molar ratio of o 2 to tomcats of 1 : 1 for a 24 hour period , higher amounts of bht , e . g ., 150 ppm , 500 ppm , and 5 , 000 ppm , was needed to stabilize tomcats at higher temperatures , e . g ., 90 ° c ., 105 ° c ., and 120 ° c . respectively . to attain the object of the present invention , to eliminate or inhibit the polymerization of tomcats type siloxane under typical cvd process conditions , a standard laboratory test was established with the intent of accelerating the normal polymerization process . the accelerated aging test is meant to simulate the normal course of gradual polymerization that would typically occur over a more protracted period of time . this test , which consists of exposing a sealed quartz ampoule of tomcats type siloxane to elevated temperature for 24 hours , is referred to in the present document as the “ accelerated aging test ”. these conditions are understood to be considerably more severe than tomcats type siloxane would be subjected to in a typical cvd process . in a typical accelerated aging test , the ampoule is loaded with approximately 1 . 3 to 5 . 0 ml of tomcats type siloxane and , except for “ control experiments ”, an antioxidant such as a free radical scavenger to inhibit polymerization . the tomcats type siloxane / additive mixture is cooled in a liquid nitrogen bath . then , the atmosphere above the tomcats type siloxane is evacuated for 5 minutes . if this test is to be done in the absence of additional gases , the neck of the quartz ampoule is sealed using a hydrogen / oxygen torch . if this test is to be done in the presence of o 2 or co 2 , the ampoule is isolated from vacuum and the appropriate amount of o 2 or co 2 is added , after which the ampoule is sealed as previously described . the sealed ampoule is placed in an oven and held at one or more temperatures ranging from 90 to 120 ° c . for a time ranging from 1 to 5 days . the ampoule is removed and allowed to cool to room temperature . its contents are analyzed by gas chromatograph ( gc ) to measure the degree of polymerization . the degree of polymerization is measured quantitatively by gc . this technique is very sensitive to detecting the onset of polymerization as evidenced by the formation of higher molecular weight species with longer retention times than the parent tomcats type siloxane peak . tomcats type siloxane samples that are determined to be of “ high viscosity ” by visual inspection are not routinely run on the gc . the oligomeric or polymeric siloxanes tend to irreversibly contaminate the stationary phase of the gc column due to their low solubility and low volatility . such samples are qualitatively described in the present invention to have greater than 10 wt . % polymer , consistent with previous observations . it is believed that the polymerization of cyclical polysiloxanes may be catalyzed by free radicals . however , other mechanisms for polymerization of cyclical polysiloxanes are also within the scope of the composition and process described herein . in this regard , one or more antioxidants may be added that inhibit polymerization in a manner other than free radical inhibition . laboratory observations suggest that the polymerization of tomcats type siloxane is particularly sensitive to exposure to oxygen or nitrogen trifluoride , both of which the siloxane is exposed to in use in semiconductor manufacture . the additives described in this invention form solutions with tomcats type siloxane at the tested concentrations . in addition , these additives are not anticipated to have a detrimental impact on the overall cvd process by virtue of their concentration and their chemical and physical characteristics . in - house experiments have established that tomcats type siloxane is sensitive to oxygen and / or nitrogen trifluoride at elevated temperatures . tomcats type siloxane reacts with oxygen and / or nitrogen trifluoride forming oligomeric and polymeric species at temperatures equal to or greater than 60 ° c . this is particularly important since oxygen and / or nitrogen trifluoride is commonly used as the oxidizing gas in pecvd processes for the deposition of sio 2 films from tomcats type siloxane or as a cleaning gas between production runs . data collected for the stability of tomcats type siloxanes in the presence of oxygen , carbon dioxide and nitrogen trifluoride are shown in table 1 . to address this reactivity tomcats type siloxane was spiked with low levels of chemicals which function as free radical scavengers , i . e ., antioxidants . these antioxidants or scavengers may work by deterring chemical reactions that proceed by a free - radical reaction pathway . the antioxidant or free radical scavenger investigated as o 2 —, co 2 — and / or nitrogen trifluoride - stabilizers was 2 , 6 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - methyl phenol ( or bht for butylhydroxytoluene ). tomcats type siloxane was substantially more resistant toward o 2 , co 2 and / or nitrogen trifluoride when spiked with bht . the addition of 150 ppm by weight of bht greatly reduced the sensitivity of tomcats type siloxane toward o 2 , co 2 and / or nitrogen trifluoride at elevated temperature as shown by the series of tests run at 90 ° c . ( table 1 ). another benefit is that bht is free of atomic nitrogen which reportedly gives rise to undesirable basic film properties . tempo is also expected to be an effective o 2 , co 2 and / or nitrogen trifluoride - stabilizer . these tests clearly established the benefit of the use of relatively low levels of antioxidants or free radical scavengers to greatly reduce or eliminate the sensitivity of tomcats type siloxane to o 2 , co 2 and / or nitrogen trifluoride , thereby , reducing the likelihood of plugging problems occurring by the o 2 , co 2 and / or nitrogen trifluoride promoted polymerization of tomcats type siloxane . the scavengers / antioxidants contemplated for this utility include : 2 , 6 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - methyl phenol , 2 , 2 , 6 , 6 - tetramethyl - 1 - piperidinyloxy , 2 - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxyanisole , 3 - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxyanisole , propyl ester 3 , 4 , 5 - trihydroxy - benzoic acid , 2 -( 1 , 1 - dimethylethyl )- 1 , 4 - benzenediol , diphenylpicrylhydrazyl , 4 - tert - butylcatechol , n - methylaniline , p - methoxydiphenylamine , diphenylamine , n , n ′- diphenyl - p - phenylenediamine , p - hydroxydiphenylamine , phenol , octadecyl - 3 -( 3 , 5 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxyphenyl ) propionate , tetrakis ( methylene ( 3 , 5 - di - tert - butyl )- 4 - hydroxy - hydrocinnamate ) methane , phenothiazines , alkylamidonoisoureas , thiodiethylene bis ( 3 , 5 ,- di - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxy - hydrocinnamate , 1 , 2 ,- bis ( 3 , 5 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - hydroxyhydrocinnamoyl ) hydrazine , tris ( 2 - methyl - 4 - hydroxy - 5 - tert - butylphenyl ) butane , cyclic neopentanetetrayl bis ( octadecyl phosphite ), 4 , 4 ′- thiobis ( 6 - tert - butyl - m - cresol ), 2 , 2 ′- methylenebis ( 6 - tert - butyl - p - cresol ), oxalyl bis ( benzylidenehydrazide ) and mixtures thereof . naturally occurring antioxidants can also be used such as raw seed oils , wheat germ oils tocopherols and gums . it is believed that the polymerization of tomcats type siloxanes may be catalyzed by free radicals . the composition and method described herein demonstrates that certain antioxidants or free radical scavengers are effective additives for inhibiting the polymerization of tomcats type siloxanes , such as 2 , 6 - di - tert - butyl - 4 - methyl phenol , also known as butylhydroxytoluene ( bht ). however , other mechanisms for polymerization of cyclical polysiloxanes are also within the scope of the composition and process described herein . in this regard , one or more antioxidants may be added that inhibit polymerization in a manner other than free radical inhibition . these later one or more antioxidants may be used by themselves or in combination with antioxidants that inhibit free radicals . to attain the object of the present invention , to eliminate or inhibit the polymerization of tomcats type siloxane under typical cvd process conditions , laboratory experiments were run with the intent of simulating conditions that tomcats type siloxane would be subject to in a typical cvd process . the effectiveness of these inhibitors was gauged by comparing the stability of neat tomcats type siloxane ( i . e ., no polymerization inhibitor ) with that of tomcats type siloxane stabilized with antioxidants such as bht . these stability tests were carried out at 90 ° c . in the absence of contaminants ( under vacuum ), and in presence of contaminants , in which tomcats type siloxane was intentionally exposed to controlled amounts of selected gases such as o 2 , co 2 and nitrogen trifluoride . all three of these gases are typically used at some point in the processing or maintenance for the chemical vapor deposition of sio 2 from tomcats type siloxane precursor . oxygen and nf 3 are known sources of free radicals . tomcats type siloxane is often diluted with o 2 and / or co 2 during a typical pecvd process . nitrogen trifluoride is commonly used in the chamber - cleaning step of such processes . six quartz ampoules with a nominal volume of 80 - 90 ml were used for this test . these ampoules will be referred to in the present example as 1a , 1b , 1c , 1d , 1e and 1f . these ampoules were prepared by rinsing twice with distilled water , twice with reagent grade acetone , then placed into a drying oven at 175 ° c . for 16 - 18 hours . the dry ampoules were removed from the oven and used while still warm . approximately 5 . 0 ml of additive free tomcats type siloxane was loaded into ampoules 1a , 1b , 1c and 1d . a similar amount of tomcats type siloxane containing 150 ppm ( by weight ) bht was loaded into ampoules 1e and 1f . teflon valves were attached to the open end of the ampoules . the end of ampoule 1a was immersed in a liquid nitrogen bath to cause any vaporized tomcats type siloxane to condense . the air was evacuated from the headspace of the ampoule by subjecting it to vacuum for 5 minutes . the ampoule was sealed at the neck using a hydrogen / oxygen torch . the remaining 5 ampoules ( 1b - 1f ) were sealed in a similar fashion . sealed ampoules 1c , 1d , 1e and 1f were placed in a nitrogen - purged oven , and subsequently held at a constant temperature of 90 ° c . for 24 hours . ampoules 1a and 1b were kept at room temperature and served as control samples . after 24 hours the heated ampoules were removed from the oven and allowed to cool to room temperature . gc analysis showed no significant polymerization for the control samples ( 1a , 1b ) relative to the lot material . the heated samples with no additive ( 1c , 1d ) showed an average polymerization of 0 . 136 %. the heated samples with 150 ppm bht had an average polymerization of 0 . 079 %. results are summarized in table 1 . exposure of tomcats type siloxane to 0 . 50 weight % carbon dioxide four quartz ampoules ( 2a , 2b , 2c and 2d ) were cleaned and dried as described in example 1 . approximately 5 . 0 g of tomcats type siloxane containing no additive was loaded into ampoules 2a and 2b . a similar amount of tomcats type siloxane spiked with 150 ppm by weight of bht was loaded into ampoules 2c and 2d . each of the 4 ampoules was equipped with a quartz side - arm extension , capped with a septum . ampoule 2a was cooled to liquid nitrogen temperature and evacuated to remove the air in the headspace . the ampoule was isolated from the vacuum and 19 sccm of gaseous carbon dioxide was injected via a syringe through the septum cap on the side arm . the ampoule , still under sub - ambient pressure , was sealed using a torch as described in example 1 . the remaining 3 ampoules ( 2b , 2c and 2d ) were prepared and sealed in the same manner . all four sealed ampoules were heated for 24 hours at 90 ° c . as described in example 1 . tomcats type siloxane without additive showed an average polymerization of 0 . 216 %. the same chemical with 150 ppm of bht additive showed an average polymerization of 0 . 028 %. results are summarized in table 1 . four quartz ampoules ( 3a , 3b , 3c and 3d ) were cleaned and dried as described in example 1 . approximately 5 . 0 g of tomcats type siloxane containing no additive was loaded into ampoules 3a and 3b . a similar amount of tomcats type siloxane spiked with 150 ppm by weight of bht was loaded into ampoules 3c and 3d . each of the 4 ampoules was equipped with a quartz side - arm extension , capped with a septum . ampoule 3a was cooled to liquid nitrogen temperature and evacuated to remove the air in the headspace . the ampoule was isolated from the vacuum and 19 sccm of oxygen was injected via a syringe through the septum cap on the side arm . the ampoule , still under sub - ambient pressure , was sealed using a torch as described in example 1 . the remaining 3 ampoules ( 3b , 3c and 3d ) were prepared and sealed in the same manner . all four sealed ampoules were heated for 24 hours at 90 ° c . as described in example 1 . tomcats type siloxane without additive showed an average polymerization of 6 . 462 %. the same chemical with 150 ppm of bht additive showed an average polymerization of 0 . 031 %. results are summarized in table 1 . compatibility tests were carried to evaluate the effectiveness of free radical scavengers , such as bht , to inhibit the nitrogen trifluoride promoted polymerization of tomcats type siloxane . because of the potential reactivity of nf 3 and the corrosive nature of possibly byproducts , these compatibility tests were carried out in a 300 cc stainless steel parr reactor . 49 . 956 g of tomcats type siloxane was loaded into the 300 cc reactor . this sample of tomcats type siloxane did not have bht , but did have 125 ppm by weight 2 , 4 - pentanedione . the 2 , 4 - pentanedione was developed as an earlier additive to stabilize tomcats type siloxane . the gas in the reactor headspace was evacuated . nf 3 was expanded into the headspace such that its final concentration was 636 ppm by weight ( 0 . 0636 weight %). the reactor temperature was raised to 100 ° c . and held for 24 hours . after the specified time , the nf 3 was removed by pumping out the reactor . the reactor was opened . the tomcats type siloxane had completely gelled . there was no residual liquid in the reactor . samples that are very viscous or gelled , such as the one described in the present example , are indicative of a high degree of polymerization for tomcats type siloxane . these samples are not amenable to analysis by gc due to their insolubility in common organic solvents . such samples are assigned a degree of polymerization of “& gt ; 10 weight %” for the purpose of this document . exposure of tomcats type siloxane with 150 ppm bht to nitrogen trifluoride 49 . 863 g of tomcats type siloxane was loaded into the 300 cc reactor . this sample of tomcats type siloxane had been previously spiked with 150 ppm by weight of bht . the gas in the reactor headspace was evacuated . nf 3 was expanded into the headspace such that its final concentration was 631 ppm by weight ( 0 . 0631 weight %). the reactor temperature was raised to 100 ° c . and held for 24 hours . after the specified time , the nf 3 was removed by pumping out the reactor . the reactor was opened and 45 . 631 g of clear colorless liquid was recovered . the loss in weight was probably due to pumping on the reactor at the end of the experiment to remove the nf 3 . the liquid was transferred to a polyethylene bottle . a sample was analyzed by gc , establishing that the purity of tomcats type siloxane stayed the same at 99 . 95 % before and after analysis . no polymerization was detected . stability of tomcats type siloxane containing 150 ppm of the antioxidant bht subjected to an equivalent molar amount of o 2 at 90 °, 105 ° c ., and 120 ° c . for 24 hours three clean 85 ml quartz ampoules were placed in a drying oven at 175 ° c . to remove surface moisture . the clean , dry ampoules were immediately transferred into a nitrogen dry box . within the dry box 1 . 3 grams of tomcats containing 150 ppm of bht was added to each of 3 ampoules using glass pipettes to minimize the amount of tomcats on the neck of the vessel . one of the three ampoules was fitted with a teflon valve assembly , equipped with a side - arm and a septum cap . the main valve was closed and the ampoule assembly was removed from the dry box and connected to the glass vacuum line . the base of the ampoule was cooled in liquid nitrogen for 5 minutes while keeping its contents isolated from vacuum . the ampoule was then opened to vacuum to evacuate the nitrogen from the headspace . the evacuated ampoule was again isolated from dynamic vacuum and 130 sccm of oxygen was injected into the ampoule through the septum cap . the base of the ampoule was kept in the liquid nitrogen bath for 5 more minutes to condense the oxygen from the headspace . at this time , the neck of the ampoule was flame - sealed using a hydrogen - oxygen torch . the ampoule thus prepared was placed in a laboratory oven at 90 ° c . this procedure was repeated to prepare two more ampoules such that the test was done in triplicate . after 24 hours , the ampoules were removed from the oven , allowed to cool , and transferred into the dry box . the ampoules were broken open and samples of the liquid were set aside for gc analysis . the gc analysis of the liquid showed an average degradation of 0 . 12 % relative to the initial amount of tomcats . the above tests were repeated in triplicate at 105 ° c . and 120 ° c . at 105 ° c . approximately 30 % of the liquid tomcats had gelled indicating substantial polymerization had occurred . at 120 ° c . all of the tomcats had gelled . the results are summarized in table 2 . stability of tomcats type siloxane containing 500 ppm of the antioxidant bht subjected to an equivalent molar amount of o 2 at 90 °, 105 ° c ., and 120 ° c . for 24 hours three clean 85 ml quartz ampoules were placed in a drying oven at 175 ° c . to remove surface moisture . the clean , dry ampoules were immediately transferred into a nitrogen dry box . within the dry box 1 . 3 grams of tomcats containing 500 ppm of bht was added to each of 3 ampoules using glass pipettes to minimize the amount of tomcats on the neck of the vessel . one of the three ampoules was fitted with a teflon valve assembly , equipped with a side - arm and a septum cap . the main valve was closed and the ampoule assembly was removed from the dry box and connected to the glass vacuum line . the base of the ampoule was cooled in liquid nitrogen for 5 minutes while keeping its contents isolated from vacuum . the ampoule was then opened to vacuum to evacuate the nitrogen from the headspace . the evacuated ampoule was again isolated from dynamic vacuum and 130 sccm of oxygen was injected into the ampoule through the septum cap . the base of the ampoule was kept in the liquid nitrogen bath for 5 more minutes to condense the oxygen from the headspace . at this time , the neck of the ampoule was flame - sealed using a hydrogen - oxygen torch . the ampoule thus prepared was placed in a laboratory oven at 90 ° c . this procedure was repeated to prepare two more ampoules such that the test was done in triplicate . after 24 hours , the ampoules were removed from the oven , allowed to cool , and transferred into the dry box . the ampoules were broken open and samples of the liquid were set aside for gc analysis . the gc analysis of the liquid showed less than 0 . 20 % degradation relative to the initial amount of tomcats . the above tests were repeated in triplicate at 105 ° c . and 120 ° c . at 105 ° c . less than 0 . 20 % degradation was observed . at 120 ° c . approximately 50 % tomcats had gelled . the results are summarized in table 2 . stability of tomcats type siloxane containing 2 , 000 ppm of the antioxidant bht subjected to an equivalent molar amount of o 2 at 90 °, 105 ° c ., and 120 ° c . for 24 hours three clean 85 ml quartz ampoules were placed in a drying oven at 175 ° c . to remove surface moisture . the clean , dry ampoules were immediately transferred into a nitrogen dry box . within the dry box 1 . 3 grams of tomcats containing 2 , 000 ppm of bht was added to each of 3 ampoules using glass pipettes to minimize the amount of tomcats on the neck of the vessel . one of the three ampoules was fitted with a teflon valve assembly , equipped with a side - arm and a septum cap . the main valve was closed and the ampoule assembly was removed from the dry box and connected to the glass vacuum line . the base of the ampoule was cooled in liquid nitrogen for 5 minutes while keeping its contents isolated from vacuum . the ampoule was then opened to vacuum to evacuate the nitrogen from the headspace . the evacuated ampoule was again isolated from dynamic vacuum and 130 sccm of oxygen was injected into the ampoule through the septum cap . the base of the ampoule was kept in the liquid nitrogen bath for 5 more minutes to condense the oxygen from the headspace . at this time the neck of the ampoule was flame - sealed using a hydrogen - oxygen torch . the ampoule thus prepared was placed in a laboratory oven at 90 ° c . this procedure was repeated to prepare two more ampoules such that the test was done in triplicate . after 24 hours , the ampoules were removed from the oven , allowed to cool , and transferred into the dry box . the ampoules were broken open and samples of the liquid were set aside for gc analysis . the gc analysis of the liquid showed less than 0 . 20 % degradation relative to the initial amount of tomcats . the above tests were repeated in triplicate at 105 ° c . and 120 ° c . at 105 ° c . less than 0 . 20 % degradation was observed . at 120 ° c . approximately 10 % tomcats had gelled . the results are summarized in table 2 . stability of tomcats type siloxane containing 5 , 000 ppm of the antioxidant bht subjected to an equivalent molar amount of o 2 at 90 °, 105 ° c ., and 120 ° c . for 24 hours three clean 85 ml quartz ampoules were placed in a drying oven at 175 ° c . to remove surface moisture . the clean , dry ampoules were immediately transferred into a nitrogen dry box . within the dry box 1 . 3 grams of tomcats containing 5 , 000 ppm of bht was added to each of 3 ampoules using glass pipettes to minimize the amount of tomcats on the neck of the vessel . one of the three ampoules was fitted with a teflon valve assembly , equipped with a side - arm and a septum cap . the main valve was closed and the ampoule assembly was removed from the dry box and connected to the glass vacuum line . the base of the ampoule was cooled in liquid nitrogen for 5 minutes while keeping its contents isolated from vacuum . the ampoule was then opened to vacuum to evacuate the nitrogen from the headspace . the evacuated ampoule was again isolated from dynamic vacuum and 130 sccm of oxygen was injected into the ampoule through the septum cap . the base of the ampoule was kept in the liquid nitrogen bath for 5 more minutes to condense the oxygen from the headspace . at this time , the neck of the ampoule was flame - sealed using a hydrogen - oxygen torch . the ampoule thus prepared was placed in a laboratory oven at 90 ° c . this procedure was repeated to prepare two more ampoules such that the test was done in triplicate . after 24 hours , the ampoules were removed from the oven , allowed to cool , and transferred into the dry box . the ampoules were broken open and samples of the liquid were set aside for gc analysis . the gc analysis of the liquid showed an average degradation of 0 . 20 % relative to the initial amount of tomcats . the above tests were repeated in triplicate at 105 ° c . and 120 ° c . at both 105 ° c . and at 120 ° c . less than 0 . 20 % degradation was observed . the results are summarized in table 2 . stability of tomcats type siloxane containing 10 , 000 ppm of the antioxidant bht subjected to an equivalent molar amount of o 2 at 90 °, 105 ° c ., and 120 ° c . for 24 hours three clean 85 ml quartz ampoules were placed in a drying oven at 175 ° c . to remove surface moisture . the clean , dry ampoules were immediately transferred into a nitrogen dry box . within the dry box 1 . 3 grams of tomcats containing 10 , 000 ppm of bht was added to each of 3 ampoules using glass pipettes to minimize the amount of tomcats on the neck of the vessel . one of the three ampoules was fitted with a teflon valve assembly , equipped with a side - arm and a septum cap . the main valve was closed and the ampoule assembly was removed from the dry box and connected to the glass vacuum line . the base of the ampoule was cooled in liquid nitrogen for 5 minutes while keeping its contents isolated from vacuum . the ampoule was then opened to vacuum to evacuate the nitrogen from the headspace . the evacuated ampoule was again isolated from dynamic vacuum and 130 sccm of oxygen was injected into the ampoule through the septum cap . the base of the ampoule was kept in the liquid nitrogen bath for 5 more minutes to condense the oxygen from the headspace . at this time , the neck of the ampoule was flame - sealed using a hydrogen - oxygen torch . the ampoule thus prepared was placed in a laboratory oven at 90 ° c . this procedure was repeated to prepare two more ampoules such that the test was done in triplicate . after 24 hours , the ampoules were removed from the oven , allowed to cool , and transferred into the dry box . the ampoules were broken open and samples of the liquid were set aside for gc analysis . the gc analysis of the liquid showed an average degradation of 0 . 20 % relative to the initial amount of tomcats . the above tests were repeated in triplicate at 105 ° c . and 120 ° c . at both 105 ° c . and at 120 ° c . less than 0 . 20 % degradation was observed . the results are summarized in table 2 . the present invention has been set forth with regard to several preferred embodiments , but the full scope of the present invention should be ascertained from the claims which follow . | 2 |
referring now to fig2 , a block diagram is shown of a switched - mode power amplifier . a switch 201 is coupled to a resonant network 205 and to power control logic 215 , which is coupled in turn to a dc supply 203 . the resonant network is coupled to a load 207 . control of the switch 201 is accomplished using a control signal 209 , applied to an amplifier 211 . the amplifier 211 produces a switch control signal 219 , which is applied to the switch 201 . as the switch 201 is opened and closed responsive to the control signal 209 , the resonant network 205 shapes the switch voltage to produce a desired output signal 213 . in the amplifier of fig2 , the signals 209 and 219 are constant - amplitude ( ca ) signals ( i . e ., oscillatory signals having a constant peak amplitude ) that may be phase - modulated . the amplitude of the switch control signal 219 is set by the power control logic 215 . the power control logic 215 also controls a dc supply voltage 216 produced by the dc supply 203 and supplied to the switch 201 . as the power control logic 215 causes the dc supply voltage 216 to increase , the peak voltage of the oscillatory signals developed within the resonant network 205 and subsequently delivered to the load 207 also increases . similarly , as the power control logic 215 causes the dc supply voltage 216 to decrease , the peak voltage of the oscillatory signals developed within the resonant network 205 and subsequently delivered to the load 207 also decreases . further details of the amplifier chain of fig2 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention are described in the foregoing copending u . s . patent applications . in addition , a bias control arrangement may be used to achieve optimal bias of the switch 201 under various conditions as described more fully in u . s . patent application ser . no . ______ ( dkt . 101006vbc . us ), filed on even date herewith and incorporated herein by reference . in accordance with one aspect of the invention , a signal 218 is used to control the amplitude of the switch control signal 219 in a coordinated manner with control of the dc supply voltage 216 , thereby avoiding excess leakage of the switch control signal 219 through the switch 201 and into the resonant network 205 . more particularly , in any physical embodiment , a stray ( unintended ) capacitance 212 around the switch 201 is unavoidably present . this stray capacitance provides a leakage path for the switch control signal 219 to leak into the resonant network 205 , where it mixes with the desired switch output signal . since the switch control signal 219 is out - of - phase with the desired switch output signal , a large phase shift will occur at the switch output when the desired output signal magnitude is near to or smaller than that of the leakage signal . this effect is shown in fig3 , which depicts output phase and output magnitude as parametric functions of desired magnitude ( i . e ., as desired magnitude decreases , the curves of fig3 are traced out in the counter - clockwise direction ). in the illustrated case , signal leakage is assumed to be 35 db below the maximum output signal ( 1 . 7 %), at a relative phase shift of − 170 degrees . if the switch control signal is not reduced ( line a ), then the amplifier output signal suffers severe am - pm ( and am - am ) distortion when the desired output magnitude is less than 10 % of the peak output magnitude . this effect may be counteracted , for lower amplitude output signals ( e . g ., less than 10 % of the peak output magnitude ), by correspondingly reducing the switch control signal ( e . g ., to 10 % of its original value ). as fig3 shows , this measure essentially removes the am - pm and am - am distortion from the desired output signal ( line b ). in principle , this technique can be extended to arbitrarily low desired output signal magnitudes . for illustration purposes , consider the need to produce a constant - amplitude rf signal in a time - slotted network , in which the output power may vary from slot to slot . in the amplifier of fig2 , this manner of operation may be achieved by holding the supply voltage 216 constant during a given time slot , and by holding the peak amplitude of the control signal constant during the time slot as illustrated in fig4 . as a result , the peak amplitude of the output signal 213 is constant during a given time slot . note that when the supply voltage 216 is at a low level , the control signal 219 is also at a correspondingly low level ( e . g ., time slot ( n )). in this manner , the low - distortion characteristic of line b of fig3 is achieved . various specific circuits that may be used within the power control logic 215 of fig2 to control the application of power to the amplifier stages are shown in fig5 , fig6 , and fig7 , respectively . referring first to fig5 , a dc supply voltage v supply is applied to the emitter of a pnp bipolar transistor q in common - emitter configuration . the dc supply voltage may be unregulated or , alternatively , may have been regulated / conditioned to an appropriate dc level for a desired instantaneous output power using , for example , a switching power supply in combination with a linear regulator as described in greater detail in the aforementioned patent applications . the collector of the transistor q is connected through a resistive divider network r 1 , r 2 to ground . an operational amplifier 501 is connected to receive a power - setting command signal 523 on a negative input and to receive on its positive input a voltage developed at the junction of the resistors r 1 and r 2 . the operational amplifier 501 produces an output signal that is applied to the base of the transistor q . in operation , the transistor functions as a controlled resistance , under control of the operational amplifier 501 , to deliver a precisely - controlled voltage to multiple amplifier stages , including , for example , a driver stage 503 ( responsive to an rf signal 509 analogous to signal 209 of fig2 ) and a final stage 505 . in the case of the driver stage 503 , the controlled voltage from the transistor q is applied through a resistor r 3 to account for the sizing of the driver amplifier relative to the final amplifier . the foregoing circuit realizes fast control and may be used in conjunction with or in lieu of separate dc regulation circuitry . one or more additional driver stages may be provided as shown , for example , in fig6 . in fig6 , the supply voltage of an initial stage 607 is controlled less stringently . a number of discrete supply voltages ( v 1 , v 2 , . . . , v n ) are applied to a switch 609 , which is controlled to select a desired one of the discrete voltages . control of the final stage 605 and the immediately preceding driver stage 603 may remain as previously described . if a desired output signal has a large dynamic range , common control of the driver and final stages may prove insufficient . referring to fig7 , separate control is provided for each of multiple amplifier stages . this arrangement may be extended to any arbitrary number of stages . referring again to fig2 , in the case of constant amplitude output signals , the amplifier as shown is effective to provide efficient amplification and power control . however , it does not provide for amplitude modulation . referring now to fig8 , a generalized efficient power amplifier structure is shown , enabling control of multiple stages to achieve complex control , including amplitude modulation , of an amplifier output signal . in fig8 , an rf input signal , rf in , is applied to an amplifier chain including n stages . the amplifier chain produces an rf output signal , rf out . supply voltages for each of the stages are independently controlled . one or more control blocks receive a dc supply voltage and , responsive to control signals from a controller ( not shown ), produce separate power supply voltages for each of the n amplifier stages . in the example of fig8 , two control blocks are shown , a power / burst control block 801 and a modulation control block 803 . however , the functions of the control blocks may be readily consolidated or sub - divided as will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art . optionally , independent bias signals may be supplied to each one of the stages . in one embodiment , possible values of the bias signal include a value that turns the stage off , e . g ., places the active element of the stage in a high - impedance state . in addition , each stage may optionally include a controlled bypass element or network , shown in fig8 as a resistor connecting the input and output terminals of a stage . such a bypass may allow performance of an amplifier stage at low input signal levels to be more completely characterized and controlled . in particular , since circuit parasitics unavoidably create the effect of a bypass , by explicitly providing a bypass , it may be designed in such a manner as to dominate parasitic effects . a particular case of the generalized amplifier structure of fig8 will now be described in detail . referring to fig9 , an amplifier is shown that provides the advantages of the amplifier of fig2 and additionally provides for amplitude modulation . in fig9 , there is provided a switch 901 , a dc supply 903 , a resonant network 905 , a load 907 , a control signal 909 , a control signal amplifier 911 , an output signal 913 and power control logic 915 , corresponding generally to and given like designations as elements in fig2 . the control signal amplifier 911 is responsive to a drive control signal 918 to produce a switch control signal 919 in fig9 , however , there is additionally provided an amplitude modulator 917 responsive to an am signal 923 . instead of the power control logic 915 controlling the control signal amplifier 911 directly ( as in fig2 ), the power control logic 915 is coupled to the amplitude modulator 917 , which is responsive to the power control logic 915 to control the control signal amplifier 911 . under the control of the amplitude modulator 917 , the control signal amplifier 911 produces a switch control signal 919 that is applied to the switch 901 . the dc supply 903 is coupled to the amplitude modulator 917 , which is responsive to the am signal 923 to modify the supply voltage appropriately and apply a resulting switch supply signal 921 to the switch 901 . two cases of operation of the amplifier of fig9 may be distinguished . one case is shown in fig1 , in which amplitude modulation is achieved solely through variation of the switch supply signal 921 , and power control is achieved jointly through variation of the dc supply 903 and variation of the switch control signal 919 ( via signal 918 ). during a timeslot ( n − 1 ), the peak amplitude of the switch control signal 919 remains constant . during this time , the peak amplitude of the control signal 909 also remains constant . the switch supply signal 921 , on the other hand , has impressed upon it amplitude modulation signal variations . as a result , the output signal 913 exhibits corresponding amplitude variations . during timeslot ( n ), the amplitudes of the control signal 909 and the switch control signal 919 are constant at a lower level , and a dc supply voltage 904 ( not shown in fig1 ) is also constant at a lower level , indicative of a lower desired output power level . different amplitude modulation signal variations are impressed upon the switch supply signal 921 and are manifest in the amplitude of the output signal 913 . during timeslot ( n + 1 ), the level of the control signal 909 and the switch control signal 919 are raised back up , as is the dc supply voltage 904 , corresponding to a higher desired output power level . the constant peak amplitude of the switch - control signal 919 is set higher for higher desired output power levels , and set lower for lower desired output power levels , so that the switch 901 is successfully turned on and off as needed while minimizing the undesirable leakage of the switch control signal 919 through the switch 901 and into the resonant network 905 . at lower power levels , to avoid excess leakage of the switch control signal 919 into the output signal 913 , it may be necessary to achieve amplitude modulation of the output signal through coordinated variation of both the switch supply signal 921 and the switch control signal 919 . this represents the second case of operation previously referred to , and is illustrated in fig1 . in particular , fig1 shows examples of different relationships between amplitude modulation of the switch supply signal 921 and amplitude modulation of the switch control signal 919 . power control and amplitude modulation of both the switch supply signal 921 and the switch control signal 919 are applied as needed to extend the dynamic range of the output signal 913 . in an exemplary embodiment , amplitude modulation of the switch control signal 919 is applied only when the am signal 923 dips below a threshold that is power - level dependent . timeslot ( n − 1 ) illustrates the case in which the am signal 923 is below the power - level - dependent threshold ( indicated in dashed lines in the upper frame of the fig1 ) for the duration of the timeslot . hence , the switch control signal 919 is amplitude modulated along with the switch supply signal 921 throughout the duration of the timeslot . in timeslot ( n ), during both an initial portion of the timeslot and during a final portion of the timeslot , the am signal 923 is assumed to be above the threshold . hence , during these portions of the timeslot , the switch control signal 919 is not amplitude modulated . ( in the middle frame of fig1 , the dashed lines indicate the nominal amplitude of the switch control signal 919 when the am signal 923 is above the threshold .) during an intermediate portion of the timeslot , however , the am signal 923 is assumed to be below the threshold . during this portion of the timeslot , the switch control signal 919 is amplitude modulated along with the switch supply signal 921 . finally , in timeslot ( n + 1 ), the am signal 923 is assumed to be above the threshold throughout the duration of the timeslot . the amplitude ( peak - to - peak ) of the switch control signal 919 is therefore held constant throughout the duration of the timeslot . note that the actual amplitude modulation is still solely impressed on the output signal 913 by switch supply signal 921 . variation of signal 918 and the resulting variation of signal 919 in concert with signal 921 is performed soley to reduce leakage . as such , the precision required of signal 918 is greatly reduced from that required of signal 921 . referring now to fig1 , a more detailed diagram is shown of an amplifier in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention , in which like elements are assigned like reference numerals as in fig9 . in the embodiment of fig1 , the control signal amplifier 1211 and the switch 1201 are provided as first and second amplifier stages , a “ gain ” stage and a “ switch ” stage , respectively . the gain stage 211 may be implemented in a variety of ways . one implementation is a conventional gain - controlled linear ccs ( controlled current source ) amplifier of widely - understood classes a , ab , b and c . an alternative implementation is a smaller - scale switch - mode stage of a type described in the aforementioned copending u . s . applications . within dashed line block 917 are shown further details of one embodiment of the amplitude modulator 917 of fig9 . in response to am signal samples 1223 and to a signal 1232 from the power control logic 1215 , the am logic 1231 calculates appropriate supply levels for the first amplifier stage 1211 and the second amplifier stage 1201 . in the case of the first amplifier stage 1211 , a dc supply voltage is supplied through a transistor 1235 - 1 . base drive to the transistor 1235 - 1 is controlled by the am logic 1231 through a dac ( digital to analog converter ) 1233 - 1 . hence the dac 1233 - 1 sets the level of the switch control signal 1219 seen by the second amplifier stage 1201 . similarly , in the case of the second amplifier stage 1201 , a dc supply voltage is supplied through a transistor 1235 - 2 . base drive to the transistor 1235 - 2 is controlled by the am logic 1231 through a dac 1233 - 2 . in an exemplary embodiment , the output of the dac 1233 - 1 is given by the following rule : dac 1 ( t ) = v ( p ) , for a ( t ) ≥ m ( p ) = v ( p ) · a ( t ) m ( p ) , for a ( t ) & lt ; m ( p ) where a ( t ) is the am signal at time t , m ( p ) is a threshold dependent on the power level p , and v ( p ) is the nominal output voltage of dac 1 , for power level p . operation of the amplifier of fig1 in accordance with the foregoing rule is illustrated in fig1 . as seen therein , as the signal a ( t ) ( the amplitude of the am signal at time t ) fluctuates , for a first period of time , the signal exceeds the threshold m ( p ) for the current power level p . during this period , the voltage dac 1 ( t ) is set to the nominal level v ( p ). thereafter , the signal a ( t ) dips below the threshold for a period of time . during this period of time , the voltage dac 1 ( t ) is amplitude modulated in accordance with the fluctuations of the signal a ( t ). when the signal a ( t ) again rises above the threshold , the voltage dac 1 ( t ) is again set to the nominal level . thus , there has been described an efficient amplifier for rf signals that provides for amplitude modulation over a wide dynamic range . the amplitude of the switch control signal is adjusted to reduce the undesirable leakage effect . as a result , it becomes possible to produce output signals having average power anywhere within a wide - range , or to greatly increase the dynamic range over which amplitude modulation may be produced at a given average power level , or both . it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential character thereof . the described embodiments are therefore intended to be in all respects illustrative and not restrictive . the scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims , rather than the foregoing description , and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalents thereof are intended to be embraced therein . | 7 |
the following detailed description illustrates the invention by way of example and not by way of limitation . the description enables one skilled in the art to make and use the present disclosure , and describes several embodiments , adaptations , variations , alternatives , and uses of the present disclosure , including what is presently believed to be the best mode of carrying out the present disclosure . turning to the figures , and to fig4 - 6 in particular , an improved angular contact ball bearing retainer 100 of the present disclosure is shown to be different than both the traditional angular contact ball bearing ( acbb ) retainers and the traditional stamped , machined , or molded crown - type and snap - in retainers . the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure is a cylindrical retainer body 102 , with cylindrical ball pockets 104 arrayed around the circumference of the retainer body 102 as shown in fig5 . the axis x of each cylindrical ball pocket 104 intersects an axial centerline of the retainer body . as best seen in fig4 , the sidewall 106 of each ball pocket 104 is open on one axial end of the retainer , defining a slot 108 . remaining portions of the retainer body 102 disposed between each slot 108 define a set of prongs 105 , similar to a “ crown ” configuration . axially opposite from the slots 108 , the structure of the retainer body 102 defines a single continuous side rail 110 . those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that while the retainer body 102 is shown to have a cylindrical configuration with a rectangular cross - section , as best seen in fig8 a , the cross - sectional configuration , including the orientation of the cylindrical ball pockets 104 , may be varied to accommodate the particular bearing assembly 10 into which the retainer 100 is to be utilized , as is shown by the exemplary cross - sectional configurations of fig8 b - 8t . preferably , the retainer 100 is machined from metallic or polymer stock , but those of ordinary skill will recognize that the retainer may be manufactured from a molded polymer or metallic material . the retainer 100 is manufactured with precision manufacturing practices , including broken / blended / deburred surface intersections to promote correct piloting of the retainer 100 on the bearing inner and outer rings ( 10 a , 10 b ) and balls 12 . in basic appearance , the retainer 100 of the present disclosure appears similar to a traditional crown retainer , but it is different in a number of ways , as shown below . first , the retainer 100 of the present disclosure is a non - snap design , i . e ., the retainer 100 cannot be assembled into a ball bearing 10 after the inner ring 10 a , outer ring 10 b , and ball elements 12 are assembled and correctly spaced . rather , the retainer 100 is installed onto the inner ring 10 a or outer ring 10 b along with the balls 12 , prior to the assembly of the remaining ring ( 10 b or 10 a ), which is typically done using thermal heating and / or cooling of the bearing rings ( 10 a , 10 b ). the bearing assembly ( 10 ) may then be provided with optional closures ( 14 ) at one or both axial ends . second , the retainer 100 of the present disclosure is preferably configured to have a smaller range of axial movement than a traditional crown - type snap - in retainer , because the retainer 100 can envelope more of the circumference of each ball element 12 , as best seen in fig7 a - 7c . a traditional crown - type snap - in retainer must have a relatively large slot width , so that the prongs of the retainer can elastically deform enough to slip past the larger ball diameters during assembly and then return to their original design shape for use , to retain the retainer inside the bearing . large axial movement requires more room inside the bearing 10 , which reduces available room for additional closures or a volume of lubricant . while some traditional crown - type snap - in retainers have very low axial movement due to very flexible prongs and very small ball pocket clearance , they also tend to be “ ball piloting ” designs , which are less favorable for high speed and / or high misalignment operation . the improved retainer 100 of the present disclosure is axially and radially narrower , creating more room inside the bearing 10 for closures or lubricant . the improved retainer 100 of the present disclosure is lighter than a traditional acbb retainer , and so contributes less mass to the total mass of the bearing 10 . the improved retainer 100 of the present disclosure has increased compliance , because of the presence of the slots 108 axially opposite from the single side rail 110 , which alters the retainer dynamics , affecting correct bearing operation and / or noise generation of the bearing assembly 10 . the improved retainer 100 of the present disclosure is more open on one axial side due to the presence of the slots 108 ( i . e ., the ball elements 12 are more exposed ), so the introduction of lubricant to the balls elements 12 during a lubrication process is easier . the cylindrical sidewalls 106 of the ball pockets 104 in the retainer 100 allow the retainer 100 to be piloted primarily on the lands of one of the bearing rings ( 10 a or 10 b ), and secondarily on the ball component 12 , so that the retainer 100 is suitable for high speed bearing operation with minimum friction and wear . because the ball elements 12 are not retained in the retainer 100 when the retainer is not installed in a bearing , the ball pocket 104 and ring land clearances can be optimized for high speed or alternately for lower speed operation . the improved retainer 100 of the present disclosure , although it is of the “ crown type ”, can be manufactured with a greater number of ball pockets 104 than a traditional snap - in style retainer of the same diameter , because the retainer 100 is assembled into an angular contact ball bearing 10 using typical angular contact ball bearing assembly methods , and without the need to permit resilient flexing or movement required by a traditional snap - in crown - type retainer to fit over the ball elements 12 . the improved retainer 100 can be manufactured with the same number of ball pockets 104 as a traditional angular contact ball bearing ( acbb ) retainer . as various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the disclosure , it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense . | 5 |
referring to the drawing and particularly fig1 , 3 , and 4 , 10 generally designates an improved tumbler pin - type cylinder lock embodying the features of the present invention useful in association with automotive ignition switch means , and a steering wheel lock mechanism as shown in my u . s . pat . no . 4 , 099 , 395 . the lock 10 includes a cylinder housing 12 , having a lock cylinder receiving bore 14 therein . mounted within the bore 14 is a lock cylinder 16 mounted for both axial and radial movement relative to the cylinder housing 12 . the cylinder housing is provided with a plurality of bores designated 18a , b , and c , which bores are normal to the cylinder bore 14 , and normal or opposed to each other as the case may be , and positioned to intersect said bore 14 . the bores 18a , b and c receive tumbler pins 19 and tumbler pin springs 21 . in the illustrated form of the invention , three banks of tumblers are illustrated , however , it will be appreciated that the invention includes tumbler locks wherein there are only one or only opposed or four banks of tumbler pins as is known in the art . the cylinder 16 is provided with corresponding tumbler pin bores 20a , b , and c , which receive tumbler pins , again , all as known in the art . between the tumbler pin bores 20a , b and c , and the shaped end 22 of the cylinder 16 , the curvilinear surface of the cylinder is provided with a compound groove generally designated 24 . the compound groove or slot is provided with a portion 24a , primarily directed in an axial direction and a portion 24b , primarily oriented in a radial direction relative to the longitudinal length of the cylinder 16 . it will be particularly noted from fig4 that the groove generally designated 24 may be on two levels so that a plunger pin , not shown , activated by the upper groove 24c can operate a steering gear lock pin while motion of the cylinder is controlled by the fixed pin 28 in bore 26 in the lock housing 12 . the pin 28 may be of the type that is driven into the bore 26 after assembly of the lock , thus rendering it impossible to remove the cylinder 16 without boring the pin 28 therefrom or the pin may be just a snug fit or be provided with threads which cooperate with threads in the bore 26 so that the pin 28 may be readily removed by a locksmith . the cylinder housing 12 is provided with a counter - bore 30 , which counter - bore rotatably receives a circular protector plate 38 . the protector plate is provided with an opening 40 therethrough of a size to receive the entire shank portion 42 of the key 44 as more clearly shown in fig2 of the drawing . the protector plate 38 has secured to the inner face 46 thereof a pair of guide pins 48 , which guide pins are slidably received in a pair of bores 50 extending in a longitudinal direction in the lock cylinder 16 so that the protector plate 38 will rotate with the lock cylinder 16 and the lock cylinder 16 may be moved longitudinally in respect to the protector plate 38 . the protector plate 38 prevents a lock picker from urging the cylinder 16 inwardly in respect to the housing 12 by inserting a tool in the opening in the cylinder housing and forcibly driving the cylinder inwardly against the restraining effect of the tumbler pins received in the bores 18a - 18c , and 20a - 20c . the reduced diameter portion 50 &# 39 ; of the protector plate 38 is received in the bore 52 in the cover 54 which slides over the lock housing 12 , and which housing is free to rotate in respect to the protector plate 38 and the entire lock . the assembly also includes a plate 56 which is bored as at 58 to abut the forward end 22 of the cylinder 16 . the plate 56 is also bored at 60 to receive a pair of threaded connectors 62 which threaded connectors engage with internal threads in bores 64 in the lock housing 12 . the plate 56 also engages one end 66 of a helical compression spring 66 &# 39 ; while the other end 68 of the spring engages the shoulder 70 of the lock cylinder 16 and constantly urges the cylinder toward the front end 72 of the lock housing 12 . in operation of the lock the operator via the key 44 , as to be more fully described hereinafter , moves the cylinder 16 against the urging of the spring 66 &# 39 ;. the cylinder 16 is provided with an internal axially extending bore 73 which extends from end 74 to adjacent the plural level track 24b . adjacent the track 24b the bore is conical in configuration as at 76 and the tip of the conical bore is intercepted by a counter - bore 78 in end of portion 22 of the cylinder . of course , as shown more clearly in fig1 and 3 , key receiving slots extend from the bores radially outwardly as at 80 . the forward end of the bore 72 is closed by a plug 82 which plug is provided with the slots 84 for reception of the key 44 . the bore 78 receives a pair of rods 86 having in - turned ends 88 . the in - turned ends of the rods 86 are adapted to the received - in the end slots 90a and 90b in the cone shaped end 92 of the key shank 44 when the key is fully inserted in the lock cylinder 16 . once the key is engaged by the in - turned ends 88 of the rods 86 inward motion of the cylinder 16 , as to be more fully described hereinafter , causes the rods 86 to be urged inwardly for control of bolts or other locking mechanisms or the like . with the conical end 76 of the bore 72 , insertion of a pick lock into the cylinder would be of a little avail as the pick lock would be forced by the tapered walls of the conical end 76 to pass through the opening into the counter - bore 78 and inward pressure would fail to move the cylinder 16 against the urging of the coil spring 66 &# 39 ;. referring now to fig5 of the drawing a modified form of a lock constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention is illustrated wherein 10 &# 39 ; depicts the lock , consisting of an outer housing or casing 54 &# 39 ;, a lock housing 12 &# 39 ;, a lock cylinder 16 &# 39 ;, and a winged actuator 17 . the winged actuator 17 is connected to protector plate 38 &# 39 ; which carries at its inner end a pair of pins 48 &# 39 ; the ends of which are slidably received in bores 50 &# 39 ;, axially extending into the lock cylinder 16 &# 39 ;. the protector plate 38 &# 39 ; is provided with an angular groove 37 which groove receives the ends of screws or drive pins 39 whereby the protector plate 38 &# 39 ; is free to rotate but can not be urged axially . as in the prior form of the invention , the cylinder 16 &# 39 ; has a bore 72 &# 39 ; which terminates in a conical end 76 &# 39 ; and the inner end of the conical bore 76 &# 39 ; intersects a counter - bore 78 &# 39 ; in the end or shank portion 22 &# 39 ; of the cylinder 16 &# 39 ;. further , the lock assembly includes at least one set of cooperating bores and tumbler pin generally designated 35 and cooperating bores and pins 37 in the lock housing 12 &# 39 ;. the assembly also includes the rods 86 &# 39 ; each having the in - turned end 88 &# 39 ; which fit in lateral grooves in the tapered shank portion 92 &# 39 ; of the key 44 &# 39 ;. the connection between the winged portion 17 and the protector plate 38 &# 39 ; comprises a &# 34 ; joint of weakness &# 34 ; as at 19 , whereby the lock cylinder 16 &# 39 ; and the tumbler mechanism 35 , 37 , are positioned to permit rotation , however , a pick - lock attempting to rotate the lock cylinder 16 &# 39 ; without a proper key 44 &# 39 ; would shear the wing portion 17 from the protector plate 38 &# 39 ; rendering the entire lock uncompromised but still in condition such that a proper party with the correct key 44 &# 39 ; could cause the cylinder 16 &# 39 ; to rotate the key itself . referring now to fig6 and 7 , various arrangements of grooves 110 and 110 &# 39 ; are illustrated . for example , the groove 110 has a longitudinal movement portion 112 and a pair of arcuate portions 114 and 116 , which are engaged by bin 28 [ to permit operation of plural bolts or electrical contacts or electric / hydraulic mechanisms as desired .] groove 110 &# 39 ; of the form of the cylinder illustrated in fig7 includes a pair of parallel axially extending grooves 118 and 120 and a single acruate groove 122 interconnecting the pair of axial grooves 118 and 120 . again the nature and configuration of the grooves is substantially unlimited as the cylinders of the locks of the present invention are mounted for both the radial and axial motion . referring now to fig8 there is illustrated a form of the invention wherein a portion of the cylindrical surface 150 of the lock cylinder 152 is provided with an elongated upstanding rib 154 which rib is engagement with an elongated groove 156 milled in the inner bore 158 of the lock housing . the cylindrical surface 150 is also provided with milled longitudinal and radial groove structures indicated at 162 which cooperate with the inner end of pin 170 . the upstanding rib 154 helps to insure that there is no rotary motion between the cylinder 152 and housing 160 until a predetermined amount of longitudinal or axial movement of the cylinder 152 relative to the housing 160 . it will be appreciated that when the cylinder 152 has been urged axially relative to the housing 160 a distance such that end 172 clears the lateral extension of the milled groove 156 it would then be possible to rotate the cylinder 156 via the groove 162 as guided by the pin 170 . from the foregoing description various forms of my invention has been specifically disclosed . however , it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that other and various specific constructures may be substituted for those illustrated in the drawing without departing the scope of the present invention . | 8 |
hereinafter , an embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings . fig1 schematically illustrates an arrangement of crossover wires of coils of each phase of a 12 - slot motor , which is an embodiment of the present invention . the “ crossover wire ” referred to here is defined as a name of an insulation - coated conductor wire portion that connects neighboring coils of continuously wound coils ( fig1 shows four continuously wound coils ). an axial gap motor 100 is provided with a stator core 1 as a stator configured by arranging in a ring shape , four coils with insulation - coated conductor wires continuously wound around an iron core 3 , in which a rotor 2 is disposed above and / or below the stator core 1 . the rotor 2 is connected to a rotation shaft ( not shown ) disposed at a center and is disposed at a certain distance from the stator core 1 . though not shown , magnets are disposed in the circumferential direction with the n pole and s pole placed alternately on the stator core side of the rotor 2 . note that the axial gap motor 100 , which will be described below , is an example , and it goes without saying that the number of coils in each phase , that is , the number of slots can be changed as appropriate . in the embodiment in fig1 , four u - phase coils 10 a , 10 d , 10 g and 10 j are continuously wound by a winding device , which will be described later using fig6 , via crossover wires . note that the winding direction of the coils is the same for all the coils and all the crossover wires are integrated on the inner diameter side of the coils . the four v - phase coils 10 b , 10 e , 10 h and 10 k and the four w - phase coils 10 c , 10 f , 10 i and 10 l also have the same winding direction of continuously wound wires and the same arrangement of crossover wires . by arranging terminal wires which are wiring starting ends of the four u - phase continuously wound coils , four v - phase continuously wound coils and four w - phase continuously wound coils in mutually neighboring positions and connecting these three phase terminal wires via connection terminals or by welding , it is possible to cause the connected part to function as a neutral point 5 . as a result , it is possible to reduce the number of connection points to one point and thereby reduce the motor price . by integrating all the crossover wires on the coil inner diameter side , the coil outside diameter side becomes a free space , and it is possible to improve cooling performance of the motor , for example , by making the coil outside diameter side contact the motor housing . furthermore , since respective input wires 4 of the four u - phase continuously wound coils , four v - phase continuously wound coils and four w - phase continuously wound coils can be necessarily arranged at neighboring positions , it is possible to guide these input wires so as not to contact the rotor 2 and lead them out of a motor case and thereby cause the stator core 1 to function as a stator . fig2 illustrates a wire connection diagram of the stator core 1 in the axial gap motor 100 of the present embodiment . a u - phase coil 10 u is configured by connecting an input wire 15 u 1 , coil 10 a , crossover wire 15 u 2 , coil 10 d , crossover wire 15 u 3 , coil 10 g , crossover wire 15 u 4 , coil 10 j and terminal wire 15 u 5 . the coil winding direction is the same for all the coils . the configuration as well as the coil winding direction is also the same for the v - phase coil 10 v and w - phase coil 10 w . that is , the axial gap motor 100 of the present embodiment is made up of a four - series y - connection using three sets of four continuously wound coils . as described above , the stator core functions as a stator by connecting a central point ( n ) of the u - phase coil 10 u , v - phase coil 10 v and w - phase coil 10 w as a neutral point . in order to illustrate the structure and arrangement of each four continuously wound coil , fig3 shows a schematic diagram and fig4 shows a perspective view using the coil u phase as an example . it goes without saying that the v - phase coil 10 v and the w - phase coil 10 w also have the same structure and arrangement . here , when a core layer thickness of the stator core 1 is l 1 , a length in a diameter direction of the crossover wire is l 3 , and a length in a circumferential direction thereof is l 2 , and the circumferential direction of the crossover wire is assumed to be disposed along the outer circumference of the rotation shaft of the dynamoelectric machine located at the center , an ideal length l of the crossover wire is 2 × l 3 + l 2 as is obvious from fig4 . by forming , in advance , the circumferential direction of the crossover wire in an arc shape , it is possible to bend the four continuously wound coils corresponding to three phases in the vertical direction and assemble them in the axial direction centered on the rotation shaft . furthermore , as shown in fig1 , in areas where crossover wires cross each other between neighboring u phase and v phase , between neighboring v phase and w phase and between neighboring w phase and u phase , by setting the crossover wires 15 u 2 , 15 v 2 and 15 w 2 to different angles with respect to the axial direction of the rotation shaft ( 15 u 2 is set to be horizontal , 15 v 2 is set at angle φ 1 and 15 w 2 is set at angle φ 2 in fig8 ) as shown in the example in fig8 , it is possible to prevent interference of wires in the intersection of crossover wires , prevent the wires from contacting each other and reliably prevent short circuits of the wires . fig6 shows an example of a winding device for realizing an ideal length of the crossover wire when creating four continuously wound coils corresponding to one phase . four winding bobbins are arranged at intervals of approximately 90 ° in the circumferential direction with respect to a winding jig 31 . suppose the central axis of rotation of winding is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the winding jig 31 . note that the number of winding bobbins is not limited to four , but can be changed depending on the number of coils of each phase and the angle interval in the circumferential direction may be set so as to adapt to the change . here , as in the case of fig9 , a case will be described as an example where winding of up to a third core is completed and winding of a fourth core is started . in this example , a nozzle 24 b that supplies an insulation - coated conductor wire has a mechanism for transfer in three axial directions , so that it can form a crossover wire in any given direction when starting winding onto the next bobbin . after completion of winding of the third core , the winding jig 31 is made to rotate by 90 ° around the vertical axis and an empty bobbin is caused to protrude on the axis of rotation of a winding support section 36 . at this time , a crossover wire 35 u 4 is fixed by fixing pins 32 e and 32 f with a transfer of the nozzle 24 b , and wiring of the fourth core is made possible by causing the whole wiring section to rotate around a split core 30 j . after completion of the wiring , the winding end wire is cut and the wiring is thereby completed . at this time , the crossover wires 35 u 2 , 35 u 3 and 35 u 4 are not detached from the fixing pins and can maintain their desired shapes . thus , since the winding bobbins are arranged in a radiating shape , any winding bobbin does not interfere with other winding bobbins during the winding and high - density winding is thereby made possible , and it is also possible to form crossover wires between the roots of the neighboring winding bobbins , and reduce the length l of the crossover wires regardless of the core layer thickness l 1 of the stator core unlike the prior art in which the length l of the crossover wires inevitably become the core layer thickness l 1 or more . that is , by adjusting the pin shape and arrangement positions of the fixing pins 32 e and 32 f , it is possible to set the length l of the crossover wires to an ideal length of the crossover wires of 2 × l 3 + l 2 as shown in fig4 and further form the crossover wires into an arc shape by arranging a plurality of fixing pins on the circumference . it goes without saying that it is possible to use a winding device with the pin shape and arrangement changed for each u phase , v phase and w phase and to adjust the length and shape of the respective crossover wires to appropriate ones . when arc crossover wires are adopted , it is possible to further improve insulation properties by keeping the distance constant in the diameter direction between the rotation shaft of the rotor 2 and the crossover wires . when the winding of the four continuous coils is completed in this way , the four continuous coils are removed from the winding jig , the four continuous coils are then bent by 90 ° so that each coil is oriented toward the vertical direction within the vertical plane in the diameter direction of each coil with reference to the crossover wires 35 u 2 , 35 u 3 and 35 u 4 as shown in fig7 , and it is thereby possible to form four continuous coils that can be assembled in the axial direction as shown in fig5 by setting the length l of the crossover wire to , for example , 2 × l 3 + l 2 , while maintaining the crossover wire in a desired shape regardless of the core layer thickness l 1 ′ which may be large . lastly , as shown in fig8 , by forming , in advance , the crossover wires 15 v 2 and 15 w 2 of the v - phase coil 10 v and w - phase coil 10 w so as to tilt at different angles φ 1 and φ 2 in the axial direction with respect to the u - phase coil 10 u , it is possible to assemble the four continuously wound coils corresponding to three phases in the axial direction . here , a minimum value of φ 1 is defined by a spatial insulation distance between the u - phase reference coil 10 u and the v - phase coil 10 v , and a minimum value of φ 2 is likewise defined by a spatial insulation distance between the v - phase coil 10 v and the w - phase coil 10 w . instead of this , when the winding end positions of the u - phase coil 10 u , v - phase coil 10 v and w - phase coil 10 w are made to differ from each other and the coils are bent back by 90 ° so that all the coils are oriented toward the vertical direction , the respective crossover wires may be made to have different heights . | 7 |
the chlorine - releasing agent of this invention may be one or a combination of a number of known chlorine - releasing compounds . typical chlorine - releasing agents include those oxidants capable of having their chlorine liberated in the form of free elemental chlorine under conditions normally used for detergent bleaching purposes , such as potassium dichloroisocyanurate , sodium dichloroisocyanurate , trichloroisocyanurate , chlorinated trisodium phosphate , calcium hypochlorite , lithium hypochlorite , monochloramine , dichloramine , nitrogen trichloride , a complex of trichloroisocyanurate and potassium dichloroisocyanurate wherein the molar ratio of the former to the latter is approximately one to four , 1 , 3 - dichloro - 5 , 5 - dimethyl hydantoin , para - toluene sulfondichloramide , trichloromelamine , n - chloromelamine , n - chlorosuccinimide , n , n &# 39 ;- dichloroazodicarbonamide , n - chloro acetyl urea , n , n &# 39 ;- dichlorobiuret , chlorinated dicyandiamide , trichlorocyanuric acid , dichloroglycoluril , and combinations of these compounds . preferred chlorine - releasing agents include a complex of trichloroisocyanurate and potassium dichloroisocyanurate , wherein the molar ratio of the former to the latter is approximately one to four , potassium dichloroisocyanurate , sodium dichloroisocyanurate , and trichloroisocyanurate . typically , the novel compositions of the present invention contain from about 0 . 3 to about 3 parts , on a weight basis , of chlorine - releasing agent per part of polymeric association product . preferably , this will range from about 0 . 3 to about 1 parts of chlorine - releasing agent per part polymeric association product . for the purposes of the present invention , the term &# 34 ; second polymeric compound &# 34 ; refers to those compounds which , when combined in solution or suspension with an appropriate polycarboxylic acid , will form a polymeric association product under the proper conditions . second polymeric compounds may be water - soluble and are selected so that at room temperature and under proper conditions , as are hereinafter described , they will readily form polymeric association products which precipitate out of an aqueous solution . essentially any polymer system which is capable of forming either inter - or intramolecular hydrogen bonds is a suitable second polymeric compound . examples of suitable second polymeric compounds include , for example , poly ( vinyl pyrrolidone ), polyacrylamide , copolymers of ethylene glycol and propylene glycol , and copolymers of maleic anhydride and ethylene . further examples of suitable second polymeric compounds are found in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 387 , 061 . polyethers , polyamines and polyamides are preferred second polymeric compounds . examples of more preferred second polymeric compounds are poly ( ethyl oxazoline ), poly ( ethylene glycol ) having a weight average molecular weight of from about 600 to about 6 , 000 , and poly ( vinyl pyrrolidone ). examples of most preferred second polymeric compounds include poly ( ethylene glycol ) having a weight average molecular weight of from about 1 , 400 to about 4 , 000 and poly ( ethyl oxazoline ) having a weight average molecular weight of about 50 , 000 . the polycarboxylic acids , also referred to herein as polyacids , of this invention are those acidic polymeric compounds in which the acidity is due to two or more free carboxyl groups . suitable polyacids are those which are capable of forming cooperative interactions or bindings with the second polymeric compounds of the present invention . for a reference to the term &# 34 ; cooperative interactions or bindings &# 34 ; see journal of polymer science : polymer chemistry edition , vol . 17 , pp . 3485 - 3498 . these polyacids typically contain an average of from about 0 . 7 to about 1 . 2 free carboxyl groups per 100 molecular weight . the average molecular weight , as determined by the solution viscosity method , of suitable polyacids ranges to from about 50 , 000 to about 500 , 000 and higher . some typical polycarboxylic acids are described in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 387 , 061 . poly ( methacrylic acid ) and poly ( acrylic acid ) are examples of preferred polyacids . an inert solvent is advantageously employed in the process of this invention . for the purposes of this invention , an inert solvent is a solvent which does not detract from the efficacy of the product - forming process . the solvent serves to solubilize the ingredients which form the final product , thereby facilitating their association . the amount of solvent to be employed is indicated by practical considerations , but enough should be used to solubilize the ingredients involved . tvpically , a polymer solution with a concentration of from about 0 . 8 weight percent to about 4 . 5 weight percent is employed . examples of suitable inert solvents include methanol , dimethylformamide , β - methoxyethanol , ethanol , isopropanol , and other polar solvents , but , as previously noted , water is generally the preferred solvent . the polymeric association products of this invention are water - insoluble complexes which can be best described as arising from one or more diverse mechanisms such as hydrogen bonding , electrostatic bonding , hydrophobic interactions , valence forces and the like . several suitable polymeric association products and methods of making them are described in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 387 , 061 , the teachings of which are herein incorporated by reference . examples of preferred polymeric association products are those which are formed between poly ( acrylic acid ) and poly ( ethylene glycol ); and between poly ( methacrylic acid ) and poly ( ethylene glycol ). more preferred polymeric association products are formed between poly ( acrylic acid ) and poly ( ethyl oxazoline ). the most preferred polymeric association products are formed between poly ( methacrylic acid ) and poly ( ethyl oxazoline ). the process and the resulting association products , in their broad aspects , involve contacting the indicated polyether , polyacid and chlorine - releasing agent under conditions and subsequent treatment such that a water - insoluble association product is produced . the delayed - release bleaching compositions of this invention are typically formed by adding one or more of the aforementioned second polymeric compounds to a solution of a polyacid to form a polymeric mixture , which has a ph as is hereinafter specified , and which contains about 1 mole of polyacid per mole of second polymeric compound . since the vast majority of the polyacids and second polymeric compounds contemplated in the instant invention are water - soluble compounds , the contacting of the polyacid component and second polymeric compound component can be effected by dissolving these components , in the desired concentration , in an aqueous medium . it is preferred to dissolve the components separately in water , in the desired concentration , and subsequently to add one solution to the other . the resulting mixture is cooled and one or more of the aforementioned chlorine - releasing agents are then added to the polymeric mixture . the chlorine - containing polymeric mixture is then acidified slowly until precipitation of the product ceases . it has been observed that the components of the mixture will generally remain in solution at room temperature when the ph of the solution is above about 3 . 5 . lowering the ph below about 3 . 5 , and preferably below about 3 . 0 , generally results in the formation of a precipitate , i . e ., an association product , within seconds or almost immediately . when the ph is decreased to about 2 . 0 or lower , precipitation of the association product is usually virtually complete . the rate of precipitation is unusually pronounced as the molar ratio of free carboxylic groups from the polyacid to functional groups from the second polymeric compound approaches 1 . 0 . the precipitate may be recovered using any desirable means , including known methods of filtering , washing or rinsing , and drying . for example , the precipitate may be washed with deionized water , filtered on filter paper , and dried using a vacuum oven at ambient temperature . the medium or solvent in which the two polymeric components are contacted typically has a ph , measured after the two polymeric components have been added to the medium , of about 3 . 5 or higher . preferably , the ph of the medium is from about 6 to about 8 . more preferably , the ph is from about 6 . 8 to about 7 . 2 . it should also be noted that when the polyacid component or second polymeric compound component is substantially water - insoluble , e . g ., beta - carboxyethyl silicone polymer , poly ( vinyl ethyl ether ), and the like , the reaction can be conducted by first dispersing the water - insoluble component as a finely divided suspension in aqueous medium , and then mixing the resulting aqueous suspension with an aqueous solution or suspension containing the other component in the manner noted previously . the two polymeric components may be contacted at any temperature at which both components are in solution or suspension . typically , the temperature at which the components are contacted is between about 0 ° c . and about 25 ° c . preferably , the temperature will be from about 5 ° c . to about 10 ° c . ordinarily , the process is conducted at atmospheric pressure , but sub - or superatmospheric pressures can be employed if desired . the following examples are given to illustrate the present invention and should not be construed as limiting its scope . all parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise indicated . to a 600 - ml glass beaker is added 200 ml of a 0 . 87 percent solution of poly ( methacrylic acid ), which then is neutralized with 10 percent koh to a ph of 7 . 0 . to this neutralized solution is added 200 ml of a 1 . 98 percent solution of poly ( ethyl oxazoline ). this mixture is stirred until it becomes homogeneous . the beaker is then inserted into an ice bath to cool the mixture to approximately 0 ° c . a chlorine - releasing agent is charged into the mixture with stirring . the system is then acidified by dropwise addition of 1 . 0n hcl until no further precipitation occurs ( ph 3 . 5 - 3 . 0 ). this precipitate is filtered , washed with deionized water , and is dried overnight in a vacuum oven at ambient temperature . the precipitate is white , has a powdery appearance , and is somewhat brittle in texture . a composition is prepared using the method of example 1 . the chlorine - releasing agent is trichloroisocyanurate , and three - tenths of a part of it is added to the cooled , homogeneous solution for every part of polymeric association product . a 0 . 5 - g sample of this composition is added with stirring to an erlenmeyer flask , which contains approximately 200 ml of distilled water , and is allowed to dissolve . at time intervals of 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 10 and 30 minutes , aliquots ( 10 ml each ) are removed from the flask and are transferred to a beaker containing 25 . 0 ml of deionized water , 5 . 0 ml of a 3 percent solution of potassium iodide , 5 . 0 ml of concentrated h 2 so 4 , and 5 . 0 ml of starch indicator . the contents of each beaker are titrated , using a standard iodometric titration method for determination of halogen concentration , to the endpoint with a 0 . 01n solution of na 2 s 2 o 3 . the following results are obtained : ______________________________________ chlorine releasedelapsed time ( mg chlorine /-( min .) mg of solution ) ______________________________________1 1 . 6 × 10 . sup .- 32 2 . 1 × 10 . sup .- 33 3 . 9 × 10 . sup .- 34 4 . 3 × 10 . sup .- 35 5 . 3 × 10 . sup .- 310 5 . 9 × 10 . sup .- 330 9 . 5 × 10 . sup .- 3______________________________________ the procedure of example 2 is repeated with different compositions and the following results are obtained : ______________________________________ chlorine released ( mg chlorine / mg solution ) at elapsed timeex . comp . * pcr ** 1 min 5 min 10 min______________________________________3a paa / 3 . 0 3 . 4 × 10 . sup .- 3 2 . 4 × 10 . sup .- 2 2 . 7 × 10 . sup .- 2peox3b paa / 1 . 0 2 . 9 × 10 . sup .- 4 7 . 6 × 10 . sup .- 3 1 . 0 × 10 . sup .- 2peox3c pma / peg 0 . 3 3 . 5 × 10 . sup .- 2 5 . 1 × 10 . sup .- 2 6 . 5 × 10 . sup .- 23d pma / peg 1 . 0 5 . 5 × 10 . sup .- 3 8 . 0 × 10 . sup .- 3 9 . 2 × 10 . sup .- 33e pma / 0 . 3 9 . 2 × 10 . sup .- 3 1 . 4 × 10 . sup .- 2 1 . 9 × 10 . sup .- 2peox______________________________________ * composition abbreviations : paa = poly ( acrylic acid ) having a viscosity average molecular weight of 150 , 000 - 200 , 000 . pma = poly ( methacrylic acid ) having a viscosity average molecular weight of 25 , 000 - 50 , 000 . peg = poly ( ethylene glycol ) having a number average molecular weight of 4 , 000 . peox = poly ( ethyl oxazoline ) having a number average molecular weight of 50 , 000 . ** pcr = parts chlorinereleasing agent per part of association product . examples 3a , 3b and 3c all use a complex of trichloroisocyanurate and potassium dichloroisocyanurate , wherein the molar ratio of the former to the latter is approximately 1 to 4 , as the chlorine - releasing agent . examples 3d and 3e use trichloroisocyanurate as the chlorine - releasing agent . the compositions of examples 2 and 3b most effectively delay the release of chlorine , while the composition of example 3c releases chlorine more quickly than the compositions of the other examples . | 2 |
the present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings , in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown . the present invention may , however , be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein ; rather these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the invention to those skilled in the art . indeed , the invention is intended to cover alternatives , modifications and equivalents of these embodiments , which will be included within the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims . furthermore , in the following detailed description of the present invention , numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention . however , it will be clear to those of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details . in other instances , well known methods , procedures , components , and circuits have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present invention . [ 0030 ] fig1 a is a block diagram illustrating functional blocks of one embodiment of the portable storage device of the present invention and an illustrative configuration thereof . fig1 a shows a portable data storage device 30 that is a small handheld device capable of fitting substantially in a closed fist and capable of direct connection via a universal serial bus ( usb ) port or similar port ( i . e ., firewire ) to a personal computer without wire interconnection . the portable data storage device 30 includes flash memory 4 , in which an email program 2 and email account data 3 for each user email account ( i . e ., email account password , user name , simple mail transfer protocol ( smtp ) and post office protocol ( pop ) information ) are stored . in one embodiment , the email program 2 is pre - installed in the memory 4 of the portable data storage device 30 by the manufacturer or reseller of the device and the email account data 3 is stored to the memory 4 by the user during the initialization process . in an alternative embodiment , the email program is downloaded from the internet or cd rom to the device &# 39 ; s memory 4 by the user . the architecture of a portable data storage device is described in u . s . patent application entitled “ a portable device having biometrics - based authentication capabilities ” with ser . no . 09 / 898 , 365 , filed on jul . 3 , 2001 . the general architecture of the email storage and transportation system is provided in fig1 b . shown in fig1 b is a portable data storage device ( thumbdrive ™ or td ) 30 capable of storing an email program 2 , electronic communications ( email ) 5 and email account data 3 . also illustrated in fig1 b is a networked desktop personal computer ( pc ) 25 capable of operating the email program 2 and accessing a user &# 39 ; s email account located on an email server 10 via a communication medium 20 . the pc 25 may be any type of computing device that is connected to the communication medium 20 and capable of accessing an email account on an email server . the communication medium 20 is understood to include one or more communication networks such as the internet and may include one or more private networks . the email server 10 is a computer that is connected to the internet and which receives and transmits email from and to other pc &# 39 ; s 25 connected to the internet . the email server 10 also stores email messages 5 addressed to a user in the user &# 39 ; s personal email account . email users can access email sent to them by accessing the email server 10 through a pc 25 that is connected to the internet 20 . also illustrated in fig1 b is a non - networked pc 35 capable of operating the email program on the td 30 and viewing the user &# 39 ; s email 5 that is stored on the td 30 . the non - networked computer is understood to include pc &# 39 ; s that are connected to a different network than the networked pc . [ 0032 ] fig2 illustrates a flow diagram of the operation that occurs when the user connects the td 30 to the pc 25 ( step 100 ), executes the email program 2 ( step 105 ) and connects to the internet 20 ( steps 110 through 125 ). to access an email account , the user connects the td 30 to the pc 25 ( step 100 ). the user then causes the pc 25 to execute the email program 2 residing in the memory 4 of the td 30 ( step 105 ). in an alternative embodiment , this step 105 will occur automatically . the email program 2 then determines if the pc 25 is connected to the internet 20 ( step 110 ). if the pc 25 is not connected to the internet 20 , then the email program 2 executes the internet access program that causes the pc 25 to connect to an internet service provider ( isp ) such as earthlink or aol ( step 115 ). the email program 2 then prompts the user to provide to the internet access program the password and user name required to access the isp ( step 120 ). in an alternative embodiment , the password and user name for the internet access program are stored in the memory 4 of the td 30 and are provided automatically by the email program 2 . the pc 25 connects to the internet 20 ( step 125 ). [ 0033 ] fig3 illustrates one embodiment of the present invention where the email program 2 accesses the user &# 39 ; s email account and allows the user to view and save email messages 5 to the td 30 . in step 210 , after the pc 25 has been connected to the internet 20 , the email program 2 accesses the first email server 10 and transmits to the email server 10 the email account data 3 ( designated by the user during the initialization of the td 30 ) allowing the email program 2 to access the user &# 39 ; s email account ( step 210 ). the user views email 5 and selects those emails 5 that the user would like to save for viewing at a later time ( step 220 ). the email program 2 saves the selected emails 5 to the td memory 4 ( step 225 ). the email program 2 determines if the user has designated additional email accounts to access ( step 230 ). if yes , then the email program 2 accesses the server 10 hosting the additional email account ( step 210 ). the user then views the email 5 in the additional account and selects email 5 to be saved to the td memory 4 ( step 220 ). in an alternative embodiment , email 5 is automatically saved to the td memory 4 and the user deletes those emails 5 that the user does not wish to store to the td memory 4 . the email program 2 saves the email 5 to the td memory 4 ( step 225 ). if no , then the email program 2 determines whether the user wishes to send email 5 ( step 235 ). if yes , then the user sends email 5 as described in fig4 . if no , then the email program 2 terminates the user session ( step 240 ). in an alternative embodiment , the invention disclosed in u . s . patent application entitled “ a portable device having biometrics - based authentication capabilities ” with ser . no . 09 / 898 , 365 , filed on jul . 3 , 2001 , and assigned to the assignee of the present invention , which consists of a biometric authentication security method and system is used in conjunction with the present invention . the biometric authentication security system disclosed in the &# 39 ; 356 patent application prevents unauthorized access to information stored on a portable data storage device . use of the disclosed biometric security system in conjunction with the present invention would allow access to the email program 2 , email access data 3 ( i . e ., user email account password , username , pop and smtp information ) and email messages only upon biometric verification . advantageously , email access is protected against unauthorized use . [ 0035 ] fig4 illustrates one embodiment of the process and system of the present invention by which email messages 5 are transmitted by the user . in step 310 , the user writes the email message 5 while in the email program 2 environment . in step 315 , the user instructs the email program 2 to send the email message 5 to the recipient . the email program 2 transmits the email message 5 to the user &# 39 ; s email account residing on the email server 10 using the smtp 3 information stored in the td memory 4 . the email server 10 transmits the email 5 to the recipient &# 39 ; s email account on a second email server ( step 325 ). [ 0036 ] fig5 illustrates one embodiment of the process and system of the present invention by which email 5 saved to the td memory 4 is transported and viewed with a second pc 35 . in step 410 , the user transports the td 30 to any location with a second pc 35 . the user connects the td 30 to the pc 35 ( step 415 ). the user executes the email program 2 ( step 420 ). the email program 2 then prompts the user to select whether to access the user &# 39 ; s email account or access email 5 that is saved in the td memory 4 ( step 425 ). if the user chooses to access the email 5 saved in the td memory 4 , then the email program 2 accesses the email 5 stored in the td memory 4 ( step 435 ) and allows the user to view , manipulate or delete email 5 ( step 440 ). if the user chooses to access the user &# 39 ; s email account , then the email program accesses the user &# 39 ; s email accounts as set forth in fig3 . it is to be understood that the above description is only of the preferred embodiments of the invention . one skilled in the art may devise numerous other arrangements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . the invention is thus limited only as defined in the accompanying claims . for example , in an alternative embodiment , the email functionality residing on the td 30 may be accessed via a wireless connection between the pc and the td 30 . | 6 |
referring first to fig1 designates a bridge floor resting on two bridge piers 11 and 12 and , at its ends , on two supports 13 and 14 . the double arrows in fig1 indicate the possible relative movements of the bridge floor relative to the piers 11 and 12 and to the supports 13 and 14 . fig2 shows a conventional construction in which the bridge floor 10 , resting on the head of a bridge pier 11 , bears via a stainless steel plate 15 , a teflon ( tm ) plate 16 , a piston 17 resting in a cup 18 with the interposition of an elastomer 19 , on a plate 20 , for example made of concrete and laid on the pier head 11 . as indicated by the double arrows f1 , f2 , this construction permits the free sliding displacement , in particular in the longitudinal direction , of the bridge floor 10 relative to the bridge pier 11 and a given vertical damping movement by means of the piston 17 which compresses the elastomer 19 . fig3 shows schematically a further prior art embodiment in which the bridge floor 10 rests on the head of the bridge pier 11 by means of a rubber block 21 , for example of the neoprene type . the deformation of this block , for example towards the right - hand side as shown by the broken lines , also permits a certain degree of freedom , allowing a limited displacement of the bridge floor 10 relative to the bridge pier 11 and a slight vertical movement depending on the greater or lesser degree of compression under load of the neoprene block . fig4 shows schematically the assembly of the bridge floor 10 on a bridge pier 11 which itself rests on the ground 22 . fig5 and 6 show a variant wherein the bridge floor 10 rests on the pier 11 by means of a plate 23 on which is mounted a rail 24 in which engages a key 25 , which is itself rigid with the lower face of the bridge floor 10 . the key 25 can slide longitudinally in the runner 26 of the rail 24 , so enabling the bridge floor to move freely relative to the pier by sliding longitudinally in both directions of the arrow f1 . if , instead of a simple key 25 , there is provided a crossed key ( not shown ) penetrating both rails , which are oriented perpendicularly and are rigid with the bridge pier , it will be appreciated that locking is brought about by a fixed point preventing any displacement of the bridge floor relative to the pier at this point . the disadvantage of the system with a fixed point of this type is that , if the key is too strong , in the event of an earthquake or some other violent disturbance , the pier may be destroyed whereas , if the key is designed to shear in such circumstances , then the bridge floor will no longer be held and will be able to move uncontrollably . in fig7 it is assumed that the bridge floor 10 rests on eight supports designated a to h , respectively . the four supports a , b , c , d are assumed to be sliding supports , permitting any displacement , in particular in the longitudinal direction according to the double arrow f1 and in the transverse direction of the bridge floor according to the direction of the double arrow f3 . such supports can be of the type described and illustrated in fig2 and 3 , for example . supports e , f and h are assumed to be supports which permit free displacement in a single direction , that is the longitudinal direction of the bridge floor according to the double arrow f1 . they can also be supports of the type illustrated in fig5 and 6 , for example . finally , g designates the position of a fixed point about which the bridge floor is anchored relative to the structure . in principle this point should not move relative to the other structure parts which are considered fixed and in particular the support which supports the structure , such as a bridge pier mounted at this location . fig8 shows schematically a part of the device according to the invention which consists of a prestressed spring 30 and a damper 31 mounted between two parts of a bridge , the floor 10 and the pier 11 , respectively . a device according to the invention consists of two such device parts , together designated 32 . fig9 shows the manner in which two such device parts are mounted in opposition between the bridge pier 11 and the bridge floor supported by the latter . the bridge floor 10 can be supported on the pier head 11 for example by means of a device 33 of the type with a sliding casing or an elastomer block , as shown in fig2 and 3 , or even by means of a sliding key device , as shown in fig5 and 6 . however , the displacement movement in the direction of the double arrow f1 is countered by the interposition of the two devices 32 each comprising a prestressed spring 30 and a damping device 31 . the prestressed springs 30 tend to maintain the pier head and the bridge floor in a fixed relative position by returning the device to the symmetrical central position in which the spring forces are balanced . however , if unusual stress is applied , the bridge floor can slide in the direction of the force applied according to the arrow f1 , in order to compress further the spring which will absorb the stress at the same time as the damper 31 . when the disturbance has passed , the device will automatically return the bridge floor to the central position . advantageously elastomer rubber compression dampers or hydraulic type dampers can be used as damping device 31 . it will be appreciated that the prestressing force of the springs is to be calculated as a function of the masses to be damped , in the case in question the mass of the bridge floor . the prestressing force should also be sufficient such that , when the stress is no longer applied , the bridge floor is effectively brought back into position by overcoming the friction forces of the bridge floor on these supports . advantageously the device for producing the &# 34 ; imaginary &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; virtual &# 34 ; fixed point according to the invention is preferably mounted towards the centre of the bridge floor , so as to reduce in particular the amplitude of the displacement movements of all the points of the bridge floor . in the case of a bridge consisting of a plurality of juxtaposed bridge floors , a &# 34 ; virtual &# 34 ; fixed point of the type in question is advantageously provided for each bridge floor . according to the invention it will be appreciated that , when the disturbance has passed , the fixed point is produced again , such that a &# 34 ; regeneratable &# 34 ; fixed point , as it were , is created . it will be appreciated that the device can be mounted on the bridge floor in order to damp its longitudinal displacement ( direction of arrows f1 , fig7 ) and / or its transverse displacement ( direction of arrows f3 , fig7 ). it should also be noted that , in order to use the device according to the invention , other devices are also required , such as sliding supports of the known , conventional type which support the structure and permit normal movements , in particular thermal expansion , between the structure and its supports in the example shown in fig7 or for example other damping devices which are not , however , intended to return the structure to a fixed point . | 4 |
before beginning a detailed description of the subject invention , mention of the following is in order . when appropriate , like reference numerals and characters may be used to designate identical , corresponding , or similar components in differing drawing figures . further , in the detailed description to follow , example sizes / models / values / ranges may be given , although the present invention is not limited thereto . lastly , the details of various elements which are defined by currently used industry standards have not been included for simplicity of illustration and discussion as so as not to obscure the invention . however , where known , these standards will be cited in the specification and are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety . [ 0019 ] fig1 illustrates an example of a security association establishment between a mobile node and an agent in accordance with a present invention . the following text contains a list of scenarios to identify different types of agents . the list is not exhaustive and the current application is not to be considered restricted to the following scenarios . as an example , if a security association is required to protect data over the access link between the mobile node and the access router , the agent can be the access router . in the same way , if the network is a mobile ip ( internet protocol ) based cellular network , and the mobile ip home agent is dynamically assigned for the mobile node , the agent can be the home agent . if the network is in particular a mobile ipv4 based cellular network , the agent can be the foreign agent . again , if the network is a mobile ip based cellular network , then the mobile node and the corresponding node may also have to set up a security association in order to implement mobile ip mechanisms such as route optimizations . finally , if a localized mobility management scheme such as mipv6rr or hmipv6 is used , the mobile node and the agents in the visited domain must share a security association . in fig1 a mobile node 100 shares knowledge of the parameters describing the security associations supported by the mobile node and the mobile node preferences regarding selection of the security association parameters with one or more entities in its home domain , in this case a home aaa ( authentication , authorization , and accounting ) server 120 and / or a policy server 130 . the parameters describing the security associations types that the mobile node supports and that are shared by the mobile node 100 and the home aaa server 120 and / or policy server 130 may include but are not limited to : what security algorithms , such as encryption , integrity protection , authentication and key derivation algorithms , are to be used for communications over the wireless interface ; how these algorithms are to be used and in what cases ; what keys are to be used with the algorithms ; how additional keys to be used in the security association are to be derived ; the lifetime of the security association and of the keys established in the security association . as noted in fig1 a mobile node 100 sends its identity and indications of the security associations it needs to establish with a network entity via a connection that may include a wireless link to an agent 110 . the network entity , in this case the agent 110 , then contacts an entity in the mobile node &# 39 ; s home domain , in this case a home aaa ( authentication , authorization , and accounting ) server 120 . the agent 110 sends the identity of the mobile node and , optionally , its own security policies and capabilities to the home am server 120 . that is , the agent 110 informs the server 120 that a security association between the agent and the mobile node identified by the identity is requested the agent 110 may also send to the server 120 a list of proposals of parameters of the security associations it prefers to use with the mobile node 100 . thus , rather than the mobile node 100 conducting the negotiations needed for the establishment of the required security associations with the agent 110 , the agent 110 conducts negotiations with the server 120 . in the home domain of the mobile node 110 , the capabilities of the mobility agent 110 are compared with those of the mobile node 100 by the server 120 or by the server 130 . the server 120 or the server 130 acts as a proxy for the mobile node by conducting the negotiations with the agent 110 and making a decision on the parameters of the security association according to the mobile node preferences . several messages may be exchanged between the mobility agent 110 and the server 120 or server 130 prior to the final decision . the agent 110 then passes the choice / decision of the server 120 , that is , the parameters describing the selected security association , to the mobile node 100 . note that the details of the various parameters transferred during negotiations between the agent 110 and the server 120 have not been discussed in detail since they are clearly defined in various industry groups standards . for example , the ietf ( internet engineering task force ), which publishes numerous industry standards on its internet site at www . ietf . org , has published internet security association and key management protocol ( rfc 2408 ) and the internet key exchange ( rfc 2409 ) which are relevant to the above noted negotiations . they have also published numerous aaa standards , such as aaa solutions , criteria for evaluating an aaa protocols for network access , and authentication , authorization , and accounting : protocol evaluation . all of these standards are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety . furthermore , while present day cellular networks authenticate a user based on symmetric key mechanisms , future cellular networks will also have the option to use public key authentication mechanisms and for the key distribution , many mechanisms , such as the diffie hellman procedure , will become possible . accordingly , in accordance with the technique of the present invention , after the mobile node sends its identity to the network entity , such as the agent , the agent can communicate with the home domain , that is , the home aaa server , and learn from the home aaa server what parameters describing a security association the mobile node supports . thus , the technique in accordance with the present invention offers is the possibility of many types of security associations . [ 0027 ] fig2 illustrates an example of an environment in which the technique in accordance with the present invention may be used . as illustrated in fig2 a mobile terminal ( mobile node ) 200 is connected via a wireless interface to an agent 210 of a visited network 220 which is connected to a visited gateway ( gw ) 230 connected to a home gateway 240 of a home network 250 . a subscriber database / authentication center 260 is disposed within the home network 250 and is connected to the home gw 240 . it is assumed that there is a pre - established security association between the visited gw 230 , which can be the visited aaa server , and the agent 210 . this security association may , for example , be set up offline through manual key entry , internet key exchange protocol or a key distribution server specific to the visited network 220 . this provides security internally to the network so that the operator can choose the level and type of security to be implemented in its network . similarly , there is another pre - established security association between the subscriber database / authentication center 260 and the home gw 240 . this security association may be established in the same fashion as that noted above and also serves to provide security internally to the network . furthermore , there is still another pre - established security association between the home gw 240 and the visited gw 230 . this security association may be established offline through a roaming agreement or via an automatic protocol according to industry standards . the mobile node 200 and the subscriber database / authentication center 260 may share a long - term key ki , common knowledge of a security function f 1 for derivation of an integrity key , common knowledge of a security function f 2 for derivation of a ciphering key , and common knowledge of a mac function for integrity protection of data . other keys and knowledge of algorithms may be shared by the mobile node 200 and the subscriber database / authentication center 260 . [ 0032 ] fig3 illustrates an example of a negotiation to establish a security association in accordance with the present invention in the environment of fig2 . referring to fig3 the mobile node 200 generates a random value , rand 1 and uses it as an input with the key ki for two different functions f 1 and f 2 and shares it with its home network 250 to derive a temporal integrity key ik and a temporal ciphering key ck . that is , f 1 ( ki , rand 1 )= ik and f 2 ( ki , rand 2 )= ck . the mobile node 200 sends its identity through its nai , for example , to the agent 210 with the rand 1 and a mac for integrity protection using the ik . the mobile node 200 may also protect part of the message using ck encrypt it . since the message is a request for a security association to be set up between the agent 210 and the mobile node 200 which belongs to another network , the agent 210 forwards the message to the visited gw 230 and may include the parameters describing the security associations that the agent 230 supports . in addition , the agent 230 may also include in the message a list of proposals of parameters of the security associations it prefers to use with the mobile node 200 . the agent 210 can determine that the mobile node 200 belongs to another network by analyzing the realm part of the nai , for example . this message is secured due to the security association between the agent 210 and the visited gw 230 . the visited gw 230 then transmits this request to the home gw 240 of the mobile node 200 due to the realm part of the nai , for example , and this message is protected by the security association established between the visited gw 230 and the home gw 240 . the home gw 240 then forwards the message to the subscriber database / authentication center 260 . the message is protected using the appropriate security association established therebetween . the subscriber database / authentication center 260 then retrieves the ki based on the nai and using the rand 1 , derives ck and ik . it then verifies the correctness of the mac using ik and if it succeeds , the subscriber database / authentication center 260 , on behalf of the mobile node 200 , starts the negotiations of the different parameters of a security association with the agent 210 . these message exchanges are protected due to the various established security associations between the agent 210 and the visited gw 230 and between the visited gw 230 and the home gw 240 , etc . the subscriber database / authentication center 260 will determine , from a database , which security association parameters are to be used , based on the parameters for security associations that the mobile node 200 supports . note that there may be several round - trip message exchanges in the negotiation , which may occur before there it is agreement with respect to all of the different parameters . any agreed - upon industry standard protocol may be used for the security association . once the subscriber database / authentication center 260 and the agent 210 have agreed on the different parameters describing the security association to be used with the mobile node 200 , the subscriber database / authentication center 260 will send the parameters to the agent 210 utilizing the previously established security associations to protect and authenticate them and will also inform the mobile node 200 using ck and ik to secure the parameters . the mobile node 200 and its home gw 240 can use flags or some data fields to carry data . however , no standardization thereof may be required since the data is being sent from the mobile node 200 to its home gw 240 . the subscriber database / authentication center 260 may also generate another random value rand 2 and send it to the mobile node 200 using the random value rand 1 . the mobile node 200 may use both ck and ik to decrypt / authenticate the message received from its home gw 240 and set up the security association according to the contents of the message . [ 0042 ] fig4 illustrates another example of a negotiation to establish a security association in accordance with the present invention . in the example shown in fig3 the subscriber database and authentication server 260 is aware of the keys used by the mobile node 200 , which may not be acceptable in certain cases . that is , the mobile node 200 may not want anyone other than the entity that it is communicating with to know the keys that are being used . as shown in fig4 it is possible for the server 220 or the server 230 acting as a proxy on behalf of the mobile node 200 to negotiate the value of the parameters of the security association to be used between the mobile node 200 and the agent 210 without the server 220 or the server 230 knowing the value of the keys . for example , after the agent 210 provides during the negotiation its diffie hellman public value to the server 220 or the server 230 , the latter may send the public diffie hellman value of the agent 210 to the mobile node 200 . since the server 220 or the server 230 does not know the mobile node 200 private diffie hellman value , it cannot determine the final value of the parameters of the security association . that is , the home network 250 is used to negotiate the different parameters of the security association and exchange the diffie hellman value in an authenticated fashion but since the server 220 or the server 230 does not know the mobile node &# 39 ; s private value , it cannot derive the final keys . this concludes the description of the example embodiments . although the present invention has been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof , 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 invention . more particularly , reasonable variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and / or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the foregoing disclosure , the drawings , and the appended claims without departing from the spirit of this invention . 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 |
one patent , u . s . pat . no . 7 , 011 , 608 , is incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes . it discloses an invention that utilizes a pneumatic spring , which includes a piston / cylinder with user graspable handles attached or coupled relative to the top of the cylinder , and an elongated shaft attached to the bottom of the piston . thus , stepping or jumping on the foot supports pushes the piston upward , compressing the air inside the cylinder . this compressed air acts like a spring creating a force on the piston , thus forcing the piston and the attached shaft away from the handles , which in turn propels the cylinder , the foot supports attached thereto , and , ultimately , the user . such a pneumatic pogo stick has a potentially higher power to weight ratio than a comparable coil spring pogo stick , and has a maximum compression ratio that helps provide smooth jumping and landing . in the following detailed description , reference is made to the accompanying drawings , which form a part of the present disclosure . the illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description , drawings , and claims are not meant to be limiting . other embodiments may be utilized , and other changes may be made , without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here . it will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure , as generally described herein , and illustrated in the figures , can be arranged , substituted , combined , and designed in a wide variety of different configurations , all of which are explicitly contemplated and form part of this disclosure . for example , a system or device may be implemented or a method may be practiced using any number of the aspects set forth herein . in addition , such a system or device may be implemented or such a method may be practiced using other structure , functionality , or structure and functionality in addition to or other than one or more of the aspects set forth herein . elements that are described as “ connected ,” “ engaged ,” “ attached ,” or similarly described , shall include being directly and / or indirectly connected , engaged , attached , etc . alterations and further modifications of the inventive features illustrated herein , and additional applications of the principles of the inventions as illustrated herein , which would occur to one skilled in the art and having possession of this disclosure , are to be considered within the scope of the invention . descriptions of unnecessary parts or elements may be omitted for clarity and conciseness , and like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout . in the drawings , the size and thickness of layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity and convenience . features of the present disclosure will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims , taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings . it will be understood these drawings depict only certain embodiments in accordance with the disclosure and , therefore , are not to be considered limiting of its scope ; the disclosure will be described with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings . an apparatus , system or method according to some of the described embodiments can have several aspects , no single one of which necessarily is solely responsible for the desirable attributes of the apparatus , system or method . after considering this discussion , and particularly after reading the section entitled “ detailed description ” one will understand how illustrated features serve to explain certain principles of the present disclosure . as shown in fig1 and 2 , a pneumatic pogo stick 100 may comprise a main tube or housing 105 , a sliding shaft 110 , a piston 115 , a handle 120 , and foot rests 125 . the sliding shaft 110 may generally be configured to move in and out of the housing 105 in a longitudinal direction . in some embodiments , the longitudinal direction of the movement of the sliding shaft 110 may be substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing 105 . a handle 120 may be connected to the top of the housing 105 . the handle 120 may serve the purpose of allowing a user to grip the pogo stick 100 . foot rests 125 may provide a location on which a user can stand . in some embodiments , the housing 105 comprises a generally cylindrical shape , although the housing 105 may comprise other shapes such as frustoconical , square , hexagonal , octagonal , or other similar shape . the sliding shaft 110 may comprise a generally cylindrical shape , or some other shape , such as square , hexagonal , octagonal , or some other shape . the handle 120 and / or foot rests 125 may be temporarily or permanently attached to the housing 105 . in some embodiments , the pneumatic pogo stick 100 is used by a user gripping the handle 120 and stepping onto the foot rests 125 , and then moving in an up - and - down motion . as the user and the pogo stick 100 impact the ground , the sliding shaft 110 may have a tendency to slide up and into the housing 105 . in some embodiments , the space within the housing above the piston 130 is reduced . if air or another gas is trapped in that confined space 130 , the pressure of that gas may increase . the increase in pressure may store potential energy , which may exert a force on the top of the piston 115 pushing down , as well as on the top of the housing 105 pushing up . when the sliding shaft 110 is inserted into the housing 105 , the user may push down on the foot rests 125 simultaneously to the gas pushing up on the top a housing 105 , which may help propel the user and pogo stick 100 in a generally upward direction . this process may be repeated more than once , and may be repeated indefinitely . the housing 105 may comprise pvc , polycarbonate , metal , plastic , or other material , and may be created through casting , extruding , welding , or other various manufacturing techniques . the wall thickness of the housing 105 may be between a few millimeters and one or more centimeters thick . in some embodiments , it may be advantageous for the housing 105 to be lightweight , and this may be accomplished using generally lightweight materials and / or a thinner wall thickness . with reference to fig3 , the piston 115 may comprise a device which substantially interacts with the inside wall of the housing . in some embodiments , a gasket or seal 135 may be present which may help prevent gases from moving around the piston 115 , for example from the confined space 130 to below the piston 115 . the piston 115 may form various shapes depending on the application . a bumper 140 may be disposed below the piston 115 and above a bushing 145 , such that when the sliding shaft 110 extends out from the housing 105 , the bottom of the piston 115 may impact or contact the bumper 140 . the bumper 140 may serve the function of limiting the travel of the sliding shaft 110 and / or piston 115 , and may help prevent damage to any of the parts . the bumper 140 may comprise rubber , plastic , nylon , or other various materials that may serve the function of limiting the motion of the sliding shaft 110 and / or piston 115 , and prevent any of the moving parts from damage . further , a spacer 150 may be disposed between the bumper 140 and the bushing 145 . the spacer 150 may comprise plastic , nylon , or other various materials . in some embodiments , a bushing 145 may be disposed at the bottom of the housing 105 near the foot rests 125 , and below the bumper 140 and / or spacer 150 . when the sliding shaft 110 is fully extended , the bumper 140 may be disposed between the bottom of the piston 115 and the top of the bushing 145 . the bushing 145 may comprise an aperture through which the sliding shaft may travel . the bushing 145 may help keep the sliding shaft 110 aligned , such that the sliding shaft 110 does not rotate coaxially to the housing 105 . for instance , the cross - section of the sliding shaft 110 may be generally square , and the aperture in the bushing 145 may also be square . this configuration may prevent the sliding shaft 110 from substantially spinning around or turning . the bushing 145 may also help prevent the sliding shaft 110 from rotating about an axis perpendicular to an axis of the housing 105 . the bushing 145 may comprise a metal or other generally rigid material , and may define an aperture through which the sliding shaft 110 may travel . the bushing 145 may be temporarily or permanently attached to the housing , and in some instances may be pressed fit to the housing 105 . for instance , as a non - limiting example , when the user and the pogo stick 100 are impacting a surface , the sliding shaft 110 may be in a fully extended position and have maximum exposure outside of the housing 105 . if the user and the pogo stick 100 do not land in an exactly vertical direction , the force of the ground on the sliding shaft 110 may not be parallel to the direction of travel of the user and the housing 105 . in such an instance , the housing 105 may have a tendency to rotate about an axis generally horizontal and may place a bending force on at least part of the sliding shaft 110 . it may be advantageous to reinforce the sliding shaft 110 with a bushing 145 in order to resist this bending force . in some embodiments , the sliding shaft 110 may comprise a bounce pad 155 at the bottom of the shaft 110 , and may generally contact the surface or ground upon which the pogo stick 100 is used . the bounce pad 155 may comprise a plastic , rubber , or other material . the bounce pad 155 may serve the purpose of gripping the ground surface , such that upon impact , the bounce pad 155 and / or sliding shaft 110 do not slip out from under the user . additionally , the bounce pad 155 may help insulate the user from vibration or other forces . the bounce pad 155 may be attached to the sliding shaft 110 using glue , screws , bolts , or other various attachment methods . in some embodiments , the top of the housing 105 may be sealed by a cap 160 that may be temporarily or permanently attached to the housing 105 . the cap 160 may be attached using bolts , adhesives , chemicals , welding , or other attachment methods . the cap 160 may comprise a valve ( not shown ) through which gases may be inserted into the housing 105 . the handles 120 may also be attached to the housing 105 and / or the cap 160 , such that use of the handles 120 by the user to hold onto the pogo stick device 100 , may not generally dislodge the handles 120 from the device . in some embodiments , the sliding shaft 110 generally travels into and out of the housing 105 , beginning at a maximum extension , and ending at a maximum compression . the maximum extension may be defined as the configuration when the sliding shaft 110 is slid out of the housing 105 as far as , or nearly as far as , the sliding shaft 110 can travel . maximum compression may be defined as the configuration when the sliding shaft 110 is disposed into the housing as far as , or nearly as far as , possible . in these configurations , the volume of space 130 may comprise the volume above the piston 115 , and below the cap 160 , that is confined within the housing 105 . in some embodiments , the volume of space 130 may comprise a gas , air , or specific gases such as nitrogen . different gases at different pressures may be advantageous . for instance , as a non - limiting and illustrative example , the volume of space 130 may be filled with gas at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure . the compression ratio may be defined as the volume of space 130 when the sliding shaft 110 is at an extension position divided by the volume of space 130 when the sliding shaft 110 is at a compression position . for instance , if the volume of space 130 , when the sliding shaft 110 is an extension position is 20 in . 3 , and the volume of space 130 , when the sliding shaft 110 is at a compression position is 5 in . 3 , then the compression ratio is 20 ÷ 5 , or 4 . this compression ratio may be , therefore , a function of at least the stroke length of the sliding shaft 110 , the volume of space above the piston 130 at the extension position , and the volume of space above the piston 130 at the compression position . the compression ratio may also be a factor of the diameter of the housing 105 and the length of the housing 105 . a “ hammering ” effect may be caused when the pressure inside a compression chamber increases rapidly due to too high of a compression ratio . this effect is common in water pipes when a fluid in motion is forced to stop or change direction suddenly causing a large momentum change . when “ hammering ” happens on a pogo stick , the sudden change in pressure inside the chamber may also cause problems for the pogo stick user . this effect , however , can be reduced by modifying the compression ratio . this can be done in many ways including changing the stroke length such that at maximum compression the sliding shaft 110 is not disposed as far into the housing 105 . this may increase the volume of space above the piston 130 at maximum compression , which may lower the compression ratio . as used in this disclosure , the term “ piston ” should generally be given its plain and ordinary meaning of an object that fits snugly into a larger cylinder or tube and moves under fluid pressure . variations to the shapes of the piston and / or the cylinder may be accomplished without deviating from the scope of the invention . for instance , as a non - limiting example , the piston shape may be elliptical in order to match the elliptical cross - sectional shape of the cylinder . the term “ compression ratio ” should generally be given its plain and ordinary meaning of the ratio of the volume between the piston and cylinder head before and after a compression stroke . in the case of a pogo stick , the compression stroke may comprise the sliding shaft moving from an extended position to a compressed position . the “ maximum compression ratio ” may be defined as the ratio of the volume between the piston and cylinder head before and after a compression stroke , when the piston travels from the maximum extension position to the maximum compression position . in embodiments with a maximum compression ratio , other compression ratios for the same embodiments may be possible , depending at least on the stroke length of the sliding shaft . in some embodiments , the sliding shaft 110 may be configured to comprise a hollow chamber 205 inside and an opening 210 from the hollow chamber 205 through the piston 115 , such that the volume of space 130 above the piston 115 fluidly communicates with the hollow chamber 205 inside the sliding shaft 110 . this configuration may increase the volume of space 130 at maximum compression , which may decrease the compression ratio . the volume of space 130 may include both the space above the piston 115 , between the piston 115 and the cap 160 , as well as the volume of space within the sliding shaft 110 that fluidly communicates with the space above the piston 115 . as shown in fig4 , the piston 115 may be attached to the top of the sliding shaft 110 , and air may move from above the piston 115 , through the piston 115 , and into the hollow chamber 205 inside the sliding shaft 110 . when the user compresses the volume of space 130 by jumping on the foot supports 125 , the piston 115 compresses the air inside the cylinder above the piston 115 and within the hollow chamber 205 in the sliding shaft 110 . to illustrate by example , a pogo stick 100 without the hollow space 205 in the sliding shaft 110 may have a piston 115 with a stroke length of 18 inches , and 2 inches of length above the piston 115 at compression . the inside diameter of the housing 105 may be 3 inches ( and a radius of 1 . 5 inches ). the volume of a cylinder is ( height )×( ii )×( radius squared ). at extension , the volume of space 130 would be ( 18 + 2 )( 3 . 14 )( 1 . 5 2 ) or 141 . 3 in 2 . at compression , the volume of space 130 would be ( 2 )( 3 . 14 )( 1 . 5 2 ) or 14 . 1 in 2 . therefore , the compression ratio would be 10 : 1 . however , the volume of the hollow chamber 205 inside square sliding shaft 110 may be 1 inch by 1 inch by 25 inches long , or an additional 25 in . 3 of space , which may be added to the volume of space at extension and compression . therefore , the compression ratio would be ( 141 . 3 + 25 ):( 14 . 1 + 25 ) or 4 . 25 . other compression ratios may be possible depending at least on the stroke length , volume of space 130 above the piston 115 at compression , diameter of the cylinder 105 , and volume of the hollow chamber 205 inside the sliding shaft 105 . in some embodiments , a spacer 150 is added between the bottom of the piston 115 and the bushing 145 ( see fig3 ). this spacer 150 may help prevent the piston 115 from coming too close to the bushing 145 . if the piston 115 gets too close to the bushing 145 , for instance when the sliding shaft 110 is at extension , then the sliding shaft 110 may have a tendency to bend at the bushing 145 or damage the piston 115 due to excessive force . the spacer 150 may create a longer moment arm of the sliding shaft 110 above the bushing 145 , which may reduce the force on the side of the piston 115 . in addition to possible damage to the piston 115 or sliding shaft 110 , a piston 115 being too close to the bushing 145 may increase friction between the piston 115 and the housing 105 and slow down the compression stroke . for instance , as a non - limiting example , if the piston 115 is too close to the bushing 145 when the sliding shaft 110 begins travel from an extension position , excessive force may be applied to the piston 115 by the cylinder wall . this increase in force may increase the friction between the piston 115 and cylinder wall , which may produce drag as the piston 115 moves through the housing 105 from the extension position to the compression position . the drag may decrease the speed at which the piston 115 travels , and may prevent the piston 115 from reaching the maximum compression position . in order to alleviate this drag , a spacer 150 may be placed between the bumper 140 and the bushing 145 , which may prevent the piston 115 from getting too close to the bushing 145 , and thus reducing the amount of drag experienced by the piston 115 during the compression stroke . with reference to fig1 a and 11b , two embodiments of a hollow sliding shaft are shown . both embodiments have a shaft sidewall 1101 . the sidewall 1101 may be configured to have cross - sections of various shapes . for example , sidewall 1101 may have a generally square cross - section , such that the hollow sliding shaft slides through a bushing with a square opening during compression and extension . this feature would allow the bushing to keep the hollow sliding shaft from rotating . both embodiments shown have a piston plate 1103 . the piston may rest atop piston plate 1103 , and in some embodiments piston plate 1103 may have a means for connecting the hollow sliding shaft to the piston . for example , piston plate 1103 may have threads that correspond to matching threads at the bottom of the piston . in that manner , piston plate 1103 may be engaged with the piston so that the hollow sliding shaft moves with the piston during compression and extension . at the top of the hollow sliding shaft may be a pipe close nipple 1105 . pipe close nipple 1105 may allow air to move from the cylinder down into the hollow chamber 1117 within the sliding shaft , and it illustrates just one mechanism for doing so . the mechanism may be any kind of valve or opening configured to provide fluid communication between the cylinder and the hollow chamber 1117 within the sliding shaft . here , the pipe close nipple 1105 may also serve as a way for the sliding shaft to attach to the piston . the pipe close nipple 1105 may be the portion that attaches to the piston , such as through the use of threads on pipe close nipple 1105 designed to engage with complimentary threads disposed within the piston . at the bottom of the sliding shaft shown is fig1 a is opening 1107 . opening 1107 may instead be sealed off , as shown in fig1 b . the bottom of the sliding shaft in fig1 b is sealed in order to trap air within the hollow chamber 1117 in the sliding shaft . this allows for additional air storage within the sliding shaft to help create a softer , smoother , and easier bounce for the rider . the exact amount of additional air volume depends on a shaft length , and cross - sectional area of the shaft sidewall 1101 . as a non - limiting example , in some designs the addition of a hollow sliding shaft provides for an additional 20 in3 of air storage . the exact method of sealing off the bottom of the shaft may vary . fig1 b shows an embodiment with a welded - in plug 1109 . there is a threaded plug 1111 below , with a quarter - inch gap 1115 between the two plugs 1109 and 1111 . the threaded plug 1111 may have an opening or means for a bounce bad to be connected to the sliding shaft . for example , threaded plug 1111 has an opening 1113 through which a bounce pad may be screwed or bolted into place . the quarter - inch gap 1115 may allow for additional space so that a bolt can be threaded all the way through the threaded plug 1111 in order to be locked tightly in place . with reference to fig1 a and 12b , different embodiments of the sliding shaft are further shown . the figures show a piston plate 1201 , which may have a means for connecting to the piston such as threads 1201 which may match complimentary threads disposed within the piston . these embodiments do not have a pipe close nipple or valve mechanism . instead , top opening 1211 shown in fig1 b may be a mechanism through which air can move from the cylinder into the hollow space within the sliding shaft . fig1 a has an opening 1205 at the bottom of the shaft . however , fig1 b is an embodiment where plug 207 is welded into the bottom of the shaft . plug 207 has bolt socket 1209 in which a bounce pad may be screwed or bolted into place . this embodiment demonstrates how the bottom of the sliding shaft may be welded closed using a single plug , rather than multiple plugs that serve the purposes of welding closed the bottom of the shaft and providing a connection means for a bounce pad . in some embodiments , as shown in fig5 a - d the piston 115 may be elongated such that it is several inches long . the center 305 of the piston 115 may be hollowed out or form a concave structure , such that the volume of space 130 above the piston 115 is increased by the amount of space 310 within the hollowed out or concave portion of the piston 115 . in these embodiments , the volume of space above the piston 130 is increased , when the sliding shaft is at maximum extension and at maximum compression . the volume of space 130 may include both the space above the piston 115 , between the piston 115 and the cap 160 , as well as the volume of space 310 within the piston 115 that fluidly communicates with the space above the piston 115 . this configuration may allow the compression ratio of the pogo stick 100 to decrease , similar to the decrease in compression when using a hollow chamber 205 in the sliding shaft 110 . the piston 115 may be elongated from the base 315 to the rim 320 , and may increase the length of the moment arm of the sliding shaft 115 above the bushing 145 . thus , the spacer 160 may not be necessary . the piston 115 may comprise a groove 325 into which a gasket or seal 135 may be placed . in some embodiments , this groove 325 may be located generally near the top rim 320 of the piston 115 . in some embodiments , the groove 325 may be located elsewhere , such as near the base 315 of the piston 115 . in some embodiments , the groove 325 may be located between the rim 320 and the base 315 of the piston 115 . for instance , as a non - limiting example , similar to the described above , a pogo stick 100 without a hollow piston 115 may have a maximum stroke length of 18 inches , and 2 inches of length above the top rim of the piston 115 at maximum compression . the inside diameter of the housing 105 may be 3 inches ( and the radius of 1 . 5 inches ). at maximum extension the volume of space 130 would be ( 18 + 2 )( 3 . 14 )( 1 . 5 2 ) or 141 . 3 in 2 . at maximum compression the volume of space 130 would be ( 2 )( 3 . 14 )( 1 . 5 2 ) or 14 . 1 in 2 . therefore , the compression ratio would be 10 : 1 . however , if the piston were 4 inches long and was hollowed out to have an inside diameter of 2 . 5 inches ( and a radius of 1 . 25 inches ), then the interior 305 of the piston 115 would add 19 . 63 in . 3 of additional space 310 , which may be added to the volume of space 130 at maximum extension and maximum compression . therefore , the compression ratio would be ( 141 . 3 + 19 . 63 ):( 14 . 1 + 19 . 63 ) or 4 . 77 . other compression ratios may be possible depending on the stroke length , volume of space 130 above the piston 115 at maximum compression , diameter of the cylinder , and volume 310 of the hollow piston 115 . with reference to fig9 a and 9b , different embodiments of the hollow piston 901 are shown . both embodiments have an annular groove 903 in which an o - ring , seal , or gasket can be disposed . this prevents air from flowing around the sides of the hollow piston 901 and going below the piston . both embodiments may have an overmolded portion 911 . the functional aspect of this overmolded portion 911 may be to conceal a means for connecting the piston to the shaft . for example , in fig9 b , overmolded portion 911 has a bolt 913 that is overmolded into the bottom of the piston . this bolt 913 may be a way of connecting to a shaft . for example , the shaft may have a piston plate with a socket or recess that bolt 913 may slide into . the embodiment in fig9 a has an annular groove 903 that is comprised of an upper lip 905 and a bottom lip 907 . upper lip 905 and bottom lip 907 serve to hold the seal in place within the annular groove 903 . the embodiment in fig9 b has an annular groove 903 that is comprised of upper lip 905 and a bottom lip 909 . bottom lip 909 is thicker than the bottom lip 907 in fig9 a . this thicker bottom lip 909 may reinforce the bottom lip 909 against the forces that are exerted upon it by the seal or o - ring during the compression or extension of the shaft . in some embodiments , the hollow piston 115 may be combined with a hollow chamber 205 in the sliding shaft 110 , to increase the benefits . in these embodiments , the compression ratio may be decreased and / or the stroke length of the sliding shaft 110 may be increased . as shown in fig6 , a piston 115 may comprise a center 405 that may be hollowed out or form a concave structure , similar to embodiments described above . the piston 115 may comprise a volume of space 410 within the piston 115 , a base 415 , a top rim 420 , and a groove 425 that may be configured to accept a gasket or seal 135 . the piston 115 may additionally comprise an aperture 430 that goes through the bottom surface of the piston 115 . when the piston 115 is connected to the sliding shaft 110 , the aperture 430 may align with an opening in the sliding shaft , such that air in the hollow portion 410 of the piston 115 may fluidly communicate with the hollow portion 205 of the sliding shaft 110 . in some embodiments , the aperture 430 may comprise threads , such that the piston 115 can be threaded on to a portion of the sliding shaft 110 . with reference to fig7 a - 8e , in some embodiments , a piston 115 may be elongated , with the gasket or seal 135 disposed near or at the base 505 of the piston 115 . portions of the piston 115 may be removed in order to create more space for gases to occupy . however , portions of the elongated piston 115 may remain in order to preserve the preferred moment arm of the sliding shaft 110 near the bushing 145 when the sliding shaft 110 is at maximum extension . as shown in fig7 a , the piston 115 may generally be disposed at the end of the sliding shaft 110 . the piston 115 may comprise one or more structural supports 510 , which may contact the cylinder wall above the end of the sliding shaft 110 . the structural supports 510 may be formed integral to the remainder of the piston 115 , or may be added during or after manufacturing . the structural supports 510 may comprise various configurations . as shown in fig7 b , the structural supports 510 may generally radiate from a central location in the piston 115 and extend to the outer edge 515 of the piston 115 . as shown in fig8 a - e , the structural supports 510 may comprise various configurations . for instance , in fig8 a - c , the structural supports may comprise the wall sections of the piston 115 with at least portions of the center of the piston removed . in some embodiments , as shown in fig8 d and 8e , structural supports 510 may extend generally vertically from a central location on the piston 115 , with an upper end 520 of the supports 510 generally contacting the cylinder wall of the housing 105 . in these embodiments , the gasket or seal 135 may be located at or near the base 505 of the piston 115 . these embodiments may result in a decreased compression ratio . alternatively one may maintain the same decreased compression ratio , while increasing stroke length of the sliding shaft 110 . in some embodiments , an increased stroke length may be advantageous to the user because it may allow a different jumping experience . for instance , as a non - limiting example , an increased stroke length may increase the distance over which the force from the ground and from the compressed gases act on the pogo stick 100 tending to direct in an upward direction . since the same amount of potential energy is being released over a longer distance , the average forces acting on the user may decrease . this may make the pogo stick 100 easier to ride , safer , more enjoyable , and / or may have other benefits . in addition , one may decrease the compression ratio and thus reduce the hammering effect , which may have similar benefits . in various embodiments described herein , the piston 115 may be described as having a hollow portion or having portions of the piston removed . however , a person of skill in the art would recognize that the piston 115 , with the same or similar characteristics , may be produced by simply forming the piston 115 in the desired configuration , eliminating or reducing the need to remove any material . the description of a piston 115 with having material removed is intended to convey the structure of the piston 115 , and not to suggest a method of manufacturing , and the scope of the invention is not limited as such . with reference to fig1 a and 10b , alternate embodiments are shown for the piston 1003 comprising structural supports . like in fig7 a - 8e , the embodiments in fig1 a and 10b also have a generally elongated piston shape . portions of the piston 1003 may be removed in order to create more space for gases to occupy . similar to the hollow piston embodiment , this allows for more air storage within the cylinder and tends to reduce the compression ratio . as a non - limiting example , the configuration depicted in fig1 a or 10 b may add about 8 in3 of additional air storage space within the cylinder , in comparison to a similarly shaped hollow piston embodiment . the overall structural frame of piston 1003 consists of the top portion of the piston 1001 which comprises an annular shape . the middle portion of the piston 1005 may also have an annular shape and be coaxial to the top portion of the piston 1001 . however , top portion of the piston 1001 may be wider than the middle portion of the piston 1005 , in order to be firmly seated within the diameter of the cylinder and to keep the piston 1003 from wobbling within the cylinder . in fact , this overall structural frame of the piston 1003 may be necessary to keep the shaft ( not pictured ) from being able to wobble side to side . allowing the shaft to wobble from side to side may cause a number of issues , such creating gaps between the seal and the cylinder wall that may allow air to escape from the cylinder . the top portion of the piston 1001 and the middle portion of the 1005 in the overall structural frame of piston 1003 may be fixed together via one or more vertical structural supports 1011 . fig1 a and 10b illustrate four vertical structural supports 1011 used to preserve the generally elongated , cylindrical shape of piston 1003 . however , this is just a non - limiting example . there may be any number of vertical structural supports 1011 used in the overall structural frame of piston 1003 . as examples , there could be two , three , five , six , and so forth , vertical structural supports 1011 . in a similar fashion , there may be any number of annular - shaped supports in the overall structural frame of piston 1003 , not just the two annular - shaped supports embodied in the top portion of the piston 1001 and the middle portion of the piston 1005 . there could be zero , one , three , and so forth , annular - shaped supports . the total amount of vertical structural supports 1011 and annular - shaped support members may be chosen in order to minimize the amount of space taken up by the overall structural frame of piston 1003 , while still providing the desired structural support to the piston 1003 to prevent the shaft from being able to wobble side to side . fig1 a and 10b further illustrate how an o - ring , gasket , or seal may be disposed within the groove of base 1007 of the piston , for the purpose of preventing gases from moving below the piston . in this configuration , this seal has been moved from the top of the piston to the bottom or base of the piston in order to prevent gases from moving below the piston . there may also be an overmolded portion 1009 of the base . this overmolded portion 1009 may allow for a way for the piston to be attached to the air shaft , such as by allowing a bolt to be overmolded into this overmolded portion 1009 at the bottom of the piston . overmolded portion 1009 may also allow for air to move from the cylinder to a sliding shaft connected to the piston . for example , overmolded portion 1009 may have an outlet , valve , or opening that allows the air in the cylinder to be in fluid communication attached to a sliding shaft that may be attached to the bottom of piston 1003 . various modifications to the implementations described in this disclosure may be readily apparent to those skilled in the art , and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other implementations without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure . thus , the claims are not intended to be limited to the implementations shown herein , but are to be accorded the widest scope consistent with this disclosure , the principles and the novel features disclosed herein . additionally , a person having ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate , the terms “ upper ” and “ lower ” are sometimes used for ease of describing the figures , and indicate relative positions corresponding to the orientation of the figure on a properly oriented page , and may not reflect the proper orientation of the device as implemented . certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate implementations also can be implemented in combination in a single implementation . conversely , various features that are described in the context of a single implementation also can be implemented in multiple implementations separately or in any suitable sub combination . moreover , although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such , one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination , and the claimed combination may be directed to a sub combination or variation of a sub combination . similarly , while operations are depicted in the drawings in a particular order , this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order , or that all illustrated operations be performed , to achieve desirable results . further , the drawings may schematically depict one more example processes in the form of a flow diagram . however , other operations that are not depicted can be incorporated in the example processes that are schematically illustrated . additionally , other implementations are within the scope of the following claims . in some cases , the actions recited in the claims can be performed in a different order and still achieve desirable results . in describing the present technology , the following terminology may have been used : the singular forms “ a ,” “ an ,” and “ the ” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise . thus , for example , reference to an item includes reference to one or more items . the term “ ones ” refers to one , two , or more , and generally applies to the selection of some or all of a quantity . the term “ plurality ” refers to two or more of an item . the term “ about ” means quantities , dimensions , sizes , formulations , parameters , shapes and other characteristics need not be exact , but may be approximated and / or larger or smaller , as desired , reflecting acceptable tolerances , conversion factors , rounding off , measurement error and the like and other factors known to those of skill in the art . the term “ substantially ” means that the recited characteristic , parameter , or value need not be achieved exactly , but that deviations or variations , including for example , tolerances , measurement error , measurement accuracy limitations and other factors known to those of skill in the art , may occur in amounts that do not preclude the effect the characteristic was intended to provide . numerical data may be expressed or presented herein in a range format . it is to be understood that such a range format is used merely for convenience and brevity and thus should be interpreted flexibly to include not only the numerical values explicitly recited as the limits of the range , but also interpreted to include all of the individual numerical values or sub - ranges encompassed within that range as if each numerical value and sub - range is explicitly recited . as an illustration , a numerical range of “ about 1 to 5 ” should be interpreted to include not only the explicitly recited values of about 1 to about 5 , but also include individual values and sub - ranges within the indicated range . thus , included in this numerical range are individual values such as 2 , 3 and 4 and sub - ranges such as 1 - 3 , 2 - 4 and 3 - 5 , etc . this same principle applies to ranges reciting only one numerical value ( e . g ., “ greater than about 1 ”) and should apply regardless of the breadth of the range or the characteristics being described . a plurality of items may be presented in a common list for convenience . however , these lists should be construed as though each member of the list is individually identified as a separate and unique member . thus , no individual member of such list should be construed as a de facto equivalent of any other member of the same list solely based on their presentation in a common group without indications to the contrary . furthermore , where the terms “ and ” and “ or ” are used in conjunction with a list of items , they are to be interpreted broadly , in that any one or more of the listed items may be used alone or in combination with other listed items . the term “ alternatively ” refers to selection of one of two or more alternatives , and is not intended to limit the selection to only those listed alternatives or to only one of the listed alternatives at a time , unless the context clearly indicates otherwise . it should be noted that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art . such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages . for instance , various components may be repositioned as desired . it is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be included within the scope of the invention . moreover , not all of the features , aspects and advantages are necessarily required to practice the present invention . accordingly , the scope of the present invention is intended to be defined only by the claims that follow . conditional language , such as , among others , “ can ,” “ could ,” “ might ,” or “ may ,” unless specifically stated otherwise , or otherwise understood within the context as used , is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include , while other embodiments do not include , certain features , elements and / or steps . thus , such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features , elements and / or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding , with or without user input or prompting , whether these features , elements and / or steps are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment . conjunctions , such as “ and ,” “ or ” are used interchangeably and are intended to encompass any one element , combination , or entirety of elements to which the conjunction refers . | 0 |
the present invention described and further detailed herein is particularly useful as a security device for the reinforcement of door assemblies while the assembly remains mounted in an existing structure , i . e . the fixed to the structure at the location desired by the end - user . accordingly , a door assembly , as shown in fig1 a , 1 b , 2 a and 2 b , shall be an assembly including a door slab that is hinged along one vertically elongated edge , then fixed to the door socket along a vertical member allowing the door slab to swing and thus accommodate opening and closing . lock hardware shall typically involve a dead bolt that has the locking mechanism mounted on the interior and exterior faxe of the door , and is manually manipulated by a key to lawfully unlock the door from the exterior side . a knob or key may be used to control the operation of the dead bolt lock from the interior side to engage and disengage the lock bolt plunger from the receiving opening of the door socket . typically exterior doors are made of metal . a door socket , also commonly known as the finished frame , shall ordinarily be comprised of opposing vertical socket members that will be joined together by upper and lower common horizontal socket members . the door assembly detail in fig1 a , 1 b , 2 a and 2 b illustrates the door socket is securely affixed to the rough frame , positioned true with shims to ensure proper alignment and secured with suitable attaching hardware . decorative molding shall conceal the area immediately around the door socket on the inner and outer walls , and extends along the floor of the structure . accordingly , the plunger portion of both lock bolts pass through a strike plate of conventional construction and similarly mounted . then it engages the opposing vertical door socket member adjacent to the door slab free swinging edge and engages the bolt receiving openings very near its interior edge . typically , the bolt plunger of the dead bolt will penetrate more deeply into the door socket than the bolt plunger of the latch bolt and consequently requires the receiving opening to be suitably sized . the featured embodiment of fig1 a , 1 b , 2 a and 2 b relate to a hinged side socket cover that is an elongated steel sheet shaped to form a slide on a sheet . the cover is then contoured to advance perpendicular and immediately abutted to the complete interior edge of the door socket , before again bending perpendicular to be positioned along the entire posterior width of the vertical door socket member of the fixed side of the door assembly . the component will have multiple countersunk openings along the first panel into which the mounting hardware is secured . the component will be arranged such that the open section of the elongated metal sheet created by the aforementioned coinciding perpendicular bends of the sheet will be facing the interior edge of the vertical door socket member previously detailed . the cover will be constructed with an opening along the facing surface large enough to accommodate the hinge portion previously mounted , in typical fashion , to the vertical socket member . the cover will extend onto the offset plane of the vertical door socket member facing surface with its opening centering on the hinge fixture . while positioned thusly the extreme edges of the equivalent upper and lower sections will come to rest flush against the offset surface and behind the weather sealing component while maintaining a close parallel orientation to the offset plane . the cover will extend along closely and parallel to the entire width of the posterior region of the same vertical door socket . in use , the present cover of invention can be characterized by its multi - functionality , ease of installation , adaptability , superior design and simplicity . briefly , the steps for installation follow : 2 . form holes in the corresponding door socket for reception of screws . 4 . position the hinge side socket cover component , ensuring it lines up with the lock bolt plungers openings . 6 . position the door cover component on the door slab free swinging edge so as to allow the lock bolt plungers to pass through the corresponding openings in it . all of these steps can be completed by a layperson with no more tools on hand than a single screwdriver . when deployed , the security cover retrofits to and reinforces the security offered by existing door assemblies . this is achieved by the cover wrapping key locking elements of a door frame assembly in metal and securing them to the surrounding structure . the wrapping design reinforces these elements by placing metal along the typical load bearing surfaces exposed to forced entry attempt . thereby preventing the splintering of the door assembly . having thus described and detailed the present invention , we would like to note that many obvious and apparent variations in construction may be made without departing from the overall scope and spirit thereof as defined by the appended claims ( such as anticipated changes in color ). furthermore , it is intended that the foregoing specifications and accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative rather than in a limiting sense . | 4 |
referring to the drawings more particularly by reference numbers wherein like numerals refer to like parts , number 20 in fig1 and 2 identifies a typical rectangular electrical junction box adapted for mounting within a curved structure according to the teachings of the present invention . fig1 shows the junction box assembly 20 installed in a cylindrical concrete pier p . the junction box assembly 20 comprises a standard rectangular junction box housing member 22 which includes a rear wall portion 24 , spaced side wall portions 26 and 28 , a front lip 29 which includes a flange portion 30 , spaced top and bottom wall portions 32 and 34 extending the fill length and depth of the housing member 22 between the front , rear and side wall portions thereof as shown in fig1 and 2 , and a pair of curved segment members 31 attached to the front lip 29 which includes a flange portion 30 at selected locations as shown . the lip 29 and flange portion 30 extend peripherally around the front edge portion of the housing member 22 and , in this particular application , the curved segments 31 are attached respectively to the top and bottom surface of the front flange portion 30 as illustrated . the front wall or surface portion 33 of each of the curved segments 31 includes a radius of curvature substantially equal to that of the curved structure p into which the entire junction box assembly 20 will be mounted . the curved segments 31 further provide a mating surface for attachment of the present face plate member 38 as will be hereinafter explained . the housing wall members 24 , 26 , 28 , 30 , 32 and 34 define a substantially enclosed space 36 which forms the interior portion of the junction box assembly 20 wherein electrical connections and / or controls can be housed and accessed . this space 36 is easily accessed through the front flange portion 30 of the housing member 22 as illustrated in fig1 and 2 and is completely enclosed when the face plate member 38 is attached to the junction box assembly 20 as indicated in fig2 . in fact , the present curved segments 31 , when attached to the front flange portion 30 of the housing member 22 , actually extend the usable space 36 within the assembly 20 by the dimensions of the curved members 31 . conduit , conductors or other components may extend into the electrical junction box assembly 20 through any number of apertures or knockouts that can be located , where desired , on any of the wall portions associated with the housing member 22 such as the apertures 43 , 44 and 46 illustrated in fig1 and 2 . these apertures can be provided through any of the wall portions including the side wall portions 26 and 28 for attachment to conduit and / or for receiving wiring leads depending upon the particular application . any aperture that remains open after conduit , wiring or other components have been installed within the space 36 may be plugged or sealed so that excess concrete or other construction materials do not leak into the housing member 22 during the casting process . the curvature of the convex front wall portion 33 of each of the curved segments 31 is fashioned so as to correspond to the curvature of the outer surface of the curved structure or cylindrical pier p as shown in fig1 . it is important to attach the curved segments 31 to the top and bottom portions of the front flange portion 30 of the housing member 22 as best illustrated in fig2 before mounting the entire assembly 20 within the cylindrical or curved structure p so that the junction box assembly 20 will be substantially flush with the exterior surface of the curved structure into which it is embedded as illustrated in fig1 . the curved segments 31 may be attached to the front flange portion 30 by using any suitable fastening means including , without limitation , screws , nuts and bolts , rivets , fold over tabs , snaplock fasteners , welding , bonding cement , glue , or other suitable means . by making the curved segments 31 attachable to standard rectangular junction boxes , inventory requirements are substantially reduced since only the rectangular junction boxes and the curved segments such as the members 31 need be stocked instead of stocking both planar and curved - front junction boxes . a further advantage is that , in the event of a change in the curvature of the mounting structure , a different curved segment may be selected for attachment to the same housing member 22 rather than scraping the previously fashioned curved unit and constructing a totally new curved junction box as would be required with a junction box constructed according to the teachings of the u . s . application ser . no . 08 / 316 , 944 , now u . s . pat . no . 5 , 553 , 730 . with respect to the housing member 22 , flange portion 30 is preferably dimensioned so that at least a portion of the curved segment member 31 may be attached or otherwise fastened to it . in the embodiment shown in fig2 the front flange portion 30 is substantially planar and the curved segments 31 include a substantially flat rear wall 35 that is shaped and dimensioned to lie substantially flush with the top and bottom surface portions of the front flange portion 30 thereby facilitating attachment thereto . the curved segments 31 are attachable to the top and bottom of the front portion 30 by suitable means as previously explained to form an enclosure with the housing structure 22 when the face plate member 38 is attached thereto . the face plate member 38 is likewise convex or otherwise curved or rounded to correspond to the radius of curvature associated with the curved segment members 31 , and , accordingly , to the curvature of the outer surface of the retaining structure p . the face plate member 38 also preferably includes a gasket type seal member 39 , as shown in fig3 on the inner side portion thereof and is adapted to be attached by any suitable attachment means to at least a portion of the front flange portion 30 as well as the curved segments 31 such as by the fastener means 40 . when attached to the front flange portion 30 and the curved segments 31 , the gasket seal 39 located on the concave side of the face plate member forms a tight weatherproof seal therebetween thereby further protecting the contents of the junction box assembly 20 from deterioration and other problems associated with exposure to the elements . likewise , since the junction box assembly 20 is recessed within the curved structure p , it provides greater protection to the contents thereof and greatly decreases its exposure to damage from a wide variety of other external sources , including unwanted tampering . the fastener means 40 may be such that they are not easily removable to further deter unwanted tampering , in which case an access panel such as the panel member 41 associated with face plate member 38 &# 39 ; ( fig3 ) may be provided in the face plate member to allow entry into the inner portion of the junction box assembly 20 and the wires and other components located therein . the access panel 41 may also include security means such as a lock mechanism 42 to prevent unauthorized access and such panel 41 may be pivotally attached as shown in fig3 for easy access to the enclosed space 36 . another anticipated embodiment as shown in fig4 includes a junction box 47 with a curved front portion constructed according to the teachings of u . s . application ser . no . 08 / 316 , 944 , now u . s . pat . no . 5 , 553 , 730 , with curved segments 48 attached thereto to adapt the preconstructed junction box 47 to a structure having a different curvature than the one for which the junction box 47 was originally designed . in this case , as shown in fig4 each of the curved segments 48 includes an inner concave rear surface portion 49 which is formed to lie substantially flush with the curved front wall portions 50 of junction box 47 when positioned thereagainst , and an outer convex front surface portion 51 which is shaped so as to conform to the curvature of the outer surface of the curved retaining structure when the entire junction box assembly is embedded in the retaining structure . the curvature of the concave rear portion 49 of each of the segment members 48 corresponds to the curvature of the front wall junction box portions 50 whereas the curvature of the convex front portion 51 of each of the segment members 48 corresponds to the curvature of the outer surface of the curved retaining structure such as the cylindrical concrete pier p illustrated in fig1 . the curved members 48 may be attached to the curved front wall portions 50 of the junction box 47 by using any suitable means similar to the attachment of curved members 31 to selected portions of the front flange portion 30 of housing member 22 . referring again to fig2 when the curved segments 31 are attached to the housing member 22 , the exposed side portions 30a and 30b of the front flange portion 30 remain substantially planar as illustrated . thus , when the face plate member 38 is attached to the curved segments 31 , only the edges of the side portions 30a and 30b come into contact with the face plate member 38 . in situations where a weatherproof seal is important , increased surface contact between the side portions 30a and 30b and the face plate member 38 may be necessary to properly retain the weatherproof gasket . when this situation arises , a frame member 52 as shown in fig5 may be utilized for attachment to the housing to provide a better seal between the respective mating surfaces . the frame member 52 includes two curved segments 53 and two curved or slanted side frame portions 54 . the curved segments 53 can be constructed along the same lines as the members 31 or 48 depending upon the construction of the particular junction box being utilized . the slanted or curved side frame portions 54 are likewise similarly curved so as to conform to the curvature of the segments 53 and such side portions will provide increased contact with the side edge portions of the face plate member when positioned thereagainst thereby presenting more surface area for retaining a weatherproof gasket such as the gasket member 39 . it is also important to recognize that the frame member 52 may be constructed so as to be utilized with any junction box such as the junction box housings 22 and 47 as previously indicated . in the case of housing 22 , the side frame portions 54 are constructed so as to mate and lie flush with the housing side portions 30a and 30b whereas in the case of housing 47 , the side frame portions 54 are constructed to mate and lie flush with the housing side portions 50a and 50b . still further , an additional gasket member such as the gasket member 55 illustrated in fig5 may be positioned and attached between the front wall portion of the junction box housing and the frame member 52 to provide still greater protection from the elements . fig6 illustrates yet another embodiment of a frame member 56 incorporating curved segments 57 and side extension panels 58 , such frame member being shaped to increase the depth of the overall junction box assembly . by attaching a frame assembly such as frame member 56 to a standard junction box , added space becomes available within the housing for additional wiring or other materials for which there may otherwise be insufficient space . the side extension panels 58 may also include a curved or slanted section 59 toward the front portion thereof for increased surface contact with a face plate member attached thereto such as the face plate members 38 and 38 &# 39 ; illustrated in fig2 and 3 . the frame member 56 may be comprised of multiple components fastened together by suitable means or , alternatively , the frame member 56 may be formed by any molding or forming process that produces a one - piece construction . it is anticipated that the various present components for adapting a standard rectangular or other pre - existing junction box for flush mounting within a curved structure may be packaged in assembly kits and provided to customers who require the advantages of a junction box that is shaped to achieve a flush mount within a curved structure . the kits consisting of various combinations of the present components such as the frame members 52 and 56 as illustrated in fig5 and 6 , or the curved segments 31 and 48 as shown in fig2 and 4 , and / or the face plate members 38 and 38 &# 39 ;, along with means for attaching the right combination of such members to the junction box assembly would be particularly useful where a customer has an existing supply of standard rectangular or curved - face junction boxes , and a requirement for installing them within a wide variety of curved structures . the kits would include suitable instructions so that any non - skilled person , with minimum tool requirements , could easily adapt an existing junction box for mounting in a curved retaining structure . the present means for adapting a junction box for use within curved structures is specifically designed to facilitate casting within a cylindrical concrete pier or other curved structure and allow the junction box assembly to be easily positioned and retained in its proper location during the forming process as shown in fig7 . in this regard , the junction box assembly 20 can be easily inserted through and positioned adjacent to a cutout 62 located in a sonotube form 60 , which sonotube forms are typically used in forming a wide variety of different types of concrete piers that are used in a multitude of different applications such as a base for light poles and other structures . the junction box assembly 20 can be positioned and supported in its desired location using the arrangement shown in fig7 or other means sufficient to keep the overall junction box assembly 20 stable and steady during the pouring process . as shown in fig7 the junction box assembly 20 includes a pair of curved segments such as the segments 31 attached to a typical rectangular electrical junction box such as the junction box 22 and the entire assembly 20 is secured within the sonotube form 60 prior to the actual pouring of any concrete by positioning the assembly 20 inside of the form 60 and adjacent to the cutout 62 as illustrated and thereafter positioning the face plate member 38 over the cutout 62 on the outer surface of the sonotube form 60 . the face plate member 38 is then fastened to the junction box assembly 20 using fastening means , such as the threaded fasteners 40 , which are threadedly positioned through aligned holes located in the face plate member 38 , the sonotube form 60 , the curved segments 31 , and / or the front wall side portions 30a and 30b of the housing member 22 . in the case where the frame member 52 or 56 is utilized to form the junction box assembly 20 of fig7 the aligned holes are drilled or otherwise formed around the outside periphery of such frame member . once the face plate member 38 is secured to the assembly 20 , a portion of the sonotube form 60 is sandwiched therebetween and provides sufficient rigidity and stability to hold the assembly 20 in proper position during the casting process . once the concrete material is cured and set , the junction box assembly 20 will be firmly embedded therewithin . conduit , wiring and / or other controls for plumbing , gas or other applications can be attached to the junction box assembly 20 , as required , prior to the pouring process and such installation would also help prevent the junction box assembly 20 from becoming dislodged from its encasement . subsequently , the face plate member 38 can be unfastened and the sonotube form 60 can be removed , leaving the concrete pier with the junction box assembly 20 and conduit / wiring / controls encased therein . as an additional precaution , means such as tabs , flanges or ridges may also be employed on the top , bottom and / or side walls of the junction box assembly 20 to further prevent such assembly from being moved or otherwise dislodged from its proper position . although the shape and configuration of the housing member 22 illustrated in fig1 and 2 is most generally used , it is important to recognize that the present means for adapting a conventional rectangular or other pre - existing junction box housing for mounting within a curved structure can be utilized on junction boxes fashioned into a variety of other sizes and shapes without impairing the teachings and practice of the present construction . for example , the planar side walls 66 and 68 associated with the housing embodiments 64 and 65 illustrated in fig8 and 9 may be angled inwardly as shown , or , as illustrated in fig1 , the side walls 70 and 72 may extend in a substantially parallel direction relative to each other between the front and rear wall portions 74 and 76 . the substantially planar rear wall portion 24 associated with housing 22 as illustrated in fig1 and 2 may alternatively be formed by a curved rear wall 76 or 78 as shown in fig9 and 10 . the rear and side wall portions of the housing member may take on still other shapes not illustrated herein which will likewise be compatible for use with the particular installation involved . irrespective of the particular shape and configuration of the front , rear and opposed side wall portions associated with the housing member , it is important that the curved segments 31 and 48 as well as the face plate members 38 and 38 &# 39 ; be curved so as to mount flush or nearly flush with the curved surface of the encasing structure as best illustrated in fig1 and 7 . fig1 - 14 illustrate still additional uses and embodiments of the present adapter means in conjunction with conventional junction box assemblies wherein no front flange portions such as the flange portions 30 and 50 associated with housings 22 and 47 ( fig2 - 4 ) are incorporated into the particular junction box to be adapted for flush mounting in a cylindrical or curved shaped structure . more particularly , the junction box 80 illustrated in fig1 includes a rear wall portion 82 , spaced side wall portions 84 and 86 , spaced top and bottom wall portions 88 and 90 extending the full length and depth of the junction box 80 between the rear and side wall portions thereof , a front lip or edge portion 92 which extends around the entire front periphery of the junction box 80 , and a plurality of tabs or flange portions 94 which are positioned at selected locations along the front lip 92 so as to extend inwardly towards the center of the junction box 80 as illustrated in fig1 . in this particular embodiment , a pair of tab members 94 are associated with the front lip 92 of each of the top and bottom wall portions 88 and 90 as illustrated . each of the tab members 94 includes an opening or aperture 96 for receiving a threaded member therethrough and such tab members 94 are specifically provided as means for attaching the curved segments of the present invention such as the segments 31 and 48 to the top and bottom edge portions 92 of the junction box 80 . in this regard , the curved segments such as the segments 31 are attached respectively to the top and bottom edge portions 92 of wall portions 88 and 90 by positioning suitable fastening means through the apertures 96 located in each of the tab members 94 , and through aligned apertures located through the rear wall portion of each of the curved segments and thereafter securing the same . since the junction box 80 does not include a front flange portion such as the flange portion 30 illustrated in fig2 and 3 , the tab members 94 provide the necessary means for securely attaching the curved segments of the present invention to the top and bottom front lip portions of a typical junction box 80 . once the curved segments of the present invention are suitably secured to the junction box 80 , all other components of the present invention such as the face plate members 38 and 38 &# 39 ; and the gasket member 39 illustrated in fig2 and 3 can be positioned and attached as previously described . it is also important to recognize that the position and location of the respective tab members 94 and well as the total number of such members may vary from one application to another , the only requirement being that a sufficient number of such tab members be utilized as to properly secure and stabilize the respective curved segments to the junction box 80 . fig1 illustrates still another embodiment of a frame member 98 which is specifically designed for matably engaging a junction box such as the junction box 80 &# 39 ; wherein the front portion of such junction box is defined by a peripheral lip or edge portion 92 only . the junction box 80 &# 39 ; is substantially identical in all respects to the construction of the junction box 80 except that the junction box 80 &# 39 ; does not include the tab members 94 . like the frame member 52 , the frame member 98 includes two curved segments 100 and two side frame portions 102 . the curved segments 100 are substantially similar to the curved segments 53 of frame member 52 and are constructed so as to conform to the curvature of the curved structure into which it will be embedded . the front surface portion of each of the side frame portions 102 may likewise be similarly curved so as to conform to the curvature of the frame segments 100 and each such side frame portion 102 is substantial u - shaped in construction as best illustrated in fig1 , the space 104 defined by the u - shaped construction of the side frame portions 102 being sufficiently dimension so as to insertably receive therewithin the front lip 92 and a portion of each of the opposed side wall portions 84 and 86 of junction box 80 &# 39 ;. each side frame portion 102 further includes spring biasing engagement means 106 extending into the space 104 as best shown in fig1 , the biasing means 106 engaging the corresponding side wall portions 84 and 86 of the junction box 80 &# 39 ; when said side wall portions are positioned within the space 104 . the spring biasing means 106 may take on a wide variety of different configurations including a single biasing means extending the full length of each side frame portion 102 ; it may include a plurality of spring biasing members 106 ; and / or it may include spring biasing means projecting into the space 104 from each opposite side of the u - shaped construction , the only requirement being that such spring biasing means sufficiently engage the junction box side wall portions 84 and 86 so as to sufficiently hold the frame member 98 in proper position and engagement with the junction box 80 &# 39 ;. it is also anticipated and contemplated that other biasing arrangements may likewise be utilized . it is also contemplated that other engagement means such as a snap - lock fitting arrangement may be utilized instead of spring biasing means to sufficiently hold the frame member 98 in engagement with the junction box 80 &# 39 ;. in this regard , fig1 illustrates one type of snap - lock arrangement suitable for use with the present invention wherein the opposed side wall portions of the junction box such as the side wall 84 illustrated in fig1 includes an offset portion or projection 108 and one of the arms forming the u - shaped construction of the corresponding side frame portion 102 such as the side arm 110 ( fig1 ) includes a corresponding offset or projection 112 . when the junction box side wall 84 is inserted in the space 104 , the wall projection 108 will sufficiently deflect side frame arm portion 110 and expand space 104 so as to allow the projection 108 to slip behind the arm projection 112 as shown in fig1 thereby engaging the same and preventing the frame member 98 from being easily disengaged from the junction box 80 &# 39 ;. here again , the snap - lock means 108 and 112 may be fabricated in a wide variety of different configurations such as including a single side wall offset or projection 108 extending the full length of each junction box side wall 84 and 86 along with a corresponding arm projection 112 likewise extending the full length of side frame arm portion 110 , or such projections 108 and 112 can be formed into a plurality of projections extending in space apart relationship the full length of the corresponding wall and arm portions 84 , 86 , and 110 . other snap - lock engagement means are likewise possible . still further , it is likewise anticipated and contemplated that the rear portion of each of the two curved segments 100 associated with frame member 98 may likewise be constructed so as to include means cooperatively engageable with the front lip or edge portion 92 associated with the top and bottom wall portions 88 and 90 of the junction box 80 &# 39 ; substantially similar to the construction of the side frame portions 102 and the spring biasing means 106 ( fig1 ) or the snap - lock means 108 and 112 ( fig1 ) utilized in conjunction therewith . a face plate member similar to plate members 38 and / or 38 &# 39 ; may be thereafter attached to the frame member 98 as previously explained . encasement of the junction box 80 &# 39 ; with the frame member 98 engaged therewith within a cylindrical concert pier or other curved structure will further prevent disengagement of such members from each other . it is also recognized that the junction boxes 80 and 80 &# 39 ; along with the various components of the present invention as discussed with respect to fig1 - 14 including the frame member 98 may be positioned and retained in its proper location during the forming or casing process in the same manner as discussed with respect to encasement of the junction box assembly 20 illustrated in fig7 . other variations are likewise possible . it is therefore recognized and anticipated that the present junction box assemblies as illustrated in fig1 - 14 may be used in many different types of curved structures including curved structures fabricated from a wide variety of materials other than concrete . it is also anticipated and recognized that the frame members 52 , 56 and 98 illustrated in fig5 and 12 - 14 may be formed from a single sheet of material pressed into the desired shape thereby further increasing their strength and durability as well as improving the weatherproof and tamperproof capabilities of the present assembly . still further , it is also important to note that the overall dimensions of any of the present junction box assemblies such as the assembly 20 illustrated in fig1 including the face plate members 38 and 38 &# 39 ;, as well as the particular configuration of the rear and side walls associated with the housing member are subject to wide variations as previously explained . although the present junction box assemblies have particular utility and are readily employable in cylindrical concrete piers , such assemblies can likewise be utilized in a multitude of different applications , including use in a wide variety of other curved structures . thus , there has been shown and described a novel means for adapting a junction box for ready use in curved structures , which junction box assembly fulfills all of the objects and advantages sought therefor . many changes , modifications , variations and other uses and applications of the present constructions will , however , become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering this specification and the accompanying drawings . all such changes , modifications , variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by the claims which follow . | 7 |
the invention includes unique card decks and methods of play that relate to three groups or groups of cards . in one embodiment of the invention , the deck of cards generally contains ( 1 ) numerical cards of three suits , ( 2 ) three types of face cards of no suit , and ( 3 ) high ( or “ ace ”) cards . in another embodiment of the invention , the deck of cards generally contains numerical cards , each card having two of seven suits , three types face cards having one of four suits , and high cards having one of four suits . while the actual size of the cards may vary , the preferred deck is the size of standard playing cards , approximately three and a half inches by two and a half inches . there are several different types of games that one to six players can play with these specialized playing cards . to best illustrate the general hierarchy and methods of play of the different embodiments of the invention , the following non - limiting examples are provided . for the sake of illustration and consistency throughout the description that follows , the general suits and types of face cards are defined as specific graphics or symbols . thus , p = paper , r = rocks , s = scissors , x = robots , y = time machines , and z = ufo &# 39 ; s . nonetheless , as would be realized by one skilled in the art , other graphics , symbols , or depictions may be substituted for those described below so long as they are consistent with the rules of play . there are three different groups of cards in this deck . below are listed the groups of cards and their hierarchical relationship with the other cards in their own groups , as well as their interactions with the other groups of cards in the deck . paper covers ( is better than ) rock , rock breaks ( is better than ) scissors , scissors cut ( is better than ) paper . the numerical value of the paper , rock and / or scissor card will determine which is the better card within this group . example : a card appearing with three rocks is better than a card appearing with two papers because two papers cover two rocks , leaving one rock leftover . a card appearing with two papers is better than a card appearing with two rocks because the two papers cover both the rocks . the robots smash ( are better than ) the time machines , the time machines control ( are better than ) the ufo &# 39 ; s , the ufo &# 39 ; s swallow ( are better than ) the robots . the robots , time machines and ufo &# 39 ; s are better than any of the paper , rock and / or scissor cards . the object of the first game is for all the players to play one card at a time , at the same time against each other , with an attempt to not draw cards or as few as possible . to win , one must become the first player to hold no cards with the last card played being discarded . to begin the first game , one person is selected to shuffle the cards well and to distribute amongst all the players five cards each , all face down . the remainder of the cards are to be placed in the center of the playing card area , in one pile , all face down . these will be the draw card pile . to play the game , each player picks up his or her cards and chooses one card from his or her own hand that he or she wishes to play . each player then places that card face down in front . once each player has placed a card down , clockwise , each player is to take turns flipping over his or her own card , beginning with the person who held the lead card the previous hand . during the very first hand of play , the first person to flip over his or her own card is the person who dealt the cards . in the case of equal lead cards from the previous hand , the first person to flip over his or her card is the person who flipped over the first lead card the previous hand . when all the cards have been flipped over , it &# 39 ; s time to determine the lead card . the lead card or cards ( e . g . equal leads ) is what all the other cards play against . equal lead cards are two or more identical cards that act as a lead card . the lead card is determined by its greater numerical value appearing on its face and / or its strength over the other cards played ( see basic rules , fig2 ). thus , the lead card is the best card played , and is not eliminated . eliminated cards become eliminated when three or more cards , in the same groups of cards as described in the basic rules , equally attack each other , only when they are to become the lead cards . should three or more cards equally attack each other within a group of cards , and another card appear in a group which is better , those cards are not eliminated . lava cards never eliminate each other . eliminated cards never draw cards . players draw cards by playing against the lead card . the lead card or cards ( equal leads ) never draw cards unless it is a lava card and two or more appear . lava lets the paper , rock and scissor cards go free , forcing the robots , time machines and ufo &# 39 ; s to draw three . should lava appear , two or three , places or more , lava will draw four . when the robots , time machines or ufo &# 39 ; s become the lead card , players holding paper , rock and / or scissor cards draw the amount of cards determined by the number appearing on their cards . players holding robots , time machines and / or ufo cards always draw three cards when one of those or lava becomes the lead card . should all cards eliminate each other with one card remaining , the player holding that card is to draw the number of cards determined by the number appearing on its face . when the lead card is a paper , rock or scissor card , players are to draw their needed amount of cards by applying the basic rules . example : should the lead card be a card with three scissors appearing on its face a card with two scissors would draw one card because two scissors have eliminated each other , a card with two rocks would draw one card because two rocks break two scissors , a card with two papers would draw three cards because the paper is cut by three scissors . players are to draw their needed cards from the draw card pile beginning clockwise from the lead card . in the case of equal leads , players are to draw from the draw card pile beginning clockwise from the lead card that was turned over first . once each player has drawn their appropriate number of cards from the draw card pile , the card they played is to be placed in a discard pile . the discard pile is to be separate from the draw card pile . the lead card or cards are to be placed in the discard pile immediately after all the players have drawn their needed cards . once the lead card or cards have been placed in the discard pile , it is time to choose another card to lay down and play as you did the previous hand . the discard pile is to be reshuffled and used only as needed to replenish the draw card pile . should at any time of play , the draw card pile combined with the discard pile cards run out , the way of drawing cards begins to change . players are then to draw their respective number of cards from the lead cards hand . in the case of equal leads , players are to draw their cards , the same way as above , one card at a time , alternating clockwise from the lead cards hands , beginning with the lead card that was turned over first . discarded cards will then be out of play for the remainder of the game . equal lava leads never draw cards during this method of draw . either way of drawing cards , the first player to hold no cards after discarding their final card is the winner . should equal leads tie , the first lead who held no cards wins . to play a quick version of this game , the same rules are used , however , the game starts differently . the game is started by distributing all the cards equally amongst all the players , discarding any left over . play continues as normal without the draw card pile , drawing cards as needed from the lead or lead cards hands , with a player winning the same way as above . the following chart may be used to determine how many cards are to be drawn , only when the lead card or cards are paper , rock or scissor cards . when the robot , time machine or ufo is the lead card or cards , the paper , rock and / or scissor cards are to draw the same number of cards as the number appearing on each of their cards . when a robot , time machine and / or ufo becomes the lead card over one of their own ( i . e ., a robot , time machine or ufo ), players draw three cards each . when lava is the lead card , the players with paper , rock and / or scissor cards do not draw . players with the robot , time machine and ufo cards are still required to draw three cards each . the following sample hands ( fig3 - fig1 ) represent six players , all playing one card each , with reference of how many cards to draw after determining the lead card . 1 . 1 , 3 and 6 eliminate each other . draw no cards . 3 . 1 , 3 and 6 eliminate each other . draw no cards . 6 . 1 , 3 and 6 eliminate each other . draw no cards . 1 . 1 , 3 , 4 and 6 eliminate each other . draw no cards . 3 . 1 , 3 , 4 and 6 eliminate each other . draw no cards . 4 . 1 , 3 , 4 and 6 eliminate each other . draw no cards . 6 . 1 , 3 , 4 and 6 eliminate each other . draw no cards . 1 . 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 and 5 eliminate each other . draw no cards . 2 . 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , and 5 eliminate each other . draw no cards . 3 . 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 and 5 eliminate each other . draw no cards . 4 . 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , and 5 eliminate each other . draw no cards . 5 . 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 and 5 eliminate each other . draw no cards . 2 . 2 , 3 and 4 eliminate each other . draw no cards . 3 . 2 , 3 and 4 eliminate each other . draw no cards . 4 . 2 , 3 and 4 eliminate each other . draw no cards . 1 . 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 and 5 eliminate each other . draw no cards . 2 . 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 and 5 eliminate each other . draw no cards . 3 . 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 and 5 eliminate each other . draw no cards . 4 . 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 and 5 eliminate each other . draw no cards . 5 . 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 and 5 eliminate each other . draw no cards . 1 . 1 , 3 and 5 eliminate each other . draw no cards . 2 . 2 , 4 and 6 eliminate each other . draw no cards . 3 . 1 , 3 and 5 eliminate each other . draw no cards . 4 . 2 , 4 and 6 eliminate each other . draw no cards . 5 . 1 , 3 and 5 eliminate each other . draw no cards . 6 . 2 , 4 and 6 eliminate each other . draw no cards . 5 . equal leads ( draw 4 cards because 2 or more lava &# 39 ; s appeared ). 6 . equal leads ( draw 4 cards because 2 or more lava &# 39 ; s appeared ). the object of the second game is for players to play hands of cards against each other . each player &# 39 ; s hand is to consist of five cards . it should be noted that the second game is played with the second embodiment of the deck of cards . so , although the illustrations are in black and white , each card will in fact bear one of four suits ( e . g . one of four colors ) in addition to its ( 1 ) other suit and numerical value , ( 2 ) face card marking , or ( 3 ) high card marking . there are fourteen different possible hand combinations with number one being the best possible hand , down to number fourteen being the least . they are as follows : one ( fig1 ) lava straight flush ( lava high , linear , all same color ); five ( fig2 ) full hand ( three identical cards with two identical cards ); nine ( fig2 ) five cards with all papers , all rocks , all scissors on each or ( fig2 ) any five paper , rock , scissor cards with the same number of illustrations on each ; ten ( fig2 ) two identical cards with another type of two identical cards with one card remaining ; eleven ( fig2 ) four cards with all papers , all rocks , all scissors on each along with any fifth card remaining or ( fig3 ) any four paper , rock , scissor cards with the same number of illustrations on each along with any fifth card remaining ; thirteen ( fig3 ) a lava card with any four cards remaining ; fourteen ( fig3 ) count the number of illustrations on all your cards counting the robots , time machines and ufo &# 39 ; s as four illustrations each . note : the hands illustrated in fig1 - fig3 are interchangeable with other cards as long as they meet the criteria described within that hand combination . as mentioned above , this game requires the use of the color of the cards as an additional “ suit .” thus , the term “ identical ” cards within the context of game two does not refer to the color of the cards . instead , “ identical ” cards are the same exact cards without reference to their color . a straight will require five ( 5 ) cards in a linear order . the linear order for a straight shall be any five ( 5 ) cards in the following order ( listed from lowest to highest ): lava , one paper , two papers , three papers , one rock , two rocks , three rocks , one scissor , two scissors , three scissors , a robot , a time machine , a ufo , and a lava . a flush will be any five ( 5 ) cards with the same colors . a straight flush will be a straight as described above with the same color combination of cards as described by a flush . a lava straight flush is the best possible hand . this hand will consist of a scissors card with three scissors , a robot , a time machine , a ufo and a lava card . all of these cards are to be the same colors . to begin , one player shuffles the deck well and distributes amongst all the players five cards each , all face down . each player picks up his or her own cards , attempting to create the best possible hand . after looking at his or her own cards , each player , beginning from the left of the person who dealt the cards , in a clockwise rotation , is to determine if he or she wishes to keep all five of their cards or to discard as many as they like up to three cards ( four if holding a lava card ) and then draw the amount of cards they discarded . when all the players are done drawing cards , all the players then show their cards . the best hand combination of cards as described above ( ranked one through fourteen ) is the winner . should two or more players fall into the same group of hand combinations as stated in hands two through thirteen , the following supplimentary guidelines ( rules ) are used to determine which are the better cards and / or is the better hand : fifteen ) a ) lava cards are the best . b ) robots , time machines and ufo &# 39 ; s are equally the next best . c ) paper , rock and scissors with three illustrations on each are equally the next best . d ) paper , rock and scissors with two illustrations on each are equally the next best . e ) paper , rock and scissors with one illustration on each are equally the least best . sixteen ) always use a player &# 39 ; s greater card or greater amount of identical cards ( whenever applicable ) to determine the better hand using rule number fifteen . seventeen ) should two or more players greater card ( s ) fall into the same group ( s ) of cards as described in rule number fifteen ( a , b , c , d , or e ), those players are to use their next best card ( s ) to determine the better hand . eighteen ) should two or more players remain with the same groups of cards , throughout their hand , they are to use rule number nineteen . nineteen ) paper covers rock , rock breaks scissors , scissors cut paper . robots smash time machines , time machines control ufo &# 39 ; s , ufo &# 39 ; s swallow robots . twenty ) players are to use rule number nineteen ( only when rule number eighteen applies ) beginning as they did to determine their hand , from their greater card ( s ) down , one at a time , to their last card . these are referred to as levels of elimination . twenty - one ) should at any level of elimination , all three cards in a group equally attack each other , they and any like them are to be eliminated at that level only . twenty - two ) once a player has a dominant card , during any level of elimination , the elimination stops and that person holds the best hand . twenty - three ) when players hold the same type of hand combinations as described in hand number nine , players are to count the total number of illustrations on all their cards , the more being the greater . twenty - four ) when players hold the same type of hand combinations as described in hand number eleven , players are to use their fifth card to determine which is the better hand . should the fifth cards be identical or equally eliminate , players are to count the total number of illustrations on all their cards , the more being the greater . [ 0201 ] fig3 - fig3 display sample hands with numbers to the left of the cards . those numbers represent a player &# 39 ; s five card hand . the letters below each card represent that type of card with reference to rule number fifteen . [ 0202 ] fig3 : player one ( 1 ) has the better hand because his fourth card ( d ) is better than player two &# 39 ; s ( 2 ) fourth card ( e ). note : the rules discussed in rule number nineteen do not apply to this hand ( see rule number seventeen ). fig3 - 38 consist of players hands of cards that fall into the same groups of cards throughout their entire hand . when these types of hands appear , players are to use rules eighteen through twenty - two ( by applying rule number nineteen ) to determine the best hand . [ 0204 ] fig3 player two ( 2 ) has the better hand because its fifth card ( c ) breaks player one &# 39 ; s ( 1 ) fifth card ( c ). [ 0205 ] fig3 the first three cards ( b , b and c ) of each hand attack and eliminate each other ( see rule number twenty - one ). player three ( 3 ) has the better hand because its fourth card ( d ) covers player one &# 39 ; s ( 1 ) fourth card ( d ) and its fifth card ( e ) breaks player two &# 39 ; s ( 2 ) fifth card ( e ). [ 0206 ] fig3 the first two cards ( b and b ) of each hand attack and eliminate each other ( see rule number twenty - one ). player four ( 4 ) has the better hand because its third card ( c ) cuts players one &# 39 ; s ( 1 ) and player three &# 39 ; s ( 3 ) third card ( c ) and its fourth card ( d ) covers player two &# 39 ; s fourth card ( d ). [ 0207 ] fig3 the first four cards ( b , b , c and d ) of each hand attack and eliminate each other ( see rule number twenty - one ). player one ( 1 ) has the better hand because its fifth card ( e ) breaks players two ( 2 ), three ( 3 ) and four &# 39 ; s ( 4 ) fifth card ( e ). both games have been satisfactorily played and tested many times ( over one hundred times each ) with regards to the effectiveness of the enclosed details . various changes in the details , steps and components that have been described may be made by those skilled in the art within the principles and scope of the invention herein illustrated and defined in the appended claims . therefore , while the present invention has been shown and described herein in what is believed to be the most practical and preferred embodiments , it is recognized that departures can be made therefrom within the scope of the invention , which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent processes and products . | 0 |
the block diagram of fig1 illustrates the major functional blocks comprehended by the present invention . a segmentor / filter selector 22 accepts a digital image 24 and parses segments of image 24 to wavelet transform filters ( e . g . 28 , 30 , 32 ) in a filter bank 26 . using a common wavelet decomposition level setting , each filter in filter bank 26 performs a wavelet transform on segments of image 24 assigned to it . the wavelet coefficients produced by filters 28 , 30 , 32 are fed to joint embedded coder 34 , where a wavelet coefficient mapper combines the wavelet coefficients into a composite wavelet coefficient image . embedded coder 34 outputs a bitstream based on the composite wavelet coefficient image . fig2 presents an image proceeding through the coding process pictorially . digital image 24 is segmented , producing background segment 36 and coast guard cutter segment 38 . background segment 36 is fed to a first arbitrary shape wavelet transform filter 28 , which outputs a background wavelet coefficient map 40 . cutter segment 38 is fed to a second arbitrary shape wavelet transform filter 30 , which outputs a cutter wavelet coefficient map 42 . coefficient maps 40 and 42 register transform coefficients using a common scale and subband structure corresponding to the original image format ( e . g ., rectangular as in fig2 ). this allows a coefficient mapper to merge coefficient maps 40 and 42 into a composite coefficient image 46 . composite coefficient image 46 has the scale and subband structure of a conventional rectangular single wavelet transform of digital image 24 ; thus coefficient image 46 may be coded directly using rectangular wavelet coefficient image coders , such as rate - distortion embedded coder 48 . the coding process illustrated by fig1 and 2 activates different wavelet transforms for arbitrarily - shaped image segments 36 and 38 . proper filter selection for each segment can reduce the entropy of the wavelet coefficients as compared to the entropy of the wavelet coefficients where the entire image 24 is transformed by a single filter . an entropy - estimation filter selection method , described in a separate section below , enhances performance of the invention . a distinct separate advantage of the invention is the ability to jointly code the transform coefficients of segments 36 and 38 . coefficient maps 40 and 42 could theoretically be separately , and optimally , coded , as long as the decoder knows the segmentation boundaries of image 24 . for compression , a target bit rate could be supplied to two coders , one for each coefficient map 40 and 42 . however , if the rate - distortion curves for maps 40 and 42 differ , as they generally will , coding each map at a common target bit rate will produce an inferior result compared to joint coding . fig3 graphs rate - distortion curves for two hypothetical regions , each originally represented by 32 bits . region 1 is represented by curve 50 , and region 2 is represented by curve 52 . each region may theoretically be coded in a rate - distortion optimal manner that follows , respectively , curves 50 and 52 . rate distortion curve 54 represents the combined 64 - bit output bit sequence of the two coders , assuming the two coders alternate in outputting bits . even though each coder operates optimally for its region , the combined output of the two coders is suboptimal for virtually all target bit rates if available bits are evenly divided between the two regions . the present invention allows joint coding because a consistent scale and subband coefficient structure is produced by each filter in wavelet filter bank 26 . this attribute allows a coefficient mapper to merge wavelet coefficients for two or more regions and perform a joint coding on the merged coefficients . for instance , curve 56 of fig3 represents rate distortion after merging of the regions represented by curves 50 and 52 . a joint coder can operate on the merged coefficients in a rate - distortion optimal manner that will follow curve 56 , beating the performance of two region coders operating at the same aggregate bit rate . although two coders may beat curve 54 at a given target bit rate by allocating bits non - uniformly , the joint coder solves the bit allocation problem implicitly . two general segmentor / filter selector embodiments are envisioned by the present invention . the first embodiment segments an input image according to supplied instructions , and selects a wavelet transform filter for each identified segment . fig2 illustrates the operation of this embodiment , where a segmentation mask of the coast guard cutter was supplied to the segmentor / filter selector . the second embodiment accepts an input image and performs segmentation and filter selection jointly ; i . e ., an initial segmentation is refined using filter selection results . a flow chart for an estimated entropy based filter selector 72 useful with either embodiment appears in fig4 . filter selector 72 chooses a wavelet transform filter from n available filters for each image segment j using entropy estimator 58 . for a given filter i and segment j , estimator 58 determines an estimated entropy ê ij . decision block 66 compares values of ê ij for each filter , and signals block 68 to associate the current filter i with the current segment j if ê ij is the lowest entropy value yet received for segment j . after looping through n filters , segment j will be associated with the filter i producing the lowest estimated entropy ê ij . this association is then used to parse image segments to the wavelet transform filters . the present invention recognizes that for image compression applications , filter selection results are rate - sensitive . fig4 shows an entropy estimator 58 developed for use with the present invention that incorporates rate sensitivity into filter selection . in block 60 , image segment j is wavelet decomposed to a preset depth using each filter from the candidate set of n filters . block 62 uniformly quantizes each wavelet decomposition using a fixed rate - matched quantizer step size , e . g ., based on an average target bit rate or average distortion desired . block 64 then calculates the first order entropy of the quantized coefficients to produce the estimated entropy value ê ij . in many systems using the present invention , the purpose of image segmentation is to allow more efficient image coding . the joint segmentation / filter selection flowchart of fig5 illustrates one preferred method of segmentation / filter selection . block 70 performs an initial fixed segmentation of an input image — for simplicity , quadtree segmentation may be used at this step . block 72 performs filter selection , e . g ., as shown in fig4 on each segment identified by block 70 . neighboring segments associated with the same filter are then merged into larger segments in block 74 . block 76 then parses segments to their associated filters for decomposition . referring now to fig6 and 7 , an illustration of joint segmentor / filter selector operation is presented . in fig6 block 80 represents an input image that has been initially segmented into 16 equally - sized subregions ( numbered 0000 through 1111 binary ) by a quadtree segmentor . quadtree 82 shows the relationship of the segments in the quadtree mapping of segmented image 80 . wavelet filters a , b , and c are applied to each subregion 0000 - 1111 , and a best filter is chosen for each subregion based on entropy estimation . a sample filter assignment is shown on 80 by the placement of “ a ”, “ b ”, or “ c ” on the subregion to show the assigned filter . the leaf nodes on quadtree 82 are also labeled with the selected filter for that node . after all leaf subregions have been assigned a filter type a , b , or c , the tree is merged from the bottom up recursively . if the children of a parent node are assigned the same type of filter , the children will be merged and the same type of filter will be assigned to the parent node . fig7 shows the original segmentation and filter assignment of fig6 after this merging process . of the original leaf segments of quadtree 82 , only segments 1000 and 1001 remain in quadtree 86 . all other original leaf segments have been merged up one or two nodes due to common filter assignment . segmentation map 84 shows the final filter assignment for this example . filter re - selection is not performed at intermediate nodes after merging , as it is believed that re - association is highly unlikely . the spatial quadtree structure itself is not critical to the rate - distortion optimization process — merging merely facilitates the coding of the segmentation map . the merging also reduces the number of boundaries in the segmentation map , reducing the potential for boundary artifacts which may occur at low bit rates . in principle , the quadtree segmentation result will depend on the final target bit rate selected for entropy measurement . using different segmentation maps for different intermediate bit rates makes it extremely difficult , if not impossible , to generate a ( preferably continuously ) scalable bit stream . thus a single segmentation map is preferred to allow freedom in scalability . given the choice between a segmentation map generated using a higher target bit rate and one generated at a lower target bit rate , the map generated with a higher target bit rate is preferred . the high target bit rate map is believed to more accurately reflect the characteristics of each region . it is also believed that perceptual quality of a low - bit rate image may be degraded if the segmentation map is generated at too low of a target bit rate . the concepts disclosed herein can be utilized with purely rectangular segmentations of an image ( such as segmentation of image 80 in fig6 ). it is preferred , however , that the wavelet transform filters not constrain the segmentation result in this manner . this can reduce boundary artifacts that may occur if an image must be processed as a set of rectangles . this also enables a system to perform coding on complex segmentations such as the coast guard cutter of fig2 . in order to allow wavelet transforms of non - rectangular segments , filter bank 26 of fig1 preferably utilizes arbitrary shape wavelet transform ( aswt ) filters . the aswt is described in detail in u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 110 , 979 , entitled “ arbitrary shape wavelet transform with phase alignment ” and filed jul . 7 , 1998 , by j . li and s . lei , which is incorporated herein by reference : briefly , the aswt symmetrically extends signal pixels at segment boundaries by replicating them into adjacent pixels ( not part of the segment ) in reverse order , and then wavelet transforming the extended pixel image . wavelet coefficients obtained from the transform that correspond to the original segment pixels are retained . in order to facilitate coefficient mapping , each segment should be extended to a common size during the aswt process ( preferably the original image size ). the wavelet decomposition level for each segment - aswt combination is also set to the same value such that the aswt - decomposed segments exhibit a common scale and subband structure . coefficient mapping combines the coefficients obtained with each segment - aswt combination into a composite wavelet coefficient image . the common image size of all aswt coefficient maps infers that coefficients can be copied address - by - address directly into the composite wavelet coefficient image . one aswt coefficient map may even serve as the composite image ( preferably the one representing the largest image segment ), with other coefficients copied into its invalid locations . the mapper must be able to locate the valid pixels in each coefficient map . this may be accomplished by “ tagging ” invalid pixels with an unused data value , or using a coefficient segment map to facilitate copying . if the original image segments are disjoint , valid pixels should not exist at the same location for two aswt coefficient maps . the mapping process is shown pictorially in fig2 . coast guard cutter segment 38 is segmented from its background segment 36 . the background segment 36 maps , using a first aswt 28 , into a first coefficient map 40 . coast guard cutter segment 38 maps , using a second aswt 30 into a second coefficient map 42 . the common scale and subband structure of maps 40 and 42 , as well as the dark , mutually disjoint invalid regions of each map , are clearly visible in fig2 . the mapping process copies background and coast guard cutter transform coefficients into their properly registered locations in composite wavelet coefficient image 46 . note that although composite image 46 represents scale and subband structure consistently , the composite image cannot be directly processed using an inverse wavelet transform to obtain the original image . a de - mapping , signal boundary extension , and inverse wavelet transform must be performed on each segment separately to recover the original image information . wavelet transform images are commonly coded for transmission or storage . an advantage of the present invention is the presentation of a segmented , wavelet transformed image in a standard ( e . g . rectangular ) image format that is compatible with known transform coders . this advantage allows a segmented image to be jointly coded using well - developed optimal techniques for rectangular wavelet transform image coding . one preferred coding technique that may be employed with the present invention is rate - distortion optimized embedded ( rde ) coding . this technique is disclosed in u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 016 , 571 , “ an embedded image coder with rate - distortion optimization ”, filed jan . 30 , 1998 , by j . li and s . lei , which is incorporated herein by reference . rde is a rate - distortion optimized coding technique . this coder reorders the bits of a wavelet transform image into a most - important - bits - first bitstream , i . e . allocating the available coding bits first to image bits having the steepest rate - distortion slope . the rate - distortion slope for uncoded bits is predicted using only previously - coded bits — this allows both the coder and decoder to operate in lockstep without image position information from the coder . the rde coder processes a composite wavelet coefficient image produced using the present invention in similar fashion . bit allocation among different image segments is thus achieved implicitly , as the rde coder considers the rate distortion in all image segments jointly . the effect of joint rate distortion consideration is evident in fig3 . a joint coder operating along curve 56 out performs two interleaved optimal coders operating along curve 54 because the joint coder implicitly recognizes that one of two regions ( curve 52 ) contains many more meaningful bits than the other region ( curve 50 ). curve 56 reorders bit transmission accordingly . experimental results were obtained using a candidate set of three prototype wavelet filters in bank 26 . the three filters chosen were the haar filter and the 9 - 3 tap and 9 - 7 tap daubechies biorthogonal filters . the haar filter is the only known symmetric , orthogonal wavelet filter , and is a good choice for text and graphics image regions . the 9 - 7 tap daubechies filter is the most popular filter used in the literature for coding of natural images , and generally has very good rate - distortion performance . the 9 - 3 tap daubechies filter , with shorter filter length than the 9 - 7 tap filter , is expected to have less ringing artifacts around sharp edges at low bit rates . a five - level wavelet decomposition with symmetric boundary extension was used throughout these experiments . for each test image , the segmentation map was generated using a filter selection target bit rate of 4 bits per pixel . this single segmentation map was then used for the adaptive wavelet transform at all tested bit rates . the depth of the initial spatial quadtree was adapted to the size of the test image ; quadtree segmentation was stopped when the shorter side of each leaf block was between 32 and 64 pixels in length . to reduce the potential segment boundary effect at lower bit rates , a slightly modified version of the simple deblocking algorithm presented in s . kim et al ., “ results of core experiment n1 ”, iso / iec jtc1 / sc29 / wg11 mpeg97 / m2099 , apr . 1997 , was used . table 1 summarizes the rate - distortion performance of this experiment at several target bit rates . the adaptive segmentation and transform method with three candidate filters is compared to each of the three filters operating separately on an entire image , with each using the same backend rde coding . all three test images were grayscale images . the image “ cmpnd1 ” contains both text and natural image regions . the image “ target ” comprises graphics and charts . and the image “ container ” is a scene containing both natural and man - made structure . for relatively higher bit rates , psnr improvements of up to 2 db for the adaptive method versus the best non - adaptive method were measured for “ cmpnd1 ” and “ target ” images . at lower bit rates , psnr was not necessarily improved by the adaptive method on all test images . this is believed to be due at least in part to the filter selection / segmentation process based on a fixed , relatively high bit rate . despite this , visual quality for the adaptively - coded images was significantly improved throughout the test set , particularly at medium to lower bit rates . the proposed invention appears particularly applicable to compression of images exhibiting space - varying characteristics , such as compound images ( e . g . graphics and natural scenes ) or other images exhibiting sharp edge regions and smooth regions . although the preferred embodiments have been described with reference to a particular process flow , numerous variations of these embodiments fall within the scope of the present invention . the association of image segments with particular candidate wavelet filters , for instance , may use different statistics or methods from those disclosed herein without departing from the invention . it is not necessary that each filter in the filter bank be used on a segment of each input image . likewise , several disjoint segments may be assigned the same filter . although segments are coded jointly , bit allocation priorities may be segment - weighted , e . g ., by scaling the transform coefficients for each segment before rde or other coding . using a coefficient segmentation map , separate bitstreams may also be created for each segment at the output of the rde or other coder , after bit allocation and coding . other modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading this disclosure , and are intended to fall within the scope of the invention as claimed . | 7 |
fig1 a , and 1b show a sensor 8 for the flexible gripping of objects . the main hardware components of the sensor 8 include probe subassemblies 10 , a bearing plate 12 , an aluminum finger housing 14 , and a sensor array 16 . the probe subassemblies 10 are disposed in an eight row by eight column array to contact and grip the objects of interest . holes 18 are drilled through the bearing plate 12 corresponding to the array disposition of probe subassemblies 10 and the probe subassemblies 10 pass through the holes 18 in contacting and gripping an object . the finger housing 14 houses both the encoder tubes 20 ( fig3 ), which assist in converting the displacement of the probe subassemblies 10 into digital signals , and the probes 15 ( fig3 ). the sensor array 16 contains inner guide tubes 22 passing through a plate 26 , preferably stainless steel , and a guide block 24 , preferably aluminum . a bottom cap 28 , also preferably aluminum , is mounted to encapsulate the optical fiber bundle running from the inner guide tube 22 array to an emitter / detector array ( see fig4 and 66 ). ( the emitter / detector electronic components and cabling are not shown .) fig2 a , 2b , and 2c show the stainless steel bearing plate 12 and its design in greater detail . the bearing plate 12 has holes 18 which are counterbored 40 to seat compression springs 70 ( fig5 ) initially retracting the probe subassemblies 10 . the bearing plate 12 is connected by dowel pins ( not shown ) to the finger housing 14 so as to precisely align with the inner guide tubes 22 in the sensor array 16 which is mounted and pinned by pins ( not shown ) at the back side of the finger housing 14 . fig3 and 3a show the design of a preferred individual probe subassembly 10 . in the probe subassembly 10 , there is a probe 15 which is a highly polished , precision ground , heat treated alloy steel pin . a grooved stem 50 is produced at the bottom of the probe 15 by a grinding operation at high rotation speeds and a crimping process shown in fig3 b and 3c assures a tight - fitted attachment between the probe 15 and a square retainer tube 52 . the square retainer tube 52 limits the extension of the probe subassembly 10 by contacting the bearing plate 12 and restricts the probe subassembly 10 to pure axial sliding motion ( without rotation ) due to the interference of adjacent square retainer tubes 52 . this prevention of rotation by the probe subassembly 10 assures that the columns of patterned slots and holes 77 ( fig6 ), in the encoder tube 20 , which is precisely fastened by pinning to the retainer tube 52 , remain aligned to the fiber optic signals passing through the patterned slots and holes 77 ( fig6 ). as previously mentioned , the probe subassemblies 10 are initially retracted by compression springs 70 ( fig5 ). after contact between the bearing plate 12 and the object to be gripped is made , the probe subassemblies 10 are then extended pneumatically by a maximum distance of 0 . 4 inches by any convenient means such as by using compressed shop air . such operation of the probe subassemblies 10 prevents probe jamming during contact with steep surfaces on the object and produces a variable gripping force ranging from approximately 2 to 30 pounds allowing the handling of both delicate and rugged parts . the two pound force permits the desired upper design goal of 1 , 000 grams for light assembly applications to be achieved . in order to allow the sensor 8 to operate pneumatically , an air fitting ( not shown ) is attached and manifold holes ( not shown ) have been included in the finger housing 14 . o - rings ( not shown ) have been used to seal the bearing plate 12 to the finger housing 14 and the sensor array 16 to the finger housing 14 . there are o - ring grooves 30 ( fig1 a ) for the o - rings used to seal the bearing plate 12 to the finger housing 14 and o - ring grooves 32 ( fig1 a ) for the o - rings used to seal the sensor array 16 to the finger housing 14 . precision machining of the bearing plate holes 18 assures a sufficient clearance between these holes 18 and the probes 15 to provide a sliding fit , yet eliminate the need for seals for the probes 15 inside the bearing plate holes 18 . fig4 a and 4b show the design of the sensor array 16 in greater detail . fiber holes 60 are provided to position the receive fibers 78 ( fig5 ) relative to the encoder tubes 20 . the fiber holes 60 pass through both the stainless steel plate 26 and the aluminum guide block 24 . four ( 4 ) or less receive fibers 78 are contained in each fiber hole 60 depending on the location of the fiber hole 60 . an array of emitter holes 64 is provided in the plate 26 to allow transmit fibers 76 ( fig5 ) passing through the emitter holes 64 to absorb optical signals emitted by emitters 72 ( fig5 ) positioned at each hole 64 . each emitter hole 64 contains four ( 4 ) transmit fibers 76 . the array of emitter holes 64 is disposed in an eight row by eight column array corresponding to the array of probe subassemblies 10 . a row of four ( 4 ) detector holes 66 allows four ( 4 ) photodetectors 74 ( fig5 ), one photodetector 74 being positioned at each hole 66 , to detect optical signals carried by receive fibers 78 passing through those holes 66 . each one of the four ( 4 ) or less receive fibers 78 contained in each fiber hole 60 passes through the same one of the four ( 4 ) detector holes 66 ( see fig1 ). fig5 shows a probe subassembly 10 mounted on the sensor array 16 which is shown in a partial sectional view . one emitter 72 corresponding to each probe subassembly 10 emits light through four ( 4 ) transmit fibers 76 . depending on the position of the probe subassembly 10 and the consequent position of the encoder tube 20 and the columns of patterned slots and holes 77 ( fig6 ) in the encoder tube 20 , light is selectively transmitted to or blocked from being transmitted to the four ( 4 ) receive fibers 78 contained in the fiber holes 60 ( fig4 ) diagonally situated around the four ( 4 ) transmit fibers 76 and ultimately to the four ( 4 ) photodetectors 74 . the encoding of probe subassembly 10 positions using the columns of patterned slots and holes 77 ( fig6 ) in the encoder tube 20 and the selective transmission of light from the transmit fibers 76 to the receive fibers 78 can be conveniently referred to as optomechanical encoding of such probe subassembly 10 positions . the inner guide tubes 22 are disposed between the transmit fibers 76 and the inner radii of the encoder tubes 20 . each inner guide tube 22 contains four ( 4 ) transmit fibers 76 . fig6 shows a preferred pattern for the four ( 4 ) columns of slots and holes 77 in the encoder tube 20 and fig7 is a table showing in numerical form the sixteen ( 16 ) possible 4 - bit signals representing output of the encoder tube 20 corresponding to fig6 . the pattern in fig6 is directed toward a common problem that arises at the transition points ( edges of the holes , and slots ) of the pattern arrangement . this problem is the occurrence of erroneous signals due to slight errors in the positions of the holes or optical fibers . thus , it is quite possible that one column will switch a bit on or off an instant before another column at any given transition point resulting in a mistaken interpretation of signals . the pattern shown in fig6 remedies this problem by using a &# 34 ; gray code &# 34 ; pattern based on the principle that only one bit is permitted to change at any given transition point . the slotting of the encoder tubes 20 , which can be supplied in a variety of alloys ( aluminum , copper , nickel , ferrous , reactive , and precious ), is produced by a secondary punching that creates multiple square slots at 90 ° offset locations . typical design limitations for punching are illustrated schematically on a cross - section of the encoder tube 20 shown in fig8 where the minimum value of a is approximately 2 × w with a tolerance of ± 0 . 003 inches ( in ), the minimum value of b is approximately 2 × w with a tolerance of ± 0 . 001 in where w has a minimum value of 0 . 010 in , the maximum value of c is approximately id -( 4 × w ), the minimum value of c is approximately 2 × w with a tolerance of ± 0 . 001 in where w has a minimum value of 0 . 010 in , and the hole produced is free of burrs greater than 0 . 001 inches in dimension . fig9 shows an alternative pattern for the four ( 4 ) columns of slots and holes 79 in the encoder tube 20 and fig1 is a table showing in numerical form the sixteen ( 16 ) possible 4 - bit signals representing the output of the encoder tube 20 corresponding to fig9 . fig1 shows a schematic for a communications hardware circuit 80 for the sensor 8 . a computer gathering the data from the sensor 8 outputs two 3 - bit digital addresses , one to energize one of eight columns of emitters 72 and the other to ground one of eight rows of emitters 72 . the addresses are received through optocouplers 82 and decoded by decoders 84 to activate one of the sixty - four ( 64 ) emitters 72 illuminating its four ( 4 ) transmit fibers 76 ( fig5 ). light radiating out the ends of the four ( 4 ) transmit fibers 76 passes through the encoded holes of the encoder tube 20 ( if they are present ) to the four ( 4 ) receive fibers 78 ( fig5 ) contained in the adjacent diagonally located four ( 4 ) of the total of eighty - one ( 81 ) fiber holes 60 ( fig4 ). these four ( 4 ) receive fibers 78 in turn activate the four ( 4 ) photodetectors 74 ( fig5 ), each one of the four ( 4 ) receive fibers 78 activating a different one of the four ( 4 ) photodetectors 74 from the three ( 3 ) photodetectors 74 activated by the other three ( 3 ) of the four ( 4 ) receive fibers 78 . from the four ( 4 ) photodetectors 74 , a 4 - bit digital word is transmitted through optocouplers 86 to the computer for storage and future reconstruction of the data . the image transmission rate required to scan all sixty - four ( 64 ) probe subassemblies 10 is on the order of 1 . 1 ms , well within the previously mentioned design goal of 10 ms . fig1 shows a schematic of the photodetection circuit 90 used in the sensor 8 . this schematic shows an emitter circuit 92 contained within the emitter 72 , the transmit fiber 76 , a section of the encoder tube 20 , the receive fiber 78 , and a detector circuit 94 contained within the photodetector 74 . the transmit fibers 76 and the receive fibers 78 are preferably made from a synthetic plastic such as one having a high purity polymethyl methacrylate core and special fluorinated polymer cladding . the use of these materials in the fibers allows for extremely small bend radii . the diameter of the fibers is 0 . 250 millimeter . these small diameters and bend radii allow packaging of the fibers around sharp corners and into small volumes . the light source comprised within the emitter circuit 92 that is preferred for the combination of the fibers and the detector circuit 94 is a gallium aluminum arsenide ( gaalas ) infrared light emitting diode ( ired ) emitting at a peak wave length of 880 nanometers ( nm ). an operational amplifier 96 of very high gain is necessary in the detector circuit 94 to successfully detect the faint light signal from the receive fiber 78 . the feedback resistor r f in fig1 defines the gain of the operational amplifier 96 and is 2 . 2 megaohms . the light signal is so faint because of the extremely small diameter of the fibers and because of the use of an ired with plastic fibers . plastic fibers are normally only used with visible light sources . the increase in light attenuation by the fiber , when using an ired instead of a visible red light source for which light transmission by the fiber peaks , is far outweighed by the increase in response to the light in the infrared range by the phototransistor 98 in the detector circuit 94 . it is highly desirable that the two optical fibers per signal , the transmit fiber 76 and the receive fiber 78 , be accurately aligned and spaced so as to allow transmission of the faint infrared signal across the gap between the fibers and to allow the travel of the encoder tube 20 in the gap . to assure this result , a special process has been developed for placement of the optical fibers which is illustrated by the process for the construction of a 2 row by 2 column test sensor array 100 ( fig1 ). fig1 shows a plan view of the test sensor array 100 and fig1 a shows a cross - sectional view of the test sensor array 100 . the test sensor array 100 illustrated includes a stainless steel plate 110 , an aluminum guide block 140 , and an aluminum bottom cap 170 . fig1 shows a plan view of the stainless steel plate 110 with a two row by two column array of holes 112 , each hole containing one set of four ( 4 ) transmit fibers 76 ( fig5 ) in the test sensor array 100 . the plate 110 also has eight holes 114 drilled at the sites for the four ( 4 ) emitters 72 ( fig5 ) and four ( 4 ) photodetectors 74 ( fig5 ). fig1 a shows a cross - sectional view of the plate 110 and fig1 b shows a bottom view of the plate 110 . fig1 shows an inner guide tube 120 which is pressed into each transmit fiber 76 ( fig5 ) hole 112 in the test sensor array 100 . fig1 shows a special insertion tool 130 used to press the inner guide tube 120 into each transmit fiber 76 ( fig5 ) hole 112 in the test sensor array 100 . fig1 shows a plan view of the aluminum guide block 140 , which is pinned and fastened to the plate 110 from above , has a two row by two column array of transmit fiber 76 ( fig5 ) holes 112 , and provides alignment and support during the operation of pressing the inner guide tubes 120 into the transmit fiber 76 ( fig5 ) holes 112 . both the plate 110 and the block 140 have a three row by three column array of fiber holes 142 positioned diagonally about the four ( 4 ) holes 112 containing each set of four ( 4 ) transmit fibers 76 ( fig5 ) in the test sensor array 100 , each fiber hole 142 containing four ( 4 ) or less receive fibers 78 ( fig5 ). fig1 shows a plan view of a top cap 150 pinned to the guide block 140 from above to hold the free ends of the inner guide tubes 120 . fig1 a shows a cross - sectional view of the top cap 150 and fig1 b shows a bottom view of the top cap 150 . fig1 shows a plan view of a top cap 160 , attached to the plate 110 from above , to secure the optical fibers . fig1 a shows a cross - sectional view of the top cap 160 and fig1 b shows a bottom view of the top cap 160 . fig2 shows a plan view of a bottom cap 170 , which secures the bundle of optical fibers emerging from the bottom of the plate 110 , and provides a port for injecting epoxy . fig2 a shows a cross - sectional view of the bottom cap 170 , and fig2 b shows a bottom view of the bottom cap 170 . fig2 shows a special assembly fixture 180 used to precisely hold some of the parts of the test sensor 100 during construction . fig2 through 30 illustrate a method of assembling and machining used to construct the test sensor array 100 . in fig2 , the guide block 140 is pinned and temporarily fastened from below to the plate 110 using fasteners 190 . the plate 110 is also fastened from above to the special assembly fixture 180 by fasteners 192 . fig2 a shows one of the four inner guide tubes 120 being pressed into place by the special insertion tool 130 . fig2 b shows a grinding device 200 being used to remove flared ends of the inner guide tubes 120 which are 0 . 020 inches long and which occur as a result of the pressing operation . fig2 shows a 1 . 5 inch diameter by 0 . 012 inch thick solid carbide circular jewelers saw 210 being used to cut diagonal slits 212 0 . 055 inches deep across the top face of the guide block 140 . fig2 a shows an enlarged view of the top of the guide block 140 and discloses that the slits 212 run from the fiber holes 142 to the inner guide tubes 120 , thus allowing the optical fibers to lie from the fiber holes 142 to the inner guide tubes 120 . the special assembly fixture 180 is designed to allow the test sensor 100 to be mounted at + 45 ° or - 45 °, thus facilitating the diagonal slitting . any sharp edges in the slits 212 that can ruin the fibers are removed by a manual deburring operation using thin brass strips . the combination of the plate 110 and the guide block 140 are removed from the special assembly fixture 180 . then the guide block 140 is carefully separated from the plate 110 , while not separating the inner guide tubes 120 from the plate 110 . fig2 shows the modification that is then performed on the guide block 140 . a milling operation is performed on the top face of the guide block 140 removing 0 . 040 inches which decreases the depth of the slits 212 to 0 . 015 inches . the four holes 112 are redrilled and enlarged to 0 . 067 inches in diameter . fig2 shows that the guide block 140 is then reattached to the plate 110 using pins and fasteners 220 from below . the top cap 160 is also attached to the plate 110 from above using fasteners 222 . fig2 shows that a single optical fiber 224 , approximately 1 . 5 meters in length , is continuously looped between the fiber holes 142 and the inner guide tubes 120 along the slits 212 . fig2 shows a schematic of the order in which the looping operation is done . this order is critical to the success of the construction of the test sensor array 100 . the holes to the right of the dashed line are those on the top face of the guide block 140 . the numbered holes are the four holes 112 for the transmit fibers 76 ( fig5 ) and the lettered holes are the fiber holes 142 for the receive fibers 78 ( fig5 ). the holes to the left of the dashed line are the eight holes 114 ( fig1 b ) on the plate 110 . the correspondence of numbering and lettering between the holes on the right and left sides of the dashed line indicates the correct order for the looping operation . the fasteners , 220 and 222 , are removed and the top cap 150 and the bottom cap 170 are fastened to the guide block 140 and the plate 110 respectively with fasteners 226 and the top cap 160 is reattached to the plate 110 with fasteners 222 and 228 . a fitting 230 is attached to the port 174 of the bottom cap 170 and is mounted onto a ram system 240 to inject a two - part epoxy adhesive and sealant 244 into the cavities of the test sensor array 100 . the arrangement of the test sensor array with the aforementioned caps , fitting , and ram system attached is shown in fig2 . it is highly recommended to use a mixing nozzle designed to combine the two components of the epoxy without aeration . the adhesive and sealant 244 chosen for injection must be chemically compatible with the optical fibers , have low viscosity for easy injection , be specially formulated in a dark color to minimize unwanted light transmission , and possess high bonding and structural strength to support the fiber ends . a two component low viscosity polysulfide and epoxy based adhesive and sealant , formulated in a black color and able to cure at room temperature in 24 hours , is easily available from chemical manufacturers . the adhesive and sealant 244 is necessary to eliminate leakage and pressure loss which would prevent the sensor 8 from operating pneumatically . fig2 and 29a show the state of the test sensor array 100 before and after the grinding operation done after the adhesive and sealant 244 has reached fall cure . the fasteners , 222 , 226 , and 228 , and top caps , 150 and 160 , are removed leaving small cylinders of excess epoxy 252 above the inner guide tubes 120 and a large epoxy nipple 254 at the holes 114 ( fig1 b ) for the emitters 72 ( fig5 ) and photodetectors 74 ( fig5 ). both the cylinders 252 and the nipple 254 are ground down with a grinding device 250 . the cylinders 252 are ground down to just above the inner guide tubes 120 and the nipple 254 is ground down to the plate 110 and then wet polished to improve the light transmission of the fiber 224 . fig3 shows the final step in the construction of the test sensor array 100 . a tiny hardened steel hole saw 260 cuts the adhesive and sealant 244 and the fiber 224 in a circular pattern around the inner guide tubes 120 to provide clearance for the encoder tube 20 . fig3 shows two sensors 8 according to the present invention in operation integrated into the right and left fingers , 280 and 290 , of a robotic parallel gripper gripping an object 300 . the sensors 8 operate by first contacting the object to be gripped 300 with their bearing plates 12 and then extending their probe subassemblies 10 pneumatically until the surface of the object 300 is contacted or until the maximum travel of the probe , 0 . 4 inches , is reached . during the extension of the probe subassemblies , data can be continuously gathered from each sensor 8 by a computer scanning all sixty four ( 64 ) probe subassemblies 10 in each sensor 8 by the process previously described in connection with fig1 . when the probe subassemblies 10 have come to rest either because they have contacted the surface of the object 300 or because they have reached their maximum extension , two tactile images of the object 300 are available . these tactile images can be used to construct a composite image of the object 300 , given the spatial displacement between the tactile images based upon the displacement between the right and left fingers , 280 and 290 , of the robotic parallel gripper . while preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail , various modifications , alterations and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the following claims . | 1 |
the new fueling station design adds features such as multi - media while allowing backward compatibility . while the prior art may show that there have been new designs involving new components in the fueling dispenser configuration , none addresses the issue of backward compatibility while providing additional function . furthermore prior designs involving multi - media have failed because they did not provide a maintenance infrastructure for content distribution . similarly , designs for maintenance infrastructures in the past did not provide sufficient added value to justify their cost . the present invention overcomes cost barriers , provides a holistic approach to multi - media involving distribution as well as display , and leverages the required infrastructure to provide cost of ownership advantages that finally make the case for new technology compelling for retailers . with reference to fig1 the current invention preserves the following connections to avoid any modification to the pos 170 , the corporate control system 191 , or the remote electronic payment host 190 : ( 1 ) the connection 250 between the protocol adapter 150 and the pos 170 ; ( 2 ) the connection 260 between the fuel controller 140 and the pos 170 ; ( 3 ) the connection 270 between the pos 170 and the remote electronic payment host 190 and between the manager workstation 180 and the remote electronic payment host 190 . preserving these connections with fidelity in the new system preserves the retailer &# 39 ; s investment in pos 170 systems while allowing additional capabilities to be deployed . the first device in the current invention is a processor . in the preferred embodiment the processor is a site manager ( sm ) 300 . the sm is a device with connectivity via connections 260 , 270 and 250 to the existing devices such as the pos 170 and the manager workstation 180 . intuitively , preserving the connections to the pos 170 limits the information or capability that a new system could retrieve or provide at the dispenser . however , as explained further below , the sm 300 adds functionality provided to the dispenser while maintaining connections 260 , 270 and 250 intact . in the preferred embodiment , an additional connection 400 from the sm 300 to a remote location such as a wide area network 320 may be added . through this connection 400 the fueling station 11 may retrieve and provide information while preserving the existing connections to and from the pos 70 . the cost effectiveness and rapid deployment of the present invention would be lost if an additional set of wiring had to be installed from the sm 300 to each dispenser 310 . the sm 300 must also combine information from the pos 170 and from the remote sm host in the wide area network 320 and communicate it over the existing wires 200 to a dispenser 100 . this poses an additional problem . the wiring used in connection 200 to a dispenser 100 was designed and installed to operate at a low rate of data transport . any new information to be transmitted over connection 200 would be limited by the connection &# 39 ; s data rate . this is resolved by using the existing connection 200 to transport a high - bandwidth signal using modem carrier technologies such as from the home phone network alliance or home pna . pna is a very recent technology that is used for communication within the home over phone wires that are sometimes decades old . this technology serves to re - use the existing wiring or connection 200 to the dispenser 100 and thus avoid long and costly wiring installations . the pna or other network leveraging technology should be incorporated into the dispenser 100 itself , thus completing the high bandwidth network . this may be accomplished by replacing the dispenser electronics , which previously interpreted the pos 170 communications , with a modem computer and network communication circuit known as a dispenser controller or dc 310 . the dc 310 connects to and drives the peripherals of the payment system at the pump as well as a modem user interface screen . within the dc 310 , the modem standard universal serial bus ( usb ) is used to control the network of peripheral devices such as printers , speakers , motors and valves . the dc 310 operates the dispenser and peripherals under control of the pos 170 just as existing equipment had done prior to the sm 300 and dc 310 . however , the dc 310 can also perform additional consumer functions despite the fact that the pos 170 is unchanged . this can be achieved through a state interpretation software engine . based on the primitive messaging provided by the pos 170 system at the sm 300 connections 250 , 260 , 270 , a unique state for the transaction can be discerned such as ‘ waiting for the start of a new sale ’ or ‘ waiting for the fueling to complete .’ from these states , the dc 310 can implement logic such as asking a user what language they prefer or displaying advertisements . in this case the additional function does not affect the pos 170 since the dc 310 and sm 300 work together to insure that the pos 170 receives only the input and output that it would have received from the legacy systems with which it was designed to operate . to make the system flexible to many pos 170 systems and retail customers , the state engine must be programmable such that it can be configured to interpret messages from different pos 170 systems differently . to make it valuable to a retail client , the interpretation must be such that specifics of the transaction can also alter the customer &# 39 ; s experience such as different messages for users of different credit card types , different fueling grades , or different times of day . furthermore , to be attractive as a drawing feature of the dispenser , the display to the customer of the information associated with any given state must be engaging , consisting of graphics , sound , motion , voice , and up - to - date information . one or more commands coming in on one or more channels to the sm are interpreted in the context of the current state variables in the sm . the state variables are set dependent on the type of previous commands ( on the same or other input channels ), previous messages from the dc or the network connection ( lan or wan ), sm or dc input signals from peripherals and peer devices , previous events , wide area network signals , configuration information , current time or date , or any other information that is available in real time to the sm . in the context of this state the commands are interpreted such that the sm may ( 1 ) modify the state if needed ; ( 2 ) issue a reply to the pos ( thus the sm is emulating a peripheral ); and ( 3 ) issue one or more commands to one or more connected devices such as a command to the dc or an email message to be sent on the network ( wan or lan ). for example , the same command may cause very different effects based on the state of the sm . a command to stop a dispenser if the dispenser is not pumping may result in no state change , a reply to the pos , and no command to the dispenser . in this example , the sm knows that the dispenser is not pumping by the dc state information and would interpret the command to not require any other effects . in another scenario , the pos may send a stop command to the dispenser but the state of the sm would reflect that the dispenser was fueling intermittently , that is , the dispenser was stopped a number of times either because of an untrained cashier , a software bug , or a malfunctioning dispenser . in this scenario the command to stop would be interpreted or translated into several instructions or commands : ( 1 ) a command to the dc to stop dispensing ; ( 2 ) a reply to the pos ; ( 3 ) an escalated email to the store manager ; and ( 4 ) a change in the sm state to reflect the fact that a stop was requested . the translation or interpretation of commands dependent on the state variables in the sm is performed by a state interpretation engine . application modules that execute on the sm maintain a dispenser state machine that is driven by input from controlling devices such as the pos , fuel controllers , island card readers ( isr ) controllers , etc . the variables in the dispenser state machine may also be derived from the input and output of peripherals that are connected to the dispenser such as touch screens , card readers , keypads , etc . the application modules on the sm or the dc map each of the states to appropriate commands or responses . for example , if the dispenser supports multi - media , the translation or interpretation of commands and responses would include the sale of non - fuel items , the display of information such as news and weather , and allow for consumer interaction . complex interaction of a fueling customer at a dc 300 may occur while a user is using the dispenser . the complex interaction may be a marketing display that engages the customer while fuel is pumping . to accommodate such advanced presentations and interactions , the dc 300 may execute complete user interface software applications while the user is fueling . these software applications would be ‘ contained ’ by the fueling sequence such that a dispenser stop operation by a store personnel would result in the application being immediately stopped and the dc 300 state of the pos system immediately conveyed to the user . similarly , when the dc 300 senses that the fuel has stopped flowing , the user interface application would again be stopped and the state of the fueling conveyed to the user . any unfinished operations of the user interface application could be completed or cancelled depending on the retailer &# 39 ; s implementation specifics . the diversity and likelihood that these design specifics will change from time to time drives a number of innovations in this system . any software on the dc 310 or sm 300 , including any fonts , graphics , setup files , configuration or libraries could be remotely upgraded through the remote connection 400 between the sm 300 and the wide area network 400 . this introduces a security risk . the download may include viruses or fraudulent modules . therefore , in the preferred embodiment , a digital signature on any downloaded module is provided to insure the integrity of the downloaded information . the preferred embodiment also incorporates the use of institute of electric and electronic engineers ( ieee ) standards to relay all information carried over the dc 310 to sm 300 via connection 200 . use of ieee 802 . 3 frames for communication allows the transport of internet protocol ( ip ) data that could be used to encapsulate transaction control protocol ( tcp ) messaging . once the sm 300 and dc 310 are using tcp / ip to communicate , a number of standard services can be introduced between the sm 300 and dc 310 such as file transfer , secure sockets , email and many others . since the sm 300 needs the ability to communicate using tcp / ip , it makes sense for the remote connection 400 of the sm 300 outside the store to also use ip . the sm 300 may be on the internet or retailer intranet as a node on a wide area network . by providing the sm 300 with some degree of firewall and routing capability through software , the sm 300 thus places all dc 310 devices on the internet or retailer intranet as well . the fueling positions 110 of each fuel dispenser are therefore under the control of an internet - enabled device such as the 310 . in this mode a world wide web presentation layer such as a hypertext markup language , extensible markup language , or other presentation technology may drive the consumer interface . a browser - based consumer interface would empower the retailer to easily update the look and feel of their dispenser applications to match advertising and home computer based browsing experiences by their consumers . the dispenser design including wide area network 320 , sm 300 and dc 310 enables a retailer to drive significant improvements in the consumer experience . however , many additional benefits from the topology arise as well . the first benefit in this area is that the system is made significantly ‘ smarter ’ by the advanced electronics . it can , for example , monitor volumes of fuel dispensed and pro - actively request deliveries of additional fuel ( retail benefit ) or schedule maintenance ( cost of ownership benefit ). furthermore , the system can channel malfunction information that would not normally be processed by the legacy connectivity interfaces 250 , 260 and 270 into the wide area network for remote maintenance purposes . clearly the system would benefit from standardized communications with various interested parties on the wide area network . to achieve orderly synchronization with each of these parties , the sm 300 device hosts an electronic mail client . this allows the dc 310 devices or the sm 300 itself to send email to the wide area network 320 and receive email for local processing . outgoing email is triggered by any one of many programmable trigger conditions such as a dc 310 which has failed or a printer that is jammed , etc . the outgoing email may be addressed to one or more recipients such as the store manager , the regional manager or the local service bureau . once received , these email messages contain a hyperlink back to the location that generated them . to host this hyperlink , the sm 300 also runs a hypertext transfer protocol ( http ) server which enables remote entities to browse html generated by the sm 300 or dc 310 . this html is dynamically populated to contain status information and diagnostics as well as interactive controls that allow the remote entity to perform operations as needed to correct the condition , acknowledge the service request etc . the remote party would not be required to have any special sm 300 or dc 310 related software modules to perform this maintenance as the standard http and html layers are leveraged over the standard wan connection to achieve a universally accepted interface . any software upgrades such as operating systems , drivers , libraries , fonts , bitmaps , animations , sounds , etc . are sent to the email server on the sm 300 device where they are automatically processed and their contents validated for distribution by the sm 300 to the dc 310 devices . the following sections describe the site manger ( sm ) 300 , the dispenser controller ( dc ) 310 and security over the network . in the preferred embodiment , one of the principal components of the invention is the site manager ( sm ) 300 shown in fig3 . fig3 is a representation of the sm &# 39 ; s 300 software architecture from hardware access to operating system to applications . the software may be divided into three components : the platform 350 , the device manager 360 , and the applications 370 , all explained below . provide physical network connectivity to a variety of possible remote hosts ; accumulate soft updates for dispensers when they are off line , and propagate the updates once dispensers are online ; provide an extensible , programmable platform for custom reporting that may be accessed from the wide area network or printed locally . the components to access the hardware are referred to as the platform 350 . the platform 350 lies between the hardware and the application code of the device manager 360 . in the preferred embodiment , the platform 350 includes win32 354 , rad i / o 355 , windows / ce 351 , drivers 353 , and any customization that may be needed of win / ce 351 . the system manager services 356 provides the following services of the platform 350 to the device manager 360 . the system manager services 356 sits on top of the platform 350 and provides the following functions to the device manager 360 . i ) win32 and windows ce ( 351 , 354 ) in the preferred environment , the operating system is windows ce 351 . windows ce 351 may be licensed from microsoft . microsoft provides windows ce 351 as an adaptable platform for various microprocessors . windows ce 351 provides the standard win32 api for programs running on the sm or dc , allowing these programs to be developed on any win32 platform and cross - compiled for ce . rad i / o 355 is an extension api that allows the platform 350 to reach portions of the hardware that are not accessible through win32 354 functions . these extensions are used where customization of windows ce 351 includes hardware and drivers that are not typically found on a general - purpose platform such as a pc . these extensions may include intercom , video decompression , file transfer , etc . rad i / o 355 may also include a number of functions that extend win32 354 general - purpose features . these extensions serve the purpose of accelerating win32 354 functions . examples include the radio serial library , which provides the interface for serial ports over a lan and the radio video functions which resolve hardware specifics such as resolution and color depth based on application commands . the drivers in the preferred embodiment may include drivers for networking , video , usb , serial and pcmcia . in the preferred embodiment , the hardware abstraction layer ( hal ) 352 may include interrupt service routines , a hardware memory map , boot rom , real time clock and a set of interfaces to windows / ce 351 for requesting hardware services . above hal , programs operate with no knowledge of hardware specifics because hal abstracts hardware features by providing the same interface to many different hardware implementations . in the preferred embodiment , the device manager 360 may be a single executable which hosts any number of snap - in device control modules . the device controller provides a standard base class interface that allows all device control implementations to export uniform diagnostics , status , health , and other information . the device manager 360 allows these device control modules to be replaced and configured ad - hoc to meet a business purpose . in the sm 300 , the device manager 360 encapsulates all the legacy interfaces such as the pay - at - pump communication interface 361 and the fuel communication interface 363 and any additional protocols as required by additional pos channels 364 . the pay - at - pump communication interface 361 includes the emulation software for the pos island card reader emulation device controller 362 . the fuel communication interface may include the emulation for pos fuel emulation device controller 366 . another emulated controller may include the pos debit module emulation device controller 365 . the applications 370 customize the site manager 300 and may be divided into diagnostic control 379 and system manager services 380 . for any given legacy pos system , some combination of these modules will allow the sm 300 to reproduce the expected behavior of the hardware that was installed with the pos prior to the existence of the sm . the sm therefore emulates hardware that once existed and the software modules that provide the sm with the characteristics of each possible hardware device that are the emulators . the system manager server 380 executes on the sm 300 and the system manager client executes on the dc 310 . the system manager server 380 offers a repository of managing applications for the sm 300 and consists of the process manager 374 and the version upgrade manager 375 . the system manager server 380 offers a network - wide diagnostic / interaction tool for all dispensers . it provides real - time status as well as reload and reboot capabilities . the system manager server 380 includes a set of applications called by functions that allow interaction of modules with the system manager 380 . the version upgrade manager 375 validates and accepts software and content upgrades from the system manager server 380 . this component installs and initializes upgrades . in the preferred embodiment , the following are the services provided by the system manager server 380 : the diagnostic control module 379 contains maintenance module 371 , event logging / auditing 372 and host communications 373 . these components maintain centralized list of logged issues for all connected clients . these components also collect old logs from clients that were off - line . the sm may also allow remote access to current dispenser sale and status information , while at the same time providing remote control of the dispenser activation and shutdown . in this embodiment , the sm enables a remote device connected over the wide area network to function as a remote point of sale ( pos ). this feature enables businesses that do not have an overnight operator to provide fuel - dispensing services through the remote pos . the remote pos may handle many retail locations from one central location . the benefits to remote control of the dispensers is lower cost for wages , lower risk for solitary late night employees ( lowered salaries and insurance rates ), and new business for locations that are normally closed after hours . in the preferred embodiment , the world wide web server on the sm groups the dispenser information into a presentation that a remote cashier could operate using a browser pointed at the sm . during unattended hours of operation , the beginning of a fueling transaction ( either through card swipe , dispenser handle lift , etc .) is escalated as a remote event by the sm . this causes the system manager to send an e - mail request to a central location where a remote cashier is then prompted to browse the sm at the site . the browser presentation encapsulates the location , dispenser , mode of payment , recorded digital audio / or digital video images of the customer who wishes to fuel . based on payment approval and captured sales information , the remote cashier could then approve the dispenser to fuel . in locations where it is not acceptable due to ordinances for fueling to occur in an unattended manner , this technology could enable transactions that would not otherwise be possible . in the preferred embodiment , the site manager 300 is a solid - state electronics device that provides the central command , control , security and enables communication to the outside world . in the preferred embodiment , the sm 300 should have an operational temperature range of 0 - 50 ° c . in addition the sm 300 as discussed in the previous section may use win32 354 as its operating system and as shown in fig4 it should have the following features : five host ports 401 . each of these can be selected via software and cabling for any of rs232 , rs116 , rs485 , current loop 30 , and current loop 45 . the internal cpu 404 serial ports may be used or the external uart 403 ports may be used as well . this allows connection to any legacy host device , as the ports will emulate all common fuel controllers and distribution boxes . evaluating a maximum legacy configuration of a 16 dispenser ( 32 sides ) site with card readers and a debit security module arrives at the 5 port total . prior to a retrofit , the system would have 5 outputs from pos fuel controllers to service 2 loops of dispensers , 2 loops of card readers , and 1 security module . to properly emulate to the pos , all these ports should be provided . in most cases 2 - 3 ports would be used . universal serial bus ( usb ) 415 . this allows connection to mass market and future peripherals . also the usb allows extension of the number of serial host ports which may be used through a usb to a serial adapter , allowing even more host ports . one ethernet port 406 that may be used to connect to one modem device or to two or more modem devices ( with an external hub ). examples are networked pcs , satellite network earth stations , etc . one service serial port 402 that may be used to connect to a service technician &# 39 ; s laptop for diagnostics and setup . it is important to note that either the serial or ethernet connections can be used for this type of function . the root of the software layers is ip therefore it should not matter to the core software whether the connection is over the serial or ethernet one lcd display 409 . in the preferred embodiment this may be a 2 × 16 lcd display . this display is may be inside the enclosure ( not normally visible ) but will provide service personnel setup and debug information when a more advanced interface device such as a laptop is not available . two pcmcia slots to be used for flash storage cards 413 , 414 . solid state flash storage pcmcia card 412 to store 30 days of logging and diagnostic information on all dispensers , the “ last known good ” software suite for the dispensers , and “ new upgrade ” software suite for the dispensers , and the software for the sm itself . this storage will be a standard off - the - shelf linear flash card that is field replaceable . modem 408 for wide area communication to be used for the routing of diagnostics , uploads , setup , etc . in the preferred embodiment the modem should be 56k . buzzer 410 for audible feedback . this may be a piezoelectric buzzer . interface to motor control box 407 . this should be a dedicated cable that digitally controls an adjacent motor control box . interface to dispenser boards 416 , 417 . these interfaces will use a 32 bit address and memory bus conforming to the peripheral connection interface ( pci ) signal specifications . the interfaces allow the dispenser boards with varying technology , including 10 or 100 base - t ethernet , home pna , rs485 , or other communication technology . pci bridge 411 is an interface between pci bus 418 and dispenser boards 416 and 417 . the buses may be a 32 - bit general - purpose synchronous bus 419 and a peripheral connection interface ( pci ) bus 418 . the principal constraints to the current invention are related to communications . this is because communication technologies were limited at the time that legacy systems were designed , and the modern expectations for connectivity are far higher than they were in the past . in legacy systems , communications with the outside were typically achieved through one or more proprietary connections such as visa 1 or excellenet . this means the pos system at the site is typically incapable of connecting to an open network or wan , much less allowing the dispensers to do so . however , a modern fueling platform requires extensive communication outside the site for several remote diagnostics and configuration ; media updates and presentation content ; programmable electronics updates and configuration management ; and dispenser - driven electronic payments management . to access the dispensers from a wan , a gateway or portal at the site is needed . in the present invention , this portal is one of the many functions of the sm 300 . as shown in fig5 the sm 300 may be a node on a wan of the implementer &# 39 ; s choice . by including hardware to support dial - up such as modem 550 and a slip driver 540 as well as vsat and any form of ethernet 510 , the sm 300 enables physical connectivity . by including ndis drivers 520 for said connectivity , the platform can offer standard ip traffic , including sockets based communication . in legacy systems , nearly every vendor created a new protocol ( physical and software layers ) to setup barriers for competitors . see table 1 , sm legacy emulation drivers . while they succeeded in making the marketplace difficult to enter , they also made it very difficult to modernize . any changes to forecourt or in - store equipment must implement all possible protocols and hardware interfaces to be successful . the legacy communication problem may be addressed inside the store by including legacy handling in one centralized location or inside the dispenser by replicating the legacy handling circuitry and processing to every dispenser . the solution must include some hardware ( to decode the legacy signals ), it would be advantageous to centralize the decoding and thus avoid replication of the hardware circuitry . this serves as a design simplification and cost reduction that is not trivial in consequences . it reduces the number of failure points in the dispenser hardware , makes the dispenser simpler to install and maintain , and it removes the proprietary protocol from the forecourt , limiting it to a small circuit in the store . the hardware and software components should both be centralized . as shown in fig6 the sm 300 includes physical layers to emulate all legacy dispenser equipment such as legacy pump hardware emulation 650 , legacy card hardware emulation 640 , legacy sm hardware emulation 630 . these interfaces auto - detect the physical connectivity that is in use to simplify operation . the device manager model , described later , for advanced interface control is leveraged at the software level to drive the many different proprietary protocols that are used . all legacy systems suffer from two critical limitations on throughput to the forecourt , that is on throughput to the dispensers : slow data rates ( typically slower than a standard modem in the year 1990 ); and broadcast communications . not only are the communications slow , but a single communication channel is shared between multiple devices . this means that even if standardized wan - like protocols existed at the dispenser level , the time required to perform media and software updates would be prohibitive and error - prone . the sm 300 achieves an average factor of 100 - fold improvement in store - to - forecourt data rate , bringing the communications to an acceptable level for modem uses . in the preferred embodiment , this is remarkably achieved without the addition of a new network medium by two compounding factors : 1 ) the sm 300 ‘ talks ’ to each dispenser independently , and can therefore talk to more than one dispenser at once . this achieves a factor of roughly 10 improvement in communication 2 ) the sm 300 leverages the existing wiring with modern transmission technology . this again results in a factor of 10 improvement in throughput . in the legacy world , the worst - case communication known uses around 5700 bits per second ( baud ) to communicate with up to 16 dispensers and card readers for a net 350 bits per dispenser per second . compare this with the sm 300 implementation that would achieve roughly 36 , 000 bits per second and the performance improvement is a factor of over 100 . the best known case in the forecourt today uses roughly 19200 bits per second to communicate with 16 dispensers , for an average of 1200 bits per dispenser per second . even against the best case , the sm 300 improves communications by a factor of 30 . in the preferred embodiment , a proxy server process runs on the sm 300 . this proxy routes and secures connections from the wide area network to the local area network . the proxy server is programmable to provide port - mapping services and authentication challenges to act as a firewall . as shown in fig7 in conjunction with fig3 in the preferred embodiment the interface of the sm 300 includes legacy connections to the pos such as legacy fuel control 366 , legacy card reader control 362 and legacy debit module control 365 . the sm 300 is also connected to two local modern networking interfaces such as a universal serial bus ( usb ) 703 , pots ( telephone interface ) 703 and an ethernet 704 connection . the sm 300 may be connected via an expansion bus ( pci ) to a customizable wiring hub . this allows adaptation of the invention to changing networking technologies . connections from many dc devices converge on the hub and their signals are conveyed back and forth via the expansion bus to and from the processor and software on the sm 300 . all the connections shown , 366 , 362 , 365 , 703 , 704 , 705 and 702 are different physically but the preferred embodiment accommodates all these interfaces through the use of various connectors . the various differences in the electrical characteristics are handled by providing common legacy emulation that are built - in and automatically detected while providing other interfaces that are more modem and standard such as pots 703 , ethernet 704 , and usb 703 . the sm 300 allows for integration of all of these different communication interfaces at the application layer by delivering input and output services to the application layer , regardless of the data source , through standard api &# 39 ; s that allow application programmers to process external signals in the same way regardless of their source . fig8 represents the dispenser controller &# 39 ; s 310 software architecture . similar to the architecture of the sm 300 described in fig3 the dc 310 also contains a platform 810 , a device manager 820 and applications 830 . the services provided by the dc 310 are as follows : respond to pos control commands from the sm 300 . provide dispenser and card reader event and state information to sm 300 . the components of the platform 810 are the same as described for the platform 350 of the sm 300 . the device manager 820 implementation in the dc 310 hosts the various peripherals such as touch pin 825 , cash acceptor 822 , fuel control module 823 , printer 824 , and magnetic stripe reader ( msr ) 821 . some are traditionally dumb , such as a printer . in this case , the device controller for the specified printer must provide legacy emulation signals ( such as a paper low or jammed condition ) back to the pos . in other cases , where the peripheral is much smarter ( as in the case of the fuel control module 823 ) the device controller is merely able to reflect the state of the device . the goal is to provide a uniform interface to all peripherals where these can be easily configured and interchanged based on business or device implementation migration . the applications 830 of the dc 310 include dispenser control applications 850 , diagnostic control 841 and system manager client 840 . the applications in the dispenser control applications , the pay - at - pump communication interface 839 , fuel communication interface 838 and user interface manager 833 are responsible for linking the activity and events indicated by the peripherals with the pos system . they are also responsible for carrying out the commands of the pos system against the peripherals . the user interface control application mediates control of the user interface between required fields ( money , volume , price per unit ) and the appropriate dispenser presentation . the user interface control application receives user input and translates it into functions ( i . e . grade select ) for the dispenser and pos . from a legacy pos perspective , the user interface control application is a driver of the desired state . if the pos commands that a user pin must be input , then the display at the dispenser will reflect that state . if the pos indicates that the dispenser should be fueling , then the user interface application can perform extended presentation of content as configured , independent of the pos . however , when pos states or dispenser states dictate a change , the user interface control application must respond and coordinate with the consumer as there cannot be two ‘ masters ’ of the transaction . the diagnostic control 841 applications including maintenance mode 834 and event logging / auditing are a set of interactive diagnostic tests which may be executed on the dc and may be accessed via a web browser . access can be a local direct network connection or remote via a dial - up or dedicated internet connection . the diagnostic tests include complete functional tests of the user interface peripherals such as printers , card readers , touch screens and displays , and functional tests of fuel control . results of the diagnostic tests may be returned immediately via the browser interface and are logged through the event logging / auditing 835 system . the event logging / auditing 835 is an event logging subsystem which all of the modules on the dc use to log error conditions and system and transaction audit data . the event logging subsystem includes multiple levels of error conditions or events which can be logged . the level of logging may be adjustable at run - time via a web browser interface which allows for varying degrees of error and audit data to be collected . error conditions and audit data is evaluated locally for immediate actions and may be forwarded to the sm 300 for storage and further evaluation . the system manager client 840 contains the process manager 836 and the version / upgrade manager 837 . the process manager 836 may be the only application layer component that is loaded by the operating system on startup . it is the process manager 837 role to read a configuration file and determine what suite of other applications may be loaded . the process manager 836 hierarchically starts modules such that dependencies are always met . furthermore , the process manager 836 monitors each process that it starts and performs re - starts when a software crash is detected . any software crash results in a system log entry regarding the problem which may result in a message being forwarded to technical support . the system manager client 840 also contains the version / upgrade manager 837 . this manager is invoked by the operating system prior to loading any application software . it is the version / upgrade manager &# 39 ; s 837 role to determine if new software modules exist that should be loaded on the system such as when an upgrade of application modules has taken place or when a new dc operating system has been made available . this manager is not only responsible for upgrades , but for validation of the current version and possibly downgrades if needed . this could occur , if , for example , a hardware module was replaced which had stored code loaded , and the replacement module arrived at a location that had an older version of application code . regardless , this manager &# 39 ; s role is to insure that all downstream software components are exactly what they are supposed to be . the dc 310 provides the core cpu functionality . it is responsible for fuel delivery , communications to the store , and controlling all user interface peripherals . it communicates back to the sm 300 through a serial communication medium designed for communication integrity in harsh environments yet still satisfying ul requirements for operation in class i , division i environments as defined in the national electric code . the dc 310 controls the various pump peripherals via its usb host ports . in the preferred embodiment to expedite a power up sequence from loss of power , all dram should be battery - backed . this feature preserves run - time information during short power outages and minimizes startup times after such events . the controller should have an operational temperature range of − 40 to 85 ° c . in the preferred embodiment , the dc 310 should be a 32 bit system that uses windows ce as its operating system and as shown in fig9 should have the following components : on a board flash storage 920 configurable at the time of installations in multiples of 8 mega bytes and as desired by the retailer . at least one ethernet port 906 . this can be used to connect to ethernet 10baset wiring in the event it is available . one home pna port 906 . this can be used to connect to a pair of copper wires to support legacy wiring . usb 1 . 1 host controller , 2 ports , ohci compliant 915 . dual lcd controllers 901 , 902 each supporting either 320 × 240 4bpp monochrome , or 640 × 480 8bpp color . the lcd controllers may each have a private video ram 903 , 907 . irda ( digital modulated data ) 922 : infrared serial port for contact - less communication of diagnostic hardware with the dc . asynchronous serial port for diagnostics which may be used as a terminal interface for manufacturing quality assurance testing as well as software debugging 919 . buses may be a 32 - bit general - purpose synchronous bus and a pci bus 916 , 917 . watchdog on the cpu 904 to reset board after software failure . this is a separate parallel circuit that provides a reset capability on the main circuit of the dc hardware in case of fault detection . temperature sensor for sensing and monitoring the temperature of the operating environment of the dc for diagnostic purposes . disk - on - chip storage 920 , in the preferred embodiment , may be either 8m or 16m rom 921 , may be a 64k to 512k boot rom . in the preferred embodiment , security is incorporated on the touch screen at the pump , in the sm 300 and the point - of - sale ( pos ). the major components for a secure implementation of the preferred embodiment includes : a secure touch screen component such as an input device . this can be a physically secure touch - screen controller one per dispenser , capable of generating real - time calibrated cleartext touch information for general pump application use , or passing pin data encrypted with a unique per - transaction key back for credit or debit network use . alternatively , a more traditional dukpt encrypting pin pad may be used . a dispenser controller ( dc ) 310 per one or two dispensers , capable of executing applications that have been signed with a digital signature . a physically secure site management module per site that receives account numbers , transaction data and encrypted pin data and processes this for the appropriate encryption for various debit networks . choice of legacy pos support with the sm 300 functioning as a peripheral , or with sm 300 capable of direct network communication alongside a pos . application certification is a procedure for securely injecting encryption key information into appropriate units and for certifying applications . the secure touch - screen controller ( stc ) in a pump generates touch input for applications running on the dc 310 , as well as secures pin data for debit network use . the stc therefore must have more intelligence to handle features beyond normal touch controllers such as calibration , encryption , key derivation , and pin processing . the stc has three modes of operation : calibration , normal , and pin entry . calibration mode is entered upon command from the dc 310 to calibrate the touch screen . in calibration mode the user is to touch the screen at predetermined points and the touch information from these values will be used to scale touches to x , y coordinates used in the other modes of operation . in normal operating mode , the stc receives touch data from the touch glass and converts these into x , y coordinates . the coordinates are then passed to the dc for application usage . pin entry mode is entered upon command from the dc . the dc supplies the following data with the command : x , y , and pixel width and height of screen areas corresponding to buttons drawn on the screen for each of the digits ‘ 0 ’ through ‘ 9 ’ account number for the account , obtained via a magnetic - stripe reader or from non - pin mode data entry . this personal account number ( pan ) becomes part of the pin encryption process . once in pin entry mode , the stc ignores all touches not in one of the areas defining a button . touches to the defined areas are handled as follows : a touch to an area defined for ‘ 0 ’ through ‘ 9 ’ results in the digit being stored temporarily in the stc . the stc sends a signal ‘ digit pressed ’ to the dc to allow the dc to provide feedback such as an audio beep and an asterisk drawn on the screen . the signal does not disclose which digit was pressed ; the dc never knows this information . upon a touch to the ‘ cancel ’ area , the stc erases all digits in the partial pin , the account number received from the dc , and signals the dc ‘ cancel pressed ’ so the dc can display an appropriate message and return to normal processing . the stc returns to its normal mode of operation following an cancel and a corresponding acknowledgement from the dc application . waiting for this acknowledgement from the dc helps counter the possibility of a user trying to press pin entry buttons when the stc is in clear touch mode before the dc has removed the pin entry pad from the display . if the timeout wait is reached without a touch , the behavior is identical to if ‘ cancel ’ is touched . a touch to the area defined for ‘ clear ’ results in all digits in the partial pin and account number in the stc being erased and exiting pin entry mode similar to on ‘ cancel ’. the stc sends an acknowledged signal ‘ clear pressed ’ to the dc to allow the dc to clear the entry area on the screen . this allows the application on the dc to abort pin entry and display an error if too many failed attempts have occurred , or to draw a clear pin entry pad and reenter pin entry mode . if the ‘ enter ’ area is pressed , the stc checks the current pin length for compliance with ans - x9 . 8 - 1995 . if the pin is less than 4 or more than 12 digits it is invalid , partial pin and account information is erased and the stc exits pin entry mode similar to ‘ abort ’ pressed . the stc sends an acknowledged ‘ invalid pin ’ signal sent to the dc . the application on the dc can then abort pin entry and display an error if too many failed attempts have occurred , or to draw a clear pin entry pad and reenter pin entry mode . if the ‘ enter ’ area is pressed and current pin is a valid length , the stc encrypts the pin and pan ( personal account number ) using des with the next derived unique key per transaction ( dukpt ). this is formatted in an iso - 0 format block and sent with the current transaction number and the serial number for this stc to the pcb to be forwarded to the site sm . the stc then , in compliance with ans - x9 . 24 - 1992 , does the necessary erasure of pin , pan , key information and performs any necessary key - derivation . once this is achieved and the dc acknowledges the encrypted packet has been received and the pin entry pad removed from the display , the stc exits pin entry mode and returns to normal operation . because the secure touch - screen controller is involved in receiving and encrypting pin data it meets ansi , iso , and debit network requirements to be a tamper - resistant security module ( trsm ). to achieve physical security removal of chips storing keys from the stc board results in the erasure of future per - transaction des keys . in addition , the electronics in the stc are further encapsulated with epoxy to prevent physical intrusion into the system without destruction of the device . two variants of this bonding may be possible depending on the touch technology used . if resistive touch technology is used , the stc 1011 will be bonded directly to the touch glass 1012 used . this is to counter attempts to ‘ sniff ’ touch data by intercepting the touch glass signals . such a configuration is shown in fig1 . if non - resistive touch technology such as acoustic wave or near - field is used , then bonding the electronics to the glass would interfere with the touch signal . also , attempts to intercept the signals in the analog wires to the touch glass will corrupt the signals for these touch technologies , making them inherently more resistant to ‘ sniffing ’. due to both these factors , non - resistive touch technologies will have the cable end bonded 1110 and 1112 in the stc to prevent unauthorized replacement of the touch glass , but not directly bonded to the glass . fig1 demonstrates such a configuration . in this configuration , a confirmation light can be used to designate that the stc is in pin mode . this can counter potential ‘ trojan horse ’ attacks where an application could attempt to draw a fake pin entry screen and get unencrypted touches . the confirmation light may be directly wired and encapsulated with the stc so it cannot be spoofed by rogue dc applications . in addition , this light would let the user know whether it is in pin entry mode . further security may be offered by compliance with ans - x9 . 8 and x9 . 24 standards for using des with ‘ derived unique key per - transaction ’ ( dukpt ) for the pin encryption . this involves that each stc have a unique serial number . in addition , each has a transaction counter that counts transactions that involve pin entry on that controller , and a set of dukpt keys . after manufacture and during initialization , the serial number is set , the counter initialized to 0 , and an initial key is injected . since different keys may be used for each transaction , compromise of one transaction key does not allow an attacker to decrypt future encrypted pin information . account number and per - transaction key may be combined with the pin information during encryption to ensure that a given key encrypts the same pin for different account numbers to different ciphertext . in addition , combining the 64 - bit key with the value means the key space which must be searched for a brute - force attack on des is increased from 2 × 56 to 2 × 64 . these increases the resistance to brute - force attack by a factor of 256 over normal des operation . upon sending encrypted pin information , the pin and account information as well as the per - transaction key used for the encryption are erased so the stc never stores a key once it has been used to encrypt any pin information . no credit or debit network specific base or derived keys are ever stored on any stc . the dispenser controller 310 is a versatile platform for controlling and monitoring pump activity and for displaying screen information and reacting to customer input . the role of the dc 310 in credit / debit network interaction involves applications executing on the dc 310 obtaining account number information from a magnetic stripe reader and routing this information as necessary to the stc or traditional pin pad , and to the sm 300 . the dc applications are also responsible for drawing screens and prompts for pin entry and passing encrypted pin information to the sm 300 . since it is a versatile platform for applications , the dc 310 is not physically bonded or as limited in scope of operations as the sm 300 . the dc 310 does not directly participate in any encryption or decryption of pin information . it also never stores any debit network master , session , base derivation , or per - transaction keys . although not involved in pin encryption and decryption , the dc 310 implements security measures to ensure the applications that execute upon it are authentic . proposed applications are checked for ‘ trojan horse ’ operations ; applications intended to receive encrypted pin input using a stc will also be verified that their user interface complies with the ans - x3 . 118 - 1984 standard for pin pad layout ; applications which can obtain credit or debit information for networks which require numeric keypad entry but do not use encrypted pins must display a different key layout if using a stc , and must not use the term ‘ pin ’ regardless of whether using a stc or traditional pin pad ; applications which communicate with the stc for pin data must not acknowledge a ‘ cancel ’, ‘ clear ’, or valid or invalid ‘ enter ’ press until they have redrawn the screen to remove the pin pad entry area from the display . this counters the possibility of users pressing screen button areas after pin entry is complete . these criteria meets various debit network requirements . if the previous requirements are met , a digital signature is stamped on the approved application . applications approved by a company are marked with a signature based on the application file and a private key . the operating system on the dc checks executable and library files transferred to it for a valid signature using a public key . those without a valid signature will be rejected and not stored or executed on the dc . since the dc does allow operating system updates , the entire system is protected from rogue operating system updates by a digital signature checking mechanism on operating system images . operating system authenticity is checked by the dc &# 39 ; s boot rom and an operating system will not be allowed to boot if it is not verified authentic . the boot rom code itself is certified when written and after installation on a dc . during manufacture the boot rom should not change . the sm serves as the entity in charge of encrypting and formatting pin and account information for final dispatch to credit or debit networks . it receives communication from dispenser control boards with attached secure touch controllers concerning account and encrypted pin information . the sm can then operate in one of two modes : ( 1 ) as a peripheral device for a legacy pos ; or ( 2 ) directly connected to the credit and debit networks standalone or alongside future pos devices . since the sm handles sensitive data decryption and encryption as well as higher level communication with dcs and pos , it has both a general use component and a physically secure component . the general use component of the sm handles the intelligence of network communication with the dcs , pos , and optionally credit and debit network connections . this portion is responsible for routing the information where necessary , but does not do any encryption or decryption of data . the physically secure portion of the sm contains all sensitive operations of the sm . the secure component offers physical security in compliance with the ansi , iso , and network requirements similar to those of the stc . for example , des keys are protected against physical attempts to probe for data . physical removal of the chips results in the erasure of all keys contained within . all chips involved in the key storage , encryption , decryption , and key derivation are physically encapsulated with epoxy to further protect against physical intrusion attempts . no unencrypted key used by the sm ever exists outside of this portion . transaction counters for various networks also reside in this component . pin data encrypted with local dukpt key from a stc or pin pad is translated for the appropriate network encryption within the secure portion of the sm . this process allows secure pin entry at the touch - screen but with easier extensibility and security than each touch screen directly having the encryption logic for every debit network used . this allows a more cost effective stc and means that only the sm needs to be injected with new key information if a new network is added . since all the decryption and encryption is handled in the secure portion of the sm , unencrypted pin or key data is never passed outside the trsm portion of the sm . further security is offered by compliance with ans - x9 . 8 and x9 . 24 standards for using des with either ‘ master / session key ’ or dukpt for the pin encryption . since the sm handles more key information its logical security is even greater than that in the stcs . this involves all communication between the dcs and sm , including the local dukpt encrypted pin information which is transported using a secure socket scheme such as ssl . this secure socket layer serves to further obscure the traffic and protect against sniffing any information between the dc and sm . due to different session or derived keys being used for each transaction to a credit or debit network , compromise of one transaction key does not allow an attacker to decrypt future encrypted pin information . the sm secure portion holds a base derivation key ( bdk ) to derive all per - transaction keys for all stcs or pin pads based on the device &# 39 ; s serial number and transaction number . this key is a double - length des key for increased cryptographic security , as per ans - x9 . 24 - 1992 . the sm uses master / session or dukpt keys for specific debit networks as well . these keys may be single or double - length , depending on the demands of the particular credit or debit network . all such keys only exist in the physically secure portion of the sm . after encrypting for a debit network , all clear text and local dukpt encrypted pin information for the transaction are erased from the sm . after completion of a transaction with a debit network using dukpt , the derived per - transaction key used for that transaction is erased so that no key used for a transaction continues to reside in the sm . locally dukpt encrypted pin data can either be translated immediately in the physically secure portion of the sm for direct communication to the network , or handled indirectly with an interface to a legacy pos . in legacy pos mode , the local dukpt encrypted pin data from the pump controller is stored in the sm and assigned an identifying transaction number . this transaction number is sent to the legacy pos as the ‘ pin data ’ from the pin pad . when the pos then sends this number to the sm for encryption for the debit network , the encrypted pin information is retrieved in the sm by transaction number and passed to the secure portion for translation for the desired network . by only passing the legacy pos a transaction number rather than real encrypted pin data , this achieves greater security than other systems interfacing with legacy pos devices since the pos never even obtained local dukpt encrypted pin information . the encrypted pin information will time - out if the pos does not request it by a number for a set duration to prevent this information from residing in the sm for a long period of time . this interface to the pos also is transparent , as the legacy pos cannot distinguish our behavior from that of legacy sms . firmware code that resides and executes in the physically secure portion of the sm must be validated as previously explained . each sm has a unique serial number set upon initialization . the bdk is injected at an injection facility . the bdk is managed as two full - length components using the principles of split - knowledge and dual - control . the two components are combined internal to the trsm to form the bdk . since the bdk is managed as components , remote injection of the bdk itself is not possible . also , during initialization of the sm the injection counter is initialized to zero and the device has future double - length per - injection keys derived for it based on a double - length injection base key . the sm does not store the injection base key itself . this injection base key is different and independent from the bdk used for deriving stc or pin pad dukpt keys . this injection key configuration allows for future initialization of new credit or debit network counters and keys without the need to physically move an sm to a network key injection facility . during initialization the sm can have debit network counters and future per - transaction keys or master keys initialized in compliance with ans - x9 . 24 . injection of new network counters and keys then occurs by the base radiant / tokheim key injection facility sending per - injection key encrypted versions of the debit network initialization or master key and other necessary network information to the sm . upon receipt , the sm decrypts this information with its per - injection key , and either initializes the new network &# 39 ; s transaction counter to zero and derives future per - transaction keys for that network for dukpt , or stores the master key and other information for master / session key . it then erases the per - injection key used to decrypt the injection information and increments its per - injection counter . further details of the remote injection methods are planned in accordance with the u . s . pat . no . 5 , 745 , 576 “ method and apparatus for initialization of cryptographic terminal ”. two topologies are possible with the sm connection to pos devices : legacy pos mode and direct credit / debit connection mode . in legacy mode , the sm is used as a peripheral to the pos . legacy pos expect pin data to be received from a pin input device , and then send the information to a security module for encryption and formatting for a desired credit or debit network . since the sm has the intelligence and connectivity to receive the stc encrypted information , it does so and passes the pos an identifying tag as described in the ‘ site management module ’ section . when the pos passes this tag to the sm for processing , the sm retrieves the local dukpt encrypted pin information and processes it for the desired network . this scheme allows the sm to transparently integrate with existing pos devices and offer a greater degree of security by never sending local dukpt encrypted pin information to the pos . a diagram of this topology and a description of data flow with in it are present in fig1 . as shown in fig1 the pos 1310 is connected to the site manager 1312 through channels for fuel 1320 , card reader 1322 and security 1323 . the site manager 1312 is connected to dispenser controllers 1314 , 1316 , and 1318 . dispenser controller 1314 controls pump 1 . dispenser controller 1316 controls pump 2 , and pump n is controlled by dispenser controller 1318 . when dispenser controller 1316 detects a card swipe on pump 2 , it notifies the sm 1312 that a card swipe has been received . the pos 1310 polls pumps on the card reader channel 1322 via the sm 1312 . when it polls pump 2 , the sm 1312 notifies it through card reader channel with card information . the pos 1310 commands the pump through the sm 1312 on the card reader channel 1322 to get the pin . the sm 1312 forwards this to dispenser controller 1316 , which displays pin entry screen and sets secure touch controller in pin entry mode . the user enters pin information on the secure touch - screen controller connected to the pump . pin and pan information is local dukpt encrypted and sent through the dispenser controller 1316 to the sm 1312 . the sm 1312 stores the local encrypted information and passes a number referencing it to the pos 1310 over the card reader channel 1322 . the pos 1310 sends the pan , reference number to the encrypted information , dispenser number , and session or per - transaction key to the sm 1312 over the security channel 1323 . the sm 1312 passes this information and local encrypted information to the trsm component , which translates the information for the debit network . the trsm component is a small hardware device that may reside in the sm but which is not part of the sm . the reason for this is the requirement in the debit certification process that certain hardware elements need to be made tamper - resistant under stringent rules . in the direct credit / debit mode , the sm possesses the connectivity and intelligence to interface not only with the dcs to receive local dukpt encrypted pin information , but also directly connect with credit and debit networks . in this mode credit and debit transactions initiated at the pumps do not require the intervention of the in - store pos . account , transaction , and stc encrypted pin data are sent from the dc to the sm which can directly process and communicate them to the desired network . in this scenario , a pos can support a mode of sending their transaction data to the sm for the credit and debit network communication . fig1 shows a schematic layout of the components of the secure pin entry system . this figure shows pump 1 1210 and pump 2 1220 each having two secure touch - screen controllers 1212 , 1211 , 1222 , 1221 . each pump also has a dispenser controller 1213 or 1223 . the pumps 1210 and 1220 are connected through the dispenser controllers 1213 and 1223 to the site manager 1230 . the site manager 1230 is connected to the point - of - sale 1232 which is in turn connected to a credit card host 1234 such as one for visa and an authorization host 1236 . the interconnection of these devices with the cryptographic keys and cryptographic protocols is also shown . each secure touch - screen controller 1212 , 1211 , 1222 , and 1221 contains the next transaction number to a credit card such as visa represented as t # x and a derived key for the next transaction represented as kdrx . the site manager 1230 contains the next transaction number to an authorization host 1236 represented by t # v , a base key represented by kr , a derived key for the next transaction to a credit card represented by kdv , a next transaction number to an authorization host 1236 represented by t # a , a derived key for the next transaction to the authorization host 1236 represented by kda . specific algorithms for use in the digital signature process may be dsa or an rsa variant . all firmware and software source code for use on stc , dc , or sm should be under source - control to allow accountability and an audit trail on source code . all firmware code to be stored in rom should be reviewed and validated by at least two developers other than those who author it to verify correctness of the digital signature checking code where applicable and that the code is free of ‘ backdoors ’. this should include : all code which executes on the secure touch controller ( stc ); all code which executes in the physically secure portion of the site management module ( sm ); boot rom code for the dispenser control board ( dc ); boot rom code for the sm . after validation , rom firmware is signed with a digital signature based on the firmware image and on a dual - controlled private key . this key should not be related to any base key used for deriving transaction encryption keys , key injection , or per - transaction keys . once validated and signed , the firmware may be loaded upon devices at manufacture . part of the testing procedure of the stc , dc , and sm is then to verify that any rom firmware code itself matches the approved stamped version . after manufacture the firmware rom should not change . operating system software updates to a dc should have their code sections related to communication with the stc and concerning digital signatures on applications reviewed by at least two developers outside of the development of those sections . this validates that the operations are correct and free from ‘ backdoor ’ functions . upon passing this validation , operating system firmware images are stamped with a digital signature . once validated and signed , the operating system software may be loaded onto a dc whose boot rom will validate the authenticity via a public key . applications intended for execution on the dc should have their code reviewed by at least two developers not involved in the development to verify the code is free from trojan horse behavior . once an application is validated , it is signed with a digital signature based on the application image and a dual - controlled private key . an application with such a signature may be loaded onto a dc that verifies the authenticity with a public key . the distribution management system ( dms ) for a network of dispensers allows supporting , deploying , and maintaining systems remotely . dms is the tool to manage the administrative and logistical functions performed at a dms host server 1420 that are necessary to support remote functions . referring to fig1 , a dms enabled site 1410 contains a sm 1401 and several dcs 1402 , 1403 , 1404 , and 1405 , which are connected to several dispensers . the dms enabled site 1410 is connected via an internet , extranet of vpn connection 1406 to a dms host server 1420 . message routing 1427 : receiving messages from site managers ( sm ) 1401 and routing the messages to the proper service authorities based on a set of rules maintained by a dms administrator ; subscription management 1423 : maintaining a list of “ subscriptions ” that define what packages 1428 are to be made available to subscribers and the list of site managers that “ subscribe ” to each subscription . packages may be sent using the file transfer protocol ( ftp ) 1425 , or the hyper text transfer protocol ( http ) 1424 , or secure http ; and package depot management 1426 : monitoring the process of creating , validating and promoting packages 1428 , managing the file system for storing packages 1428 , and retiring packages 1428 when obsolete . message routing 1427 is the process of communicating operational and business information to off - site systems . this information may include error reporting from a sm 1401 , alerts for routine maintenance , or metrics on the use of particular features offered by a sm 1401 or a dc 1402 , 1403 , 1404 , and 1405 or any other device connected via tcp / ip to the store - level network such as a modem pos . in the preferred embodiment , a smtp email client operating on the sm 1401 may enable message routing 1427 . the smtp client would accept notification from devices at the site and create a structured email describing the message to be communicated . the email is addressed to a host and sent via the site &# 39 ; s network connection . on the receiving end at the dms host server 1420 , the server must interpret the email and forward the message to the appropriate entity to respond . this requires a set of routing rules that will govern what message types from what dms sites are distributed to which entities . the entity receiving the message may be required to take some action , such as performing a support or maintenance procedure to the dms site . the following offer some examples : a dc 1402 reports a critical error that renders a dispenser non - operational . the dc 1402 forwards the error to the sm 1401 , which recognizes the error as critical and creates an smtp - based email address to the dms host 1420 , reporting the error and the device that generated it . ( note : the sm may also notify on - site personnel of the error ). the dms host 1420 receives the message , interprets it as a support issue , and forwards the email to the support email address . the support organization receives the email , and accesses the site remotely to correct the problem . a dc 1402 reports a warning that a single hose has exceeded 10 , 000 gallons since its last leak inspection . through the same process , the sm 1401 sends a low - priority service request via email . the message is received by the dms host 1420 which routes it to the field services email address . the field services organization receives the message and dispatches a service technician to the site . a dc 1402 is running a consumer activated application to offer coupons to consumers . the application has been configured such that each time a customer chooses to use a coupon , a notification should be sent to the marketing group . through the same process , an email is received by the dms host 1420 which routes the message to the marketing email address . a sm 1401 receives a new software upgrade to be installed and run on the devices at the site . once all software is installed and operational , the sm sends an acknowledgement to the dms host 1420 indicating that the software upgrade was successful . the dms host 1420 receives this message and routes it to the dms host administrator to pass along the confirmation . in these examples , the dms host &# 39 ; s 1420 responsibility is solely that of message routing 1427 . to make this possible , however , the dms host 1420 must be able to a ) interpret messages , b ) determine the audience for the message , and c ) maintain the list of rules and other data to enable a & amp ; b above . in the preferred embodiment the mechanism for sending messages from an dms site 1410 will be an email client which may implement smtp , pop 3 , or imap protocols for message sending and retrieval . this is an acceptable , standardized protocol for email . the dms site 1410 will require an internet or intranet ( tcp / ip ) connection and may send smtp , pop 3 or imap based emails to the designated dms host 1420 address . in the preferred embodiment , the message routing 1427 should allow users to define simple rules for routing messages . new email accounts may be created for the dms host 1420 administrator and all service authorities and service agents . the dms host administrator may create and maintain the set of routing rules . a product available that aids in creating the message routing 1427 is microsoft exchange server by microsoft . regarding message content , a standard structure must be defined that is extendible enough to allow new message types to be added as the system matures . further , because different message types must communicate significantly different data , the structure must be flexible enough that messages are concise yet meaningful . there should be a standard set of attributes for each message that all message types will require , but there should also be subsets of attributes that are unique to a particular message type . in the preferred embodiment name ˜ value pairs are used . simply stated , this technique employs a structure consisting of two attributes : the first is the name of the property being defined ; the second is the value of the property . in messages , name ˜ value pairs can be written in the body of the message by the sm 1401 component creating the message . when received by the dms host 1420 , the message body can be parsed , and based on the keywords used for the name attribute , the parser can set values for properties using the value associated with the name tag . the following depicts a typical use of name ˜ value pairs : through this technique , a library of name ˜ value pairs can be negotiated and agreed upon between components to facilitate communicating different data content as needed . if this library of name ˜ value pairs were stored in a database table , the list could be easily extended and parser logic could be table driven . in the preferred embodiment the subscription management component of dms provides the ability to manage a list of dms sites in a manner suited to control distribution of packages of soft goods . packages may include software upgrades , business or configuration data , or presentation or multimedia content . each of these subtypes of soft goods may be applicable to different subsets of dms sites 1410 administered by the dms host 1420 . a subscription is a model for managing which dms sites 1410 are to receive what soft goods . in the preferred embodiment , dms sites 1410 are allowed to “ subscribe ” to more than one subscription . in fact , it is entirely likely that sites will need to subscribe to receive more than one set of package types . since a site may receive different subscriptions , there is a need for multiple subscription capabilities . management of these subscriptions will be administered through an application on the dms host 1420 . this application allows the dms host administrator to create and maintain site data , subscription data , and the relationship between sites subscribing to subscriptions . subscription management may consist of a method for managing sites , subscriptions and subscriber lists . these methods may be implemented as objects and may be stored in a relational database on the dms host 1420 server . the user interface may be implemented via active server pages . the package depot management 1426 provides the ability to manage a set of packages of soft goods . packages may include software upgrades , business or configuration data , or presentation or multimedia content . each of these subtypes of soft goods may be applicable to different subsets of dms sites 1410 administered by the dms host 1420 . the package delivery capabilities are the primary driver of the dms framework . the ability to deliver soft goods directly to a site in an automated fashion can drastically reduce the cost of supporting dms sites 1410 , and facilitates the operational aspects of keeping the content presented at these sites fresh . the core of package depot management is not unlike a special - purpose inventory application . the dms host administrator &# 39 ; s primary concern is managing the collection of packages that are to be distributed to dms sites . this ties in directly with the subscription management . to enable the efficient and accurate distribution of packages , a structured approach to managing each package &# 39 ; s state and location is fundamental . the data describing the package location must be tied directly to the file system on the server where the physical package resides . the distribution agent is the component that manages getting the physical package from host to site . the file storage system should support effective and efficient storage of the physical packages . the storage must be secure , accessible , and easily referenced by the application tracking package locations . this could be managed by keeping physical packages as objects in a relational database , but that may limit the manner in which packages may be physically distributed . another option is to use a standard ntfs - based file system to enable easy operating system access , and locations in the file system could be described via the common server + path + filename method . this approach would allow multiple options for distribution agents to access packages to be physically distributed . the distribution agent is the actual mechanism that carries a package from the host to the site . there are two methods of distributing packages . the sm 1401 may use queuing technology . the dms host 1420 queues messages to the dms enabled site 1410 which either will indicate that a new package is available and its location or have the new package . the dms enabled site 1410 dequeues messages from the dms server . the message may contain the package or the message contains information as to where the package is located . if the message does not contain the package then the dms enabled site 1410 may use http to retrieve the package . after retrieving and / or processing the package , the dms enabled site 1410 queues a message back to the dms host server 1420 indicating package processing status . this communication between the dms host server 1420 and the dms enabled site 1410 may be implemented via internet e - mail such as smpt , pop 3 or imap , but it may also be implemented with other queuing implementations such as microsoft msmq or ibm &# 39 ; s mq . packages will proceed through a lifecycle from birth to death , and only at precise points in the package &# 39 ; s life will the package be in a state that is ready for distribution . these states may be as follows : creation : regardless of origin , a package must be created out of individual parts . these individual parts are likely originating from an organization focused on creation , and not specifically focused on the “ packaging ” of the soft goods . once created , the individual parts are forwarded to a producer to assemble the package . produced : once the individual parts are submitted , a producer combines these into a package , adding the value by preparing the individual parts to be received by the site . this may include creation of installation scripts as needed based on package type . validator : once a package has been produced , it must be validated to ensure that it is of acceptable quality , of acceptable integrity ( i . e . it is does not contain “ harmful ” content to the receiver ), and it comes from an authorized source . the actual validation will be a two step process : ( 1 ) the valuator must follow a process to determine if the package is worthy of validation ; and ( 2 ) upon successful passing of the validation process , the valuator may apply a electronic “ certification ” that indicates the package was validated ( such as those offered by version or other digital certifications ). published : once a package has been validated by an authorized valuator , the dms host administrator will be responsible for promoting the package for distribution . this involves setting the status of the package to published and placing the physical package in a location accessible to the distribution agent . retired : once a package is obsolete , such that no dms sites still require the package , the package may be retired . this requires the dms host administrator to remove the package from its location , archive it , and change the status of the package to retired . the above - described embodiments are given as illustrative examples only . it will be readily appreciated that many deviations may be made from the specific embodiments disclosed in this specification without departing from the scope of the invention . accordingly , the scope of the invention is to be determined by the claims below rather than being limited to the specifically described embodiments above . | 1 |
fig1 shows a schematic elevational view of a drilling system 100 for drilling subsea or under water wellbores 90 . the drilling system 100 includes a drilling platform , which may be a drill ship 101 or another suitable surface work station such as a floating platform or a semi - submersible . various types of work stations are used in the industry for drilling or performing other wellbore operations in subsea wells . a drilling ship or a floating rig is usually preferred for drilling deep water wellbores , such as wellbores drilled under several thousand feet of water . to drill a wellbore 90 under water , wellhead equipment 125 is deployed above the wellbore 90 at the sea bed or bottom 121 . the wellhead equipment 125 includes a blow - out - preventer stack 126 . a lubricator ( not shown ) with its associated flow control valves may be provided over the blow - out - preventer 126 . the flow control valves associated with the lubricator control the discharge of the returning drilling fluid from the lubricator . the subsea wellbore 90 is drilled by a drill bit carried by a drill string , which includes a drilling assembly or a bottom hole assembly (“ bha ”) 130 at the bottom of a suitable tubing , such as continuous tubing 142 . it is contemplated that jointed tubing may also be used in the invention . the continuous tubing 142 is spooled on a reel 180 , placed at the vessel 101 . to drill the wellbore 90 , the bha 130 is conveyed from the vessel 101 to the wellhead equipment 125 and then inserted into the wellbore 90 . the tubing 142 is moved from the reel 180 to the wellhead equipment 125 and then moved into and out of the wellbore 90 by a suitable tubing injection system . fig1 shows one embodiment of a tubing injection system comprising a first or supply injector 182 for feeding a span or loop 144 of tubing to the second or main tubing injector 190 . a third or subsea injector ( not shown ) may be used at the wellhead to facilitate injection of the tubing 142 in the wellbore 90 . installation procedures to move the bottom hole assembly 130 into the wellbore 90 is described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 738 , 173 , commonly assigned with this application . the primary purpose of the injector 182 is to move the tubing 142 to the injector 190 and to provide desired tension to the tubing 142 . if a subsea injector is used , then the primary purpose of the surface injector 190 is to move the tubing 142 between the reel 180 and the subsea injector . if no subsea injector is used , then the injector 190 is used to serve the purpose of the subsea injector . for the purpose of this invention any suitable tubing injection system may be utilized . to drill the wellbore 90 , a drilling fluid 20 from a surface mud system 22 ( see fig2 , for details ) is pumped under pressure down the tubing 142 . the fluid 20 operates a mud motor in the bha 130 which in turn rotates the drill bit . the drill bit disintegrates the formation ( rock ) into cuttings . the drilling fluid 20 leaving the drill bit travels uphole through the annulus between the drill string and the wellbore carrying the drill cuttings . a return line 132 coupled to a suitable location at the wellhead 125 carries the fluid returning from the wellbore 90 to the sea level . as shown in fig2 , the returning fluid discharges into a separator or shaker 24 which separates the cuttings and other solids from the returning fluid and discharges the clean fluid into the suction or mud pit 26 . in the prior art methods , the tubing 142 passes through a mud filled riser disposed between the vessel and the wellhead , with the wellbore fluid returning to the surface via the riser . thus , in the prior art system , the riser constituted an active part of the fluid circulation system . in one aspect of the present invention , a separate return line 132 is provided to primarily return the drilling fluid to the surface . the return line 132 , which is usually substantially smaller than the riser , can be made from any suitable material and may be flexible . a separate return line is substantially less expensive and lighter than commonly used risers , which are large diameter jointed pipes used especially for deep water applications and impose a substantial suspended weight on the surface work station . fig2 shows the fluid flow path during the drilling of a wellbore 90 according to the present invention . in prior art pumping systems , pressure is applied to the circulating fluid at the surface by means of a positive displacement pump 28 . the bottom hole pressure ( bhp ) can be controlled while pumping by combining this surface pump with an adjustable pump system 30 on the return path and by controlling the relative work between the two pumps . the splitting of the work also means that the size of the surface pump 28 can be reduced . specifically , the circulating can be reduced by as much as 1000 to 3000 psi . the limit on how much the pressure can be lowered is determined by the vapor pressure of the return fluid . the suction inlet vapor pressure of the adjustable pumps 28 and 30 must remain above the vapor pressure of the fluid being pumped . in a preferred embodiment of the invention , the net suction head is two to three times the vapor pressure of the fluid to prevent local cavitation in the fluid . more specifically , the surface pump 28 is used to control the flow rate and the adjustable pump 30 is used to control the bottom hole pressure , which in turn will affect the hydrostatic pressure . an interlinked pressure monitoring and control circuit 40 is used to ensure that the bottom hole pressure is maintained at the correct level . this pressure monitoring and control network is , in turn , used to provide the necessary information and to provide real time control of the adjustable pump 30 . referring now to fig2 , the mud pit 26 at the surface is a source of drilling fluid that is pumped into the drill pipe 142 by surface pump 28 . after passing through the tubing 142 , the mud is used to operate the bha 130 and returns via the annulus 146 to the wellhead 125 . together the tubing 142 , annulus 146 and the return line 132 constitutes a subsea fluid circulation system . the adjustable pump 30 in the return line provides the ability to control the bottom hole pressure during drilling of the wellbore , which is discussed below in reference to fig4 a - 4c . a sensor p 1 measures the pressure in the drill line above an adjustable choke 150 in the tubing 142 . a sensor p 2 is provided to measure the bottom hole fluid pressure and a sensor p 3 is provided to measure parameters indicative of the pressure or flow rate of the fluid in the annulus 146 . above the wellhead , a sensor p 4 is provided to measure parameters similar to those of p 3 for the fluid in the return line and a controlled valve 152 is provided to hold fluid in the return line 132 . in operation , the control unit 40 and the sensor p 1 operate to gather data relating to the tubing pressure to ensure that the surface pump 28 is operating against a positive pressure , such as at sensor p 5 , to prevent cavitation , with the control unit 40 adjusting the choke 150 to increase the flow resistance it offers and / or to stop operation of the surface pump 28 as may be required . similarly , the control system 40 together with sensors p 2 , p 3 and / or p 4 gather data , relative to the desired bottom hole pressure and the pressure and / or flow rate of the fluid in the return line 132 and the annulus 146 , necessary to achieve a predetermined downhole pressure . more particularly , the control system acting at least in part in response to the data from sensors p 2 , p 3 and / or p 4 controls the operation of the adjustable pump 30 to provide the predetermined downhole pressure operations , such as drilling , tripping , reentry , intervention and recompletion . in addition , the control system 40 controls the operation of the fluid circulation system to prevent undesired flow of fluid within the system when the adjustable pump is not in operation . more particularly , when operation of the pumps 28 , 30 is stopped a pressure differential may be resident in the fluid circulation system tending to cause fluid to flow from one part of the system to another . to prevent this undesired situation , the control system operates to close choke 150 in the tubing , valve 152 in the return line or both devices . the adjustable pump 30 preferably comprises a centrifugal pump . such pumps have performance curves that provide more or less a constant flow rate through the adjustable pump system 30 while allowing changes in the pressure increase of fluid in the pump . this can be done by changing the speed of operation of the pump 30 , such as via a variable speed drive motor controlled by the control system 40 . the pump system may also comprise a positive displacement pump provided with a fluid by - pass line for maintaining a constant flow rate through the pump system , but with control over the pressure increase at the pump . in the fig2 embodiment of the invention , the adjustable pump system 30 may be used with the separate return line 132 , as shown , or may be used in conjunction with the conventional mud - filled riser ( not shown ). fig3 shows an alternative lifting system intended for use with a return line 132 , such as that shown , that is separate and spaced apart from the tubing 142 . in this embodiment , a flowable material of lower density than the return fluid from a suitable source 60 thereof at the surface is injected in the return fluid by a suitable injector 62 in the subsea circulation system to lift the return fluid and reduce the effective ecd and bottom hole pressure . the flowable material may be a suitable gas such as nitrogen or a suitable liquid such as water . like the adjustable pump system 30 , the injector 62 is preferably used in conjunction with sensors p 1 , p 2 , p 3 , p 4 and / or p 5 and controlled by the control system 40 to control the bottom - hole pressure . in addition , the injection system may constitute the sole lift system in the fluid circulation system , or is used in conjunction with the adjustable pump system 30 to overcome at least a portion of the hydrostatic pressure and friction loss pressure of the return fluid . fig3 also shows a tube 70 extending from the surface work station 101 down to the wellhead 125 that may be employed in the fluid circulation system of this invention . however , in contrast to the conventional mud - filled riser , the tube 70 rather serves as a guide tube for the tubing 142 and a surge tank selectively used for a limited and unique purpose as part of the fluid circulation system . more particularly the tube 70 serves to protect the tubing 142 extending through the turbulent subsea zone down to the wellhead . in addition , the tube has a remotely operated stripper valve 78 that when closed blocks fluid flow between the return line 132 and the annulus 146 and when opened provides fluid flow communication into the interior of the tubing from the return line and the annulus . thus , with the stripper valve closed , the fluid circulation system operates in the manner described above for the fig2 and 3 embodiments of this invention , in which there is a direct correspondence of the flow rate of fluid delivered to the system by the surface pump 28 and fluid flowing past the adjustable pump system 30 or injector 62 . however , in contrast to this closed system , when the stripper valve 78 is opened , an open system is created offering a unique operating flexibility for a range of pressures in the fluid circulation system at the wellhead 125 at or above sea floor hydrostatic pressure . more particularly , with the stripper valve open , the tube 70 operates as a surge tank filled in major part by sea water 76 and is also available to receive return flow of mud if the pressure in the fluid circulation system at the wellhead 125 is at a pressure equal to or greater than sea floor hydrostatic pressure . at such pressures , the mud / water 72 rises with the height of the column 74 adjusting in response to the pressure changes in the fluid circulation system . this change in the mud column also permits the flow rate of the fluid established by the adjustable pump system 30 or injector 62 to differ from that of the surface pump 28 . this surge capacity provides time for the system to adjust to pump rate mismatches that may occur in the system and to do so in a self - adjusting manner . further critical pressure downhole measurements of the fluid circulation system may be taken at the surface via the guide tube 70 . more particularly , as the height of the mud column 74 changes , the column of water 76 is discharged ( or refilled ) at the surface work station 101 . measuring this surface flow of water such as at a suitable flowmeter 80 provides a convenient measure of the pressure of the return fluid at the wellhead 125 . the use of the adjustable pump 30 ( or controlled injector 62 ) is discussed now with reference to fig4 a - 4c . fig4 a shows a plot of static pressure ( abscissa ) against subsea and then wellbore depth ( ordinate ) at a well . the pore pressure of the formation in a normally pressured rock is given by the line 303 . typically drilling mud that has a higher density than water is used in the borehole to prevent an underbalanced condition leading to blow - out of formation fluid . the pressure inside the borehole is represented by 305 . however , when the borehole pressure 305 exceeds the fracture pressure fp of the formation , which occurs at the depth 307 , further drilling below depth 307 using the mud weight corresponding to 305 is no longer possible . with conventional fluid circulation systems , either the density of the drilling mud must be decreased and the entire quantity of heavy drilling mud displaced from the circulation system , which is a time consuming and costly process , or a steel casing must be set in the bottom of the wellbore 307 , which is also time consuming and costly if required more often than called for in the wellbore plan . moreover , early setting of casing causes the well to telescope down to smaller diameters ( and hence to lower production capacity ) than otherwise desirable . fig4 b shows dynamic pressure conditions when mud is flowing in the borehole . due to frictional losses due to flow in the drillsting , shown at line p d , and in the annulus , shown at line p a , the pressure at a depth 307 is given by a value 328 , i . e ., defining an effective circulating density ( ecd ) by the pressure gradient line 309 . the pressure at the bottom of the hole 328 exceeds the static fluid hydrostatic pressure 305 by an additional amount over and above the fracture pressure fp shown in fig4 a . this excess pressure p a is essentially equal to the frictional loss in the annulus for the return flow . therefore , even with drilling fluid of lower density than that for gradient line 305 circulating in the circulation system , a well cannot be drilled to the depth indicated by 307 . with enough pressure drop due to fluid friction loss , drilling beyond the depth 307 may not be possible even using only water . prior art methods using the dual density approach seek to reduce the effective borehole fluid pressure gradient by reducing the density of the fluid in the return line . it also illustrates one of the problems with relying solely upon density manipulation for control of bottom hole pressure . referring to fig4 b , if circulation of drilling mud is stopped , there are no frictional losses and the effective fluid pressure gradient immediately changes to the value given by the hydrostatic pressure 305 reflecting the density of the drilling fluid . there maybe the risk of losing control of the well if the hydrostatic pressure is not then somewhat above the pore pressure in order to avoid an inrush of formation fluids into the borehole . pressure gradient line 311 represents the fluid pressure in the drilling string . fig4 c illustrates the effect of having a controlled lifting device ( i . e ., pump 30 or injector 62 ) at a depth 340 . the depth 340 could be at the sea floor or lower in the wellbore itself . the pressure profile 309 corresponds to the same mud weight and friction loss as 309 in fig4 b . at the depth corresponding to 340 , a controlled lifting device is used to reduce the annular pressure from 346 to 349 . the wellbore and the pressure profile now follow pressure gradient line 347 and give a bottom hole pressure of 348 , which is below the fracture pressure fp of the formation . thus , by use of the present invention , it is possible to drill down to and beyond the depth 307 using conventional drilling mud , whereas with prior art techniques shown in fig4 c it would not have been possible to do so even with a drilling fluid of reduced density . there are a number of advantages of this invention that are evident . as noted above , it is possible to use heavier mud , typically with densities of 8 to 18 lbs . per gallon for drilling : the heavier weight mud provides lubrication and is also better able to bring up cuttings to the surface . the present invention makes it possible to drill to greater depths using heavier weight mud . prior art techniques that relied on changing the mud weight by addition of light - weight components take several hours to adjust the bottom hole pressure , whereas the present invention can do so almost instantaneously . the quick response also makes it easier to control the bottom hole pressure when a kick is detected , whereas with prior art techniques , there would have been a dangerous period during which the control of the well could have been lost while the mud weight is being adjusted . the ability to fine - tune the bottom hole pressure also means that there is a reduced risk of formation damage and allow the wellbore to be drilled and casing set in accordance with the wellbore plan . while the foregoing disclosure is directed to the preferred embodiments of the invention , various modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art . it is intended that all variations within the scope and spirit of the appended claims be embraced by the foregoing disclosure . | 4 |
with reference to fig1 to 3 , illustrating the prior art , a conventional mesh - belt conveyor comprises ( fig1 ) a driving roller 1 and a generally idle roller 2 which keep under tension a mesh - belt 3 wound thereon . an electric motor 1 &# 39 ;, or other suitable mechanism , causes the rotation of the roller 1 and thereby the movement of the belt 3 . the material m to be conveyed can either be placed directly on the belt 3 , as shown , or be placed in appropriate containers which are in turn placed on the belt . this method , very simple at first sight and efficient under normal environmental conditions has instead serious drawbacks , preventing the use thereof , when having to work in high - temperature environments . it is in fact evident that , in the device of fig1 a certain friction has to be maintained between the driving roller 1 and the belt 3 , for this latter to be able to move forward , and that such friction can be easily produced by tensioning the belt to a certain extent . however , even if the initial belt friction may be satisfactory , when the conveyor is in a high - temperature environment the belt itself , being subjected to a gradual elongation due to heat , will soon lack the adhesive force required to move the belt forward . a simple way of overcoming the above drawback is shown in fig2 wherein the idle roller 2 of the conveyor is continuously moved due to the action of counterweights 4 , in order to compensate the elongations of the belt 3 and thus keep such belt under constant tension and therefore constantly adhering to the roller 1 , as required to operate the forward movement of said belt . another more complex solution to the problem is shown purely by way of example in fig3 wherein the elongation of the belt 3 is taken up directly by a counterweight stretcher 5 which , as in the case of fig2 ensures constant adhesion between the belt and the rollers 1 and 2 ( rotating in fixed positions ), thereby guaranteeing the advance of the belt even when elongated as a result of heat expansion . these and other similar solutions may be satisfactory at moderately high temperatures , but become inadequate at high and very high temperatures , such as are found in furnaces for heat treatments of metals and for other uses such as baking , enameling , deoxidation and electronics . the reason for this shortcoming is that the material -- braided or woven wire -- used for the belts undergoes , above a critical temperature , a gradual and increasing reduction of its tensile strength , whereby the counterweight method would lead either to a continuous elongation of the belt until this latter becomes unserviceable , or to the belt having to be made of such heavy wire -- in order to reduce the specific tensile load -- that in practice , at high temperatures , the ratio between passive load ( weight of the belt ) and active load ( weight of the material to be conveyed ) would be quite uneconomical . manufacturers have therefore been trying for some time to seek alternative solutions allowing the belts to be subjected to the lowest possible tension , but sufficient to ensure its movement . nevertheless , the requirement to reach a compromise between having to move the belt and having to subject the same to a minimum tensile stress , both in time and intensity , has so far not allowed achieving any satisfactory solutions . however , the problem has now been solved very satisfactorily and without any drawbacks by the present invention , which provides for a novel device as illustrated in fig4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings . said device comprises , in addition to a continuous conveyor mesh - belt 10 , a driving labyrinth 11 at one end of the belt 10 , an idle reversing roller 12 at the other end of the belt 10 , and a gripping device 13 close to the roller 12 . the labyrinth 11 , shown in greater detail in fig5 and 6 as well as at the left of fig4 comprises two side plates 14 and 15 , to which are rigidly connected two transverse rounded members 16 and 17 , positioned one beside the other and slightly offset from one another . the assembly is connected by a fork 18 to a drive rod 19 , to which can be imparted by any means ( rod and crank , cams , pneumatic or hydraulic pistons , electromagnetic systems , and in any other way ) reciprocating movements , according to a pre - established law ( arrows f1 in fig4 ), which are of course transmitted to the members 16 and 17 . the belt 10 is inserted between the shaped members 16 and 17 and partially winds around them , as clearly shown in fig4 and 5 , producing a certain friction in its contact with said members . the shape and mutual positioning of the members 16 and 17 are such that the friction between them and the belt 10 varies according to whether the labyrinth 11 moves in one or the other direction indicated by the arrows f1 . more exactly , the friction increases when the movement is towards the outside of the device and it decreases when movement is in the opposite direction . the gripping device 13 comprises a pair of side - by - side plates 20 and 21 , between which slides the lower return run of the belt 10 , close to the reversing roller 12 . a first fluid - pressure operated cylinder - piston unit 22 is adapted to move the plate 21 towards the plate 20 , to clamp the belt therebetween , or alternatively to move the plate 21 away from the plate 20 thereby releasing said belt , the movements being indicated by the arrows f2 in fig4 . a second fluid - pressure cylinder - piston unit 23 is adapted to impart reciprocating movements to the entire device 13 parallel to the belt 10 , as indicated by the arrows f3 in fig4 . the cylinder - piston units 22 and 23 can of course be replaced by any other suitable means allowing production of the two types of movements required for the plate 21 and for the entire device 13 , such units being indicated by mere way of example . a description will now be given of the operation of the heretofore illustrated belt conveyor . assuming that the belt 10 has been loaded with material m , the movement of such belt is produced intermittently by the device 11 and by the device 13 . the rod 19 is first of all moved outwardly , so as to cause an advance of the labyrinth 11 and consequently ( thanks to the friction acting in such labyrinth ) of the belt 10 and of the material m loaded thereon ( said advance being towards the left from the position of the labyrinth 11 shown in dashed lines in fig4 ). subsequently , the rod 19 is returned to its initial position through a movement in the opposite direction to the previous one , and the labyrinth 11 again takes up the position shown in full lines in fig4 . through this movement however , thanks to the different frictions now existing in the labyrinth 11 , a belt loop 10 &# 39 ; is formed below member 16 , while the material m which was supported by the corresponding belt portion discharges at m &# 39 ; the gripping device 13 now starts to operate . the cylinder - piston unit 22 acts first by clamping the belt 10 between the plates 20 and 21 , moving the second plate towards the first , then the cylinder - piston unit 23 acts to shift the whole device 13 towards the reversing roller 12 to the dashed line position shown in fig4 . by this movement , the device 13 applies a pull on the lower return section of the belt 10 towards the reversing roller 12 , removing the belt loop 10 &# 39 ; of the labyrinth 11 and creating another belt loop 10 &# 34 ; below the reversing roller 12 . the cylinder - piston unit 22 is then cut out and the cylinder - piston unit 23 moves back the device 13 to the starting position shown in full lines . at this point , the rod 19 can start again to operate , as already explained hereinbefore ; because of the movement imparted by said rod to the labyrinth 11 , the belt loop 10 &# 34 ; disappears and the belt 10 simultaneously advances again with the material m , which gets discharged with the subsequent movement , as already seen . consequently , the material , like the belt , is moved forward in a discontinuous but intermittent or rhythmical manner , and the rhythm of said forward movement can be regulated , while also the strokes of the various movements which , in the described devices , the conveyor has to impart to the various members of such devices , can be adjusted according to the various requirements of use . an important consideration is that the heretofore illustrated structure and operation allow the conveyor according to the invention to fully satisfy the requirement of subjecting the mesh - belt conveying the materials m to the least possible stress ; said stress occurs in fact only during the short intervals in which the belt is moved forward to convey the materials , and it is not continuous as in the conventional conveyors ; furthermore , the stress is limited to the tension required for obtaining the mere advance of the belt with the materials conveyed thereon , no additional tension being required to ensure adhesion between the belt and a driving roller , as in the known conveyors . the heretofore described and illustrated belt conveyor can of course also comprise modifications or variants of the embodiment shown , though still falling within the scope of the present invention . it is also to be understood that the conveyor according to the invention , though designed and meant for use in high - temperature environments , can also be employed for other uses . | 5 |
the present invention relates to locksets and door frame , and more particularly to exterior locksets wherein the keyhole area , doorknob portion , and / or door frame can be illuminated and sound activated to facilitate entrance . in addition , responsive illumination may be extended to lighting elements surrounding the exterior of the home or building ( front , back , and sides ); for example beneath eaves or surrounding windows or other exterior features . additionally , responsive lighting elements may be placed throughout the interior of the home or building . multiple responsive lighting elements may be linked via wireless or wired electronic communication , and additional inputs , for example back and side doors . the first and second exemplary embodiments are intended for installation as original equipment by the manufacturer of the door fig8 . alternate embodiments , which may be intended for installation as after - market modifications by the user or by a home repair and remodeling service , are also contemplated . the first exemplary embodiment provides a doorknob , lock , rose cover , rose insert spindle , screw inserts , and other components which are customary in doorknobs . the doorknob provides an illuminated ring on its side surfaces , a slot for music / sound microchip , and the interior of the lock is also illuminated , such that the light shines outward through the keyhole . illumination is referably provided by light emitting diodes ( leds ). the rose cover provides a recessed motion sensor and a light dependent resistor ( ldr ). a contact switch or sensor is connected to the doorknob such that when the doorknob is turned , the contact switch / sensor is activated . the doorknob and its components are preferably powered by a direct connection to standard house current , via a power cord through the door and door frame . emergency back - up power , for use during power failures , is preferably by a battery pack concealed within the door which is accessible via a concealed access panel on the side surface of the door near the hinges . the battery pack contains one or more replacement batteries . the doorknob provides variable illumination of the illuminated ring and the interior of the lock , visible via the keyhole , the music / sound chip controlled by the motion sensor , the ldr , and the contact switch . the ldr detects the ambient light level and adjusts the illumination level in inverse proportion to the level of ambient light . in complete darkness , the illumination which is provided is dim , but sufficient to clearly see the lock and doorknob , such as 10 candlepower . in cases where ambient light exists but is insufficient to clearly see the lock and the doorknob such that they may be easily used , additional illumination is provided which is sufficient to supplement the ambient light up to the desired dim visibility level . in bright ambient light , such as daylight , the illumination is deactivated . under certain circumstances a substantially brighter level of illumination is provided , such as 20 candlepower . the brighter level of illumination is activated by the motion detector , upon detection of a human body or similarly size object near the , or by the contact switch or sensor , upon the turning of the doorknob . the brighter level of illumination is deactivated when the motion detector and the contact switch do not provide activation signals for a predetermined period , such as 30 seconds . the second exemplary embodiment provides activation devices and power supplies similar to the first exemplary embodiment . however , the second exemplary embodiment provides no doorknob , rose cover , or related hardware , instead providing a deadbolt lock and separate handle . the lock provides internal illumination visible through the keyhole , as with the first exemplary embodiment . the door frame and the handle also provide illuminated surfaces . certain areas , panels , or embellishments on the front surface of the door may also be illuminated . the contact switch is activated by the turning of a key in the keyhole , and the motion detector and ldr are provided in the handle . the first and second exemplary embodiments may be provided with leds in any one of a variety of colors and coordinated color patterns or pulsations . such pattern displays as an illuminated ring in light and a key hole in yellow , may be provided . alternate embodiments , providing leds in multiple colors and coordinated color patterns for holiday display or other purposes , are contemplated . such additional colors and coordinated color combinations may include orange for halloween , red and green for christmas , or red , white , and blue for the fourth of july . selection of a different color or color pattern is preferable controlled from a concealed control module on the side surface of the remote control or is contemplated to be controlled on the side surface of the door near the battery pack . these alternate embodiments may also provide recorded music , an assortment of sounds , such as fireworks released at the fourth of july or bells ringing at christmas time , a flashing pattern in the illumination , or both to accompany the brighter level of illumination . the recorded music may be consistent with holiday themes , such as “ jingle bells ” for christmas , or “ yankee doodle dandy ” for the fourth of july . the control module for the such alternate embodiments may include one or more speakers or microphone , a microprocessor , and a memory device to store and play digital music files . to use the first or second exemplary embodiment , the user simply installs the microchip or selects choices on the control module . the doorknob and other components operate automatically . the doorknob , the lock , the rose cover , the rose insert , the spindle , the screw inserts , the hinges , and the battery pack are preferable manufactured from rigid durable materials such as steel , aluminum alloy , brass , and brushed nickel . the illuminated ring and other illuminated surfaces are preferable manufactured from a rigid , durable material which is translucent , such as acrylic polymer or plastic . the door and door frame are preferably manufactured from a rigid durable material such as wood , aluminum alloy or steel . the power cord an other cords are preferably manufactured from braided copper alloy wire sheathed in plastic . the microchip , sensors , microprocessor , microphone , or speakers are comprised of plastic and copper wire . components , component sizes , and materials listed above are preferable , but artisans will recognize that alternate components and materials could be selected without altering the scope of the invention . while the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is presently considered to be the best mode thereof , those of ordinary skill in the art will understand and appreciate the existence of variations , combinations , and equivalents of the specific embodiment , method , and examples herein . truly the safety issues illustrated are instrumental in improving the accessability to entrances by assisting the hard of hearing and those who are visibly challenged with the daily trials of living . the invention should , therefore , not be limited by the above described embodiment , method , and examples , but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention . it is an object of the present invention to provide a keyhole area light in a lockset and a portion of the doorknob which senses that a person is approaching the door and illuminates the keyhole light and door knob and may also emit sound or music . a contact switch / sensor is connected to the doorknob 10 , such that when the doorknob is turned , the contact switch / sensor is activated . other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following portion of the specification and from the attached drawings which disclose , in accordance with the mandate of the patent statutes , a presently preferred embodiment of the invention . fig1 is an oblique separated view of the exterior deadbolt portion of a handleset ; fig2 is a side oblique view of the interior coverplate for the handleset in association with a door fig8 and key hole in door knob 11 with illuminated translucent ring 11 a door knob with hard plastic ring 10 a and music / sound microchip in grip access portion of doorknob 10 ; fig3 is a rear view of the coverplate shown in fig2 ; fig4 is a logic diagram for the turn lever light control circuit of the handleset ; fig5 is a logic diagram for the motion detection circuit of the handleset . the upper deadbolt which is shown in fig1 , includes a cylinder guard cover 10 which is closed by a cylinder cover 12 . the opening 13 in the cylinder cover 12 receives the face 14 of the cylinder plug 15 and an annular serrated translucent ring 16 which extends around the plug face . positioned between the cylinder cover and the front flange 17 of the cylinder body 18 is an electronic module 19 ( the electronic module is received within a recess 20 defined in the front flange of the plug body 17 ) which has an integrated photocell light sensor 21 for detecting ambient light and an integrated motion detection sensor 22 , which detect the environment through two holes 24 , 26 in the cylinder cover and an integrated light emitting diode ( l . e . d .) 27 . the ring l . e . d ., when activated , emits light radial from the electronic module which has a curved inner surface that mates with the outer annular surface of the serrated translucent ring so that light emitted from the serrated translucent ring will illuminate the keyhole area ( the serrated translucent ring projects slightly outwardly from the cylinder cover to increase the amount of light directed to the keyhole area ), emits light from the translucent ring around the doorknob , and emits translucent light from the door frame . the electronic module is connected to the power source by means of a 3 - circuit flexible circuit 30 routed through the cylinder body and the bored hole in the door ( to protect the connection of the flexible circuit to the electronic module a cylindrical stop can be secured to the flexible circuit which is trapped by a reduced diameter shoulder in the bore through the cylinder body ). the flexible circuit is connected to the power source ( one or more batteries or microchip containing sounds and light color and pulsations ). the interior cover plate 44 is shown in fig2 . the upper deadbolt 45 is controlled from the inside by a turn lever 46 which can be turned front the illustrated vertical locked position to a horizontal unlocked position . as can be seen from fig3 , a square block 48 , which is secured to the shaft 49 of the turn lever , is captured by a pair of parallel strip springs 50 so that the turn lever will be stable at either position . also secured to the turn lever shaft is a cam 52 which has a pair of 180 degree related high spots 54 and a pair of 180 degree related low spots 56 . when the turn lever is vertical a high spot will be at the top of the cam and when the turn lever is horizontal a low spot will be at the top of the cam . the actuator 58 of a switch 60 follows the cam and operates the switch , which is connected to the wiring harness , when the turn lever is vertical . the switch , which is mounted on a carrier 62 secured to the interior cover plate , is connect to the electronic module . also mounted on the carrier is a support 64 for a plurality of batteries or microchip , which contains light colors and pulsations and sounds ( one shown 63 ) which power the electronics . an access plate ( not shown ) closes the opening in the interior cover plate . also connected to the wiring harness is an interior l . e . d . 66 which is mounted on the interior cover plate . the lockset also includes an interior operator 67 which operates the bolt 68 of a latch assembly . fig4 illustrates the logic diagram for the turn lever l . e . d . 66 which is connected to the electronic module . the photo cell light sensor 21 associated with the deadbolt determines when it is dark outside . if this sensor determines that it is dark and if the turn lever is at a vertical position thereby operating the switch , the turn lever l . e . d . 66 will be illuminated . the color and intensity of this l . e . d . will be selected so that it can be seen in the dark to confirm that the door is locked . alternatively , the turn lever l . e . d . can be illuminated during both daylight and nighttime whenever the turn lever is turned to the locked position . referring to fig5 , the motion detection circuit has a lock operated digital portion for determining whether the light sensor sees ambient light and whether the motion detection sensor sees motion and an analog portion ( an operational amplifier ) which can supply energy to operate the l . e . d . s for a selected period of time ( 30 seconds , for example ) while recharging during that time to operate the l . e . d . s , if required , for another 30 seconds . fig6 , illustrates a sensor and control module 34 comprising a microprocessor or microchip 39 for controlling the operation of the system , a radiant energy receiver 40 , and a motion detector 42 , which reads the transmitted signal from the sensor and control module and unlatches both the first and second electromechanical door latches 28 , 29 so that the door fig8 can be pushed open . fig7 , a small wireless remote control unit is carried by a user . the remote control unit transmits a signal of a type compatible with radiant energy receiver , which operates in the radio frequency band and utilize a pulse - modulation coding technique as used in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 141 , 040 . the remote control unit and receiver preferably make use of a “ rolling code ” technology , which eliminates the possibility of the receivers , the light and music control microchips , being activated by any transmission other than that of the companion remote control unit . the remote control contains at least one slightly depressed button which , when activated , allows the light to be turned on or off , and a side button to allow the music to be turned on or off from a plurality of light stored and music stored in the microchip memory . memory contained of light and colors of light to be static or pulsating . memory chip of music will be assorted holiday and event songs . a memory chip of music and light assortments will be available to consumer . fig8 , is a drawing of an open door showing the door latch sensor and the power supply wires , which could be run into a home &# 39 ; s lower level or under floors to reach another room needing an illuminated doorknob with or with sound . fig9 , the invention comprises a light sensor or motion detector that is coupled to the light control circuitry , wherein the light control circuitry microchip adjusts the color scheme based upon ambient light intensity or detected motion . fig1 , the invention further comprises a microphone that is coupled to the music or sound microchip wherein the music or sound choice based upon consumer choices is selected by the choice of music or sound microchip installed in the doorknob . a led driver circuit is shown in fig1 and is controlled by a microcontroller or microchip . an eligible remote control device containing a receiver will transmit the signal for chosen music and / or light pulses of choice are shown in fig9 , which is also driven by a microcontroller or microchip . the doorknob comprising a remote control wirelessly coupled to the light and sound circuitry and the microchip being wirelessly coupled to the light and sound circuitry by the remote when a memory card is received in the remote control slot . the doorknob contains a light sensor or motion detector that is coupled to the light and sound circuitry adjusts the light and sound based upon ambient light intensity , motion detection , and consumer choice . the light control circuitry adjusts the color scheme based upon ambient light intensity or detected motion . the motion detection circuit can operate in either of two modes : a sleep mode where , while the digital circuit is “ on ,” the operational amplifier ( analog circuit ) is “ off ” and a standby mode where both the digital circuit and the operational amplifier are “ on .” when ambient light is sensed , the system will operate in the sleep mode ( if operation in this mode is permitted ) and when ambient light is not sensed , the system will operate in the standby mode . when the operational amplifier is “ on ” motion within the detection zone will operate both the ring and turn lever l . e . d . s . after they operate for a set period ( 30 seconds , for example ), they turn off and if motion is still detected in the detection zone , they will again be operated , etc . since the turn lever can be continuously on as a result of it being in the locked position the turn lever l . e . d . will blink when it is operated in response to motion being detected in the detection zone . alternately , a separate l . e . d ., which could have a unique color , could be used to indicate such motion . both the analog circuit 70 and the digital circuit 72 are within the electronic module 19 . to minimize current use when an l . e . d . is on , a current minimizing circuit disclosed in u . s . patent application ser . no . 08 / 554 , 070 , filed nov . 11 , 1995 , and may be used . | 7 |
γ - pga is different from other proteins , in that glutamate is polymerized via the γ - amide linkages , and thus is synthesized by a ribosome - independent manner . the location of genes responsible for pga synthesis is a matter of controversy : they were reported to be present in the genomic dna , while others suggested they are carried in plasmids . biosynthesis of pga is not entirely understood either . the most likely model of d - glutamic acid formation involves a series of glutamyl transamidation and alanine racemization reactions . a pyruvic acid aminotransferase reacts with l - glutamic acid and pyruvic acid to form α - ketoglutaric acid and l - alanine . l - alanine is subsequently converted into its d - form , which then reacts with α - ketoglutaric acid that yields d - glutamic acid and pyruvic acid . transfer of the glutamyl group from l - glutamine to either d - or l - glutamic acid or to a glutamyl dipeptide is catalyzed by a glutamyl transamidase and results in the formation of glutamyl di - and tripeptides , respectively . it was further shown that a transpeptidase reaction between γ - glutamyl dipeptides forming γ - glutamyl dipeptides of longer chain length was catalysed by a glutamyl transpeptidase . to sum up , a series of transamidation and transpeptidation reactions are believed to be responsible for the synthesis of the polyglutamyl polymers in b . licheniformis , while α - ketoglutaric acid is apparently a key intermediate . the starting material of the present invention is a polycarboxylic acid , the γ - pga , which was produced by bacillus licheniformis , strain atcc 9945a , which was maintained on 1 . 5 % ( w / v ) bouillon - agar slants . submerged cultivations were carried out in either a laboratory fermentor with 15 liters total / 12 liters useful volume ( new brunswick scientific , new brunswick , n . j ., u . s . a . ), or in 500 ml erlenmeyer flasks . the fermentation medium for all cultivations contained 20 g / l glutamic acid , 26 . 3 g / l citric acid . h 2 o , 7 g / l nh 4 cl , 0 . 5 g / l k 2 hpo 4 , 0 . 5 g / l mgso 4 . 7h 2 o , 0 . 15 g / l cacl 2 . 2h 2 o , 0 . 08 g / l mnso 4 . h 2 o , 0 . 05 g / l feso 4 . 7h 2 o , 80 g / 199 . 5 % glycerol . the temperature was maintained at 37 ° c ., and the ph was adjusted to 7 . 4 with naoh prior sterilization . flasks were directly inoculated with 10 % vegetative b . licheniformis spores with a final concentration of up to 10 7 per ml and were kept on a new brunswick orbital shaker at 200 rpm . laboratory - scale fermentors were inoculated with 5 % 14 . 5 hours - old seed cultures that were formed in shaker - flasks as described above . aeration in the fermentor was carried out by purging air at 5 liters / min and stirring with two conventional , six - blade disk turbine impellers at 1000 rpm . cultivations were carried out for 164 hours . although the technical means to modify the oxygen transfer rate in a series of 500 ml shake - flasks are limited , varying the ratio of flask to medium volume does change the volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient ( kla ) and could result in a gradient of oxygen input . high volumes within flasks lower specific oxygen transfer rate . growth ( microbial biomass formation ) was followed by the changes in the optical density of culture aliquots measured at λ = 600 nm . volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient ( kla ) values of the shake - flasks ( characterized in table i .) were determined by the sulphite - oxidation method . the resulting culture medium was centrifuged at 10 , 000 rpm for 80 min and was filtered through a 0 . 01 μm pore size nitrocellulose membrane under vacuum , to remove the bacterial biomass . pga was precipitated by the addition of one and a half volume of acetone to the filtrate . the pga was re - dissolved in water , dialyzed against distilled water and freeze - dried . because the resulting product is very hygroscopic and is in fact composed of free pga acid ( pga - h ) and sodium salt of pga ( pga - na ) in an unknown ratio ( with possibly some higher valence cations bound to the carboxylic groups ), part of the pga was further purified and converted to the free acid form by treatment with ion - exchange resin . 100 g of amberlite 15 ( macroreticular cation - exchange resin in h + form ) was mixed with 5 liters of partially purified pga in solution and stirred for 30 minutes at room temperature . after decantation , pga solution was mixed again with a new batch of resin and the process repeated twice . the resulting pga - h solution is acidic ( ph of about 2 . 8 ) and has a much lower viscosity than the initial pga - na - pga - h mixture . anions from the fermentation medium were removed by dialysis against water for several days . subsequent freeze - drying yielded pure pga - h which is practically not hygroscopic . after freeze drying , aqueous solution were prepared from γ - pga . γ - pga solution ( c ≦ 10 mmol , ph = 2 . 6 ) and pb ( no 3 ) 2 solution ( c ≦ 5 mmol , ph = 2 . 3 ) were produced and used for preparation of γ - pga nanoparticles by lead ion complexation . pb ( no 3 ) 2 solution was added to the γ - pga solution dropwise at different ratios . the mixture was diluted and the ph was adjusted to the desired ph value with 0 . 1 m sodium hydroxide solution . the reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature . formation of γ - pga particles with bivalent lead ions at diverse stoichiometric ratios and concentrations were made . the extent of complexation is determined by the concentration of solutions and the ratio of γ - pga and lead ions . these complex formations can be performed at different ion concentrations . nanoparticles were also made by complexation of cross - linked γ - pga derivatives and lead ions . the γ - pga was cross - linked with 2 , 2 ′-( ethylenedioxy ) bis ( ethylamine ). the reaction took place in water in the presence of water soluble 1 -( 3 -( dimethylamino ) propyl )- 3 - ethyl - carbodiimide hydrochloride ). the cross - linking was performed in different proportions , from 1 % to 100 % relative to the carboxylic groups of γ - pga . the reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 24 h . the solutions containing cross - linked γ - pga nanoparticles were purified by dialysis for 7 days against distilled water and freeze - dried . this method is similar to the complexation of original γ - pga and lead ions : cross - linked γ - pga solution ( c ≦ 10 mmol , ph = 2 . 6 ) and pb ( no 3 ) 2 solution ( c ≦ 5 mmol , ph = 2 . 3 ) were produced and used for preparation of cross - linked γ - pga nanoparticles by lead ion complexation . pb ( no 3 ) 2 solution was added to the solution containing cross - linked γ - pga dropwise at different ratios . the mixture was diluted and the ph was adjusted to the desired ph value with 0 . 1 m sodium hydroxide solution . the reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature . formation of γ - pga particles with bivalent lead ions at diverse stoichiometric ratios and concentrations were made . γ - pga was dissolved in distilled water to produce γ - pga solution , concentration was between 0 . 5 and 10 mmol . the ph was adjusted to 2 . 6 with hcl solution . γ - pga solution ( c = 6 mmol , ph = 2 . 6 ) and pb ( no 3 ) 2 solution ( c = 3 . 125 mmol , ph = 2 . 3 ) were produced and used for preparation of γ - pga nanoparticles by lead ion complexation . 4 ml pb ( no 3 ) 2 solution was added to the 12 . 5 ml γ - pga solution dropwise . the mixture was diluted to 50 ml and the ph was adjusted to the ph = 3 . 0 value with 0 . 1 m sodium hydroxide solution . the reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature . γ - pga solution ( c = 6 mmol , ph = 2 . 6 ) and pb ( no 3 ) 2 solution ( c = 3 . 125 mmol , ph = 2 . 3 ) were produced and used for preparation of γ - pga nanoparticles by lead ion complexation . 4 ml pb ( no 3 ) 2 solution was added to the 6 . 25 ml γ - pga solution dropwise . the mixture was diluted to 50 ml and the ph was adjusted to the ph = 7 . 0 value with 0 . 1 m sodium hydroxide solution . the reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature . 100 mg γ - pga was dissolved in 50 ml of water to produce 10 mg / ml solution and then neutralized to ph 6 . 5 with 0 . 1 m sodium hydroxide . after the addition 115 mg of water soluble carbodiimide , the reaction was stirred at room temperature for 30 min and subsequently mixed with 29 μl of 2 , 2 ′-( ethylenedioxy ) bis ( ethylamine ) at ambient temperature for 24 hours . after this time the resulting solution containing cross - linked nanoparticles was purified by dialysis for 7 days against distillated water and freeze dried . 100 mg γ - pga was dissolved in 50 ml of water to produce 10 mg / ml solution and then neutralized to ph 6 . 5 with 0 . 1 m sodium hydroxide . after the addition 23 mg of water soluble carbodiimide , the reaction was stirred at room temperature for 30 min and subsequently mixed with 6 μl of 2 , 2 ′-( ethylenedioxy ) bis ( ethylamine ) at ambient temperature for 24 hours . after this time the resulting solution containing cross - linked nanoparticles was purified by dialysis for 7 days against distillated water and freeze dried . cross - linked γ - pga solution ( c = 6 mmol , ph = 2 . 6 ) and pb ( no 3 ) 2 solution ( c = 3 . 125 mmol , ph = 2 . 3 ) were produced and used for preparation of nanoparticles by complexation with lead ion . 2 ml pb ( no 3 ) 2 solution was added to the 6 . 25 ml γ - pga solution dropwise . the mixture was diluted to 50 ml and the ph was adjusted to the ph = 3 . 0 value with 0 . 1 m sodium hydroxide solution . the reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature . cross - linked γ - pga solution ( c = 6 mmol , ph = 2 . 6 ) and pb ( no 3 ) 2 solution ( c = 3 . 125 mmol , ph = 2 . 3 ) were produced and used for preparation of nanoparticles by complexation with lead ion . 2 ml pb ( no 3 ) 2 solution was added to the 3 . 125 ml γ - pga solution dropwise . the mixture was diluted to 50 ml and the ph was adjusted to the ph = 7 . 0 value with 0 . 1 m sodium hydroxide solution . the reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature . use and reuse of water requires purification to remove chemical and biological hazardous components . industrial wastewater and groundwater must be treated before discharge . development of new materials and techniques with increased affinity , capacity and selectivity for heavy metals is forced because the conventional technologies are often inadequate to reduce concentrations in wastewater to acceptable regulatory standards . a clear solution was obtained by mixing the solutions of pga and lead nitrate at ph = 2 . 3 . at this ph no lead binding occurred . by adjusting the ph to 4 . 0 , an opaque aqueous dispersion was immediately formed ; this demonstrates complex formation . the colloid dispersions were stable for at least one week . ultrafiltration of samples was performed after 24 hours . ultrafiltration membrane ( 62 mm in diameter ) made of polyethersulfone was obtained from amicon co . having mwco of 30 , 000 da . the permeate was clear , while the retentate remained an opaque dispersion . concentration of lead ions was measured by icp and is summarized in table 1 . the distribution of the lead ions demonstrates that pga has high affinity for lead ions . when the retentate was acidified , a clear solution was obtained and the polymer was recovered . materials . pb ( ii ) salt was pb ( no 3 ) 2 dissolved in distilled water , the water soluble chelating polymer used was poly gamma glutamic acid ( pga ) and crosslinked poly gamma glutamic acid . the average molecular weight of pga was determined to be 1 million by gel permeation chromatography . and poly ( acrylic acids ) paa ( mw = 1 × 100 kda , 4 . 5 × 100 kda and 7 . 5 × 100 kda ). acrylic acid ( aa )- co - bis -[ 2 -( methacryloyloxy )- ethyl ] phosphate ( bmoep ) was another nanoparticle that was investigated . reagents for crosslinking were cdi : 1 -( 3 ( dimethylamino ) propyl )- 3 - ethyl - carbodiimide methiodide , edbea : 2 , 2 ′-( ethylenedioxy ) bis ( ethylamine ). a dialysis membrane of spectra / por ( spectrum medical industries ; molecular weight cut - off : 12 kda - 14 kda ) was used . different proportions of cdi , edbea ( 2 %, 5 %, 15 %, 25 %, 50 %, 100 %) the resulting polymer solution was dyalised for 7 days against water , and freeze - dried . ion binding was measured by dialysis method . concentration of residual toxic heavy metal was measured by par reagent and uv - vis photometry fig1 shows the structure of the polymers that were investigated . fig2 shows the water - soluble chelating polymer retained into dialysis tubing ( recovery cell ). this was immersed into 200 ml sample solution ( feed cell ) that contains the lead ions placed inside a beaker which was stirred with a magnetic stirrer at a constant speed . the concentration of lead ion was 5 ppm in experiments , and polymer in the recovery cell was 11 . 5 mg in 30 ml of water . fig1 shows the formation of nanoparticles by crosslinking reactions . a : from pga ( pganps ); and b : from polyacrylic acid ( paanps ). the experimental runs were carried out in the presence and absence of the chelating polymer in the recovery cell . the time course of change in concentration of metal ions in the feed cell was determined by sampling at fixed intervals , and measuring concentrations of the metal ions by spectrophotometry using a solution of as par indicator . fig2 is a diagram of experimental setup ( 1 ) water - soluble polymer ( 2 ) lead nitrate dissolved in distilled water ( 3 ) beaker a dialysis membrane allows complete permeation of only metal ions with no permeation of chelating polymer or metal - polymer complexes . therefore metal ions should be concentrated in the recovery cell . at lower ph ( e . g . ph = 2 ) the complex stability decreases and lead ions are not attracted by the polymers . for heavy metal binding purposes polymer based colloid particles have been designed . these particles , in a range of 40 - 250 nm , involve chelating group to bind pollutants . typical results of the time courses of ion concentration decrease in the feed cell are shown in fig4 and 5 . in the absence of a water - soluble chelating polymer , the concentration in both cells approach equilibrium , but almost all metal ions in the feed cell were recovered using the modified polymer ( pga ) and ( paa ). fig3 shows the highest concentration of lead was 5 ppm . the zig - zag line shows the decrease of the lead concentration in the feed cell during time intervals with adjustment of the lead to initial concentration every 24 hrs . the final measurement shows that the uptake still continues before equilibrium occurs . fig5 shows the uptake of lead by natural biopolymer produced by biotechnology process in our laboratory . the same protocol described above was used but with longer time courses even after equilibrium occurred . the observed intervals were 98 - 170 hours and 268 - 340 hours the lead concentration approached to zero and the lead concentration was continued to be adjusted in the feed cell to 5 ppm until equilibrium take placed . table 2 shows the binding capacity of synthetic ( aa - co - bmoep ), natural ( pga ) and modified natural biopolymer ( pganp ). fig3 shows crosslinked nanoparticles form complex bonds with free carboxylic groups and with the peptide bond . surface complexation and binding inside the particles may occur . fig4 shows the binding of toxic heavy metal ions by modified paa fig5 show the binding of toxic heavy metal ions by modified pga . | 8 |
hereinafter , a structure for a slip ring and a brush of a wound rotor synchronous motor ( wrsm ) according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings . fig1 is a perspective view illustrating a structure for a slip ring and a brush of a wound rotor synchronous motor ( wrsm ) according to an embodiment of the present invention , which is an excerpt of the slip ring and the brush combined with a rotation shaft of a motor and a holder that encompasses and supports the slip ring and the brush . also , fig2 is an exploded perspective view of fig1 , and fig3 is a cross - sectional view taken along line a - a of fig1 . furthermore , fig4 is a perspective view illustrating details of a combined structure for an inner slip ring , a brush , and an outer slip ring by omitting a holder from the structure illustrated in fig1 , and fig5 is a front view of fig4 . also , fig6 is a perspective view illustrating details of a combined structure for the brush and the inner slip ring by omitting the outer slip ring from the combined structure of fig4 . referring to fig1 through 6 , the structure for the slip ring and the brush of the wrsm according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an inner slip ring 120 combined with a rotation shaft 110 of the motor , a brush 130 disposed at an outside of the inner slip ring 120 , an outer slip ring 140 disposed at an outside of the brush 130 , wires 150 for applying a current to the outer slip ring 140 , and a holder 160 that supports the outer slip ring 140 . the inner slip ring 120 that is a current transfer medium for applying a current to a coil wound around a rotor ( not shown ) of the motor is formed to have a shape of a circular ring having a small thickness in which an axial length of the inner slip ring 120 is reduced compared to the conventional structure for a slip ring installed at the conventional motor . two inner slip rings 120 are provided , are spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other in an axial direction , are press - fitted into , combined with and fixed to an outer circumferential surface of the rotation shaft 110 of the motor . the two inner slip rings 120 press - fitted into the rotation shaft 110 of the motor in this way are connected to a positive (+) pole and a negative (−) pole of the coil wound around the rotor of the motor , respectively , and are rotated as the rotation shaft 110 of the motor is rotated . meanwhile , each of two brushes 130 is disposed in contact with an outer circumferential surface of each of the inner slip rings 120 . each of the brushes 130 is formed to have a bellows type brush structure in which the entire shape of the brushes 130 is repetitively wrinkled in a wave form in a circumferential direction , as illustrated in fig2 . in this case , wrinkles 132 formed in the brushes 130 are arranged in the circumferential direction at equal intervals . when viewed from the front of the rotation shaft 110 , as illustrated in fig5 , the wrinkles 132 of one - side brush 130 are disposed to cross the wrinkles 132 of the other - side brush 130 . this is to produce equal friction between each of the brushes 130 and each of the inner slip rings 120 when the rotation shaft 110 of the motor rotates . also , ends of insides of the wrinkles 132 of each of the brushes 130 are maintained in contact with the outer circumferential surface of each of the inner slip rings 120 in a state in which each of the brushes 130 is disposed at a circumference of each of the inner slip rings 120 . thus , while the rotation shaft 110 of the motor rotates , each of the brushes 130 is maintained in slide contact with each of the inner slip rings 120 at an inside of each of the brushes 130 , and a current flows through each of the inner slip rings 120 that contacts the wrinkles 132 of each of the brushes 130 so that the current is applied to the coil wound around the rotor of the motor and a magnetic flux for rotation is generated . each of the brushes 130 is manufactured by sintering graphite and copper , as in the conventional brush . the graphite material thereof serves as a lubricant when slide friction between each of the brushes 130 and each of the inner slip rings 120 is produced . also , in the structure for the bellows type brush 130 , the formation cycle and the number of the wrinkles 132 may be differently set according to the size of the diameter of each of the brushes 130 installed at the rotation shaft 110 of the motor . that is , the number of the brushes 130 and the formation length of the wrinkles 132 may be differently designed to be suitable for a support strength of the rotation shaft 110 of the motor and a contact area between each of the brushes 130 and each of the inner slip rings 120 . also , as two bellows type brushes 130 are installed in an axial direction of the motor , a damping function can be equally maintained in a radial direction against shaking of a motor shaft due to an external load of the motor shaft , an electromagnetic force of the motor , an eccentric motion of a motor rotation body , etc ., compared to a case where one bellows type brush 130 is installed , and the motor shaft can be equally supported . furthermore , when the structure for the bellows type brush 130 is used , equal friction and abrasion between each of the brushes 130 and each of the slip rings 120 and 140 occur so that the durable reliability of the motor can be improved . meanwhile , the outer slip ring 140 that is a medium for transferring a current to the brush 130 is disposed at a circumference of the brush 130 . an inner circumferential surface of the outer slip ring 140 is in contact with ends of outsides of the wrinkles 132 formed in the brush 130 . thus , while the rotation shaft 110 of the motor rotates , the outer slip ring 140 is maintained in slide contact with outer parts of the wrinkles 132 of the brush 130 , and a current is transferred to the brush 130 through the contact parts . also , the wires 150 are disposed in the outer slip ring 140 so that a current can be applied to the wires 150 from the outside . in this case , the wires 150 may be connected to one side of the outer slip ring 140 using a method , such as spot welding , fusing , or the like . in this case , no welding beads may be generated at an inner circumferential surface of the outer slip ring 140 that contacts the brush 130 . through this structure , when a positive (+) current is applied to one of the wires 150 disposed in two outer slip rings 140 arranged in the axial direction and a negative (−) current is applied to the other one of the wires 150 , the positive (+) current and the negative (−) current are applied to the coil of the rotor through the brush 130 and the inner slip ring 120 that are sequentially in contact with the outer slip ring 140 so that a magnetic flux for driving the motor is generated . meanwhile , the holder 160 is combined with a housing ( not shown ) of the motor so as to encompass and protect the inner slip ring 120 , the brush 130 , and the outer slip ring 140 that are sequentially combined with the rotation shaft 110 of the motor . in this case , two accommodation grooves 162 are formed at an inside of the holder 160 in a state in which a partition wall 161 is disposed between the two accommodation grooves 162 . the two accommodation grooves 162 form an annular space portion in which two sets of current transfer mediums including the outer slip ring 140 , the brush 130 and the inner slip ring 120 arranged in the axial direction can be respectively accommodated . in this case , a plurality of foreign substance discharge ports 164 perforated in the axial direction to communicate with each of the accommodation grooves 162 are formed in front and rear surfaces of the holders 160 disposed perpendicularly to the axial direction of the holder 160 so that metal foreign substances generated due to repetitive friction and abrasion between the brush 130 and each of the slip rings 120 and 140 can be discharged to the outside of the holder 160 . in this case , the plurality of foreign substance discharge ports 164 are disposed in the front and rear surfaces of the holder 160 in the circumferential direction at equal intervals . also , a fan ( not shown ) may be installed at the rotor of the motor so as to smoothly discharge the foreign substances through the foreign substance discharge ports 164 . that is , the foreign substances in the accommodation grooves 162 are forcibly discharged to the outside through the foreign substance discharge ports 164 using a blowing force of the fan that rotates in communication with the rotor so that smooth discharge of the foreign substances can be induced . the holder 160 having the above configuration may be manufactured of reinforced plastics or engineering plastics in consideration of strength and elasticity . the holder 160 is combined with a housing of the motor using a press - fit method . in this case , the holder 160 is combined with the housing of the motor by press - fitting pins ( not shown ) between the housing of the motor and the holder 160 so that the holder 160 press - fitted into the housing of the motor can be fixed in a predetermined position not to move . to this end , a plurality of pin grooves 166 into which the pins may be press - fitted , are formed in an outer surface of the holder 160 and in an inner surface of the housing of the motor into which the holder 160 is press - fitted . the pin grooves 166 are formed in the outer surface of the holder 160 and the inner surface of the housing of the motor to have semicircular cross - sectional shapes , and in a state in which the holder 160 is press - fitted into the housing of the motor , the pins are press - fitted into the pin grooves 166 formed in the holder 160 and in both sides of the housing of the motor so that the position of the holder 160 can be fixed . in this way , as the holder 160 is combined with the housing of the motor by press - fitting the pins into the pin grooves 166 formed in the outer surface of the holder 160 and the inner surface of the housing of the motor , the holder 160 does not easily escape from the housing of the motor but can be fixed even when an external force is applied to the holder 160 . because the above - described holder 160 performs the same function as that of a bearing that supports a part of the rotation shaft 110 of the motor in a state in which the holder 160 is combined with the housing of the motor , the size of a shaft bearing provided at the rotation shaft 110 of the motor can be reduced compared to the conventional art . when the structure for the slip ring and the brush of the wrsm having the above - described configuration according to the present invention is employed in an alternator for a vehicle , real - time position detection of the rotor that rotates inside the alternator has to be performed so that an accurate engine output assistance function can be implemented . however , in the conventional structure for a brush and a slip ring of a wrsm , there are many difficulties in implementing an optimized vehicle package due to the lack of a mounting space for the position detector mounted to detect the position of the rotor . to solve the problem , in the present invention , a simple configuration for position detection of the rotor is additionally installed in the structure for the slip ring and the brush according to the above - described embodiment so that a scheme for implementing a structure for a slip ring and a brush having a simple module shape in which position detection of the rotor is possible , is suggested . fig7 is a perspective view illustrating a structure for a slip ring and a brush of a wrsm according to another embodiment of the present invention , fig8 is a side view of fig7 , and fig9 is a front view of fig7 . referring to fig7 through 9 , the structure for the slip ring and the brush of the wrsm according to another embodiment of the present invention includes magnetic bodies 172 and 174 provided between the inner slip ring 120 and the brush 130 so as to detect the position of the rotor and a sensor 180 for detecting positions of the magnetic bodies 172 and 174 that rotate integrally with the rotation shaft 110 of the motor , which are additionally provided in the structure for the slip ring and the brush having the above - described shape according to an embodiment of the present invention . in this case , the magnetic bodies 172 and 174 are formed of moldable magnetic materials , and the moldable magnetic materials are injected between the inner slip ring 120 and the brush 130 so that the magnetic bodies 172 and 174 can be formed . in this way , each of the magnetic bodies 172 and 174 formed between the inner slip ring 120 and the brush 130 through injection of the magnetic materials includes an n - pole and an s - pole . as illustrated in fig9 , a pair of n - pole and s - pole magnetic bodies 172 and 174 may be disposed at an outside of the rotation shaft 110 to face each other . in this case , the magnetic bodies 172 and 174 may be configured through several combinations according to the number of poles provided in the rotor . due to the magnetic bodies 172 and 174 molded between the inner slip ring 120 and the brush 130 , a space between the inner slip ring 120 and the brush 130 is maintained in a fixed state . thus , the brush 130 when the rotation shaft 110 rotates , performs a rotation motion integrally with the rotation shaft 110 . in addition , the sensor 180 provided to detect the real - time positions of the magnetic bodies 172 and 174 may be a hall sensor that may sense the positions of the magnetic bodies 172 and 174 using a hall effect . the sensor 180 is buried in an inside of the holder 160 so as to detect the positions of the magnetic bodies 172 and 174 that rotate in communication with the rotation shaft 110 , as illustrated in fig9 . also , wires ( not shown ) for supplying power to the sensor 180 are integrally installed at the inside of the holder 160 together with the wires 150 for supplying a current to the outer slip ring 140 so that the structure for the slip ring and the brush having a simple structure in which no complicated wiring is required , can be implemented . in this way , the magnetic bodies 172 and 174 are installed between the inner slip ring 120 and the brush 130 of the wrsm , and the sensor 180 that may detect the real - time positions of the magnetic bodies 172 and 174 is installed at the holder 160 so that the structure for the slip ring and the brush of the wrsm is implemented in the form of one compact module . thus , a package for detecting the position of the rotor can be simplified , and efficient space utilization is possible in terms of a package compared to the conventional field power supply unit and position detector . as described above , in a structure for a slip ring and a brush of a wound rotor synchronous motor ( wrsm ) according to the present invention , the following useful effects can be obtained . first , a contact area between the brush and the slip ring of the wrsm is greatly increased so that heat dissipation of a motor caused by high - current input can be minimized and damage of the motor caused by the heat dissipation can be prevented . second , a plurality of contact surfaces on which the brush and the slip ring of the motor contact each other , are distributed in a circumferential direction at equal intervals so that equal friction and abrasion between the brush and the slip ring are possible , and even when a part of the contact surfaces of the brush is abraded , the other part thereof is used to supplement the abraded part so that the durable reliability of the motor can be improved . third , even when metal foreign substances are generated due to repetitive mechanical friction and abrasion between the brush and the slip ring , the foreign substances can be smoothly discharged to an outside of the motor so that a spark can be prevented from occurring due to the foreign substances in the motor . fourth , the contact area between the brush and the slip ring is increased so that the axial length of the slip ring can be reduced and thus , the overall axial size of the motor can be reduced . fifth , even when an external load is applied to a rotation shaft of the motor , the rotation shaft of the motor can be equally and stably supported in several places through a bellows type brush structure . furthermore , through the bellows type brush structure , a damping function can be provided to the rotation shaft of the motor so that shaking of the rotation shaft of the motor can be prevented and a rotation balance of the motor shaft can be stably maintained . sixth , magnetic bodies are installed between an inner slip ring and the brush , and a sensor for detecting positions of the magnetic bodies is installed at a holder so that the structure for the slip ring and the brush of the wrsm can be implemented in the form of one module and a more simplified and compact position detection package compared to the conventional art can be implemented . seventh , because wires for supplying power to the sensor and wires for applying a current to an outer slip ring are integrally disposed in the holder and a wiring structure of the wires can be simply realized , efficient space utilization can be implemented in terms of a package , and the entire package structure including a field power supply unit and a position detector can be simply implemented . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to the above - described exemplary embodiments of the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention . thus , it is intended that the present invention covers all such modifications provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents . | 7 |
charged particle beam systems for mineral analysis are preferably rugged for use in the field near a mine or a well site . sems intended for use in the field are preferably adapted to be used by less skilled technicians and for automation . such design attributes are also beneficial for sems used in laboratories . the alignment of the sample holder is preferably simple , precise , quick , and easily automated . a common issue in automated mineralogy is the inability of the beam to automatically return to previously set calibration points for automated system calibration and to return to sample locations for measurement after a sample exchange . if the calibration standard is positioned in the sample holder and removed with the sample holder , the sample holder must be carefully aligned in on the sample stage so that the calibration standard is positioned in a known location with respect to the beam . if the alignment is not correct , the beam will impact at a different point on the calibration sample each time , which could result in erroneous calibration and measurements . a preferred robust sample holder system of the present invention ensures precise and repeatable sample and calibration standard positioning and provides that the calibration and sample locations cannot be influenced by differences between operator skill levels . a preferred embodiment allows for greater accuracy and speed in manual operation and for automation by improving the ease of use of the sample holder . preferred embodiments provide an easier , faster sample exchange process with precise repeatable locating of calibration standards and samples without operator influence on positioning at sample exchange . in preferred embodiments , the stage - to - sample holder assembly interface uses complementary aligning structures , such as ball and cone locating interfaces , on the sample holder assembly and the stage mount to locate and orient the sample holder relative to the stage or a stage mount mounted onto the stage . the calibration standard remains on the sem stage as the sample holder is removed and replaced . the calibration standard provides the operator with a visual locator for correct orientation of sample holder assembly . fig1 shows an exploded view of a preferred sample holder assembly 100 including a sample tray 102 , a base plate 104 , and a knob 106 that secures the sample tray 102 to the base plate 104 by screwing onto shaft 106 extending from the sample tray 102 . multiple sample blocks 108 ( one shown ) are positioned at the six holes 110 in sample tray 102 and are secured between the sample tray 102 and the base plate 104 when the knob 106 is threaded onto a post 112 extended from sample tray 102 through base plate 104 . base plate 104 includes conical indentation 120 to mate with corresponding mating structures on a stage mount as described below . knob 106 allows sample holder assembly 100 to be assembled rapidly by an operator without the use of tools , such as screwdrivers . fig2 shows a detail of the edge of the hole in sample tray 102 . each sample hole 110 includes a counterbore 204 that provides an indentation 206 that positions the sample block 108 and provides a lip 208 having a diameter smaller than that of the sample block to prevent the sample block from passing through the hole . fig3 shows a top view of the base plate 104 , showing springs 302 that press the sample blocks 108 against the lip 208 to orient the sample at a known and repeatable position in relation to the base plate . the springs or other biasing means ensures the sample surfaces are flat , normal to the beam , and held at a known working distance from the column , as well as to ensure a good electrical contact to allow electrical charges to drain from the sample block 108 to the sample tray 102 . fig4 shows sample holder assembly 100 ( without sample blocks ) being positioned onto stage mount 402 . stage mount 402 is secured to a moveable stage ( not shown ) for a charged particle beam system . a calibration standard holder , such as a calibration column 404 , is secured to the stage mount 402 . hemispherical structures 406 mounted using corresponding fasteners 407 ( one shown ) onto stage mount 402 provide mating structures for the conical indentations in the bottom of the base plate 104 . biasing means , such as leaf springs 408 , provide electrical contact between the stage mount 402 and the sample holder assembly 100 . the tension in leaf springs 408 is sufficient to provide electrical contact , but not sufficient to prevent seating of the conical indentations of sample holder 100 fully onto the hemispherical mating surfaces of stage mount 402 . sample holder assembly 100 rests on stage mount 402 without being clamped during operation , with the weight alone of sample holder assembly 100 maintaining the contact between the aligning structures in the sample holder assembly and the aligning structures in the stage mount , therefore maintaining the sample holder in the proper position and orientation . aperture 410 accommodates knob 106 ( fig1 ) protruding from sample holder assembly 100 . fig5 is a flow chart showing a method of using a sample holder . the sample holder assembly is loaded by turning the sample tray upside down in step 502 and in step 504 , the sample blocks are placed facing down into the sample tray with the sample at one or more of the hole locations . each hole location includes a counterbore that provides an indentation that positions the sample block and provides a lip having a diameter smaller than that of the sample block to prevent the sample block from passing through the hole . the bottom plate is then placed over the sample tray in step 506 . the bottom plate includes a biasing means , such as a spring , at each of the sample block locations to press the sample block against the lip , thereby positioning the top of the sample block at a consistent , known height above the bottom of the sample holder assembly , which assists in rapidly focusing the electron beam . by pressing the sample block into the lip , the spring also ensures a good electrical contact between the conductive top of the sample block and the sample tray . the base plate is then secured against the sample tray in step 508 , for example , by threading a knob nut onto a shaft extending from the sample tray extending through the base plate . the knob can be easily threaded onto and off of the shaft of the sample tray to rapidly change sample blocks by hand , without the use of tools . other types of quick clamping devices may also be used to secure the sample tray to the base plate . the base plates include three conical indentations . the indentations are preferably manufactured separately and pressed into the base plate . the stage mount includes three hemispherical structures that mate with the three conical indentations on the bottom of the base plate . in step 510 , the sem is opened to provide access to the stage mount . in step 512 , the sample holder assembly is set onto the stage mount , with the calibration cylinder fitting into a notch in the sample holder assembly to provide rough positioning of the sample holder assembly , with the rough positioning being sufficiently close so that the hemispherical structures on the stage mount will self align with the conical indentation in the conical indentations to produce a fine alignment . the aligning structures on the base plate and stage mount preferably constrain the sample assembly in six degrees of freedom . the orientation and height of the sample holder assembly , as well as the position , is determined by the aligning structures . thus , precise positioning facilitates automation by facilitating automatic focusing to the known height . as will be recognized , the use of three conical indentations and three hemispherical structures overconstrains the sample holder assembly in three dimensions . the use of identical indentation and hemispherical structure reduces manufacturing costs , while the overconstraint does not decrease the precision to below an acceptable level . maintaining the calibration standard in the sample chamber facilitates automation by providing a consistent position for the calibration standard , which position does not change as the samples are loaded and unloaded . although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail , it should be understood that various changes , substitutions , and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims . moreover , the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process , machine , manufacture , composition of matter , means , methods and steps described in the specification . as one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention , processes , machines , manufacture , compositions of matter , means , methods , or steps , presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention . accordingly , the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes , machines , manufacture , compositions of matter , means , methods , or steps . | 7 |
the following detailed description should be read with reference to the drawings in which similar elements in different drawings are numbered the same . the drawings , which are not necessarily to scale , depict illustrative embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention . refer now to fig1 which illustrates a catheter 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . for purposes of illustration only , the catheter 10 is shown in the form of an intravascular microcatheter , but the catheter 10 may comprise virtually any catheter used for intravascular applications . by way of example , the length , profile , pushability , trackability , and other performance characteristics of the microcatheter 10 may be selected to enable intravascular insertion and navigation to the cerebral vasculature . in the embodiment illustrated , the microcatheter 10 may include a relatively stiff proximal portion 12 for pushability and torqueability . the microcatheter 10 may also include a relatively flexible distal portion 14 for trackability . the proximal shaft portion 12 may comprise a super elastic alloy ( e . g ., nitinol ) hypotube 20 , and the distal shaft portion 14 may comprise a coil reinforced multi - layer tube 30 . to facilitate a smooth transition between the relatively stiff proximal shaft portion 12 and the relatively flexible distal shaft portion 14 , a transition section 16 may be utilized as described in more detail hereinafter . the microcatheter 10 may include a lumen 40 ( as best seen in fig2 - 4 ) extending therethrough to facilitate the delivery of fluids ( e . g ., thrombolytic agents , radiopaque dye , saline , drugs , etc .) therethrough , and / or to facilitate the insertion of other medical devices ( e . g ., occlusive coils , guide wires , balloon catheters , etc .) therethrough . to provide access to the lumen 40 and to facilitate connection to ancillary devices , the microcatheter 10 may include a hub or manifold 18 connected to the proximal end of the proximal shaft portion 12 . the lumen 40 may extend through the entire length of the microcatheter 10 ( i . e ., through hub 18 , proximal shaft portion 12 , mid - shaft transition portion 16 , and distal shaft portion 14 ) to establish a path from a point outside the patient &# 39 ; s body to a remote site within the patient &# 39 ; s vascular system . with reference to fig2 - 4 , the proximal 12 , distal 14 , and transition 16 sections of the shaft will be discussed in more detail . as mentioned above , the proximal shaft section 12 may include a metallic hypotube 20 formed of a super elastic material such as a nickel titanium alloy , or other suitable material such as stainless steel . for example , the hypotube 20 may comprise nitinol having a length of about 120 - 150 cm and a wall thickness of about 0 . 0015 - 0 . 004 inches . a portion of the distal end of the hypotube 20 may be removed to define one or more voids 22 . in the example shown , the voids 22 comprise a helical or spiral slot cut into the wall of the hypotube 20 utilizing a suitable process such as laser cutting . the helical slot 22 may have a width of about 0 . 0002 inches or more , and may have a pitch which varies linearly from proximal to distal to gradually reduce the stiffness of the hypotube 20 . for example , the distal 60 cm may be laser cut to define a helical slot 22 , with the proximal segment having a pitch that gradually reduces from about 0 . 10 inches to about 0 . 001 inches , with the remaining distal segment having a constant / continuous pitch of about 0 . 001 inches . alternatively , the pitch may gradually reduce through the distal segment as well . those skilled in the art will recognize that the voids 22 may comprise a variety of geometries , including without limitation , a continuous slot as shown , a series of slots or holes distributed around the circumference and length of the hypotube 20 , etc . in addition , the voids 22 may extend completely through the wall of the hypotube 20 or may simply form a recess therein . the distal shaft section 14 may include an inner liner 32 formed of a lubricious polymer such as ptfe or hdpe . an inner layer 34 comprising a polymer such as polyether block amide ( e . g ., pebax ) may be placed over the inner liner 32 . the outside diameter of the inner layer 34 may be approximately 0 . 001 inches smaller than the inside diameter of the hypotube 20 to allow the inner liner 32 and the inner layer 34 to be disposed therein . the inner liner 32 and the inner layer 34 may extend through the transition region 16 of the hypotube 20 , or through the entire length of the hypotube 20 including the transition region 16 and the proximal shaft portion 12 . for example , the inner liner 32 and the inner layer 34 may extend through the entire length of the hypotube 20 , with 30 cm extending beyond the distal end of the hypotube 20 . with the assistance of a support mandrel disposed in the lumen of the combined inner liner 32 and inner layer 34 , the same 32 / 34 may be inserted into the proximal end of the hypotube 20 and advanced until the distal end thereof extends 30 cm beyond the distal end of the hypotube 20 . as it is being advanced , a suitable adhesive such as cyanoacrylate may be applied to the outer surface of the proximal 10 cm of the inner layer 34 for securement to the inside surface of the proximal end of the hypotube 20 . at this time , the hub 18 may be connected to the proximal end of the hypotube shaft 20 . optionally , a reinforcement layer 36 such as a single coil , multiple coils , or multiple interwoven coils ( i . e ., a braid ) may be disposed over the combined inner liner 32 and inner layer 34 extending beyond the distal end of the hypotube 20 . the reinforcement layer may comprise round wire or rectangular ribbon wire , for example . a proximal portion of the reinforcement layer 36 may be disposed in the voids 22 to provide a secure , low profile connection to the distal end of the hypotube 20 , and to prevent migration of the reinforcement layer 36 . for example , if the reinforcement layer 36 comprises a single coil and the voids 22 define a helical slot , the coil 36 may be wound into one or more of the distal slots . other portions of the distal composite shaft section 30 may be disposed in the voids 22 in addition to or in place of the coils 36 . for example , a portion of the inner layer 34 and / or outer layer 38 may be disposed in the voids 22 to modify or enhance the connection between the distal composite shaft 30 and the proximal hypotube shaft 20 . an outer layer 38 formed of a suitable polymeric material may then be placed over the transition region 16 and the distal shaft section 14 , and optionally over the proximal shaft section 12 as well . in particular , the outer layer 38 may extend from a point 24 on the hypotube 20 proximal of the spiral cut 22 to the terminal end of the combined inner liner 32 , inner layer 34 , and coil reinforcement layer 36 . the outer layer may be formed of a flexible polymer such as polyether block amide ( e . g ., pebax ), and may have a gradual transition in flexibility as provided by the gradient extrusion process described in co - pending patent application ser . no . 09 / 430 , 327 , entitled method and apparatus for extruding catheter tubing , the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference . by way of example , not limitation , the outer layer 38 may comprise a polyether block amide ( e . g ., pebax ) polymer tube formed by gradient extrusion , with a durometer transitioning from 55 d to 25 d from proximal to distal . the gradient transition in the outer layer 38 provides superior flexibility , response , and control , while contributing to the smooth transition 16 from the relatively stiff proximal section 12 to the relatively flexible distal section 14 . alternatively , the outer layer 38 may comprise a polymer tube having a continuous durometer , or a series of connected polymer tubes having different durometers . from the foregoing , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention , in one exemplary embodiment , provides an intravascular microcatheter 10 having a relatively stiff proximal hypotube shaft 20 for pushability and torqueability , and a relatively flexible distal composite shaft 30 for trackability . to provide a smooth transition between the relatively stiff proximal shaft 12 and the relatively flexible distal shaft 14 , a transition region 16 is provided by integrating portions of the proximal shaft ( e . g ., spiral cut 22 portion of the hypotube 20 ) and portions of the distal shaft ( e . g ., coil reinforcement 36 ) in a manner that provides a secure connection and that minimizes profile increase . those skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention may be manifested in a variety of forms other than the specific embodiments described and contemplated herein . accordingly , departures in form and detail may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention as described in the appended claims . | 0 |
the method according to the invention aims to optimise the write in a flash memory of an electronic system such as for example any portable object equipped with an electronic module and more especially an integrated circuit card . the electronic system comprises at least a processor and a flash type non volatile memory . in the following description , flash type memory means any memory organised in sectors , the sector forming an indivisible unit for erasure , the sector being itself subdivided into memory pages which could be allocated to different owners . as a non - limiting example , the electronic system described below corresponds to a portable object comprising an electronic module 1 illustrated on fig1 . this type of module is generally realised as a monolithic integrated electronic microcircuit , or chip , which once physically protected by any known means can be assembled on a portable object such as for example a smart card , integrated circuit card or other card which can be used in various fields . the microprocessor electronic module 1 comprises a microprocessor cpu 3 with a two - way connection via an internal bus 5 to a flash type non volatile memory 7 containing applications 9 , appli 1 , appli 2 , appli 3 , to be executed , a volatile memory 11 of type ram , input / output means i / o 13 to communicate with the exterior . as represented on fig3 , from the hardware layer consisting of the flash memory 7 and an access controller 15 controlling access to the memory 7 , we can identify a software layer comprising a memory manager 17 associated or not with a pilot 19 and a software layer comprising resident applications 21 for example a program of the operating system and “ user ” applications 23 corresponding to precise features ( for example an integrated circuit card : bank card , health card , identity card ). this representation provides a diagrammatic illustration of the memory access control system only , bearing in mind that the hardware and software layers comprise many other modules performing various tasks . the access controller 15 checks that a user wanting to access an address in the memory has the necessary rights . generally , the access controller 15 can be realised as windows open on a series of pages ( such as a segmentation device mpu ) or as semi - static access matrices associating attributes to the pages ( partition type device mac ). applications are associated with memory areas either during configuration or when selecting an application . such mechanisms only allow memory access for predetermined code / data area pairs . with an access matrix , for example , the role of the access controller at the time of execution simply consists in comparing the identity of the page “ owner ” and the identity of the module trying to access this page . according to this invention , the memory manager 17 intercepts the writes in flash memory 7 and performs an additional check on the sector concerned before authorizing or not erasure of the sector following the write . the check determines whether the erasure caused by the write would not delete data belonging to other owners . in this description , the term “ data ” covers any type of information stored in the memory , whether code , data or other . writes must never be made directly in memory nor by direct call to a pilot , but be made via said memory manager . the manager can also check the write access rights in the page indicated . the method according to the invention consists , using the memory manager , in checking a set of rules for the entire sector concerned , to authorize the erasure of a sector before writing in it . the set of rules concerning the sector takes into consideration the owner ( s ) of the pages in the segment concerned and the content of the pages . the set of rules checks that the write cannot delete data which must be kept and in particular data of an owner other than the user wanting to make the write . the check is therefore based on one or more rules of the following type : the location in the sector where the write is to be made is blank , bearing in mind that the sector is not necessarily completely blank ; the write does not result in erasure ; and / or the entire sector belongs to the same owner ; a and / or the pages not belonging to the same owner are blank ; and / or the pages not belonging to the same owner are marked as erasable ; in this description , a sector is said to be blank when no write has been made in the sector or when the sector has been erased and no new write has been made since the erasure . according to a special form of realisation of the invention , the module according to this invention comprises all of these rules . a number of sectors a number of pages per sector an owner of each page the statuses of the pages ( erasable , blank or not blank ) the memory manager allows an owner to mark the pages belonging to him as erasable . as seen previously , the manager keeps the statuses of the pages marked as erasable in the description 27 . the check code must be executed with the privileges required to authorize or not the erasure of a sector ; all memory accesses must be made via this manager ; it must not be possible for the code to be changed by the code of another unauthorized owner . a simple application program interface ( api ) 25 based on the previous constraints could include , for example , the following functions : dst_addr : destination address where the data will be written src_addr : source address from which the data to be written will be read length : length of the data to be written . this function is used to write in memory the data read at a given address after checking the set of rules . a dst_addr : destination address from which the memory will be filled with the required pattern pattern : byte to be reproduced length : length of the area to be filled this function is used to write in memory the data of a “ pattern ” after checking the set of rules . in the example illustrated on fig1 , if the applications and the operating system do not authorize any modification or any erasure by a third party : in sector 1 , the manager will not authorize any applications nor the operating system to erase the sector since the sector is divided into 4 partitions belonging to different owners and no owner authorizes his neighbour to modify his own partition . the sector can only be erased if the 4 partitions are marked by their owners as erasable . for sector 2 , the manager will authorize application no . 2 to erase its own partition since the rest of the sector is blank ; for sector 3 , since the sector belongs entirely to the operating system , the operating system has all the rights on this sector . it can therefore erase it . | 6 |
amorphous polyester core sheet material useful for the purposes of this invention may be formed from any of the well known thermoplastic heat crystallizable polyesters produced by condensing an aromatic dicarboxylic acid or a lower alkyl diester thereof with a glycol . among such dicarboxylic acids are included terephthalic acid and copolymers thereof with minor amounts of isophthalic ; phthalic ; succinic ; sebacic ; adipic ; azelaic ; bibenzoic or like acids . one or more of these acids or acid esters is reacted with one or more glycols which include ethylene glycol ; 1 , 3 - propanediol ; 1 , 4 - butanediol ; neopentyl glycol or 1 , 4 - cyclohexanedimethanol . the preferred film forming polyester useful for the purposes of this invention is polyethylene terephthalate . the amorphous polyester sheet may be formed by heating the polyester to a temperature above its melting point and continuously melt extruding the material in sheet form through a slot die onto a chilled casting drum after which it solidifies into a substantially amorphous sheet . the amorphous sheet may be then cooled and rolled . the preferred thickness of the amorphous sheet for credit card applications is in the range of about 5 to 40 mils , so the extrusion die slit opening should be gauged to provide sheet within such range of thickness . the core sheet material may be overlayed on one or both surfaces with a thinner gauge film material which serves to both protect matter printed on the core sheet and to give the article a better appearance . virtually any plastic film material which can be laminated with good adhesion to the amorphous polyester core sheet can be employed , e . g ., polyvinyl chloride film , but it is preferred to utilize mono or bi - axially oriented polyester film for this purpose . such polyester film may be prepared from the same monomers as set forth above with respect to the core sheet and the oriented film is manufactured as is known in the art by stretching the film in one or two mutually perpendicular directions , as for example as set forth in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 214 , 035 . the preferred film is biaxially oriented crystalline polyethylene terephthalate film having a preferred thickness in the range of about 0 . 25 to 2 mils , more preferably about 1 mil . the use of the overlay film is optional , but preferred . in many cases it may be desirable or necessary to utilize an adhesive material to improve the laminate adhesion between the polyester core sheet and the polyester overlay . this is particularly important where the core sheet has been printed with wet or dry lithographic offset inks or screen printing inks , since the ink will tend to interfere with good lamination . adhesive materials which can be used include acrylic or methacrylic resins , ethylene / vinyl acetate copolymers , water dispersible copolyesters containing at least one free functional acid group in the polymer chain such as disclosed in u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 252 , 885 and 4 , 304 , 851 , incorporated herein by reference , and heat sealable coating polymers such as disclosed in british pat . no . 1 , 078 , 813 . the adhesive may be applied either to the surface of the polyester core sheet or to the surface of the overlay film prior to lamination . preferably the adhesive material is applied to the surface of the overlay film either during or after its manufacture and the core sheet material may then be laminated to the coated surface of one layer , or between the coated surfaces of two layers , of the overlay film . lamination may be accomplished using a heat press having highly polished metal surfaces . the thickness of the adhesive layer on the oriented polyester film is preferably within the range of about 10 - 7 to 2 × 10 - 4 inch . the amorphous core sheet and / or protective film used in the present invention may contain conventional additives as known in the art including filler materials , such as silica , talc , calcium chloride , or clay and / or colorants , such as titanium dioxide , as well as other pigments . credit card blanks are generally fabricated by printing with adherable inks on the core sheet material the desired commercial information , such as by screen or offset methods , and subsequently laminating thereto under heat and pressure an overlay film on one or both sides . the composite is then embossed under pressure and in some cases heat with numerical and / or letter characters , either before or after which said composite is cut into credit card size . in its broader aspect , credit cards of this invention may be prepared by ( 1 ) providing a supply of amorphous polyester sheet ; ( 2 ) embossing said sheet ( either before or after cutting said sheet into the appropriate size for a credit card ) under pressure and optionally heat to form offset characters on the card ; ( 3 ) heating said card for a time and at a temperature sufficient to crystallize the amorphous polyester , or at least that portion of the card bearing offset characters while preferably maintaining said card under restraint to prevent any curling or distortion of the card ; and ( 4 ) cooling said card to ambient conditions . credit cards of this invention are also prepared by : ( 1 ) providing a supply of amorphous polyester sheet , commercially printed using a polyester screen ink adherable to the polyester surface ; ( 2 ) providing a supply of overlay film , optionally coated on at least one side with an adhesive for enhancing the lamination bond between said overlay film , said ink and the printed surface of said polyester sheet ; ( 3 ) laminating by heat and pressure the overlay film to both sides of the polyester sheet for a time and at a temperature sufficient to provide good laminar adhesion , but insufficient to cause substantial crystallization of the amorphous sheet , to provide a composite with a tough durable overlay ; ( 4 ) cutting the composite into the right size and shape for a credit card , i . e ., about 31 / 4 to 31 / 2 inch by 2 to 2 1 / 4 inch ; ( 5 ) embossing said card under pressure , and optionally heat , with numerical and / or letter characters using an appropriate device such as an offset press or label maker to form offset characters on the card ; ( 6 ) heating said card for a time and at a temperature sufficient to crystallize the amorphous polyester card , or at least that portion of the card containing the offset characters while preferably restraining said card to prevent any curling or distortion thereof , and ( 7 ) cooling the card to ambient conditions . in the embodiments referred to above , the temperature required to achieve partial or total crystallization of the amorphous polyester sheet or card may vary as a function of time in that crystallization is both time and temperature dependent . generally , temperatures in the range of 90 ° c . to 240 ° c . may be employed , with the maximum rate of crystallization occurring at about 165 ° c . at any given temperature , the time required for crystallization will be evident by observation and evaluation of the change in properties of the polyester . any source of energy which will provide sufficient heat to crystallize the amorphous polyester or portion thereof bearing the offset characters may be used . this would include infrared and microwave sources . in the preferred embodiment where the amorphous polyester sheet is laminated to one or two overlay films , the temperature required to achieve good adhesive bonding will vary depending on the properties of the overlay film and whether or not an adhesive layer is present and the nature of the printing ink present on the surface of the amorphous polyester sheet . temperatures sufficient to soften the adhesive layer are required , and the pressure must be sufficient to form a good firm bond between the layers , i . e ., greater than about 25 psi . temperature , pressure and time conditions must , however , not be such that any substantial crystallization of the amorphous polyester sheet is permitted to occur . two strips of biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate film having a thickness of about 0 . 48 mil were laminated to both sides of a strip of a cast sheet of amorphous polyethylene terephthalate having a thickness of about 7 mils . lamination was accomplished using a gradient bar sealer at a temperature of about 300 ° f ., a pressure of 80 psi and for a period of about six seconds . the resulting composite was then embossed at room temperature with various numerical and letter characters using a dymo ® label maker . the resulting embossed composite was mounted in a frame restraint to prevent heat distortion and then heated in a convection oven at 125 ° c . for a period of 10 minutes to crystallize the amorphous core sheet . a strip of cast amorphous polyethylene terephthalate film having a thickness of 6 . 9 mils was placed in a letter vise and embossed at room temperature with lettering by closing the vise . the vise containing the restrained film was placed in a convection oven at 125 ° c . for about 10 minutes to crystallize the polyester . after 10 minutes the assembly was removed from the oven and allowed to cool to room temperature before opening the vise . the procedure of example 1 was repeated except that the strips of biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate film were coated with an aqueous adhesive layer comprising a copolyester having free sulfo acid groups in the polymer chain and dried . the strips were laminated to the core using this adhesive layer to promote adhesion . the strips prepared according to examples 1 and 2 were evaluated for their resistance to tampering in comparison with two control samples . control a was a 10 . 7 mil thick strip of unplasticized polyvinyl chloride sheeting ; control b was a 7 . 0 mil thick strip of biaxially oriented ( crystallized ) polyethylene terephthalate sheeting . each of these materials were embossed at room temperature with various numerical and letter characters by the method set forth in example 1 . the resistance of the embossments in each sample to &# 34 ; ironing out &# 34 ; was evaluated using a laboratory gradient heat sealer set at 300 ° f . the heat sealer was applied to the embossed strips at a pressure of 50 psi for a period of six seconds . the resistance of the embossments to &# 34 ; shaving &# 34 ; was evaluated by attempting to shave them off the surface of the sheet using an ordinary razor blade . table______________________________________ironing out shaving______________________________________ex 1 some flattening , but embossments could not obvious evidence of easily be removed . the embossments is apparent . ex 2 some flattening , but embossments could not obvious evidence of the easily be removed . embossments is apparent . control severe flattening characters could be easilya but faint evidence cut from sheet without of the embossment . destruction of their shape . control embossment was flat characters were notb due primarily to the high enough to be initial resistance effectively removed to embossing of by a razor blade . crystalline polyester . ______________________________________ from the above it can be concluded that credit cards prepared by embossing polyester sheet material in the amorphous state followed by crystallization of the embossed sheet produces a credit card having a superior resistance to tampering . | 1 |
fig2 is an elevational view of a post - fuser path in an electrostatographic printer , showing one embodiment of the present invention . at the exit side of the fusing apparatus formed largely by fuser rolls 108 and 110 , surfaces defining the post - fuser path to the output opening , or slot , 14 are defined by what can be called plates or “ baffles ” 10 and 12 . ( although baffles 10 and 12 are shown as smooth plates in the illustrated embodiments , either of the surfaces converging toward slot 14 can be effectively formed by fingers , ridges , and the like , or to some extent by surfaces of neighboring hardware .) as can be seen , in a basic state , the baffles 10 and 12 form a funnel in the vertical direction , wherein the vertical cross - section of the post - fuser path decreases along the process direction . more broadly , the surfaces of baffles 10 and 12 in effect substantially enclose the post - fuser path for purposes of directing sheets from the nip between fuser rolls 108 and 110 to the slot 14 . in a typical fuser apparatus , there is further provided one or more stripper fingers such as 16 , which have the purpose of stripping sheets from the image - side ( in this case , the lower side ) of sheets emerging from the nip between fuser rolls 108 and 110 . such stripper fingers 16 and their associated mounts ( not shown ) are likely to be damaged by the impaction of sheets within the post - fuser path . according to the fig2 embodiment , the lower baffle 10 is pivotably mounted , such as on hinge 18 , within the body of the printing machine , and thus provides a movable surface defining the post - fuser path . further , the baffle 10 is held in a basic position by a spring force provided by a spring 20 , which can be a spring of any type , and could include , for example , a counterweight system to provide the spring force . as can be seen by the “ down ” or “ open ” position of the baffle indicated as 10 ′, any downward force greater than the spring force of spring 20 will cause the baffle 10 to be pushed downward , and , as shown increase a size of or in other words “ open ” the post - fuser path . the downward force would of course be provided by the presence of any sheets stuck in the post - fuser path , or in other words a “ jam condition ,” such as shown in fig1 . by thus “ opening ” the post - fuser path , first , more volume is available to avoid further compaction of sheets fed into the post - fuser path ; and , second , the crumpled jammed sheets can be relatively easily removed by hand from the post - fuser path . in this embodiment , after the crumpled sheets are removed from the post - fuser path , spring 20 will return baffle 10 to its basic position . in the fig2 embodiment , a spring force associated with spring 20 is chosen based on the expected force of sheets being crumpled by jamming within the post - fuser path , which in turn may be affected by , for instance , the speed of sheets being fed through fuser rolls 108 , 110 . fig3 shows another embodiment of the present invention . instead of being springably mounted as in the previous embodiment , in fig3 the lower baffle 10 is supported in its basic upward position by a flexible linkage generally indicated as 30 . the linkage 30 is in turn held in place by a trip member indicated as 32 . a portion 34 of trip member 32 extends through an opening 11 in baffle 10 and into the post - fuser path , and is thus positioned to contact a jammed sheet in the post - fuser path . when the post - fuser path fills up with a crumpled sheet during a jam condition , eventually the sheet will push down portion 34 , and , as shown in fig3 trip member 32 will assume the position shown in phantom as 32 ′. when this occurs , linkage 30 is no longer supported by trip member 32 and will then flex in the direction shown by arrow 36 . when linkage 30 thus flexes , baffle 10 will move downward , in a similar manner as in the fig2 embodiment , and the volume of the post - fuser path will open , as described above , to avoid compaction and provide easy removal of crumpled sheets . after crumpled sheets are removed , baffle 10 can be returned to its basic , upward position , and the trip member 32 can be reset to once again support flexible linkage 30 . although fig3 shows one arrangement of hardware to enable a “ trip ” for opening the volume in the post - fuser path , other mechanical arrangements having substantially the same effect would be apparent to one of skill in the art . such arrangements may include springs or equivalent elements to enhance performance , either in determining under what conditions baffle 10 should move downwards , and / or to facilitate a reset of baffle 10 to its basic position . fig4 shows another embodiment of the present invention . in this embodiment , the position of lower baffle 10 is directly controlled by an electronic control system , here indicated as 40 . of course control system 40 can be embodied as a routine within a larger control system governing the entire printing apparatus . in this embodiment , jamming conditions within the post - fuser path can be inferred by monitoring the behavior of sheets passing into the fuser nip between fuser rolls 108 and 110 and exiting through slot 14 . briefly , a monitor 42 ( which may be of any variety used in determining sheet position , such as a mechanical sensor or an optical sensor ) monitors the feeding of sheets into the fuser , and if the apparatus is working properly , a sheet detected at monitor 42 should be detected at a monitor 44 , disposed along paper path 102 just after slot 14 , within a predetermined time window thereafter . if a sheet detected by monitor 42 is not matched by a subsequent detection of the sheet by monitor 44 , the condition is consistent with a jam in the post - fuser path . control system 40 , detecting this condition , then causes baffle 10 to move to a downward position which opens the post - fuser path . the downward movement of baffle 10 can be performed by an electromechanical actuator 46 of any type , such as an electromagnetic plunger or servomotor . although the illustrated embodiments of the present invention are directed toward avoiding and obviating damage that can be caused in a post - fuser path in a printing apparatus , the invention can be applied to any post - roller path in any apparatus which feeds sheet material . | 6 |
various example embodiments are shown in the figures and further described below . reference is made to these examples in a non - limiting sense , as it should be noted that they are provided to illustrate more broadly applicable aspects of the devices , systems and / or methods . various changes may be made to these embodiments and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the true spirit and scope of the various embodiments . in addition , many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation , material , composition of matter , process , process act ( s ) or step ( s ) to the objective ( s ), spirit or scope of the present invention . all such modifications are intended to be within the scope of the claims that can be made herein . fig1 a and 1b illustrate an example of an elongate body 10 to which the subject foot may be attached . in the front or plan view of fig1 a , an optional stretchable or spring - type architecture is evident from the repetition of laterally deflectable beams 12 . the beams ( or beam pairs ) serve as leaf spring elements in series . as noted above , further details of such an elongate body or member 10 may be appreciated in reference to u . s . patent application ser . no . 15 / 002 , 022 and pct patent appl . no . pct / us16 / 14125 . as shown in fig1 b , a proximal side or end 14 of elongate body 10 may be tapered to assist in loading an anchor head onto the elongate body 10 . the taper is optionally defined by matching angular grinds 16 , 18 or produced by other means of material removal or omission during manufacture . the opposite , distal side 20 of the elongate body may be squared - off or ( at least substantially ) flat - edged as shown . otherwise , this end may be rounded . in any case , distal end 20 provides a pivot axis 24 ( roughly as indicated ) about which the foot , when attached , can pivot or rotate as further described . one or more through holes or apertures are advantageously provided adjacent to the distal end 20 of elongate body 10 for use in foot attachment . in the embodiment of body 10 shown , aperture ( s ) 22 that may be so - used are integrated in the spring pattern . however , the aperture ( s ) provided for foot attachment may instead be provided by dedicated features ( vs . multi - purpose features as in elongate body 10 ). fig2 a and 2b provide perspective views of an anchor or anchoring foot 100 for use with elongate body 10 or another elongate member . the distal end 20 of the elongate body is intended to ( at least substantially ) span a proximal side 120 or surface of the foot where indicated by the phantom - lines . this location is set between diametrically - opposed side grooves or channels 102 in the sides 104 of the foot , optionally at a midpoint of the foot . stated otherwise , the proximal end 20 of body 10 can be positioned so that a midline 106 of the length “ l ” of the foot and axis 24 coincide . as illustrated and discussed further below , the grooves 102 ( running or spanning the thickness “ t ” of the foot ) receive one or more strands of material for holding or securing foot 100 to elongate body 10 . half - cylinder grooves ( with edges at the full width “ w ” of the part ) are shown for this purpose . however , v - or rectangular - shaped grooves can be used . in any case , these features offer a stable seat or seating position for the strand ( s ) of material used to hold the foot onto the elongate body . the reverse ( i . e ., distal ) side 122 of the foot may also include a recess in the form of a slot , channel or groove 108 . it too is configured to receive a part of the strand ( s ). in a preferred embodiment , a splice section of a single loop of suture material is received therein . this approach offers an extremely low - profile solution to construction . the distal side groove 108 may terminate adjacent to or in alignment with the position of side grooves 102 . the position of an inboard terminus 110 to groove 108 will typically be set in coordination with the tie - on approach employed with the strand ( s ). examples of such construction are elaborated upon below . an outboard terminus 112 of groove 108 may be open and optionally radiused ( as shown ) or closed - off as indicated by dashed line section 114 . an anchor or anchoring head may be used to secure elongate body 10 opposite the anchor or anchoring foot 100 in use . fig3 a - 3c show views of a suitable head 200 with teeth 202 designed for one - way advancement over the body . the teeth interact with the apertures or windows 22 in the body ( spring ) pattern shown . as illustrated with included draft angles , the anchor is advantageously injection molded in biocompatible polyetheretherketone ( peek ) polymer material . nevertheless , other anchor and / or coordinated body configurations or constructions may be employed in the subject devices or systems . a support rim or frame 204 of the anchor head may be round ( as shown in fig3 a and 3c ), square or otherwise configured . indeed , the support structure may be integrated in an orthopedic plate ( e . g ., as integrally formed or press - fit therein ) or otherwise provided . in the subject devices and / or systems , the foot 100 may be held to the elongate body with a strand 150 of suture material as shown in fig4 . in this example , the suture is passed and looped or wrapped over both ends 124 , 126 of the foot and through aperture 22 in the elongate body 10 to provide such attachment . as such , strand 150 held in an inverted u - like or stirrup - type shape on each side of the foot . position of the foot relative to the elongate body is stabilized laterally by the strand given its position within the respective side groves 102 . as shown , the grooves may be shaped and sized such that strand portions 152 a , 152 b set in a side - by - side configuration fill the available space . the foot can pivot in either direction ( e . g ., about the distal end 20 of the elongate body 10 ) and indicated by the arrows . other motion is limited or constrained . the nature of movement limitation or constraint is further appreciated in reference to fig5 a . lateral and longitudinal constraint of the foot is applied by virtue of the loop sections 154 a , 154 b of the strand ( s ) received on each side of aperture 22 , along with the portions 152 in the side grooves 102 . fig5 b illustrates the matter further , showing how each loop portion 156 a , 156 b is indeed tightly and symmetrically bound in the system . in the example pictured , a single loop of strand material is provided with one portion fed over each end 24 , 26 of the length of the foot . further , each end of the loop is secured ( relative to the other ) within a splice section 158 . the splice section is received within the distal side or face groove 108 . splice 158 is shown adhered in place by adhesive 160 ( e . g ., 4014 loctite ). gluing can also help insure integrity or strength of the splice against loosening and / or pull - out failure . alternatively , no adhesive is used and the “ tail ” ( in this case defined by the splice ) is received and held by a press or friction fit in groove 108 . regardless , the splice is typically trimmed ( e . g ., at dashed line 162 ) so that it does not extend beyond an end limit or boundary of the foot 100 . such location for any tail features ( i . e ., within groove 108 ) and / or trimming will typically also occur even if no splice is present in the system . in which case ( still using the side grooves 102 ), one or more knots may be used for securing one or more independent strands for tying the foot onto the elongate member . as shown in fig6 , the foot 100 can be releasably held or stabilized in an axial orientation for deployment in connection or association with a sleeve or sheath 170 . in these figures , a clear polyester ( e . g ., polyethylene terephthalate ( pet )) sheath is shown . however , the sheath may be any other biocompatible material . thin - walled plastic tubing may be preferred , however , as it can easily deform from round to provide a minimum form - fitting profile or coverage 172 to the body 10 and foot 100 . as referenced above , the foot is rotatably affixed , held or secured to the elongate body by a strand ( s ), filament ( s ) or cord ( s ) of material . as an example , braided force fiber ( teleflex medical ) suture produced with ultra high molecular weight polyethylene ( uhmwpe ) material may be used . at approximately 0 . 010 inch diameter , 3 - 0 size suture material offers 15 + pound force ( lfb ) tensile strength for construction . the elongate body advantageously comprises niti alloy that is superelastic in use at human body temperature ( i . e ., the material has an af of about 37 ° c . or less ). otherwise , the niti alloy may be selected in order to use its potential shape - memory effect for tightening ( or tighten further ) once emplaced . alternatively , the elongate member may comprise a high performance or so - called “ engineering ” polymer such as peek . other materials ( especially those with high reversible stain potential such as beta titanium alloy ) might be employed for elongate body 10 as well . the elongate body is advantageously substantially flat , with the foot rotatable around its end as variously shown and described . as such , the body may have an aspect ratio of width to thickness of between about 10 to 1 and about 30 to 1 . such a form factor also minimizes manufacturing complexity and cost in that the elongate member may then be cut ( e . g ., laser cut , water jet cut or etched ) from flat wire , strip or plate . the cut part can be media blasted , pickled and / or electropolished for surface finish . the foot may comprise stainless steel , titanium or titanium alloy ( including niti alloy ) and be produced using standard machining or rapid - prototyping techniques . alternatively , the foot may comprise a biocompatible polymer material such as peek or another suitable high - strength polymer . such plastic bodies are advantageously produced by injection molding with draft angles readily applied to the part . also , the foot shown includes no through - holes ( e . g ., for threading suture material there - though as with suture - button type device components ) otherwise complicating mold tooling . rather , the part has side groves or slots for receiving the strand ( s ) that secure the foot and locate its position relative to the elongate member to which it is connected . fig7 a - 7g illustrate a method of manufacture employing such an approach . as shown in fig7 a , a strand 150 comprising 6 - to - 8 filament hollow core suture material is opened over a splicing length 180 with a threaded needle 182 . upon passing the needle through the opening 184 , a loop 156 including a splice section 158 is formed as shown in fig7 b . finished splice length may be between about 5 and 10 mm . an example of a coordinated size for the foot may be : a length of about 12 . 5 mm , a width of about 3 mm and a thickness of about 1 . 5 mm . the shape or form of foot 100 may be generically or generally regarded as oval and / or rectangular . the specific shape or form pictured is sometimes specifically referred to as a “ racetrack ” shape . turning to fig7 c , an end of the ( straightened - out or elongated ) loop 156 can be flattened ( e . g ., between fingers or with a tool ). the flattened section 186 is then easily slipped through a low - profile aperture 22 of the body 10 ( or another opening ) as illustrated in fig7 d . fig7 e shows loop 156 with one end 156 a passed over and around end 126 of the foot and another end 156 b passed over end 124 of foot 100 . however , the overall loop 156 has not yet been tightened . this is evident in the figured from the location of the spice 158 and the offset position of the foot 100 relative to the body 10 . to tighten the loop 156 , portions of the loop strand are worked through the aperture 22 and along the foot side grooves 102 until loop sections 156 a and 156 b are tight and the splice 158 centrally located adjacent the distal surface 122 of the foot . such a result in shown in fig7 f . here , the offset between the parts shown in fig7 e is eliminated and the parts ( i . e ., body 10 , foot 100 and strand 150 elements ) are tightly held together . if the splice is located as shown in fig7 f ( i . e ., toward foot end 124 with the distal side groove 108 and foot end 126 to the right ), the strand ends may be threaded through ( an optionally larger ) needle 182 ′ and the needle used to draw the splice “ tail ” underneath the adjacent strand loop section 156 a so that it underlies the same . so - positioned , the tail is tucked into the groove as shown in fig7 g , with the junction 188 of the strand sections within splice 158 neatly hidden . note , however , the reverse arrangement of loops 156 a and 156 b in fig5 b . here , the splice 158 tail is originally located toward the side of groove 108 ( i . e ., without crossing under an adjacent strand section ) facilitating omission of the acts or steps illustrated in fig7 f . however accomplished , with the remaining end ( s ) of the suture strand 150 are typically set in groove 108 and trimmed as indicated by the dashed line 162 ( as similarly shown in fig5 b .) finally , the strand material may be glued into place if adhesive use is desired . alternatively , the suture ( or other ) strand material may be glued first and then trimmed . further steps in preparing a useable device may include loading it into a sheath as shown in fig6 , followed by packaging , sterilizing , etc . to prepare the device or system for deployment , the foot is rotated into alignment with the elongate body . the foot 100 may be setup in axial alignment with body 10 so that either end 124 or 126 is leading or most distal . for use , the construct may be held axially aligned in such a position in connection with a releasable beath - type needle . a simpler option is to utilize a sheath 170 as previously described in connection with fig6 . such a device or system 300 is also shown in fig8 a , together with a sawbones model 190 . for insertion through a hole 192 drilled through bone ( s ), the sheath adds little size to the necessary deployment hole diameter . after device 300 insertion and sheath 170 withdrawal ( or partial withdrawal at least so far as to expose foot 100 ), the foot can be manipulated to catch and turn to its deployed position as shown in fig8 b . such manipulation may be accomplished by re - advancing the sheath 170 while gripping the proximal end 14 of the elongate body 10 or otherwise . after optional sheath removal or trimming if implantation as part of system 300 ′ is desired , an anchoring head 200 is applied to the elongate body 10 . the example head 200 shown in fig8 b is secured by one - way advancement over elongate body 10 , with the elongate body pulled through head 200 to set the body 10 to a desired tension . an equal amount of compression is thereby applied to the subject anatomy by the foot 100 and head 200 anchor members in the overall system . note that the orientation of elongate body 10 may be set in the direction shown in fig8 a or as in fig8 b , or otherwise . naturally , the selection will determine the angular orientation of the foot 100 as well . in any case , foot 100 anchors the device against bone on one side of device 300 ′ and head 200 anchors it on the other side . finally , a proximal end of the elongate body 10 is trimmed off ( advantageously flush ) as indicated by the dashed line 302 . this may be accomplished with flush - cut nippers or using a cutter that may be integrated in a custom tensioning and / or cutting tool . in addition to the embodiments disclosed above , still more variations are within the scope of this description . indeed , other methods of use applicable to the subject devices or systems are presented in fig8 - 15 of the above - referenced patent applications already incorporated herein by reference . the subject methods , including methods of use and / or manufacture , may be carried out in any order of the events which is logically possible , as well as any recited order of events . medical methods may include any of a hospital staffs activities associated with device provision , implant introduction , positioning and / or re - positioning , and surgical access and / or closure . furthermore , where a range of values is provided , it is understood that every intervening value , between the upper and lower limit of that range and any other stated or intervening value in the stated range is encompassed within the invention . also , it is contemplated that any optional feature of the inventive variations described may be set forth and claimed independently , or in combination with any one or more of the features described herein . moreover , no limitations from the specification are intended to be read into any claims , unless those limitations are expressly included in the claims . as used herein and in the appended claims , the singular forms “ a ”, “ an ”, and “ the ” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise . in other words , use of the articles allow for “ at least one ” of the subject items in the description above as well as the claims below . the claims may exclude any optional element . as such , this statement is intended to serve as antecedent basis for use of such exclusive terminology as “ solely ,” “ only ” and the like in connection with the recitation of claim elements , or use of a “ negative ” limitation . without the use of such exclusive terminology , the term “ comprising ” in the claims shall allow for the inclusion of any additional element irrespective of whether a given number of elements are enumerated in the claim , or the addition of a feature could be regarded as transforming the nature of an element set forth in the claims . 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 disclosure is not entitled to antedate such publication by virtue of prior disclosure . further , the dates of publication provided may be different from the actual publication dates which may need to be independently confirmed . the subject matter described herein and in the accompanying figures is done so with sufficient detail and clarity to permit the inclusion of claims , at any time , in means - plus - function format pursuant to 35 u . s . c . section 112 , part ( f ). however , a claim is to be interpreted as invoking this means - plus - function format only if the phrase “ means for ” is explicitly recited in that claim . while the embodiments are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms , specific examples thereof have been shown in the drawings and are herein described in detail . it should be understood , however , that these embodiments are not to be limited to the particular form disclosed , but to the contrary , these embodiments are to cover all modifications , equivalents , and alternatives falling within the spirit of the disclosure . furthermore , any features , functions , acts , steps , or elements of the embodiments may be recited in or added to the claims , as well as negative limitations that define the inventive scope of the claims by features , functions , acts , steps , or elements that are not within that scope . | 0 |
certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting . the words “ up ”, “ down ”, “ right ” and “ left ” will designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made . the words “ head end ” and “ foot end ” of the bed will refer to , respectively , the right end of the bed and the left end of the bed illustrated in fig1 . the words “ in ” and “ out ” will refer to directions toward and away from , respectively , the geometric center of the device and designated parts thereof . such terminology will include derivative and words of similar import . [ 0025 ] fig1 illustrates a patient supporting apparatus 10 embodying the invention . the patient supporting apparatus 10 includes a base 11 supported on plural castered wheels 12 . an upstanding pedestal 13 is mounted on the top side of the base 11 and includes a conventional jack system ( not illustrated ) for raising and lowering a frame 14 . the frame 14 has thereon a patient support deck 16 consisting of a head section 17 and a seat section 18 as illustrated in fig1 . the frame 14 specifically includes a pair of elongate and parallel support frame members 19 and 20 as illustrated in broken lines in fig2 . as illustrated in broken lines in fig2 a deck plate 22 is supported on and is fastened to an upper extremity of each of the elongate support frame members 19 and 21 . the deck plate 22 is oriented in the seat section 18 whereas a further deck plate 23 illustrated in fig1 is oriented in the head section of the patient support deck 16 . a mattress 24 is supported on the patient support deck 16 . the patient supporting apparatus 10 includes elevatable side rails 26 independently mounted on respective elongate support frame members 19 and 21 . in addition , an auxiliary elongate rail 27 is secured to each of the elongate support frame members 19 and 21 and extends coextensively with at least the seat section 18 . a further auxiliary elongate rail 28 is supported on the deck plate 23 of the head section 17 . further details of the patient supporting apparatus 10 can be found in co - pending application ser . no . 09 / 592 , 040 , filed on jun . 12 , 2000 . the brakes operatively associated with the castered wheels can be found in co - pending application ser . no . 09 / 592 , 038 , filed on jun . 12 , 2000 . a safety side rail configuration disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 360 , 385 can be substituted for the safety side rail configuration 26 disclosed herein . thus , further discussion of this componentry is believed unnecessary , but the subject matter of pending application ser . nos . 09 / 592 , 038 and 09 / 592 , 040 and the subject matter of u . s . pat . no . 6 , 360 , 385 is to be incorporated herein by reference . referring now to fig2 a pair of laterally spaced support brackets 31 and 32 are each secured to a respective elongate support frame member 19 and 21 or to the underside of the patient support deck , particularly , the deck plate 22 adjacent an edge thereof remote from the head section , otherwise known as the perineal edge 33 of the seat section 18 . in this particular embodiment , each of the support brackets 31 and 32 are generally of an inverted l shape wherein one leg of the l is longer than the other . in this particular embodiment , the shorter leg 34 is secured by fasteners 36 to the underside of the deck plate 22 . the longer legs 37 are oriented in parallel vertical planes which extend parallel to a longitudinal axis of each of the elongate support frame members 19 and 21 . in this particular embodiment , each of the long legs 37 have a set of three rollers 38 rotatably supported about spaced horizontal axes , the points of intersection of the axes with the vertical plane of the legs 37 defining an equilateral triangle , the apex of the triangle being elevated above the base of the triangle . the axes of rotation of the respective and corresponding rollers in each set are coaxial . a u - shaped frame 41 is supported for movement with respect to the rollers 38 . more specifically , the u - shaped frame 41 includes a pair of parallel legs 42 and 43 and an interconnecting bight 44 connecting one end of each leg 42 and 43 to each other . in this particular embodiment , a longitudinal axis of the bight 44 is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of each of the legs 42 and 43 . in addition , the axes of rotation for the rollers 38 oriented on the base of the aforesaid equilateral triangle are in a first horizontal plane and the axis of rotation at the apex of the triangle is in a second horizontal plane so that the legs 42 and 43 are configured to extend between the two planes , the bottom rollers operatively engaging the underside of the legs 42 and 43 whereas the roller 38 at the apex engages the top surface of the legs 42 and 43 as illustrated in fig2 . the bight 44 includes a pair of laterally spaced stops 46 that are upstanding from the top surface thereof . an open topped liquid collecting receptacle 47 is configured to mount onto the frame 41 and be movable with respect to the frame 41 . more specifically , the receptacle 47 has an outwardly extending flange 48 adjacent the upper edge thereof , sections of the flange overlapping the respective upper surfaces of the legs 42 , 43 and bight 44 . the flange 48 is configured to slide on and with respect to the upper surfaces of the legs 42 and 43 . a stop 49 is provided on each leg 42 and 43 at an end thereof remote from the bight 44 to limit the relative sliding movement of the receptacle 47 with respect to the u - shaped frame 41 . for convenience , a handle 51 is mounted on one of the side walls of the receptacle 47 , particularly the side wall of the receptacle which is facing away from the head section 17 of the patient support deck . [ 0031 ] fig3 is similar to fig2 except that the receptacle 47 has been moved with respect to the u - shaped frame 41 until the outside surface of the side walls of the receptacle have come into engagement with the stops 49 on the legs 42 and 43 . such relative movement occurs by reason of a manual force being applied to the handle pulling the receptacle to the left . when the receptacle 47 and the supporting u - shaped frame 41 is in the position illustrated in fig2 the weight of the receptacle and frame create a generally clockwise moment relative to the supporting rollers 38 such that the friction resisting movement of the legs 42 and 43 relative to the rollers is greater than the friction between the flange 48 on the receptacle 47 and the upwardly facing surfaces of the legs 42 and 43 . as a result , the receptacle 47 will slide to the position illustrated in fig3 while the u - shaped frame 41 remains in its original position . [ 0032 ] fig4 is similar to fig3 except that a continued force applied to the handle 51 drawing the receptacle to the left will also cause the u - shaped frame 41 to be drawn to the left by reason of engagement of the wall of the receptacle with the stops 49 . the entire assembly of receptacle 47 and u - shaped frame 41 will be allowed to move to the left until the stops 46 come into engagement with the respective rollers at the apex of the triangular array thereof . this compact assembly of receptacle 47 and u - shaped frame 41 and the mount therefor enables the receptacle 47 to be stowed completely beneath the deck plate 22 of the seat section 18 . as is illustrated in broken lines in fig3 the perineal edge 33 of the deck support plate 22 includes a conventional notch 52 therein . in this particular embodiment , the receptacle 47 in the fig2 position is oriented between the head section 17 and the bottom 53 of the perineal notch 52 . as illustrated in fig6 and 11 , a pair of laterally spaced brackets 56 are secured to the underside of the deck plate 22 of the seat section 18 adjacent respective elongate support frame members 19 and 21 . each bracket 56 includes an axle 57 coaxial with each other and pivotally supports respective left support bracket 58 a and right support bracket 58 b . the axis of the coaxial axles 57 extends generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the support frame members 19 and 21 . support brackets 58 a and 58 b are mirror images of each other and are , as illustrated in fig6 and 7 , oriented on the left and right sides of the perineal notch 52 . in fact , the brackets 58 a and 58 b are oriented between the respective lateral sides of the receptacle 47 and the respective elongate support frame members 19 and 21 . the receptacle 47 and the support structure therefor has been omitted from fig6 and 7 in order to facilitate clarity in this description . since the support brackets 58 a and 58 b are mirror images of one another , only the support bracket 58 a will be described in detail with each reference numeral used in the descriptive text being suffixed by the letter “ a ”. corresponding reference numerals for the support bracket 58 b will be illustrated in the drawings , but with the suffix “ b ” added thereto . the support bracket 58 a includes a central generally l - shaped member 59 a which includes a generally horizontal leg portion 61 a and a vertically oriented leg portion 62 a as best illustrated in fig1 . the l - shaped member 59 a is straddled by a pair of flat plates 63 a and 64 a that are each pivotally suspended from the axle 57 . a pin 66 a is secured to each of the plates 63 a and 64 a and traverses the gap between the plates defined by the thickness of the l - shaped member 59 a . the flat plates 63 a , 64 a and the l - shaped member 59 a therebetween define a first coupling element 67 a . a second coupling element 68 a is fixedly fastened to the first coupling element 67 a by a plurality of fasteners 69 a . more specifically , the second coupling element 68 a includes a flat plate 71 a coupled to the flat plate 64 a on a side thereof remote from the l - shaped member 59 a . a block 72 a is secured to the flat plate 71 a and includes a socket 73 a therein opening outwardly in a direction generally facing away from the perineal edge 33 . each of the first and second coupling elements 67 a and 68 a include respective abutments 74 a ( fig1 ) and 76 a . spaced from the perineal edge 33 toward the head section is a further bracket 77 a fixedly secured to the elongate support frame member 21 . a spring locking gas spring 78 a is connected to and is oriented between the first coupling element 67 . in this particular embodiment , the body of the spring locking gas spring 78 a is secured to the first coupling element 67 a whereas the rod part 79 a is secured to the bracket 77 a . a manually engageable handle 81 a is pivotally secured to the elongate support frame member 21 adjacent the perineal edge 33 and is connected by means of a linkage 82 a to a mechanism on the rod part 79 a of the spring locking gas spring 78 a to facilitate operation of the spring locking gas spring 78 a in a well known manner . the spring locking gas spring 78 a and the handle activating mechanism are conventional and the gas springs are available through stabilus gmbh in gastonia , nc under the trademark bloc - o - lift . manipulation of the handle 81 a will enable adjustable movement of the support bracket 58 a to and between the positions illustrated in fig6 and 7 . a rod part 83 unites the operative mechanism controlling the spring gas springs 78 a and 78 b for simultaneous operation so that the first and second coupling elements will remain operative in unison . the relative angle of movement of the respective first and second coupling elements 67 a , 67 b and 68 a , 68 b is in the range of 35 to 60 ° with the preferred angle being at 50 °. the support brackets 58 a and 58 b are configured to operatively connect to differing foot end assemblies , such as a foot end fowler mechanism 83 illustrated in fig9 or a foot piece 84 illustrated in fig1 . the foot end fowler 83 is illustrated in fig8 whereas the exploded view thereof is illustrated in fig9 . the foot end fowler assembly 83 includes a t - shaped section 86 where the crosswise portion of the “ t ” is configured to mate with the perineal edge 33 of the seat section 18 . in order to facilitate the connection , the crosswise portion of the “ t ” includes a pair of laterally spaced probes 87 each adapted to be aligned with a respective axis 88 of a socket 73 a and 73 b so that upon reception of the probes 87 into the respective sockets 73 a and 73 b , the stem portion of the “ t ” will extend away from the perineal edge 33 . each of the probes 87 has a latch mechanism 89 pivotally supported thereon and operatively movable by manipulation of a handle 91 . the respective latch members 89 are operatively engageable with the abutments 76 a and 76 b to facilitate a locking of the foot end fowler assembly 83 to the respective support brackets 58 a and 58 b . the distal end of the stem of the “ t ” of the t - shaped section 86 includes an articulatable head piece for supporting the head of a patient and enabling manipulative movements of the head piece to accommodate various orientations of the head of the patient relative to the stem portion of the t - shaped section 86 . the head piece configuration is disclosed in pending application ser . no . 10 / 047 , 743 , filed jan . 15 , 2002 . releasable shoulder supports 93 and 94 are fastenable to the t - shaped section 86 in any conventional way to fully support the back part of a patient . if surgery , for example , is to be performed on a patient &# 39 ; s shoulder , a respective one of the shoulder supports 93 and 94 may be removed for that purpose . in order to provide additional safety for the patient seated on the patient support deck when the foot end fowler assembly 83 is connected to the patient supporting apparatus 10 , an auxiliary set of side rails 96 can be clamped to a respective auxiliary elongate rail 27 by a conventional clamping mechanism 97 . the auxiliary set of side rails 96 are configured to extend above the patient support deck in a manner illustrated in fig8 so that when the foot end fowler assembly 83 is oriented between positions wherein it is horizontally aligned with the seat to positions inclined with respect to the seat section , the auxiliary set of side rails will prevent patient movement beyond the lateral edges of the foot end fowler assembly 83 . the foot piece assembly 84 ( fig1 and 11 ) include a frame assembly 98 which includes a patient support deck 99 , an auxiliary set of elongate rails 101 oriented along lateral edges thereof and an elevatable side rail assembly 102 . the frame includes a pair of laterally spaced probes 103 each configured to be received into a respective coupling element 67 a and 67 b . each of the probes 103 has a notch 104 therein and configured to receive the respective pin 66 a and 66 b when the probes 103 are inserted into the respective coupling elements 68 a and 68 b . as illustrated in fig1 , the l - shaped member 59 a is recessed below the pin 66 a so as to facilitate the distal end of the probe 103 being fitted under the pin 66 a so that when the foot piece assembly 84 is leveraged on the distal end of the horizontal leg of the l - shaped member 59 a , the notch 104 will move into a coupling relation with the pin 66 a . the frame assembly 98 also includes a latch member 105 associated with each probe 103 . each latch member 105 is pivotally supported on the probes 103 about respective axles 106 and are simultaneously pivoted about the axle 106 by a handle mechanism 107 illustrated in fig1 . the latch members 105 are configured to operatively engage a corresponding abutment 74 a and 74 b on the coupling elements 67 a and 67 b . thus , when the latch members 105 are appropriately engaged with the abutments 74 a and 74 b , the foot piece assembly 84 will be locked to the respective bracket assemblies 58 a and 58 b . in operation , the coupling elements 67 a and 67 b are configured so that the axis thereof extends between a horizontal plane and an angle downwardly inclined from the horizontal plane to the limit of movement of the respective support brackets 58 a and 58 b when the foot piece assembly 84 is appropriately secured thereto . the respective axes of the sockets 73 a and 73 b are configured to move from a horizontal plane upwardly to the extent permitted by the support brackets 58 a and 58 b wherein the respective axes of the sockets 73 a and 73 b lie in a plane which is inclined to the horizontal . as stated above , the preferred angle of inclination of the foot end fowler assembly 83 is 50 ° above the horizontal whereas the angle of decline of the foot piece assembly 84 is 50 ° below the horizontal . although particular preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail for illustrative purposes , it will be recognized that variations or modifications of the disclosed apparatus , including the rearrangement of parts , lie within the scope of the present invention . | 0 |
the present invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying tabulated data of the essential compositions of matter and the various steps of the process used in carrying out the invention . the complex artificial growth media , or cagm , as it will hereafter be referred to for the sake of convenience , comprises ( 1 ) inorganic salts ; ( 2 ) amino acids grouped as essential amino acids and nonessential amino acids ; ( 3 ) vitamins ; and ( 4 ) glucose . the composition of inorganic salts used in the cagm is a modification of the &# 34 ; unionid ringers fluid &# 34 ; introduced by ellis , merrick , and ellis ( 1930 , bulletin bur . fish , vol . 56 , pages 509 - 542 ) and is found in table i below . essential modification of the fluid included deletion of dibasic sodium phosphate , and addition of 2 . 2 gm nacho 3 per 1000 milliliters of unionid ringers fluid . table i______________________________________inorganic salts concentration ( mg / l ) compound limits preferred______________________________________cacl . sub . 2 600 - 1400 1200mgcl . sub . 2 . 6h . sub . 2 o 500 - 1200 1000nacl 700 - 1700 1530kcl 50 - 125 99nahco . sub . 3 1100 - 2400 2200______________________________________ the amino acids in the cagm are the same as those used by eagle ( 1959 , science , vol . 130 , pages 432 - 437 ) for cell and tissue cultures with the exception of the addition of taurine and ornithine which are constituents of fish blood . the amino acids are shown in table ii below . table ii______________________________________essential amino acids concentration ( mg / l ) compound limits preferred______________________________________l - arginine 10 - 120 105l - cystine 2 - 26 24l - histidine 3 - 35 31l - isoleucine 5 - 55 52l - leucine 5 - 55 52l - lysine 6 - 60 58l - methionine 1 - 20 15l - phenylalanine 3 - 35 32l - threonine 5 - 50 48l - tryptophane 1 - 12 10l - tyrosine 3 - 40 36l - valine 5 - 50 46______________________________________nonessential amino acids concentration ( mg / l ) compound limits preferred______________________________________l - alanine 1 - 12 8 . 9l - asparagine 1 - 15 13 . 2l - aspartic acid 1 - 15 13 . 3glycine 1 - 10 7 . 5l - glutamic acid 1 - 20 14 . 7l - proline 1 - 15 11 . 5l - serine 1 - 15 10 . 5taurine 3 - 35 31 . 0l - ornithine 1 - 12 10 . 0______________________________________ the vitamins present in the cagm , the same as those used by eagle , supra , for cell and tissue cultures , are shown in table iii below . table iii______________________________________vitamins concentration ( mg / l ) compound limits preferred______________________________________choline chlorine 0 . 1 - 2 1 . 0folic acid 0 . 1 - 2 1 . 0inositol 0 . 2 - 4 2 . 0nicotinamide 0 . 1 - 2 1 . 0calcium pantohthenate 0 . 1 - 2 1 . 0pyridoxal 0 . 1 - 2 1 . 0riboflavin 0 . 1 - 2 0 . 1thiamine 0 . 1 - 2 1 . 0______________________________________ the remaining components in the artificial portion of the medium are shown in table iv below . table iv______________________________________other compounds concentration ( mg / l ) compound limits preferred______________________________________glucose 100 - 1500 1000 . 0phenol red ( optional ) 1 - 15 10 . 0______________________________________ the antibiotics and antimycotics used in the cagm are listed in table v below . table v______________________________________antibiotics and antimycoticcompound concentration______________________________________antibioticsstreptomycin sulfate 800 μg / mlpenicillin g . sodium 800 u / mloxytetracycline 50 μ / mlantimycoticamphotericin 5 μg / ml______________________________________ the antibiotics and antimycotic concentrations noted in table v , supra , are the basic concentrations used in cell culture experiments . in our earlier experiments , it was determined that even four times or greater a concentration can be used to control infection . also , in earlier experiments all the agents listed in table v were used in the concentrations noted in the basic medium except oxytetracycline which was only used to control bacterial infections when penicillin and streptomycin provided ineffective . in later experiments we have found that carbenicillin 100 μg / l , gentamicin sulfate 100 μg / l , and rifampin 100 μg / l combine to control bacteria much better than antibiotics listed in table v above . a range of concentrations from control to 1000 μg / l were tested utilizing these antibiotics . they were all apparently toxic at higher concentrations above 500 μg / l . see antibiotics and antimycotic in table vi for new combinations . table vi______________________________________antibiotics and antimycoticcompound concentration______________________________________antibioticscarbenicillin 100 μg / mlgentamicin sulfate 100 μg / mlrifampin 100 μg / mlantimycoticamphotericin b 5 μg / ml______________________________________ the above components ( tables i - v ) are combined and 2 . 85 ml of 1 . 25 m naoh added per 100 ml of cagm solution to bring the ph up to the range of about 7 . 8 to about 8 . 0 . all of the above solutions are pressure filtered through a standard 0 . 45 μm or less pore size membrane for final sterilization . a larger pore size will not retain all the bacteria and a smaller pore size makes filtration difficult ; it clogs up prematurely . this complete artificial portion , or ph adjusted cagm antibiotics and antimycotic , which is hereinafter referred to for the sake of convenience and conciseness as ph - cagm - aa , is used as 66 - 2 / 3 percent of the total glochidial medium . whole fish plasma serves as a natural protein source in the glochidial medium . fish blood is obtained by cardiac puncture of any number of freshwater fish including bass , catfish , carp , buffalo , and suckers , with a sterile syringe coated with sterile sodium heparin , in concentration of 1000 u / ml , and an 18 - gauge needle . we have found that a larger size needle will pick up tissues and a smaller size needle tends to rupture red blood cells . the blood is centrifuged at 1000 rpm ( approximately 100 relative centrifugal force ) for 10 minutes followed at 3000 rpm ( approximately 1000 rcf ) for 10 minutes , in a refrigerated centrifuge , and the supernatant blood plasma and a few formed cellular elements , such as for example blood cells , are removed . the antibiotics and an antimycotic are added to the plasma in the same concentration as shown in table vi , supra . the plasma should be pressure filtered through at least a 0 . 45 μm or smaller pore size filter as described in the process below . this natural portion of the medium is used as 33 - 1 / 3 percent of the total glochidial medium . following the selection of gravid mussels from their habitat , they should be transported to the laboratory site in water obtained from the immediate habitat area . upon receipt of the gravid mussels , a specimen is selected , the valves are pried open gently , and both the anterior and posterior adductor muscles are severed utilizing a sterilized knife blade or scapel . gills containing glochidia are severed with sterile surgical type scissors and removed to a small beaker ( 250 - 500 ml ) containing sterile deionized water . use of deionized water is essential to prevent premature closure of the glochidia , i . e ., if they sense the presence of certain ions in the water , for instance c1 - , they close up prematurely . at this point , all washing and transfer work is conducted in a laminar airflow cabinet of the high - efficiency particulate air ( hepa ) filter type . standard bacteriological and / or tissue culture sterile techniques are adhered to in all processing and transfer of media and glochidia . glochidia are separated from the gill tissue to the extent practical . in some species the glochidia are in a mucoid or conglutinate mass . when fully mature , the glochidia should separate from this mass by agitation or gentle movement in the deionized water utilizing tweezers . the glochidia are washed several times with sterile deionized water , utilizing the following simple procedure . set up a standard glass filtering flask with a tube to fit a pasteur pipette . attach a sterile pipette and vacuum the water from the glochidia . add more water and swirl the glochidia gently ; pour or vacuum water off again . repeat this procedure several times to restore tissue debris , dead glochidia , bacteria , and protozoa . at this point , the glochidia are ready to be transferred to the complex media , supra . although it is not absolutely necessary , a quick check of glochidial condition and maturity can be accomplished as follows : transfer a few glochidia ( up to 100 ) to 2 - 3 ml of artificial medium . the glochidia will exhibit almost immediate closure . sixty to ninety percent or greater closure indicates that the glochidia are in good condition and / or mature . all media should be tested bacteriologically the day prior to use by culture on nutrient - agar . check the bacteriological samples the day of use for positives . filtration should be used to sterilize contaminated media , or make new media . the growth medium is measured into tissue culture dishes of the following types : either the 60 mm wide by 15 mm deep , which are preferred , or 100 mm wide by 20 mm deep tissue culture dishes with surface treated for cell attachment and that are optically clear . pipette 3 mls of media into the 60 mm wide dishes or 10 mls into the 100 mm wide dishes . use a pasteur pipette to transfer from 200 - 500 glochidia into each dish . glochidia are then transferred to an airflow co 2 incubator . the co 2 incubator is essential to control the ph between about 7 . 2 and 7 . 4 since a carbonate buffer system is present in the media . twenty - three degrees celsius should be used for incubation of the glochidia . although unfiltered blood plasma can be used , pressure filtered ( 0 . 45 μm ) plasma is preferred , to wit , ( 0 . 45 μm followed by 0 . 20 μm ). the culture media should be changed only if contamination develops , preferably by the use of a pasteur pipette attached to a vacuum source . after a protracted period , the length of which , of course , varies with certain conditions such as temperature as well as species of glochidia being transformed , the glochidia mature to the juvenile stage , after which some may be transferred back to natural habitat wherein same are allowed to further mature to adult mussels . usually the protracted period for freshwater mussels ranges from about 14 to about 21 days . after sifting and winnowing through the data herein presented , as well as other results and operations of our novel process including the use of our new and novel compositions of matter utilized therein for ensuring the transformation of glochidia of freshwater mussels to the juvenile stage in artificial habitat , which processes and compositions of matter are eminently suited to ensure environmental integrity during the artificial and protracted cultural period and thereby effect significant commercial and conservation management relations , the operating variables and preferred conditions for carrying out our process wherein our new compositions of matter are utilized therein are summarized below . __________________________________________________________________________variables range preferred__________________________________________________________________________cagminorganic salts modified unionid modified unionid ringers fluid ringers fluid table i , supra table i , supraamino acids modified eagles modified eagles table ii , supra table ii , supravitamins eagles eagles table iii , supra table iii , supraother compoundsglucose , mg / l 100 - 1500 1000phenol red , mg / l 1 - 15 10naoh ( sufficient to adjust ph ) 7 . 2 - 8 . 3 7 . 2 - 7 . 4 . sup . 1group a - from earlier workantibiotics / antimycotics ( final solution ). sup . 2streptomycin sulfate , μg / ml 400 - 2000 800penicillin g , sodium salt u / ml 400 - 2000 800amphotericin b , μg / ml 1 - 25 5oxytetracycline , μg / ml 50 - 300 50total blood plasma , percentinitial culture 20 - 80 80final culture 0 - 80 20group b - from later workantibiotics / antimycotics ( final solution ). sup . 2carbenicillin , μg / ml 100 - 500 100gentamicin sulfate , u / ml 100 - 500 100rifampin , μg / ml 100 - 500 100amphotericin b , μg / ml 1 - 25 5total blood plasma , percentinitial culture 20 - 80 about one - thirdfinal culture 0 - 80 about one - thirdtotal artificial medium , percent ( ph - cagm - aa ) initial culture 20 - 80 about two - thirdsfinal culture 20 - 100 about two - thirdsincubatortemperature , ° c . 18 - 28 23rate filtered air to incubator l / hr sufficient to maintain ph range , suprarate c0 . sub . 2 to incubator , l / hr sufficient to maintain ph range , supra__________________________________________________________________________ . sup . 1 7 . 3 most preferred . . sup . 2 in cagm , supra , or blood plasma , infra , or both . fish blood plasma was necessary to stimulate development in all species tested . in earlier experiments the concentration of the plasma appeared to determine the rate of development as well as the number of glochidia developing . in the initial medium , 80 percent plasma was used with 20 percent artificial medium , i . e ., ph - cagm - aa . test cultures were made varying the present plasma and artificial medium , respectively , as follows : 0 : 100 ; 10 : 90 ; 20 : 80 ; 40 : 60 ; 60 : 40 ; 80 : 20 ; 100 : 0 . in the above cases , early development occurred most rapidly in the 80 : 20 experimental replicates with a decreasing rate of development down to 20 : 80 . development was infrequent in the 100 : 0 , 10 : 90 , and 0 : 100 dishes , with no live glochidia by the fourth day . in terms of yield , a test involving the same concentrations of plasma with six replicate cultures each , produced transformation only in the dishes with high plasma concentration . see table vii below . table vii______________________________________number of developing glochidia in six repetitionsof cultures at different concentrations of plasma percent ofplasma percent of closed showingconcentration ( in glochidia closed advanced % of total at one day transformation ; medium ) range and mean ( s - x ) range and mean ( s - x ) ______________________________________ 0 51 . 0 - 68 . 3 , 50 . 1 ( 2 . 3 ) 0 , 0 ( 0 ) 10 66 . 3 - 87 . 6 , 77 . 7 ( 3 . 6 ) 0 , 0 ( 0 ) 20 77 . 8 - 90 . 5 , 84 . 7 ( 2 . 0 ) 0 , 0 ( 0 ) 40 73 . 9 - 90 . 2 , 85 . 2 ( 2 . 5 ) 0 - 7 . 1 , 2 . 1 ( 1 . 3 ) 60 80 . 3 - 93 . 1 , 87 . 2 ( 1 . 8 ) 19 . 4 - 62 . 1 , 33 . 8 ( 7 . 8 ) 80 ( only 3 reps ) 80 . 2 - 86 . 9 , 83 . 3 ( 2 . 0 ) 44 . 6 - 57 . 8 , 51 . 2 ( 3 . 8 ) ______________________________________ the 20 - 80 percent plasma allowed initial closure and development significantly higher than the 0 to 10 percent plasma concentrations . additionally , the advanced transformation was best in 80 percent , decreasing in 60 and 40 percent and absent in 20 percent . however , in later experiments where the environment was better controlled and contamination was less , about one - third plasma was sufficient for the development of large numbers of glochidia . results from experiments using higher percent plasma were not significantly different than those using about 33 percent plasma . while we have shown and described particular embodiments of our invention , modifications and variations thereof will occur to those skilled in the art . we wish it to be understood , therefore , that the appended claims are intended to cover such modifications and variations which are within the true scope and spirit of our invention . | 8 |
with reference to the figures , which are shown by way of exemplification and not limitation , a modular hydraulic jack having features of the present invention is described . the present invention initially comprises a specialized lifting jack 20 specially configured for use in combination with other components , under a variety of load and stability conditions . the specialized jack 20 of the present invention may be seen as one of the invention components in each of fig1 - 9 . initially , fig2 shows the specialized jack 20 in an exploded view as comprising two opposing left and right outer side arms 22 , 24 extending from the front end to the back end of the jack . at the front of the side arms , two front wheels 26 , 28 are situated and connected to each other by an axle 30 which also serves to stiffen the jack . two rear wheels 50 ( only one rear wheel visible in the figures ) are situated at the rear end of the jack , capable of swiveling independently of each other for providing the jack with stearability . in a preferred embodiment , the side arms are bent so that they are spaced wider apart at the front end of the jack than at the rear end , in order to provide enhanced lateral stability . as will be noted below , stability provided by this spacing of the wheels may be insufficient for some lifting operations , so that a novel and inventive feature is introduced to enhance lateral stability . a hydraulic lift 32 is positioned between the side arms towards the back end of the jack , operable by a hand held lever 300 ( seen in fig8 ) that is adapted to be removably inserted into a pivotable yoke 34 configured to apply a pumping action to a hydraulic press in the lift 32 . manual actuation of the lever causes a piston 36 in the lift to extend forwardly with considerable force , with the result that a lifting arm 38 is caused to pivot upwardly , thereby lifting a platform 40 that may have a load positioned on it . two stabilizer pivoting arms 42 , 44 are also connected between the platform 40 and the side arms 22 , 24 so that the platform always assumes a horizontal orientation under all stages of elevation . as seen for example in fig1 , the platform 40 has left and right lateral edges or side members 54 , 56 that are parallel with each other , and are spaced apart so as to fit snugly between the forward portions of the side arms 22 , 24 . the side members 54 , 56 each have a length that extends from the front end of the jack to a point where the side arms start to bend inwards . the side members are connected to each other via at least one cross beam 58 . the side members and cross beams may be covered with non - slip rubber matting , or the like . thus , the platform 40 provides what is essentially a square planar support surface suitable for lifting motor bikes or all - terrain vehicles , by which action these vehicles are lifted entirely off the floor and balance on the large support surface of the platform 40 without any portion of the vehicle touching the floor . to facilitate stability of the vehicle on the platform , strap lugs 60 may be provided for tying down straps that are looped around the vehicle to prevent it from tipping off the platform due to accidental bumping while balanced on the platform . recesses 61 are also provided in the axle 30 that are configured for receiving a strap without slipping . as will be discussed below , one of the remaining problems in the art is the danger of the entire jack plus its strapped on load tipping over if bumped . a novel solution to reducing this danger is identified and described below . the specialized jack 20 with platform 40 thus far described is suitable for lifting smaller vehicles like snowmobiles , motorbikes , and all - terrain - vehicles entirely off the floor so that the vehicles balance on the wide platform 40 . however , the large platform 40 is not suitable for lifting a larger vehicle like a motor car . as noted above , modern motor cars typically have a complex shaped undercarriage , and only a few isolated points on the undercarriage are sufficiently reinforced to receive an upward lifting force from a hydraulic jack . if the large platform 40 is positioned below these points , the uplifting platform does not necessarily apply its uplift force to the reinforced point on the undercarriage , but may spread its force to other adjacent points that are not reinforced , such as the floor of the car . these unreinforced points may bend , or may even be punctured or broken with considerably disadvantageous results . thus , in order to solve this problem , a second smaller platform or saddle 100 is provided ( seen in fig1 , 3 and 4 ) that may be installed and removed from the platform 40 as desired , and which protrudes above the level of the platform 40 by an amount “ h ” ( as indicated in fig3 ) so that it may be positioned to connect with reinforced points on the undercarriage of the car without any point on the platform 40 coming into contact with the undercarriage . in order to achieve this result , a hole 62 , is provided in one of the cross beams 58 of the platform 40 . the hole is configured to receive a protrusion or nib 102 that extends downwardly from the saddle 100 . when the nib 102 is positioned in the hole 62 in the platform , the upper surface of the saddle protrudes above the upper surface of the platform by an amount “ h ” ( fig3 ) that preferably exceeds one inch . under this configuration , the saddle 100 is also configured to be capable of rotating about an axis extending vertically through the hole 62 . this aspect is useful for allowing the saddle to realign itself to a small degree as the car is lifted , because it frequently occurs that small strain adjustments take place as a heavy load is lifted , and surfaces that were in contact before the load is applied may be removed from contact by these small strains after load is applied . thus , rotation of the saddle 100 about the nib 102 is an important capability in the present invention . also importantly , the area of the saddle ( within the perimeter of the saddle ) is substantially less than the area of the wide platform 40 ( within the perimeter of the platform 40 ), preferably being less than 20 % of the area of the platform 40 . further preferably , no horizontal dimension of the saddle 100 should exceed six inches and also , the platform should preferably be symmetrical about two orthogonal axes , as seen in the figures , so that it has an aspect ratio of one . thus , when the saddle 100 is positioned on the platform 40 for elevating a load , and the platform is elevated by hydraulic jacking action while positioned under a car , the saddle 100 will find the desired point of load on the undercarriage of the car before any portion of the platform 40 can come into contact with any other portion of the undercarriage . any realignment due to strain is accommodated by the rotating saddle 100 . thus , the same specialized jack 20 can be used to lift cars using selected component in the form of the saddle 100 as can be used to lift small vehicles such as snowmobiles , motorbikes , and all - terrain - vehicles using only the larger platform 40 . this aspect results in considerable cost savings because a workshop needs to acquire only one specialized hydraulic jack 20 , to be used in combination with a special mating saddle 100 , whereby the combination is configured to expand the utility of the hydraulic jack to be capable of use with a broader range of vehicles . extending the same principle as described above , the specialized jack may be used by selecting yet another lifting platform which is uniquely configured to be removably added to the specialized hydraulic jack 20 as part of the present invention . in this case , with reference to fig5 , 6 , and 7 , a lateral lifting platform 200 is provided having the characteristic that it too has a downwardly extending nib 202 at a center of symmetry of the platform 200 . when the nib is inserted in the hole 62 in the cross beam 58 , the lateral lifting platform 200 lies across the wide planar platform 40 and extends beyond either lateral edge 54 , 56 of the platform 40 . each side of platform 200 terminates in a opening , or stirrup 204 , 206 configured to receive and support a wheel of a lawn tractor or similar vehicle . thus , when the jack 20 is in a lowered configuration ( as seen in fig6 ), the stirrups 204 , 206 rest on the floor surface , allowing a small lawn tractor to drive up to the jack and rest a front wheel within each stirrup . when the jack 20 is elevated , as seen in fig7 , the lawn tractor is lifted upwards by its wheels . because the wheels are able to rotate , they are able to realign as the tractor is lifted , thereby avoiding the danger that would arise if the point of lift were applied against a fixed point on the tractor . in yet another aspect of the invention , a feature is provided that adds lateral stability to the specialized jack 20 while adding no additional material or moving parts to the specialized jack . as will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill , the lifting condition described above that creates the greatest danger of instability is where the wide platform 40 is used to support a snowmobile or motorbike whereby the entire vehicle is lifted off the floor , and the jack 20 alone provides stability to the elevated load because the only support for the load is the jack itself . typically , this lifting is for only a short period while oil is being drained or the like , but occasionally lifting may be required for a longer period and in this case the question of stability becomes more important because the danger of inadvertently bumping the elevated vehicle is increased . accordingly , the specialized jack of the present invention is configured to have two holes 302 , 304 in each side arm 22 , 24 as seen in fig8 . the holes are sized to permit the removable activation handle 300 , which is normally planted in the yoke 34 , to be removed from the yoke and passed snugly through both holes 302 , 304 so that about the same length of handle extends from each side of the jack , as seen in fig9 . by “ snugly ” it is meant that the handle passes easily , but once in position any wobble of the jack about the handle does not appreciably diminish safety . in order to bring the ends of the handle flush with the floor level , a first ridge 306 is attached on one end of the handle . on the other side of the handle , a second movable ridge 308 is provided . preferably , the second movable ridge 308 is in the form of a cylinder with an annular portion that protrudes radially outwardly , as seen in fig8 and 9 . the cylinder may slide along the handle 300 so that it may be removed while the handle 300 is being introduced into the openings 302 , 304 . once the handle is in the desired position within the openings , the movable ridge 308 is slipped on the free end of the handle . thus , the handle 300 positioned across the jack 20 provides extra stability to the jack , and the two ridges 306 , 308 reduce any wobble in the event the jack plus load is bumped , and the handle resists any overturning moment that might be applied to the loaded jack . once the need for added stability for the jack has passed , the movable ridge 308 may be removed from the handle 300 and the handle removed from its position lying across the jack 20 . the movable ridge 308 is then reinstalled on the handle 300 for safekeeping , as seen in fig8 , and the handle is inserted in the yoke 34 where it will reside until next required to provide lateral stability to the elevated jack . thus , the present invention addresses with novel and useful features needs that are found in the art of hydraulic lifting jacks . the present invention may , of course , be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the essential characteristics of the invention . the present embodiments are , therefore , to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive . | 1 |
the present invention will be described in detail with reference to various embodiments . a semiconductor device shown in fig3 includes two semiconductor chips 1 , 2 , a first conductive member 3 , 6 , which includes two couplers 3 and a first heat radiation plate 6 , and a second conductive member 5 , or a second heat radiation plate 5 . the semiconductor chips 1 , 2 are electrically connected in parallel using the couplers 3 , the first heat radiation plate 6 , and the second heat radiation plate 5 . the semiconductor chips 1 , 2 and the couplers 3 are located between the first and second heat radiation plates 6 , 5 . a bonding member anti - sticking means 14 , or a first coating resin film 14 , is located on each side surface of the couplers 3 , as illustrated in fig3 . a second coating resin film 15 is located on surfaces of the semiconductor chips 1 , 2 , the first and second heat radiation plates 6 , 5 , and the first coating resin film 14 . mold resin 9 is located between the first and second heat radiation plates 6 , 5 and in contact with the second coating resin film 15 . the semiconductor chips 1 , 2 are respectively an igbt chip 1 , which is an insulated gate bipolar transistor , and an fwd chip 2 , which is a fly - wheel diode . each semiconductor chip 1 , 2 is made of substantially silicon and has a thickness of about 0 . 5 mm . each semiconductor chip 1 , 2 , has an element formation surface 1 a , 2 a , or a front surface 1 a , 2 a , in which a region making up a transistor is located , and a back surface 1 b , 2 b , which is opposite to the front surface 1 a , 2 a . each coupler 3 is located on corresponding front surface 1 a , 2 a . although not illustrated , an emitter electrode and a gate electrode are located on the front surface 1 a of the igbt chip 1 , and a collector electrode is located on the back surface 1 b of the igbt chip 1 . each front surface 1 a , 2 a of the semiconductor chips 1 , 2 is bonded to corresponding back surface 3 b of the couplers 3 with bonding members 4 , or solders 4 , which have a relatively high electric conductance and a relatively high thermal conductance . the first coating resin film 14 , which is located on the side surfaces of the couplers 3 , is made of a resin such as a polyamide resin , a polyimide resin , and an amide resin . the coupler 3 located on the front surface 1 a of the igbt chip 1 forms a space for wirebonding a bonding wire 8 , which is described later , above the front surface 1 a of the igbt chip 1 . the coupler 3 located on the front surface 2 a of the fwd chip 2 adjusts the distance between the fwd chip 2 and the first heat radiation plate 6 such that the first heat radiation plate 6 becomes substantially parallel to the second heat radiation plate 5 . the area of the coupler 3 at which the coupler 3 is bonded to the igbt chip 1 is substantially equal to the dimension of the emitter electrode of the igbt chip 1 . therefore , the coupler 3 is preferably in contact with the emitter electrode with the maximum area while being prevented from undesirably contacting an area outside the emitter electrode . if the igbt chip 1 contacted the area outside the emitter electrode , the area outside the emitter electrode would undesirably become equipotential with the emitter electrode . the back surfaces 1 b , 2 b of the semiconductor chips 1 , 2 are bonded and electrically connected to a front surface 5 a of the second heat radiation plate 5 with solders 4 . front surface 3 a , which is opposite to the back surfaces 3 b of the couplers 3 , is boned and electrically connected to a back surface 6 b of the first heat radiation plate 6 with solders 4 . the coupler 3 and the first and second heat radiation plates 6 , 5 are made of a metal having electrical conductivity . specifically , the couplers 3 are made of copper , and the first and second heat radiation plates 6 , 5 are made of copper alloy . although not illustrated , a gate electrode is located at a predetermined position on the front surface 1 a of the igbt chip 1 . the gate electrode is electrically connected to a control terminal 7 with the bonding wire 8 . the semiconductor chips 1 , 2 , the couplers 3 , and the first and second heat radiation plates 6 , 5 , the control terminal 7 , and the bonding wire 8 are molded en bloc with the molding resin 9 such that a back surface 5 b of the second heat radiation plate 5 , a front surface 6 a of the first heat radiation plate 6 , and a portion of the control terminal 7 are exposed , as shown in fig3 . for example , an epoxy based resin can be used as the molding resin 9 . although not illustrated , a pair of molds is used for the molding . the second coating resin film 15 improves the adhesion between the molding resin 9 and each semiconductor chip 1 , 2 and the adhesion between the molding resin 9 and each of the first and second heat radiation plates 6 , 5 . the second coating resin film 15 is made of a resin such as a polyamide resin , a polyimide resin , and an amide resin . in the semiconductor device shown in fig3 the heat generated by the semiconductor chips 1 , 2 is transmitted to the couplers 3 and to the first and second heat radiation plates 6 , 5 through the solders 4 , and the heat is released outward from the back surface 5 b of the second heat radiation plate 5 and the front surface 6 a of the first heat radiation plate 6 . although not illustrated , cooling members , which cool the first and second heat radiation plates 6 , 5 , are located in contact with the back surface 5 b of the second heat radiation plate 5 and the front surface 6 a of the first heat radiation plate 6 , so heat is efficiently released from the first and second heat radiation plates 6 , 5 . in the manufacturing process of the semiconductor device shown in fig3 the first coating resin film 14 is formed to cover the side surfaces of the couplers 3 . therefore , even if any solder 4 spreads along the side surfaces of the couplers 3 when the semiconductor chips 1 , 2 , the couplers 3 , and the heat radiation plates 6 , 5 are integrated with the solders 4 , no solders 4 stick to any side surface . in addition , substantially no solders 4 stick to the first coating resin film 14 because the solders 4 dewet the first coating resin film 14 . therefore , the side surfaces of the couplers 3 and the molding resin 9 are firmly connected by the first and second coating resin films 14 , 15 . thus , even when the semiconductor device of fig3 experiences thermal cycles , the molding resin 9 is prevented from peeling off to be disconnected from the couplers 3 . accordingly , the stress in each solder 4 is prevented from increasing , and each solder 4 is prevented from deteriorating . in addition , even if two types of solders , which have a different melting point from each other , are used , the solders are not mixed with each other . therefore , eutectic solder having a melting point much lower than those of the two types of solders is not formed to fuse at the temperature for the molding using the molding resin 9 . the semiconductor device of fig3 is manufactured as follows . first and second heat radiation plates 6 , 5 are stamped out of plates made of copper alloy and so on . a resin such as a polyamide resin , a polyimide resin , and an amide resin is coated on surfaces of copper plates to form couplers 3 having a first coating resin film 14 . then , as shown in fig4 a , an igbt chip 1 and an fwd chip 2 are bonded to a front surface 5 a of the second conductive member 5 using a solder 4 . next , each coupler 3 is bonded to corresponding front surface 1 a , 2 a of the semiconductor chip 1 , 2 using a solder 4 to form a work 10 , as shown in fig4 a . then , although not illustrated , the igbt chip 1 is connected to a control terminal 7 by a bonding wire 8 . next , as shown in fig4 b , the first heat radiation plate 6 is mounted on a jig 11 such that a back surface 6 b of the first heat radiation plate 6 faces upward , and solders 4 are placed on predetermined positions of the back surface 6 b . then , the work 10 is turned over . the work 10 is aligned with and placed on the first heat radiation plate 6 . then , a plate - shaped weight 12 is placed on a back surface 5 b of the second heat radiation plate 5 . spacers 13 having a predetermined length are placed between the jig 11 and the second heat radiation plate 5 for adjusting the distance between the first and second heat radiation plates 6 , 5 to a predetermined value , as shown in fig4 c . the body of the fig4 b is placed en bloc in a heating furnace to permit the solders 4 to reflow . during the reflowing , the work 10 is pressed by the weight 12 , so the solders 4 are thinned . as a result , as shown in fig4 c , the distance between the back surface 6 b of the first heat radiation plate 6 and the front surface 5 a of the second heat radiation plate 5 becomes equal to the length of the spacers 13 . the degree of parallelization between the first and second heat radiation plates 6 , 5 is substantially determined by the spacers 13 . in the manufacturing process of fig4 a to 4 c , the semiconductor chips 1 , 2 and the second heat radiation plate 5 are bonded . next , the couplers 3 and the semiconductor chips 1 , 2 are bonded . finally , the first heat radiation plate 6 and the couplers 3 are bonded . however , the order of the above bonding steps may be changed . for example , the following order is possible . the couplers 3 and the first heat radiation plate 6 are bonded with solders 4 . then , the couplers 3 , the semiconductor chips 1 , 2 , and the second heat radiation plate 5 are bonded together with solders 4 at the same time . alternatively , the semiconductor chips 1 , 2 , the couplers 3 , and the first and second heat radiation plates 6 , 5 can be stacked and bonded together with solders 4 at the same time . subsequently , a resin such as a polyamide resin , a polyimide resin , and an amide resin is coated on surfaces of the semiconductor chips 1 , 2 , the first and second heat radiation plates 6 , 5 , and the first coating resin film 14 for forming the coating resin film 15 . the resin may be coated by immersing the soldered body shown in fig4 c in the resin solution . alternatively , the resin may be coated by drizzling or spraying the resin from a dispense nozzle . it is preferred that the control terminal 7 and the bonding wire 8 be coated with the resin . finally , the semiconductor chips 1 , 2 , the couplers 3 , and the first and second heat radiation plates 6 , 5 , the control terminal 7 , and the bonding wire 8 are molded en bloc with molding resin 9 to complete a semiconductor device of fig3 . a semiconductor device shown in fig5 includes two semiconductor chips 1 , 2 , a first conductive member 33 , 6 , which includes two couplers 33 and a first heat radiation plate 6 , and a second conductive member 5 , or a second heat radiation plate 5 . the semiconductor device shown in fig5 does not include the same bonding member anti - sticking means , or the first coating resin film 14 , as the one used in the semiconductor device shown in fig3 . instead , in the semiconductor device shown in fig5 a flange is located at the side surface of each coupler 33 , at which each coupler 33 is connected to a molding resin 9 by a second coating resin film 15 , as a bonding member anti - sticking means . in that aspect , the semiconductor device shown in fig5 is different from the semiconductor device shown in fig3 . therefore , even if any solder 4 spreads along the side surfaces of the couplers 33 when the semiconductor chips 1 , 2 , the couplers 33 , and the first heat radiation plate 6 are bonded with solders 4 , no solders 4 stick to , at least , the top surface of each flange . that is , the top surface and the molding resin 9 are firmly connected by the second coating resin film 15 . thus , even when the semiconductor device of fig5 experiences thermal cycles , the molding resin 9 is prevented from peeling off to be disconnected from the top surface . accordingly , the stress in each solder 4 is prevented from increasing , and each solder 4 is prevented from deteriorating . a semiconductor device shown in fig6 includes two semiconductor chips 301 , 302 , a first conductive member 303 , 306 , which includes two plate - like couplers 303 and a first heat radiation plate 306 , and a second conductive member 305 , or a second heat radiation plate 305 . the semiconductor chips 301 , 302 are respectively , an igbt chip 301 , which is an insulated gate bipolar transistor , and an fwd chip 302 , which is a fly - wheel diode . the semiconductor chips 301 , 302 are made of substantially silicon and have a thickness of about 0 . 5 mm . each semiconductor chip 301 , 302 has an element formation surface 301 a , 302 a , or a front surface 301 a , 302 a , in which a region making up a transistor is located , and a back surface 301 b , 302 b , which is opposite to the front surface 301 a , 302 a . each coupler 303 is located on corresponding front surface 301 a , 302 a . although not illustrated , an emitter electrode is located on the front surface 301 a of the igbt chip 301 , and a collector electrode is located on the back surface 301 b of the igbt chip 301 . each front surface 301 a , 302 a of the semiconductor chips 301 , 302 is bonded to corresponding back surface 303 b of the couplers 303 with a first bonding member 304 , or a first solder 304 , that has a relatively high electric conductance and a relatively high thermal conductance . the area of the coupler 303 at which the coupler 303 is bonded to the igbt chip 301 is substantially equal to the dimension of the emitter electrode of the igbt chip 301 . therefore , the coupler 303 is preferably in contact with the emitter electrode with the maximum area while being prevented from undesirably contacting an area outside the emitter electrode , where elements such as a guard ring are located . if the igbt chip 301 contacted the area outside the emitter electrode , the area outside the emitter electrode would undesirably become equipotential with the emitter electrode . the back surfaces 301 b , 302 b of the semiconductor chips 301 , 302 are electrically connected to a front surface 305 a of the second heat radiation plate 305 with second bonding members 304 , or second solders 304 . front surfaces 301 a , 303 a , which are opposite to the back surfaces 301 b 303 b of the couplers 303 , are electrically connected to a back surface 306 a of the first heat radiation plate 306 with third bonding members 304 , or third solders 304 . the couplers 303 and the first and second heat radiation plates 306 , 305 are made of a metal having electrical conductivity . specifically , the couplers 303 are made of copper , and the first and second heat radiation plates 306 , 305 are made of copper alloy . a step 303 c , which is defined by a flange 303 d , is located around each coupler 303 , as shown in fig6 . therefore , the front surface 303 a of each coupler 303 , at which each coupler 303 is connected to the first heat radiation plate 306 , is smaller than the back surface of each coupler 303 , at which each coupler 303 is connected to corresponding semiconductor chip 301 , 302 . although not illustrated , plated ni layers are located on the front and back surfaces of each coupler 303 for improving the wettability of the first and third solders 304 to the surfaces . an oxide layer is located on the side surface of each coupler 303 and a surface of each flange 303 d . each radiation plate 306 , 305 has a thickness of about 1 mm . each coupler 303 has a thickness of 1 mm , and the flange 303 d has a thickness of about 0 . 4 mm . although not illustrated , a land is located on the front surface 301 a of the igbt chip 301 , and is electrically connected to a control terminal 307 of a lead frame with a bonding wire 308 . the semiconductor chips 301 , 302 , the couplers 303 , the flanges 303 d , the second heat radiation plate 305 , the first heat radiation plate 306 , and the control terminal 307 are molded en bloc with the molding resin 309 such that a back surface 305 b of the second heat radiation plate 305 , a front surface 6 a of the first heat radiation plate 6 , and a portion of the control terminal 7 are exposed , as shown in fig6 . for example , an epoxy based resin can be used as the molding resin 309 . in the semiconductor device shown in fig6 the heat generated by the semiconductor chips 301 , 302 is transferred to the couplers 303 and to the first and second heat radiation plates 306 , 305 through the solder 304 , and the heat is released outward from the back surface 305 b of the second heat radiation plate 305 and the front surface 306 a of the first heat radiation plate 306 . although not illustrated , cooling members , which cool the first and second heat radiation plates 306 , 305 , are located in contact with the back surface 305 b of the second heat radiation plate 305 and the front surface 306 a of the first heat radiation plate 306 , so heat is efficiently released from the first and second heat radiation plates 306 , 305 . the couplers 303 and the first and second radiation plates 306 , 305 form electric current paths for the semiconductor chips 301 , 302 . that is , the electrical communication with the collector electrode of the igbt chip 301 is permitted through the second heat radiation plate 305 , while the electrical communication with the emitter electrode of the igbt chip 301 is permitted through the first radiation plate 306 and corresponding coupler 303 . in the semiconductor device of fig6 the flanges 303 d are less rigid than the couplers 303 . therefore , the flanges 303 d can conform to the deformation of the resin 309 that is connected to the flanges 303 d to decrease the stress thermally generated at the boundary between each of the semiconductor chips 301 , 302 and corresponding coupler 303 when the semiconductor device experiences thermal cycles . furthermore , the front surface 303 a of each coupler 303 is smaller than the back surface of each coupler 303 . because the bonding strength decreases as the bonding areas of each coupler 303 for the heat radiation plates 305 , 306 decreases , the third solder 304 , which is located between each coupler 303 and the first heat radiation plate 306 , cracks more readily than the first solder 304 , which is located between each coupler 303 and corresponding semiconductor chip 301 , 302 , when the semiconductor device of fig6 experiences thermal cycles . if the third solder 304 cracks , the stress thermally generated in the third solder 304 relaxes . at the same time , the stress thermally generated in the first solder 304 relaxes . therefore , at least , the first solder 304 can be prevented from cracking . in addition , the couplers 303 and the first heat radiation plate 306 include copper as a main component , so the couplers 303 and the first heat radiation plate 306 are similar to each other in the deformation caused by the thermal cycle . therefore , even if the third solder 304 cracks , the cracking of the third solder 304 proceeds relatively slowly . in addition , the current path between each coupler 303 and the first heat radiation plate 306 is formed by the entire area at which each coupler 303 and the first heat radiation plate 306 are connected . therefore , even if the cracking proceeds , the electric resistance at the area does not steeply increase locally or as a whole . the oxide layer is located on the side surface of each coupler 303 and the surface of each flange 303 d . therefore , the adhesion between the molding resin 309 and each coupler 303 and the adhesion between the molding resin 309 and the surface of each flange 303 d is relatively high . as a result , the molding resin 309 conforms to the deformation of the coupler 303 , which is caused by the thermal cycle , without peeling off , and the stress thermally generated in the solders 304 decreases . incidentally , the adhesion between copper alloy and the molding resin 309 more increases by plating nickel on the surface of the copper alloy . therefore , each surface of the first and second radiation plates 306 , 305 is plated with nickel instead of being oxidized . as shown in fig6 the step 303 c helps to increase the distance from the surface of the semiconductor device to the first solder 304 along the interface between the first heat radiation plate 306 and the molding resin 309 , the interface between each coupler 303 and the molding resin 309 , and the inter face between each flange 303 d and the molding resin 309 . therefore , the step 303 c helps to prolong the time until a peeling of the molding resin 309 that is generated at the surface of the semiconductor device reaches the first solder 304 along the interfaces . the semiconductor device of fig6 underwent a thermal cycle test . in the thermal cycle test , the semiconductor device was alternately exposed to a temperature of − 40 ° c . for 60 minutes and a temperature of 125 ° c . for 60 minutes . then , the resistance between the first heat radiation plate 306 and the control terminal 307 was measured , and the resistance change rate was calculated using the initial resistance value as a reference . it was confirmed that the resistance change rate did not increase steeply until 200 cycles and the semiconductor device of fig6 is more durable than the proposed device of fig1 . the semiconductor device of fig6 is manufactured as follows . a pair of metal plates is stamped out of a board made of copper alloy and so on . then , the entire surface of each plate is plated with nickel to complete a second heat radiation plate 305 and a first heat radiation plate 306 . a copper board for forming the couplers 303 is plated with nickel at its front and back surfaces . after that , a pair of copper plates is stamped out of the copper board . then , each copper plate is pressed to form a flange 303 d , which defines a step 303 c , and a coupler 303 . each coupler 303 included nickel layers only at front and back surfaces 303 a , 303 b . no nickel layer is located on the side surface of each coupler 303 or the top surface of each flange 303 d , which is exposed by the stamping . no nickel layer is located on the surface of the step 303 c because the plated nickel layer peels off from the surface when the step 303 c is formed by the pressing . as shown in fig7 a , the semiconductor chips 301 , 302 , which are an igbt chip 301 and an fwd chip 302 , are bonded to a back surface 305 a of the second heat radiation plate 305 with second solders 304 . next , the couplers 303 are bonded to the semiconductor chips 301 , 302 with first solders 304 to form a work 310 , as shown in fig7 a . the first and second solders 304 have a relatively high melting point . for example , a high melting point solder , which includes 10 weight % of tin ( sn ) and 90 weight % of lead ( pb ) and has a melting point of 320 ° c ., can be used for the first and second solders 304 . next , as shown in fig7 b , the first heat radiation plate 306 is mounted on a jig 311 such that a back surface 306 b of the first heat radiation plate 306 faces upward , and third solders 304 are placed on predetermined positions of the back surface 306 b . then , the work 310 is turned over . the work 10 is aligned with and placed on the first heat radiation plate 6 . the third solders 304 have a melting point lower than that of the high melting point solder . a low melting point solder , which includes tin ( sn ) more than 90 weight % and has a melting point of 240 ° c ., can be used for the third solders 304 . then , a plate - shaped weight 312 is placed on the back surface 305 b of the second heat radiation plate 305 . spacers 313 having a predetermined length are placed between the jig 311 and the second heat radiation plate 305 for adjusting the distance between the first and second heat radiation plates 306 , 305 to a predetermined value , as shown in fig7 c . the body of the fig7 b is placed en bloc in a heating furnace to permit the third solders 304 to reflow . during the reflowing , the work 310 is pressed by the weight 312 , so the third solders 304 are thinned . as a result , as shown in fig7 c , the distance between the back surface 306 b of the first heat radiation plate 306 and the front surface 305 a of the second heat radiation plate 305 becomes equal to the length of the spacers 313 . the degree of parallelization between the first and second heat radiation plates 306 , 305 is substantially determined by the spacers . 313 . the third solder 304 includes the low melting point solder , and the first and second solders 304 include the high melting point solder . therefore , when the couplers 303 are bonded to the first heat radiation plate 306 , the first and second solders 304 do not melt . therefore , the positional relation between each coupler 303 and corresponding semiconductor chip 301 , 302 remains unchanged . incidentally , when the melting point of the first and second solders 304 is 320 ° c . and that of the third solder 304 is 240 ° c ., the reflowing temperature is preferably 250 ° c . after that , although not illustrated , the igbt chip 301 is electrically connected to a control terminal 307 by a bonding wire 308 . finally , the semiconductor chips 301 , 302 , the couplers 303 and the first and second heat radiation plates 306 , 305 , the control terminal 307 , and the bonding wire 308 are molded en bloc with molding resin 309 to complete a semiconductor device of fig6 . a molding resin having a temperature of about 180 ° c . is injected for the molding , so an oxide layer of the couplers 303 is formed during the molding . the nickel plating for forming the couplers 303 could be done after corresponding copper plates are formed from a copper board without plating the copper board . in that case , the copper plates would be immersed in a plating bath to form a nickel layer on the copper plates . as a result , the entire surface of each copper plate would be plated . in that case , the first and second solders 304 could easily wet and spread to the side surface of each coupler 303 , which needs to be connected to the molding resin 309 . in addition , the thickness of each coupler 303 is as thin as about 1 mm , so the third solders 304 , which has a lower melting point , and the first solders 304 , which has a higher melting point , are separated with a small distance of 1 mm from each other . therefore , if the entire surface of each copper plate would be plated , the first and third solders 304 might be mixed with each other . in that case ., eutectic solder having a melting point much lower than those of the third solder might be formed to fuse at the temperature for the molding using the molding resin 309 , which is , for example , 180 ° c . however , in the semiconductor device of fig6 no nickel layer is located on the side surface of each coupler 303 . instead , the oxide layer , which is dewetted by the solders 304 , is located on the side surface to separate the third solders 304 and the first solders 304 . therefore , neither the third solders 304 nor the first solders 304 spreads to the side surface of each coupler 303 and mix with each other . as shown in fig8 a semiconductor device according to the fourth embodiment includes a first heat radiation plate 306 that differs in shape from the first heat radiation plate 306 of the semiconductor device in fig6 . in other aspects , the two semiconductor devices are substantially the same . the first heat radiation plate 306 in fig8 includes a step 306 c defined by a flange portion 306 d on a front surface 306 a , at the side of which the first heat radiation plate 306 is exposed . as shown in fig8 the flange portion 306 d is covered with a molding resin 309 . therefore , the step 306 c further helps to increase the distance from the surface of the semiconductor device to the first solder 304 along the interface between the first heat radiation plate 306 and the molding resin 309 , the interface between each coupler 303 and the molding resin 309 , and the interface between each flange 303 d and the molding resin 309 . therefore , the step 306 c further helps to prolong the time until a peeling of the molding resin 309 that is generated at the surface of the semiconductor device reaches the first solder 304 along the interfaces . as a result , the first solder 304 is further prevented from cracking . incidentally , the distance increases as the area covered with the molding resin 309 on the front surface 306 a of the first heat radiation plate 306 increases . however , as the covered area increases , the exposed area of the front surface 306 a , or the heat radiation capability of the first heat radiation plate 306 , decreases . therefore , the first heat radiation plate 306 needs to be covered with the molding resin 309 taking the heat radiation capability of the first heat radiation plate 306 into consideration . as shown in fig9 a semiconductor device according to the fifth embodiment includes two additional couplers 314 . in that aspect , the semiconductor device of fig9 differs from the semiconductor device of fig6 . therefore , the semiconductor device of fig9 has the effect described before in addition to the same effects as the semiconductor device of fig6 . each additional coupler 314 is located between each semiconductor chip 301 , 302 and a second heat radiation plate 305 . as shown in fig9 each additional coupler 314 has a front surface 314 a and a back surface 314 b , which is opposite to the front surface 314 a , and each semiconductor chip 301 , 302 has a front surface 301 a and a back surface 301 b , which is opposite to the front surface 301 a . each front surface 314 a of the additional couplers 314 has approximately the same dimensions as corresponding back surface 301 b , 302 b of the semiconductor chips 301 , 302 . each front surface 314 a of the additional couplers 314 is bonded to corresponding back surface 301 b , 302 b of the semiconductor chips 301 , 302 with a solder 304 . each back surface 314 b of the additional couplers 314 is bonded to a front surface 305 a of the second heat radiation plate 305 with another solder 304 . the dimensions of the second heat radiation plate 305 are usually large in comparison with its thickness enough to warp relatively readily . when a curved second heat radiation plate 305 is pressed by a mold during the injection molding for forming a molding resin 309 , the additional couplers 314 are unevenly pressed by the curved second heat radiation plate 305 . however , the locally concentrated force due to the uneven pressing is cushioned by the additional couplers 314 , and the semiconductor chips 301 , 302 are evenly pressed by the additional couplers 314 . therefore , in the semiconductor device of fig9 the additional couplers 314 prevent the semiconductor chips 301 , 302 from breaking during the molding . the bonding member anti - sticking means of fig3 , and 6 may be eclectically combined with each other . for example , the first coating resin film 14 shown in fig3 and the flanges shown in fig5 may be combined to create another semiconductor device . alternatively , the flanges shown in fig5 and the oxide layers on the side surface of the couplers 303 shown in fig6 may be combined to create another semiconductor device . in the manufacturing process of the semiconductor device shown in fig3 the second coating resin film 15 is formed after each semiconductor chips 1 , 2 and corresponding coupler 3 , each semiconductor chips 1 , 2 and the second heat radiation plate 5 , and each coupler 3 and the first heat radiation plate 6 are respectively bonded with the solders 4 . however , the second coating resin film 15 may be formed before the bonding steps . in that case , the second coating resin film 15 itself functions as a bonding member anti - sticking means , so even if any solder 4 spreads along the side surfaces of the couplers 3 when the couplers 3 is bonded to the semiconductor chips 1 , 2 and the heat radiation plates 6 , 5 with the solders 4 , no solders 4 stick to the side surface of the couplers 3 . therefore , the side surfaces of the couplers 3 and the molding resin 9 are firmly connected by the second coating resin film 15 without the first coating resin film 14 . in the semiconductor devices shown in fig3 , and 6 , the bonding member anti - sticking means is located only on the side surfaces of the couplers 3 , 33 , 303 . however , the bonding member anti - sticking means may be formed on the side surfaces , which need to be connected to the molding resin 9 , 309 , of the semiconductor chips 1 , 2 and the first and second heat radiation plates 6 , 5 . in the semiconductor device shown in fig3 the second coating resin film 15 is located on the first coating resin film 14 . however , the first and second coating resin films 14 , 15 are made of the same kind of resin , so the second coating resin film 15 does not necessarily need to be located on the first coating resin film 14 . in the semiconductor devices shown in fig3 , and 6 , the solder 4 , 304 are used as a bonding member . however , other materials such as silver paste may be used instead of the solders 4 . moreover , each semiconductor chips 1 , 2 , 301 , 302 and corresponding coupler 3 , 33 , 303 , each semiconductor chips 1 , 2 , 301 , 302 and the second heat radiation plate 5 , 305 , and each coupler 3 , 33 , 303 and the first heat radiation plate 6 , 306 are respectively bonded with bonding members that are different in type from each other . in each semiconductor device shown in fig3 , and 6 , the semiconductor chips 1 , 2 are respectively , an igbt chip 1 , which is an insulated gate bipolar transistor , and an fwd chip 2 , which is a fly - wheel diode . however , the semiconductor chips 1 , 2 may be other types of semiconductor . for example , instead of the fwd chip 2 , each semiconductor device in fig3 , and 6 may includes a mosfet having the same function as the fwd chip 2 . the semiconductor device shown in fig8 may also include additional couplers 314 to prevent the semiconductor chips 301 , 302 from breaking by a curved second heat radiation plate 305 during the molding . in each semiconductor device shown in fig6 , and 9 , the step 303 c is located around each front surface 303 a of the couplers 303 , which faces the first heat radiation plate 306 . however , as shown in fig1 , the step 303 c may be located around each back surface 303 b of the couplers 303 , which faces corresponding semiconductor chip 301 , 302 . as described , the flanges 303 d are less rigid than the couplers 303 , and the flanges 303 d can conform to the deformation of the resin 309 that is connected to the flanges 303 d to decrease the stress thermally generated at the boundary between each of the semiconductor chips 301 , 302 and corresponding coupler 303 when the semiconductor device experiences thermal cycles . therefore , in the semiconductor device shown in fig1 as well , the thermally generated stress is reduced by the flange 303 d . in each semiconductor device shown in fig6 , 9 , and 10 , each step 303 c is located all around each coupler 303 . however , the molding resin 309 starts to peel off the second radiation plate 306 at a surface of the semiconductor device . therefore , the flanges 303 d may not be located between the semiconductor chips 301 , 302 . the reason is that the distance from the surface of the semiconductor device to the first solder 304 along the interface between the second heat radiation plate 306 and the molding resin 309 , the interface between each coupler 303 and the molding resin 309 , and the interface between the flange 303 d and the molding resin 309 is long enough without forming the couplers 303 between the semiconductor chips 301 , 302 . | 7 |
fig1 shows an example of an apparatus , namely a laser according to the invention . in the laser shown , the housing 1 encases a laser resonator defined between two end mirrors . in the shown embodiment , a first end mirror 4 is a mirror which includes saturably absorbing semiconductor material for mode - locking . such saturable absorber mirrors have been described in a number of publications including , for example , wo 96 / 36906 , u . s . pat . no . 6 , 826 , 219 , and u . s . pat . no . 6 , 538 , 298 , and they are not described in any detail here . a second end mirror 5 is an outcoupling mirror reflecting a first portion of the laser radiation incident on it and transmitting a second portion thereof . the transparency of the outcoupling mirror 5 in all embodiments is preferably at least 5 %, especially preferred at least 8 %. the laser further comprises a thin - disk gain structure including a thin - disk gain element 7 mounted on a cooler 8 . a first end face of the thin - disk gain element is in physical contact with the cooler or a system of at least one layer being in physical contact with the cooler . the second end face 7 . 2 is hit by the laser radiation circulating in the resonator . the laser further comprises an optical pump ( not shown ), for example including a plurality of laser diodes producing pump radiation which is also incident onto the second end face 7 . 2 of the gain element , from a normal direction or from an acute angle . the system of at least one layer adjacent the first end face of the thin - disk gain element may include a reflecting coating or foil to enhance the reflectivity of the gain structure ( including the reflecting coating or foil ) for the laser radiation as a whole . the laser resonator further comprises a plurality of mirrors re - directing the radiation within the resonator in order to make a large resonator length on a comparably small area possible and for having the possibility of influencing ( collimating , focussing ) the radiation beam without having to direct the radiation beam through material ( such as a lens ), which material may be dispersive and / or exhibit some nonlinearity . these re - directing mirrors ( also called “ folding mirrors ” for some angles of incidence ) may include flat mirrors 11 and curved mirrors 12 . the curved mirrors have — as is known in the art — the purpose of focussing or collimating the radiation circulating in the resonator and thereby preventing a radiation beam from diverging . the resonator further includes a brewster plate 14 , i . e . a transparent plate or a stack of plates placed at brewster &# 39 ; s angle in the radiation beam acting as a polarizer for the radiation circulating in the resonator . some of the mirrors of the resonator are dispersive mirrors 13 . such dispersive mirrors are preferably mirrors with a gti coating , i . e . mirrors having a first reflecting face of low reflectivity and high transmittivity and a second reflecting face of high reflectivity , where the first and second reflecting faces have a well - defined spacing between them adapted to the frequency of the radiation circulating in the resonator . mirrors with gti coating — gti mirrors — are available on the market and are known for producing chromatic dispersion . the gti mirrors are chosen such that the group delay dispersion ( gdd ) for the radiation circulating in the resonator is negative . in the shown embodiment , eight gti mirrors are shown so that a light pulse during a roundtrip in the resonator undergoes sixteen hits on a gti mirror . this compensates both , positive dispersion and nonlinearity of the elements in the resonator . the shown number of dispersive mirrors may vary . especially , if the gas remaining inside the housing has a very small nonlinearity , the number of dispersive mirrors may be reduced . the number of dispersive mirrors may also be enhanced , for example if the intracavity pulse energy is higher than 10 μj or even 50 μj or higher or 100 μj or higher . in the laser of fig1 the nonlinearity of the gas inside the housing is reduced by exchanging the air with helium ( which has substantially lower nonlinearity than air ), or another gas with a lower nonlinearity than air , or by evacuating the housing . to this end , the housing may be gas - proof , and the inside may be at a lower gas pressure than ambient atmosphere ( under standard conditions ; standard temperature and pressure stp ). it may as an alternative be partially gas - proof ( leaky ), and there may be a continuous or discontinuous flow of the gas from the housing to the outside or vice - versa . to this end , the casing may comprise an inlet and / or an outlet connected to a gas source ( such as a helium source ) and / or a vacuum pump , respectively . in the shown embodiment , the outcoupling mirror 5 is illustrated as a partially transparent window of the housing ( in which the outcoupling mirror need not be fixedly fastened to the housing but may also be roughly fitted in an opening thereof ). in practice , this need not be the case . the housing may as a first alternative encompass the whole resonator including the outcoupling mirror and itself be transparent for the laser radiation or comprise a transparent window for the output radiation . as yet an other alternative , the housing may encompass a part of the resonator only . for example , at most 20 %, preferably at most 10 % of the light path is in air . in such an embodiment , for example , the laser head ( including the gain structure and the cooler ) need not be within the housing , and for example only passive components not requiring electricity or cooling are within the housing . as a first option , the housing may comprise a window for the radiation circulating in the laser . such a window may for example be a brewster window and potentially replace the brewser plate 14 . the window may , alternatively , be used at a different angle and may be coated with layers resulting in low reflectivity of , for example , less than 5 % or even less than 2 % for the laser radiation . as a second option — if the housing is “ leaky ” and constantly flooded by helium or an other low - nonlinearity - gas — the housing may comprise an opening through which the laser radiation may circulate . such a variant is shown in fig2 , where only the differences to the embodiment of fig1 are described in detail . according to this variant , the mirrors shown as topmost five of the mirrors 4 , 11 , 12 in the drawing form a 4 f extension 19 , i . e . add to the beam path in the resonator without changing the beam shape in other parts of the resonator . in practice , the 4 f extension may make up a large part of the entire beam path in the resonator . in the shown variant , only the radiation in the 4 f extension proceeds inside the housing 1 . the embodiment of fig3 is of the above - described kind where the entire resonator is inside the housing . as a further difference to the embodiment of fig2 , in addition to the 4 f extension of the resonator , the laser also comprises a multi - pass cell 20 . multi - pass cells are known in the art . they comprise at least two reflecting elements between which a beam directed into the multi - pass cell goes back and forth a plurality of times before it again leaves the multi - pass cell . the coupling into and out from the multi - pass cell may be done by an appropriate opening in one of the reflecting elements , or by a small mirror placed inside the multi - pass cell . in the shown embodiment , the multi - pass cell comprises a flat mirror 21 and a curved mirror 22 as well as an in - and outcoupling mirror 23 . the multi - pass cell allows to again enhance the resonator length when the resonator is set up on a limited area ( or in a limited volume , respectively . yet a further embodiment making an even longer resonator possible is shown in fig4 , where the multi - pass cell 20 is “ folded ”, i . e . comprises three mirrors 21 , 22 , 23 . the embodiment of fig5 is an example of an embodiment according to the second aspect of the invention . it does not necessarily need a housing that can be flooded with a low - nonlinearity - gas or can be evacuated . instead , it comprises a nonlinearity compensator adding a high negative dispersion of at least − 20 , 000 fs 2 or more per round trip . this nonlinearity compensator is formed by the multi - pass cell 20 at least one mirror of which is a gti mirror ( preferably at least two mirrors , especially preferred all mirrors except possibly the in - and outcoupling mirror 34 are gti mirrors ). in the illustrated embodiment , all three mirrors 31 , 32 , 33 are gti mirrors . if the negative dispersion per bounce on a mirror ( meaning the negative dispersion acting on a light pulse each time it hits a surface of a gti mirror ) is − 1000 fs 2 , then 20 hits per roundtrip are necessary to achieve the mentioned total negative dispersion . preferably , even more , such as at least 30 or at least 40 bounces per roundtrip are arranged for . separate gti mirrors 13 of the embodiments of fig1 - 4 may also be present but are not necessary and are not shown in fig5 . the embodiment of fig6 is distinct from the embodiment of fig5 in that it does not comprise a 4 f extension , and thus , the laser is more compact . the teachings of fig1 - 4 and of fig5 and 6 may be combined by a laser having the following features : the nonlinearity of the medium filling the space the pulse travels inside the resonator is reduced by ensuring that the air content of the medium is reduced compared to air of the ambient atmosphere the remaining nonlinearity is compensated by a nonlinearity compensator of the kind taught with respect to fig5 and 6 . in all embodiments , the fine tuning of the relationship between dispersion and nonlinearity — and thus by way of equation ( 1 ) also of the pulsewidth — may for example take place by the brewster plate being shiftable along the beam path . shifting of the brewster plate changes the nonlinearity originating from the brewster plate where the beam diameter varies along the beam path ( see equation ( 3 )). thus , a simple means of tuning the pulse width is achieved by this . experiments have shown that it is possible to generate sub - picosecond laser pulses of 5 μj or more , for example with set - ups as illustrated in fig1 and 3 . in all embodiments , the laser may comprise a plurality of laser heads . this means that the laser may include two or more gain structures , each being , preferably optically , pumped , each on a mount , or ( some of ) the gain structures being on a common mount . the mount also in this embodiment may be — and preferably is — cooled . in a resonator like any one of the resonators of fig1 - 6 — or in any other resonator — further laser heads may , for example , be positioned to replace one or more of the flat mirrors 11 . new insight during last years : it is often favorable to work close to the ablation threshold with pulse energies of a few microjoules for high processing speed (= throughput ) at these low pulse energies , high laser repetition rates are required . so far , it was very difficult to operate in this parameter rage ( typically amplifier systems were used that operate below 500 khz ). the invention allows access of the area of 1 mhz to 50 mhz with a very simple and reliable technology ( passive mode - locking without the need for amplification stages , pulse pickers , . . . ) optimal performance for micromachining is achieved with high speed at the ablation threshold . optimal pulse duration for machining of metals is around 1 ps , i . e . between 500 fs and 5 ps . fiber compression ( see our publication t . südmeyer , f . brunner , e . innerhofer , r . paschotta , k . furusawa , j . c . baggeft , t . m . monro , d . j . richardson , u . keller “ nonlinear femtosecond pulse compression at high average power levels by a large - mode - area holey fiber ”, optics lett ., vol . 28 , pp . 1951 - 1953 , 2003 ) filamentation for ultrashort pulses diverse nonlinear crystals : lithium niobate , lithium tantalate , periodically poled lithium niobate or tantalate , stoichiometric lithium tantalate or niobate , lithium borate , cesium lithium borate , beta barium borate , potassium titanyl phosphate , periodically poled potassium titanyl phosphate , uv generation , deep uv and extreme uv generation . higher wavelength leads to higher precision , e . g . for machining , moreover : new applications , e . g . optical inspection systems with extremely high resolution , e . g . for semiconductor inspection systems , e . g . by confocal microscopy . hhg is the generation of very short wavelength e . g . in gases , leading to optical power at the 3rd , 5th , 7th , 9th , 11th , 13th , . . . harmonics possible applications e . g . in material sciences , semiconductor inspection , . . . high repetition rate in the mhz range is very attractive because of high signal to noise ratio ( often : 1 / f noise , so noise in a khz system is orders of magnitude higher than for our system ) the invention is by no means restricted to the disclosed embodiments but may implemented in many other ways . for example , the pulse repetition rate could be even reduced ( and thus the energy per pulse for a given laser power even enhanced by a cavity dumper , which is an optical switch inside the laser resonator to select out an individual pulse . an additional cavity dumper would also allow for the intracavity pulses to be extracted with substantially higher pulse energy inside the resonator — for example with a 5 % output coupler , the intracavity pulse energy is approximately 20 times larger than the output pulse energy , and this could be extracted with a cavity dumper being used instead of or in addition to the output coupling mirror . example : for an output pulse energy of 10 μj obtained with a 5 % output coupler , the intracavity pulse energy is 200 μj . as an alternative or in addition to the gti mirrors , other elements providing negative dispersion such as prisms could be implemented . instead of saturable absorption , other means of mode locking may be used , such as kerr lens mode locking or an active mode locking technique . use of a different gas or gas mixture than he with lower nonlinearity than air ( e . g . other gas , or other noble gases , such as ne , etc ) possibly reduction of the pulse energy circulating in the cavity ( by even higher output coupling than 10 %, and eg . by increasing the gain with a second laser head ). additional features that may be implemented in the preferred embodiment include : optimized resonator atmosphere for stable mode - locking , variation of the gas pressure in the laser resonator to adjust the laser pulsewidth over a certain range i . e . by adjusting the nonlinearity due to the gas pressure , the laser pulsewidth can be controlled , suppression of pulse break up , suppression of qml , for example by ensuring that the relation ( f laser / f sat , laser ) ( f abs / f sat , abs )& gt ; δr holds , see u . s . pat . no . 7 , 106 , 764 , suppression of multiple pulsing , concerning the thin disk geometry ( reference u . s . pat . no . 5 , 553 , 088 , which is incorporated herein by reference ) optimized hr coating , ar coatings , optimized pump arrangement and requirements , other gain materials ( different operating wavelengths , output power levels , and pulsewidths possible ). this is especially interesting when going to shorter pulse durations . the invention may be used in connection with measures concerning spatial hole burning ( see u . s . pat . no . 6 , 834 , 064 ). multiple passes ( or only a single pass ) through the gain material . in the shown embodiments , the pulses go through the gain element twice per roundtrip because the laser head is used as a simple folding mirror . more than two passes , for example four passes , allow for using higher output coupling resulting in lower pulse energy in resonator and reduced nonlinearity . design for longer pulse duration resulting in lower peak power and lower nonlinearity in air or gas mixture in the resonator . embodiments and features of thin - disk pulsed lasers are also described in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 834 , 064 , which is incorporated herein by reference . these embodiments of such lasers , and features of such lasers may be implemented in lasers according to the present invention . further features of lasers according to the invention are disclosed in u . s . provisional patent application 60 / 762 , 671 which is also incorporated herein by reference . | 7 |
the inventors have found that a novel , highly active catalyst for the conversion of an aldehyde feedstock into methacrylic acid can be prepared including at least molybdenum ( mo ), phosphorus ( p ), vanadium ( v ), and a first component selected from the group consisting of bismuth ( bi ), boron ( b ) and mixtures or combinations thereof . the catalyst is adapted to convert an aldehyde feedstock including isobutanal or mixtures of isobutanal and methacrolein into methacrylic acid . such a catalyst is ideally suited for use in the conversion of feedstock derived from plants that produce methacrolein and / or produce isobutanal purposefully or as a by - product . thus , the catalysts of this invention are ideally suited for use in facilities that have a source of methacrolein and isobutanal for the production of methacrylic acid . one such facility integrates a methacrylic acid production component and 2 - ethyl - hexanol production component as set forth in co - filed and co - pending united states patent application having a serial no . associated with express mail label no . er 441453545 us or any other facility that produces isobutanal as an unwanted by - product . the present invention broadly relates to novel , highly active , heteropolyacid catalysts including at least molybdenum ( mo ), phosphorus ( p ), vanadium ( v ), and a first component selected from the group consisting of bismuth ( bi ), boron ( b ) and mixtures or combinations thereof , where the catalysts are capable of converting an aldehyde feedstock into methacrylic acid . the present invention also broadly relates to a method for making such catalysts including the steps of forming a liquid phase including at least molybdenum ( mo ), phosphorus ( p ), and vanadium ( v ), and a first component selected from the group consisting of bismuth ( bi ), boron ( b ) and mixtures or combinations thereof , where the liquid phase can be aqueous , aqueous / organic mixtures , aqueous / non - aqueous mixtures , non - aqueous or organic . the term organic means a carbon containing solvent , while the term non - aqueous means a non - aqueous solvent that does not contain carbon . the mixture is then dried to form a pre - catalyst composition and then calcined to form a catalyst of this invention . if the catalyst does not include bi , then the mixture is preferably a solid - free solution prior to initiating precipitation . if the catalyst includes bi , then bi is first dissolved to form a second solid - free solution , which is then added to the first solid - free solution of the other ingredients to form a slurry . if the catalyst also includes the second and / or third components , then these components can be added to the mixture , to either solution or to a dried material followed by further drying , but prior to calcining . if the catalyst also includes an ammonium - containing compound , then the dried catalyst is calcined under controlled conditions , where the conditions are sufficient to allow for controlled out - gassing of the ammonium - containing compound to form a desired pore size distribution , which preferably has a high concentration of medium pores . the present invention also broadly relates to a process for making maa including the step of contacting an aldehyde feedstock with a catalyst of this invention under catalysis conditions sufficient to convert a desired amount of the aldehydes in the aldehyde feedstock into maa . suitable compounds used for preparation of the catalysts of this invention include , without limitation , metal nitrates , metal carbonates , metal ammonium salts , metal halides , metal oxides , or mixtures or combinations thereof . suitable molybdenum components include , without limitation , ammonium paramolybdate , molybdenum trioxide , molybdenum chloride , etc . or mixtures or combinations thereof . the preferred molybdenum component is ammonium paramolybdate . suitable vanadium components include , without limitation , ammonium metavanadate , vanadium pentoxide , vanadium chloride , etc . or mixtures or combinations thereof . the preferred vanadium component is ammonium metavanadate . suitable phosphorus components include , without limitation , phosphoric acid , ammonium phosphite , etc . or mixtures or combinations thereof . the preferred phosphorus component is phosphoric acid . suitable copper components include , without limitation , copper nitrate , copper chloride , etc . or mixtures or combinations thereof . the preferred copper component is copper nitrate . suitable bismuth components include , without limitation , bismuth nitrate , bismuth oxide , bismuth chloride , etc . or mixtures or combinations thereof . the preferred bismuth component is bismuth nitrate . suitable boron components include , without limitation , boric acid , boric acid salts , boric oxide , borate esters ( b ( oh ) x ( or ) y , where x + y = 3 and r is a alkyl group ), other similar boron species and mixtures or combinations thereof . suitable mii components include , without limitation , mii nitrates , mii oxides , mii chlorides , etc . or mixtures or combinations thereof . the preferred mii components are mii nitrates and mii oxides or mixtures or combinations thereof . suitable miii components include , without limitation , miii nitrates , miii oxides , miii chlorides , etc . or mixtures or combinations thereof . the preferred miii components are miii nitrates and miii oxides or mixtures or combinations thereof . suitable ammonium - containing compounds for use in this invention include , without limitation , any ammonium compound that undergoes thermal decomposition to volatile components . exemplary examples of such ammonium - containing compounds include , without limitation , ammonium hydroxide , ammonium nitrate , ammonium chloride , ammonium bromide , ammonium carbonate , ammonium acetate , ammonium formate , ammonium propionate , ammonium butionate , other ammonium salts of carboxylic acids , or mixtures or combinations thereof . with bi free catalysts , the catalysts of this invention are generally prepared by initiating precipitation of a substantially precipitate free solution by means known in the art , e . g ., heating and / or solvent evaporation , where the solution includes appropriate concentrations of desired catalytic components . while the solution preferably is substantially free of precipitates prior to initiating precipitation , the solution can include varying degrees of precipitates during the preparation procedure provided that the precipitates substantially dissolve prior to initiating precipitation . for catalysts of this invention including bi , a slurry is formed when a substantially solid - free bi solution is added to a substantially solid - free solution of other ingredients . other ingredients can be added to the slurry or to the solid after drying followed by further drying , but prior to calcination . the term substantially solid - free means that the amount of precipitate present in the solution is less than 5 wt . %, preferably less than 2 . 5 wt . %, particularly less than 1 wt . % and especially less than 0 . 5 wt . %, with the ultimate goal being completely solid - free or precipitate - free . the present invention relates to improved catalysts for the oxidation of an aldehyde feedstock comprising isobutanal or isobutanal - methacrolein mixtures . the catalyst of this invention can be prepared from precursor solutions acidified with nitric acid in a nitric acid ( hno 3 ) to mo 12 mole ratio of about 0 . 1 to greater than (& gt ;) about 6 . 0 . that is , the catalyst can be made from solutions including about 0 . 1 moles of nitric acid per mole of mo 12 to greater than about 6 . 0 moles nitric acid per mole of mo 12 . preferably , the solutions also include a sufficient amount of an ammonium - containing compound such as ammonium hydroxide to adjust the ph to a desired level and to increase a concentration of medium pores in the final catalyst to a relatively high value . the term “ relatively high value ” is a value of at least about 50 % medium pores in one preferred embodiment , a value of at least about 57 % medium pores in another preferred embodiment and a value of at least 60 % medium pores in another preferred embodiment . once the pre - catalyst solution is prepared , the components are precipitated as the temperature of the solution is raised and as water is evaporated from the solution . when bi is present in the catalysts of this invention , the catalysts of this invention are prepared using a solution of nitric acid ( hno 3 ) and ammonium hydroxide ( nh 4 oh ) to dissolve a bismuth component such as bismuth nitrate ( bi ( no 3 ) 3 ) or other bismuth salts or compounds , prior to adding the bismuth component to a solution of other components to form a slurry . again , the mii and miii components can be added in any portions to either solution or to the slurry either before , during or after drying , but prior to calcination . again , the ammonium hydroxide or other ammonium - containing compound is added to the bi solution in an amount sufficient to increase a concentration of medium pores in the resulting pore size distribution to a relatively high value . the catalysts of this invention generally have pore size distribution including between about 0 . 1 % and about 10 . 0 % of small pores and between about 55 % and about 80 % of medium pores , preferably , the catalyst has a pore size distribution including between about 0 . 5 % and about 7 . 5 % of small pores and between about 60 % and about 75 % of medium pores , and particularly , the catalyst has a pore size distribution including between about 1 . 0 % and about 5 . 0 % of small pores and between about 60 % and about 70 % of medium pores . the catalysts of this invention are rendered more or less active by a calcination procedure to which they are subjected . the general calcination protocol is to calcine a dried catalyst at a temperature and for a time sufficient to obtain a catalyst having a desired activity , generally maximized activity , or to obtain a catalyst having the desired pore size distribution . generally , the calcination temperature is above about 350 ° c . and the period of time is between about 2 hours and about 24 hours ; however , shorter and longer times can be used . preferably , the calcination protocol also includes a soak step at a soak temperature and for a soak time sufficient to out - gas volatile components and components that form volatile components at high temperature . particularly important components that produce volatile components during drying , soaking and calcining include nitrates and ammonium salts . the inventors believe that although the amount of nitrate and ammonium ions present in the dried composition is important for producing the desired pore size distribution , the careful control of drying , soaking and calcining conditions is also important in controlling the number of medium pores generated in the final catalyst . if the pre - calcined catalyst is heated too fast , the volatile components have insufficient time to out - gas and the activity of the resulting catalyst is reduced . thus , by controlling catalyst drying , soaking and calcining , component out - gassing can be substantially completed before the catalyst is subjected to its final calcination temperature . the soak temperature is generally between about 180 ° c . and about 250 ° c . and the soak period of time is between about 1 hour and about 8 hours ; however , shorter and longer times can be used . the soak step is designed to allow volatile components and components that form volatile components at high temperature to exit the catalyst gradually and not explosively or so rapidly that the catalyst pore distribution is damaged ( collapses or produces too many non - medium pores ). in laboratory protocols , the protocols include an initial temperature ramp of about 0 . 25 ° c ./ min . to about 0 . 75 ° c ./ min . for a period of time sufficient to raise the temperature to a desired soak step temperature and a final temperature ramp of about 0 . 25 ° c ./ min . to about 0 . 75 ° c ./ min for a period of time sufficient to raise the temperature to a desired calcination step temperature . in commercial catalyst protocols , however , the ramp rates are generally much higher as is well known in the art of commercial catalyst preparation . the catalyst of the present invention can be used without a carrier , or can be supported on or diluted with an inert carrier . suitable inert carriers include , without limitation , silicates , silicas , aluminates , aluminas , silica - aluminas , silicon carbide , zirconias , titanias , magnesia , similar oxides or mixtures or combinations thereof . the catalysts of this invention are ideally suited for producing an unsaturated acid , preferably a conjugated unsaturated acid such as methacrylic acid by gas - phase catalytic oxidation of a vapor or vapor stream including an aldehyde feedstock such as isobutanal or mixtures of isobutanal and methacrolein at a temperature , at a pressure and for a time sufficient to convert the aldehydes in the aldehyde feedstock to methacrylic acid . the vapor stream used to contact the catalysts of the present invention generally includes sufficient amount of aldehyde in the aldehyde feedstock that is converted into an output stream containing a commercial quantity of methacrylic acid . preferably , the vapor or vapor stream includes from about 1 vol . % to about 20 vol . % of aldehyde in the aldehyde feedstock , and particularly , the vapor or vapor stream includes from about 3 to about 10 vol . % of aldehyde in the aldehyde feedstock . typically , an aldehyde feed for the preparation of methacrylic acid may also contain large amounts of water and smaller amounts of impurities such as carbon monoxide , carbon dioxide , acetone , acetic acid , acrolein , methacrylic acid , isobutylene and other saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons , lower saturated aldehydes , etc ., but such impurities have substantially no effect on the conversion of the aldehydes to unsaturated acids . although the gas - phase catalytic oxidation reaction of an aldehyde feed stock over a catalyst of this invention can be economically performed in the presence of air , one class of preferred oxidizing agents for use in this invention is oxygen - containing gases having a higher oxygen content than air . another preferred oxidizing agent for use in this invention is pure oxygen . an amount of the oxidizing agent used in the conversion of the aldehyde feedstock to methacrylic acid is set relative to a molar ratio of oxygen to aldehydes in the aldehyde feedstock . generally , the molar ratio has a value between about 0 . 3 and about 4 . 0 , preferably , the ratio has a value between about 0 . 8 and about 3 . 0 . the oxidizing gas may be diluted with or contain an inert gas such as nitrogen , steam , carbon dioxide , etc ., recycled oxygen - containing gases or mixtures or combinations thereof . in producing methacrylic acid using the catalysts of this invention , the oxidation is generally carried out at a reaction pressure between sub - ambient and several atmospheres above ambient , preferably , the pressure is near ambient or as low as practical . the oxidation reaction using the catalysts of this invention is generally carried out at an elevated temperature , preferably , at a temperature between about 230 ° c . and about 450 ° c ., particularly , at a temperature between about 250 ° c . and about 400 ° c . and more particularly , at a temperature between about 250 ° c . and about 350 ° c . the oxidation reaction using the catalysts of this invention can be carried out using a variety of reactor systems including a fixed bed reactor ( a reactor having one or more fixed catalyst beds or zones ), a fluidized bed reactor ( recycling catalyst in a gas entrained reaction environment ), a moving bed reactor ( catalyst moves in and out of the catalyst zone ( s )), a continuous stirred tank reactor or any other reactor system geared for carrying out an oxidizing reaction such as the conversion of isobutyraldehyde to methacrylic acid . the following examples illustrate the preparation , calcination and testing of specific catalytic formulations of this invention and of comparative catalysts . example 1 illustrates the preparation of a specific catalyst of this invention including both b and bi , while comparative example 1 illustrates the preparation of a catalyst excluding b and bi . comparative example 2 is a known mixed metal oxide isobutanal oxidation catalyst , which converts isobutanal to methacrolein . comparative example 3 is a commercially available heteropolyacid catalyst . comparative example 2 and comparative example 3 are used to compare a catalyst of this invention for converting a mixture of isobutanal and methacrolein to methacrylic acid . the examples also include performance data for catalysts of this invention and the comparative examples . the following example illustrates the preparation of a 50 g batch of a catalyst of this invention having the following formula mo 12 p 1 . 5 v 0 . 5 cu 0 . 1 bi 0 . 5 sb 0 . 8 cs 1 . 0 b 0 . 5 o g . 46 . 49 g of ammonium paramolybdate were added to 200 ml of de - ionized ( di ) water at room temperature . 1 . 28 g of ammonium metavanadate were added to the above solution with mixing at room temperature . the mixture was stirred at room temperature until all particles were dissolved to produce an mov solution . 4 . 28 g of cesium nitrate were then added to 25 ml of di water , and the resulting solution was added to the mov solution with mixing to form an movcs solution . 3 . 80 g of phosphoric acid were then dissolved in 6 ml of di water and the resulting solution was added to the movcs solution with mixing to form an movcsp solution . 0 . 51 g of copper nitrate were added to 5ml of di water and the resulting solution was added to the movcsp solution with mixing to form an movcspcu solution . 11 . 32 g of nitric acid were added to 30 grams of di water , then 7 ml of ammonium hydroxide ( 28 wt . % solution ) were added to the nitric acid solution and then 5 . 32 g of bismuth nitrate were added to the nitric acid / ammonium hydroxide solution with mixing and the mixture was stirred until the bismuth nitrate went into solution to form a bi solution . the bi solution was then added to the movcspcu solution with mixing forming an movcspcubi slurry . the bi solution causes a precipitation of the components as it is added to the movcspcu solution or as the movcspcu solution is added to the bi solution . the resulting movcspcubi slurry was then heated to 95 ° c . and then 2 . 56 g of antimony trioxide and 0 . 68 g of boric acid were added to the movcspcubi slurry with mixing to form an movcspcubisbb slurry . the movcspcubisbb slurry was then evaporated at about 100 ° c . to form an evaporated mixture . the evaporated mixture was then dried at about 130 ° c . for about 16 hours and sieved to obtain particles having a size between about 20 and 30 mesh . the particles were then heated to a soak temperature of 230 ° c . at a rate of 0 . 5 ° c ./ min and held at the soak temperature for 3 hours in air . the particles were then heated to a calcination temperature of 380 ° c . at a rate of 0 . 5 ° c ./ min . and held at the calcination temperature for 5 hours in air to form the mo 12 p 1 . 5 v 0 . 5 cu 0 . 1 bi 0 . 5 sb 0 . 8 cs 1 . 0 o g catalyst . this example illustrates the preparation of a 50 g batch of a catalyst of this invention having the composition mo 12 p 1 . 5 v 0 . 5 cu 0 . 1 sb 0 . 8 cs 1 . 0 o g . 46 . 49 g of ammonium paramolybdate were added to 200 ml of de - ionized ( di ) water at room temperature . 1 . 28 g of ammonium metavanadate were added to above solution . the mixture was stirred at room temperature until all particles were dissolved . 4 . 28 g of cesium nitrate were added to 25 ml of di water , and the solution was added to above mixture . 3 . 80 g of phosphoric acid were dissolved in 6 ml of di water and the solution obtained was added to above mixture . 0 . 51 g of copper nitrate were added to 5 ml of di water and solution obtained was added into the above mixture . 11 . 32 g of nitric acid were added to 30 g of di water , then 7 ml of a 28 wt . % solution of nh 4 oh were added into this solution , and the solution obtained was added to the above mixture . the temperature of the mixture was increased to 95 ° c . then , 2 . 56 g of antimony trioxide were added to the above mixture . the mixture was evaporated at 100 ° c ., dried at 130 ° c . for 16 hours , and sieved to obtain 20 - 30 mesh particles . the particles were then heated to a soak temperature of 230 ° c . at a rate of 0 . 5 ° c ./ min and held at the soak temperature for 3 hours in air . the particles were then heated to a calcination temperature of 380 ° c . at a rate of 0 . 5 ° c ./ min . and held at the calcination temperature for 5 hours in air . 6 cc of the example 1 catalyst was loaded into a fixed bed reactor and diluted with 9 cc of quartz chips . the catalyst was tested with a vapor stream having the following composition : 4 vol . % isobutyraldehyde ( iba ), 30 vol . % steam with the balance being nitrogen and having two different oxygen to iba mole ratios ( o 2 / hc ), where the oxygen - containing gas was air . by varying reaction temperature and vapor stream flow rate , conversion and selectivity data were obtained under a variety of conditions . the resulting effluent stream was analyzed by gas chromatography ( gc ). to determine the amount of iba remaining after the reaction , the products were trapped in a dewar flask at 0 ° c . analysis of the liquid collected did not show any trace of iba . based on the accuracy gc flame ionization detector ( fid ), the conversion of iba was estimated to be greater than about 95 %. table i iba conversion performance of the catalyst of example 1 iba mac maa total flow rate t o 2 / conversion selectivity selectivity selectivity ( sccm ) (° c .) hc (%) (%) (%) (%) 100 280 2 . 0 100 30 . 4 53 . 4 83 . 8 75 281 2 . 0 100 15 . 5 65 . 1 80 . 6 64 282 2 . 0 100 13 . 6 62 . 9 76 . 5 57 282 2 . 0 100 7 . 5 67 . 9 75 . 4 50 281 2 . 0 100 5 . 9 66 . 7 72 . 6 100 283 2 . 4 100 28 . 7 54 . 4 83 . 1 75 282 2 . 4 100 15 . 9 63 . 2 79 . 1 64 282 2 . 4 100 12 . 6 64 . 5 77 . 1 57 282 2 . 4 100 7 . 8 66 . 9 74 . 7 50 282 2 . 4 100 5 . 6 67 . 7 73 . 3 total isobutyraldehyde conversion and around 80 % combined methacrolein and methacrylic acid selectivity was obtained with the catalyst of example 1 . changes in a mole ratio ( o 2 : hc ) of hydrocarbon ( hc ) had little effect on reaction results . the catalyst of example 1 was also tested for the oxidation of methacrolein . the testing conditions were the same as those described above , except that 4 vol . % of methacrolein was fed instead of the 4 vol . % of iba . the data obtained are tabulated in table ii . table ii mac conversion performance of the catalyst of example 1 mac maa flow rate t conversion selectivity ( sccm ) (° c .) o 2 / hc (%) (%) 100 278 2 . 0 78 . 4 85 . 2 75 279 2 . 0 87 . 4 82 . 0 64 278 2 . 0 94 . 0 80 . 5 the error in the conversion data is about ± 3 %. the data indicate that the same reaction conditions ( reaction temperature and oxygen / hydrocarbon mole ratio ) can be used for the oxidation of isobutanal and methacrolein or mixtures or combinations thereof to product methacrylic acid . thus , the catalysts of this invention can be used to produce methacrylic acid from a stream containing isobutanal or isobutanal - methacrolein mixtures . generally , the compositional ranges for the aldehyde feedstock for use with the catalysts of this invention range between about 5 wt . % isobutanal and about 95 wt . % methacrolein to about 95 wt . % isobutanal and about 5 wt . % methacrolein . another preferred mixture of aldehydes has a composition ranging between about 10 wt . % isobutanal and about 90 wt . % methacrolein to about 90 wt . % isobutanal and about 10 wt . % methacrolein . another preferred mixture of aldehydes has a composition ranging between about 15 wt . % isobutanal and about 85 wt . % methacrolein to about 85 wt . % isobutanal and about 15 wt . % methacrolein . another preferred mixture of aldehydes has a composition ranging between about 20 wt . % isobutanal and about 80 wt . % methacrolein to about 80 wt . % isobutanal and about 20 wt . % methacrolein . another preferred mixture of aldehydes has a composition ranging between about 25 wt . % isobutanal and about 75 wt . % methacrolein to about 75 wt . % isobutanal and about 25 wt . % methacrolein . another preferred mixture of aldehydes has a composition ranging between about 30 wt . % isobutanal and about 70 wt . % methacrolein to about 70 wt . % isobutanal and about 30 wt . % methacrolein . another preferred mixture of aldehydes has a composition ranging between about 35 wt . % isobutanal and about 65 wt . % methacrolein to about 65 wt . % isobutanal and about 35 wt . % methacrolein . another preferred mixture of aldehydes has a composition ranging between about 40 wt . % isobutanal and about 60 wt . % methacrolein to about 60 wt . % isobutanal and about 40 wt . % methacrolein . another preferred mixture of aldehydes has a composition ranging between about 45 wt . % isobutanal and about 55 wt . % methacrolein to about 55 wt . % isobutanal and about 45 wt . % methacrolein . another preferred mixture of aldehydes has a composition ranging between about 50 wt . % isobutanal and about 50 wt . % methacrolein . the term “ about ”, in the context of this invention , means ± 2 . 5 wt . %. of course , depending on starting material availability ( iba and mac ), the actual composition of the stream can actually be any composition within the ranges set forth above . 6 cc of the catalysts of example 1 and comparative example 1 were loaded in a fixed bed reactor and diluted with 9 cc of quartz chips . each catalyst was tested using a feed including 4 % iba and 30 % steam with the balance being nitrogen in the presence of oxygen at an oxygen to iba mole ratio of 2 ( o 2 / hc ). the products were analyzed by gc . because iba is converted to maa in a two step process going through mac , the iba conversion data includes a mac conversion component as shown in table iii . to determine the amount of iba remaining after the reaction , the products were trapped in a dewar at 0 ° c . analysis of the liquid collected did not show any trace of iba . based on the accuracy of a gc flame ionization detector ( fid ), the conversion of iba was estimated to be greater than about 99 . 95 %. the catalyst activities and selectivities for catalysts of example 1 and comparative example 1 obtained under the same reaction temperature ( 281 ° c .) are tabulated in table iii : table iii comparison between example 1 and comparative example 1 iba mac maa flow rate conversion conversion selectivity catalyst ( sccm ) (%) (%) (%) example 1 100 100 74 . 7 83 . 6 75 100 84 . 3 78 . 6 50 100 94 . 0 71 . 7 comparative 100 100 48 . 4 82 . 6 example 1 75 100 69 . 9 78 . 2 50 100 74 . 7 75 . 3 it can be seen that at the same reaction condition , the catalyst of example 1 showed higher conversion of methacrolein than the catalyst of comparative example 1 , and at the same reaction conversion , the catalyst of example 1 had higher selectivity than the catalyst of comparative example 1 . thus , for isobutyradehyde oxidation , the data clearly indicate that catalysts including bi and b show better performance than catalyst without bi and b . this example illustrates the preparation of a catalyst according to example 1 of u . s . pat . no . 4 , 381 , 411 . 40 . 40 g of fe ( no 3 ) 3 , 13 . 59 g of agno 3 and 21 . 22 g of 85 % h 3 po 4 were dissolved in 100 ml of water . the resulting solution was evaporated to a dry paste with heating and stirring . then , after drying and calcining , a catalyst with composition of ag 0 . 8 fep 1 . 84 o x was obtained . a sample of the commercially available heteropolyacid catalyst ( nh 4 ) 3 pmoo 12 . 6 cc of each of the catalysts of example 1 and comparative example 2 and comparative example 3 was loaded in a fixed bed reactor and diluted with 9 cc of quartz chips . each catalyst was tested with a feed of 2 % iba , 2 % of mac , 30 % steam with the balance being nitrogen in the presence of oxygen at an oxygen to hydrocarbon mole ratio ( o 2 / hc ) of 2 . the oxidation reactions were carried out at a reaction temperature of 284 ° c . and at a feed flow rate of 50 sccm . the products were analyzed by gc . to determine the isobutyraldehyde left in the products , products after the reaction were trapped in a dewar at 0 ° c . analysis of the liquid collected did not show any trace of isobutyraldehyde . based on the accuracy of gc detector ( fid ), the conversion of isobutanal is at least higher than 99 . 95 %. the reaction results obtained using the catalysts of example 1 , comparative example 2 and comparative example 3 to convert a 50 - 50 mixture of iba and mac to maa are tabulated in table iv . table iv conversion and selectivity data for using iba / mac mixed feeds iba conversion mac conversion selectivity one pass catalyst (%) (%) a (%) yield (%) example 1 100 . 0 93 . 0 83 . 1 77 . 3 comp . 100 . 0 & lt ; 30 & lt ; 30 & lt ; 10 example 2 comp . 100 . 0 & lt ; 20 & lt ; 20 & lt ; 5 example 3 a mac conversion is defined analogously to the definition of iba conversion this data clearly indicate that the catalysts of this invention work for mixtures of iba and mac , while the comparative catalysts show much lower performance . all references cited herein are incorporated by reference . while this invention has been described fully and completely , it should be understood that , within the scope of the appended claims , the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described . although the invention has been disclosed with reference to its preferred embodiments , from reading this description those of skill in the art may appreciate changes and modification that may be made which do not depart from the scope and spirit of the invention as described above and claimed hereafter . | 1 |
referring now to the drawings , a substrate 10 includes a centrally located rectangular recess 12 . recess 12 includes a flat bottom surface 14 forming a ledge which is generally parallel with the upper major surface 18 of the substrate 10 . recess 12 also includes a generally rectangular opening 16 extending from surface 14 . in this embodiment , recess 12 is approximately 0 . 25 inch square , whereas opening 16 is approximately 0 . 15 inch square . preferably , substrate 10 is made from copper alloy 638 . substrate 10 has two substantially parallel opposite major surfaces , upper surface 18 and lower surface 20 . substrate 10 also includes side portions 22 on its elongated sides thereof . special consideration is now given to the unique lead frame configuration on substrate 10 . the lead frame is about 0 . 005 inch thick in this embodiment and includes a plurality of spaced finger members generally designated by the numeral 24 . each finger member 24 includes inner portions 26 which mutually converge on recess 12 . intermediate lead frame portions 28 radially extend from inner portions 26 and diverge outwardly towards side portions 22 of substrate 10 . it is an important aspect of this invention that lead frame fingers 24 include outer portions 30 which extend around substrate side portions 22 . outer portions 30 also continue around substrate side portions 22 and extend inwardly on the lower surface 20 toward the middle or central portions thereof . outer portions 30 then project arcuately from lower surface 20 to form open ended ring - like resilient spring contacts 32 . spring contacts 32 project from lower surface 20 and are biased with respect to lower surface 20 . that is , spring contacts 32 can yield in the direction of lower surface 20 upon application of a force in that direction . it should be noted that lead frame fingers 24 thus provide a continuous interfaceless electrically conductive path for connecting a semiconductor device to conductors on a printed circuit board . in such manner , multiple points of interconnection are eliminated thereby increasing the reliability in the electrical connection . special consideration should be given to the choice of the lead frame material . the material should be chosen so that it has sufficient resiliency to form the integral spring contacts 32 . preferably , the material chosen for the lead frame should have a yield strength of at least about 80 , 000 psi . materials not having this characteristic may be too weak to provide sufficient resiliency for spring contacts 32 . the preferred material is copper alloy 638 , as designated by the copper development association . copper alloy 638 is an alloy containing approximately 95 percent copper , 2 . 8 percent aluminum , 1 . 8 percent silicon , and 0 . 4 percent cobalt . copper alloy 638 is distributed under the trade name coronze by olin corporation - brass division . alloy 638 is preferred not only because of its excellent mechanical properties , but because of its low cost , high electrical conductivity , and extremely high oxidation and corrosion resistance . further , alloy 638 forms an extremely important aluminum oxide film on its surface . this film is tightly adherent to the underlying metal surface and is known to wet and bond well to many types of sealing glasses . the importance of this latter property will become clear later in this description . the discrete lead frame finger members 24 can be temporarily connected together by a frame prior to attachment to the substrate 10 as is often done in the semiconductor packaging art . after stamping and forming , the lead frame then can be attached to the substrate 10 as shown most clearly in fig1 . preferably , the lead frame fingers 24 are attached to the upper surface 18 by a layer 34 of vitreous sealing glass such as 7047 distributed by corning glass , inc . corning glass 7047 fuses to and bonds with the tough aluminum oxide film of the alloy 638 substrate and lead frame , and closely matches its comparatively high coefficient of thermal expansion . this combination yields a high - strength and durable hermetic seal . the lead frame can be attached by screening the glass layer 34 onto upper surface 18 , the bottom surface 20 , and the side portions 22 ; heating it to its softening point , placing the lead frame on the softened layer , and then cooling it to harden the glass . preferably , glass layer 34 is approximately 0 . 005 - 0 . 010 inch thick . the glass should remain in this state until the final package subassembly is fired . a stud 36 serves as a thermally conductive heat sink member . stud 36 includes a rectangular head 38 with a flat upper surface 40 for receiving a semiconductor device . stud 36 includes a rod - like body portion 42 depending from the head 38 . a rectangular key extension 44 bridges the head 38 and rod portion 42 of stud 36 and provides automatic alignment of the spring contacts 32 with corresponding printed circuit board conductors as will be discussed hereinafter . stud 36 is preferably of a heat conductive metal . beryllium - copper alloy 172 , 1 / 2 hard , has proven to provide extremely satisfactory results . the underside of head 38 is sealed to surface 14 of recess 12 by glass layer 46 . preferably , this is accomplished using a vitreous glass preform . a semiconductor device 48 , such as an integrated circuit chip , is bonded to surface 40 of stud 36 . preferably , this is accomplished by an epoxy adhesive layer 50 , such as epo - tek h - 61 , distributed by epoxy technology incorporated of watertown , mass . semiconductor device 48 can be bonded directly to surface 40 if electrical isolation is not desired . furthermore , other methods of attaching the semiconductor device 48 to stud 36 can be used . for example , a beryllium oxide disc can be attached to surface 40 by a gold preform and device 48 attached to the upper surface of the disc by a silicon - gold eutectic bond . various regions on the semiconductor device 48 are attached to the inner portions 26 of lead frame finger members 24 by filamentary wires 52 . this can be accomplished by known ultrasonic or thermocompression bonding . it should also be noted that one or more filamentary wires can be used to connect a portion of semiconductor device 48 to stud 36 . the stud 36 can be used , if desired , as an electrically conductive ground contact as will become clear later in this description . a cover member 54 has generally the same peripheral dimensions as substrate 10 . however , cover member 54 has a rectangular opening 56 which is slightly larger than the recess 12 in the substrate 10 . cover member 54 is preferably of copper alloy 638 as is substrate 10 and the lead frame . cover member 54 is mounted coextensive with the intermediate portions 28 of lead frame finger members 24 . preferably , this is accomplished with a vitreous glass layer 58 which has been previously screened and fired on the bottom surface of cover member 54 . the cover member 54 is placed on the upper surface of substrate 10 with glass layer 58 touching the intermediate lead frame portions 28 . it should be noted that opening 56 prevents any covering of the inner portions 26 which would hamper the filamentary wire bonding to device 48 . the subassembly is then heated to reflow glass layers 34 and 58 to permanently secure the lead frame . glass layer 46 which seals stud head 38 is also reflowed at the same time . by providing a rigid cover coextensive with the intermediate lead frame portions 28 , the majority of the lead frame is thus sandwiched between two rigid surfaces thereby providing a maximum strength package construction . a lid 62 , such as alloy 638 , is sealed to the cover 54 using a solder ring 60 to provide a finished hermetically sealed package . it should be understood that the substrate 10 with the unique lead frame configuration as embodied in this invention provides a subassembly which can be packaged in a variety of manners . consequently , it can be sold as a separate unit . similarly , the substrate 10 , stud 36 , lead frame and cover member 54 form a subassembly which can be shipped to a semiconductor device manufacturer to complete the package . such manufacturer would mount the semiconductor device 48 to the stud 36 and bond the various regions of the device to the exposed inner portions 26 of the lead frame . then the lid 62 can be sealed to the cover member 54 to form the completed package . attention is now turned a distinctive design for mounting the package onto a printed circuit board 64 . the printed circuit board 64 is of a unique construction which provides excellent heat dissipation for the semiconductor device 48 and further provides internal means for making electrical connection to a specified region of the device 48 . circuit board 64 is of a multi - layered construction having an upper layer 66 , a middle layer 68 and a lower layer 70 . upper layer 66 and lower layer 70 are made of fully cured or a - stage copper clad epoxy glass . upper layer 66 and lower layer 70 are bonded to middle layer 68 with an adhesive ( not shown ), such as semi - cured or b - stage epoxy glass . middle layer 68 is a thermally and electrically conductive metal , such as aluminum or copper . in this example , upper layer 66 is approximately 0 . 010 inches thick , middle layer 68 is approximately 0 . 042 inches thick , and lower layer 70 is approximately 0 . 010 inches thick . circuit board 64 has a centrally located apertures 72 therein . a plurality of printed circuit metallic conductors 74 are located on the external surfaces of layers 66 and 70 . conductors 74 on opposite sides of the printed circuit board are interconnected with plated - through via holes ( not shown ). conductors 74 correspond with the spring contacts 32 of the lead frame . a receptacle 76 is preferably provided to receive rod portion 42 of stud 36 . receptacle 76 is generally of an annular shape and is formed of a heat conductive spring metal , such as beryllium - copper alloy ca 172 . the upper surface of the receptacle 76 is countersunk and includes an indentation 78 in its periphery which corresponds with key 44 of stud 36 . a radially extending projection 80 around the receptacle 76 provides an abutment for engaging the printed circuit board as shown most clearly in fig2 . receptacle 76 includes a bore 82 extending longitudinally about its major axis . the bore 82 is slightly larger than the diameter of rod portion 42 of stud 36 . in this example , it is nominally 0 . 065 inches in diameter , with rod portion 42 being nominally 0 . 062 inches in diameter . in such manner , rod portion 42 can be slidably mounted within receptacle 76 . the lower portion of receptacle 76 includes two slits running longitudinally approximately half way up the length of the receptacle . two tangs 84 and 86 are formed integral with receptacle 76 so as to exert a constant outward spring bias force against the ferrule 88 . each tang is mutually connected by the upper portion of the receptacle . the receptacle 76 is permanently soldered or press fit into opening 72 in circuit board 64 as shown in fig2 with the side walls of the receptacle contacting the metallic middle layer 68 . the package can be readily mounted onto the printed circuit board 64 merely by inserting rod portion 42 into the receptacle 76 . the key 44 is received by indentation 78 to automatically align the spring contacts 32 of the package with their corresponding conductors 74 on the printed circuit board . a ferrule 88 of thermally deformable metal surrounds the lower portion of receptacle 76 . thermally deformable metals are those metals capable of contracting and expanding when subjected to a temperature change . these materials exhibit two different crystallographic orientations , one in its martensite or low temperature phase , and the other in its austenite or high temperature phase . the change in crystallographic orientation results in a substantial amount of physical deformation between its two states . this deformation is fully recoverable and can be repeated indefinitely . a more detailed description of this material may be had by reference to u . s . pat . no . 3 , 174 , 851 , beuhler et al . one such metal having thermally deformable characteristics is a nickel - titanium alloy distributed under the trade name cryocon by raychem corporation . one embodiment of this material expands when it is cooled to below - 30 ° c , a temperature below which the circuit board assembly will not be subjected in normal use . by cooling the ferrule 88 with an aerosol spray can of freon , it will expand to such a degree that rod portion 42 of stud 36 can be easily inserted into the receptacle 76 . when the ferrule temperature returns to about - 30 ° c or above , it will contract and clamp the tangs 84 and 86 against the package stud 42 with substantial force . in such manner , the package is securely held in place by the force supplied by the ferrule 88 over the range of temperatures to which the circuit board foreseeably will be subjected . in order to remove the package one only need spray the ferrule with a cooling media such as freon to expand it . then the package can be easily lifted out of the receptacle 76 . the assembly shown in fig2 provides many advantages over the prior art semiconductor packaging techniques . the unique lead frame configuration provides a continuous interfaceless path between the semiconductor device 48 and the printed circuit board conductors 74 . accordingly , the possibility of faulty interconnections are substantially reduced . if desired , each of the spring contacts 32 can include a barb to pierce non - noble metal plated circuit board conductors in order to accomplish electrical connection per u . s . pat . no . 3 , 853 , 382 , lazar et al . preferably , however , each of the contacts 32 would include a suitably coined and finished noble metal surface to contact the printed circuit board conductors without piercing them . the package design provides easy connectability with the printed circuit board without the necessity of an expensive intermediate connector . furthermore , no soldering is required . therefore , the time , expense and risks of the soldering operation is eliminated . the package can be readily removed merely through the use of a cooling medium to expand ferrule 88 as hereinbefore described . the unique assembly as just described provides excellent heat dissipation for the semiconductor device 48 . the heat generated in device 48 is conducted through stud 36 through receptacle 76 and into the metallic middle layer 68 of the printed circuit board . the rod portion 42 extending underneath the printed circuit board also aids in heat dissipation . another advantage of the metal core circuit board is that the metallic middle layer 68 can be used as an electrically conductive plane . for example , the device 48 can be connected to stud 36 with one or more filamentary wires 52 in order to connect it with the metallic middle layer 68 through receptacle 76 . the metallic middle layer 68 can readily be connected to ground . this is convenient where a plurality of packages are attached to one printed circuit board . in such manner , the metallic middle layer 68 provides a common low - inductance ground plane for all of the devices . it should be understood that various methods can be used to attached the lead frame and the stud to the substrate . while a metallic substrate is preferred because of its excellent thermal conductivity and because of the thermal expansion coefficient matching with the lead frame material , a ceramic substrate can also be used if desired . similarly , a variety of covers can be employed to meet the manufacturers needs and processing specifications . therefore , while this invention has been described in connection with one specific example thereof , no limitation is intended thereby except as defined in the appended claims . | 7 |
with particular reference to fig1 and 2 , spool assembly 12 of a retractor assembly 10 in accordance with a first embodiment of this invention is illustrated . spool assembly 12 incorporates spool element 14 which forms an outer generally cylindrical surface 16 adapted for engagement with an end of a length of seat belt webbing ( not shown ), and enables multiple wraps of the webbing to be rolled onto and stored on the spool element . one end of spool element 14 forms bearing stub 18 which is held within suitable bushings or bearing elements carried by a retractor frame ( not shown ). the opposite end of a spool element 16 abuts rotopretensioner drive pinion 20 , which is provided as part of a pretensioner device incorporating a series of elements such as ball masses which are driven to engage pinion 20 under gas pressure provided by a gas generator . rotopretensioner devices are well known and do not form a necessary component of the present invention . tread head 22 is also a conventional retractor component and interacts with an inertia sensitive locking system which restrains rotation of the spool element 14 upon the associated vehicle undergoing inertial loads outside prescribed limits . upon exposure to such acceleration loads , tread head 22 becomes locked to the retractor frame , which in turn restrains rotation of spool element 14 , in a manner to be described . tread head 22 further forms a second bearing stub 24 . in normal , non - emergency conditions , spool element 14 is permitted to freely rotate within the retractor frame about bearing stubs 18 and 24 , with a separate torsion rewind spring ( not shown ) acting on the spool to provide a retracting torsion force . a portion of tread head 22 forms a cylindrical hub 26 fit within a section 28 of central cavity 30 of spool element 14 . hub 26 is permitted , in certain conditions , to rotate relative to spool element 14 . at one end of central cavity 30 , spool element 14 forms splined bore 32 . tread head bearing hub 26 forms a similarly shaped splined bore 34 . torsion bar 36 is installed within spool center cavity 30 , and includes a pair of heads 38 and 40 at opposite ends . head 38 engages within bore 32 and interacts with splines of the bore to prevent relative rotation between the head and the spindle . a drum or tubular sleeve - shaped load control coupler 42 is positioned within spool cavity 30 and forms a mounted end 48 having keyed or splined inside and outside surfaces 33 and 35 , respectively , best shown in fig2 . torsion bar head 40 fits within an internal splined surface 33 of coupler 42 , and coupler end 48 is in turn received by splined bore 34 . torsion bar end 48 , coupler 42 , and spool 14 are rigidly coupled at the bar end . during normal operation , in which the tread head 22 is not locked , spool assembly 12 is permitted to freely rotate as belt webbing is retracted and protracted from the retractor . such retractor operation permits movement of the vehicle occupant during normal operating conditions , providing desirable comfort and convenience features . in the event that a collision condition is detected , a pretensioning device such as a rotopretensioner associated with pinion 20 may be activated by sending a firing signal to an associated gas generator . after such activation , the rotopretensioner is typically provided with a mechanism to lock pinion 20 after undergoing pretensioning rotation . in addition to such pretensioner locking , or independent of it , tread head 22 locks in response to inertial loadings acting on the vehicle , as discussed previously . in such locking conditions , tread head 22 is locked to the retractor frame and tension loads acting on the belt webbing produce a torsional load on spool element 14 , which in turn transfers such load to torsion bar 36 . if such restraint loads exceed predetermined levels , torsion bar 36 undergoes elastic ( initially ) and plastic torsional deformation . this allows controlled payout ( protraction ) of the belt webbing while limiting belt loads . the force flow in such conditions is illustrated by arrows in fig1 , which , in a restraint event , is from the seat belt webbing to spool 12 , to torsion bar 36 , and then grounds into the retractor frame . the characteristics of torsion bar 36 are designed to provide predetermined load limiting characteristics . several turns of relative rotation between torsion bar heads 38 and 40 may occur . such operation is available with current design load limiting seat belt retractors . spool assembly 12 provides additional features in accordance with the present invention . load control coupler element 42 is affixed at one end to torsion bar head 40 and accordingly rotates with torsion bar head 40 . the outside cylindrical surface of coupler 42 forms a helical flight 44 which forms a helical groove , much like a screw thread . helical flight 44 is formed from free end 46 of the coupler and terminates at near the coupler mounted end 48 . spool element 14 within center cavity 30 forms an axial groove 50 extending over the axial length of coupler helical flight 44 . ball element 52 is positioned to fit within the groove 50 and helical flight 44 , and acts essentially as a cam follower type element . relative rotation between coupler 42 and spool element 14 causes ball element 52 to advance along helical flight 44 from its initial position shown in fig1 to a terminal position at coupler mounted end 48 where it grounds out and can no longer move axially since it becomes buried at the coupler mounted end . by this relative movement of ball element 52 , the total relative rotation between coupler 42 and spool element 14 is limited to a preset number of turns equal to the number of wraps or angular extent of helical flight 44 . relative rotation on the order of six revolutions may be provided , for example . expressed another way , the total rotational deflection between opposing torsion bar heads 38 and 40 is likewise restricted once ball element 52 reaches its terminal position . once a grounded out , ball element 52 directly couples tread head 22 into connection with spool element 14 and further torsional deflection of torsion bar 36 is prevented . if desired , the force of movement of ball element 52 within helical flight 44 and groove 50 may be controlled through friction forces imposed through appropriate dimensioning of the interactive surfaces . high preloading forces ( radial compression of element 5 ) acting on ball element 52 can imposed desirable friction acting on the ball element as it moves . additional restriction on the movement of ball element 52 , if desired , or an alternative means of imposing restriction can be provided through the addition of a deformable element 54 in the form of a metal strip , which , for example , may be positioned within spool groove 50 . in such a configuration , the interaction between ball element 52 , helical flight 44 , and groove 50 requires deformation of element 54 upon movement of ball element along the helical flight . the interference with the movement of ball element 52 provided by element 54 represents torque acting between coupler 42 and spool element 14 , which adds to the torque acting through torsion bar 36 . through appropriate design , the deformation of element 54 may be caused to increase over the displacement of ball element 52 to provide progressive load limiting , or decrease with such motion which decreases total load limiting webbing force over deflection , providing digressive load limiting features . additional refinements of spool assembly 12 may be implemented in connection with this invention . for example , helical flight 44 may trace more than one interlaced track , with a corresponding number of ball elements 52 being provided ( i . e . multiple leading threads ). the helical shape of flight 40 may feature a changing helix angle , which when interacting with deformable element 54 , may provide additional load / deflection tuning opportunities . a further alternate embodiment could reverse the components forming helical flight 44 , having the helical flight formed on the inside cylindrical surface of the spool cavity 30 , with another groove formed by drum 42 . fig3 illustrates a spool assembly 56 in accordance with a second embodiment . this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that spiral flight 44 is formed by a tubular extension 58 of tread head 22 . this figure also illustrates the provision of three ball elements 52 , mentioned previously as an alternative design . fig4 and 5 for illustrate spool assembly 60 in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention . spool assembly 60 has features with functional similarities with those discussed previously . in this case , spool assembly 60 utilizes a coupler not disposed within an internal cavity of the spool element , but rather extending from an axial end of the spool as a stub 61 . stub 61 has three axial grooves 62 . drum 63 is fixed relative to the retractor frame and forms helical flights 66 . helical flights 66 may form a single track from its outer end 68 to its inner end 70 or two , three or more tracks may be interlaced ( three are shown ). an appropriate number of ball elements 72 are used to interact with each of the paths of helical flight 66 . ball elements 72 interact with the helical flights 66 and grooves 62 to create an interlocking condition when the predetermined relative rotations are completed . the tread head ( not shown ), when locked , becomes fixed to the retractor frame ( not shown ). in a manner similar to the first embodiment , rotation of spool element 60 relative to the retractor frame is limited to a predetermined number of turns ( full or partial ) once deformation of the load limiting device occurs . in another version of spool assembly 60 , stub extension 61 may form the spiral flights with an axial track formed by a fixed component surrounding the stub which both define a movement path for the ball element ( s ). fig5 is another view of spool assembly 60 further showing the provision of three ball elements 72 each interacting with a separate interlaced tracks of helical flight 66 . now with reference to fig6 and 7 , a fourth embodiment of a spool assembly 80 in accordance with this invention is illustrated . this spool assembly features a spiral flight formation 90 on a plane . plate element 82 forms radial track 84 extending from the center of rotation of the associated spool element ( not shown ) to a radially outer position . baseplate 86 is clamped against plate 82 . deformable sheet 88 , which is an optional item provided to provide additional friction or restriction to relative load limiting deflection , is sandwiched between the two plates 86 and 82 . fig7 illustrates spiral flight track 90 formed on a face surface of baseplate 86 . a ball element 92 shown in fig6 is positioned within radial track 84 and engages with spiral flight 90 . in a manner similar to the previous embodiments , ball element 92 is caused to advance along spiral flight 90 upon relative rotation between the associated spool element and its tread head . such relative movement drives ball element 92 to move along the track of spiral flight 90 and track 84 . such movement deforms sheet 88 which , in a manner similar to the prior embodiments , imposes an additional restraint torque . once ball element 92 reaches the terminal end of spiral flight 90 , further relative rotation is prevented . the arrangement of spool assembly 80 shown in fig6 and 7 could employ ball element 92 having a starting position within spiral flight 90 at near the center of rotation of the associated spool element . conversely , through using appropriate handedness of the spiral flight 90 , the ball element 92 could begin at a radially outer position as shown in fig4 . in configurations of the device shown in fig6 and 7 in which deformable sheet 88 is not provided , the interacting elements provide a limited number of rotations ( full or partial ) during load limiting deflection . this description of the invention refers to in the case of the first two embodiments , a helix shaped flight , and in the case of the last embodiment , a spiral shaped flight . as used herein , “ spiral ” is intended to encompass both formations with a plane spiral on a plate shaped element , and a helix formed on a cylindrical ( or conical ) surface being defined as a special case of a spiral . the components forming the spiral ( or helix ) flight may also be regarded broadly as a cam , with the ball elements interacting with the cam may also be described as a cam follower . moreover , the embodiments described can be used in connection with load limiting elements beyond torsion bars . the primary features are mechanisms for limiting deflection of load limiting elements , of any type . while the above description constitutes the preferred embodiment of the present invention , it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification , variation and change without departing from the proper scope and fair meaning of the accompanying claims . | 1 |
an exemplary example of a fixed window of the present invention is shown in fig1 to 5 . the fixed window is described with reference for use in an opening on a cabin wall of a boat . however , the fixed window could be adapted for use on most supporting structures , such as walls of vehicles , including cars , vans , trucks , trailers , recreational vehicles , and airplanes . in addition , the window may be installed on any articles of heavy equipment , such as cranes and excavators , or stationary structures , such as toll booths or workstations . the fixed window ( 20 ) generally comprises a glazing material ( 10 ), a spigot ( 4 ), an exterior trim member ( 6 ) and an interior trim ring ( 2 ). the window ( 20 ) can be installed in an opening cut in the wall of a cabin or wheelhouse of a boat , where the window is exposed intermittently to water either from the sea or rain . in addition , if proper waterproof sealants are used the window ( 20 ) could be installed below the waterline of the boat . the glazing material ( 10 ) accommodated in the window frame of the present invention can be formed from any translucent or semi - translucent material . typically , the glazing material ( 10 ) is made from laminated or tempered glass , polycarbonate or acrylic , which are all able to withstand impact from waves and debris churned up by the sea . by dimensioning the glazing material ( 10 ) to be have a surface area greater than the area defined by the opening in the cabin , there is less chance for the glazing material ( 10 ) to be pushed through the opening into the cabin during stormy conditions . as a result of the glazing material ( 10 ) being bonded directly to the cabin wall ( 12 ) and the flexibility of the size of the exterior trim member ( 6 ) to be readily adjusted , glazing materials ( 10 ) of various thicknesses can be easily accommodated in the window frame of the present invention ( see fig3 a and 3b ). a spigot ( 4 ) is bonded to the surface ( 32 ) of the glazing material ( 10 ) that faces the interior of the cabin when the window ( 20 ) is fully installed , at a position offset from the perimeter of the glazing material ( 10 ) ( fig3 a and 3b ). the distance between the perimeter of the glazing material ( 10 ) and the spigot ( 4 ) attached to the interior surface ( 32 ) of the glazing material ( 10 ) should be at least width enough to receive enough sealant ( 13 ) to securely bond the glazing material ( 10 ) to the surface ( 43 ) of the cabin wall ( 12 ) in contact with the surrounding environment . preferably , the spigot ( 4 ) is between 0 . 25 and 1 inch in length . typically , when bonded to the glazing material ( 10 ), the spigot ( 4 ) extends from the interior surface ( 32 ) of the glazing material ( 10 ) to a point that corresponds to the thickness of the cabin wall ( 12 ) ( fig3 b ). the size of the spigot ( 4 ) can be adjusted to accommodate cabin walls ( 12 ) of various thickness by trimming the end of the spigot ( 4 ) that is eventually bonded to the glazing material ( 10 ). however , in applications wherein the cabin wall ( 12 ) is of above average thickness it may not be desirable or possible to provide the spigot ( 4 ) in size corresponding to thickness of the cabin wall ( 12 ) ( fig3 a ). in these cases the interior trim ring ( 2 ) is adjusted in size to accommodate the thickness of the cabin wall ( 12 ). the ability to adjust the size of the spigot ( 4 ) permits installation of the window on a variety of boats without having to create a custom blank for each window frame desired . moreover , the manufacturer of the window ( 20 ) does not have to retain in stock windows for use in boats with different cabin wall ( 12 ) thicknesses . instead , the window manufacturer can stock window frame blanks ( 1 ) corresponding to the various shapes of the openings in the cabin walls ( 12 ), without having to concern themselves with the thickness of the cabin wall ( 12 ) or glazing material ( 10 ) to be used , thus decreasing inventory costs for the manufacturer . once the window ( 20 ) is positioned in the opening in the cabin wall ( 12 ), an interior trim ring ( 2 ) is attached to the spigot ( 4 ) and positioned on the surface of the cabin wall ( 12 ) facing the interior of the cabin in order to provide a finished appearance to the window ( 20 ), when viewed from the interior of the cabin . moreover , the interior trim ring ( 2 ) provides additional support to the window ( 20 ) by clamping the window ( 20 ) against the interior surface ( 44 ) of the cabin wall ( 12 ). the interior trim ring ( 2 ) can be attached to the spigot ( 4 ) by either a fastener ( 11 ) or a structural sealant . the interior trim ring ( 2 ) comprises a casement section ( 40 ) and an extension section ( 42 ) ( fig2 ). the casement section ( 40 ) is positioned substantially parallel to the glazing material ( 10 ) and generally covers the gap between the spigot ( 4 ) and the edge of the opening in the cabin wall ( 12 ). the extension section ( 42 ) is positioned substantially perpendicular to the casement section ( 40 ) and bridges the gap between the casement section ( 40 ) of the interior trim ring ( 2 ) and the spigot ( 4 ). the free end of the extension section ( 42 ) can be inserted into a recess ( 7 ) provided in the spigot ( 4 ) to provide a finished appearance to the window ( 20 ). in addition , the length of the extension section ( 42 ) can be modified to accommodate boats with cabin walls ( 12 ) of various thickness ( fig3 a and 3b ). for boats with cabin walls ( 12 ) that have some curvature to them , the radius of the curve can be scribed onto the extension section ( 42 ) and the extension section ( 42 ) subsequently trimmed to allow the interior trim ring ( 2 ) to rest flush against the cabin wall ( 12 ). accordingly , from inside the cabin of the boat , the window will appear as if it were custom fabricated , when in fact the window frame was fabricated from a standard blank ( 1 ) that can used for a wide variety of windows . an exterior trim member ( 6 ) is bonded to exterior surface ( 30 ) of the glazing material ( 10 ) to protect the sealants ( 13 ) from harmful ultraviolet radiation and to provide the window ( 20 ) with a finished appearance . the exterior trim member ( 6 ) is essentially l - shaped when viewed in cross - section ( fig2 ). as shown in fig3 a , the long arm ( 35 ) of the exterior trim member ( 6 ) extends from the perimeter of the glazing material ( 10 ) to a position beyond the perimeter of the opening in the cabin wall ( 12 ). typically , the long arm ( 35 ) is dimensioned to substantially cover the sealant ( 13 ) applied to the interior surface ( 32 ) of the glazing material ( 10 ) to bond the spigot ( 4 ) to the glazing material ( 10 ) and the glazing material ( 10 ) to the exterior surface ( 43 ) of the cabin wall ( 12 ). whereas the short arm ( 36 ) of the exterior trim member ( 6 ) extends from the exterior surface ( 30 ) of the glazing material ( 10 ) towards the exterior surface ( 43 ) of the cabin wall ( 12 ). the length of the short arm ( 36 ) of the exterior trim member ( 6 ) depends on the thickness of the glazing material ( 10 ) employed and the thickness of sealant ( 13 ) applied . the positioning of the exterior trim member ( 6 ) and the spigot ( 4 ) peripherally and on opposite surfaces of the glazing material ( 10 ) provides additional strength to the glazing material ( 10 ), limiting the possibility of the glazing material ( 10 ) breaking in the middle portion thereof . the window frame can be fabricated starting from a unitary blank ( 1 ) having the interior trim ring ( 2 ), spigot ( 4 ) and exterior trim member ( 6 ) formed therein ( fig1 ). generally , the unitary blank ( 1 ) is produced from the process of plastic extrusion molding using polyvinyl chloride , which will eventually be used to produce a window frame that is inexpensive and able to withstand environmental factors . the unitary blank ( 1 ) and resulting window frame can also be manufactured from more expensive materials such as aluminum , brass , other plastics , in addition to other corrosion - resistant metals . once the blank ( 1 ) is produced , it can be shaped in accordance with the shape of the opening in the cabin wall ( 12 ) in which it will be eventually installed . common shapes for the window frame include squares , circles , rectangles , parallelograms , triangles and trapezoids . the individual components of the window frame are cut from the unitary blank ( 1 ) depending on the specific requirements for the window ( 20 ) ( fig2 ). first connector ( 5 ) is cut near the section of the blank ( 1 ) that will eventually form the spigot ( 4 ) and along the section of the blank ( 1 ) that eventually forms the short arm ( 36 ) of the exterior trim member ( 6 ). the amount that needs to be cut from the short arm ( 36 ) of the exterior trim member ( 6 ) will depend on the thickness of the glazing material ( 10 ). similarly , if the window ( 20 ) is to be installed on a relatively thin cabin wall ( 12 ) the section of the blank ( 1 ) that forms the spigot ( 4 ) can be cut near the first connector ( 5 ). the second connector ( 3 ) is also cut from the blank ( 1 ) in accordance with the requirements of the window opening . one cut is made near the spigot ( 4 ) and the other cut is made at the opposite end of the second connector ( 3 ) or along the section of the blank ( 1 ) that eventually forms the extension section ( 42 ) of the interior trim ring ( 2 ), depending on the thickness of the cabin wall ( 12 ). the individual components of the window frame are assembled to form the window ( 20 ) shown in fig4 and 5 . the exterior trim member ( 6 ) is adhered to the glazing material ( 10 ) with the short arm ( 36 ) substantially covering the edge portion of the glazing material ( 10 ), which corresponds to the thickness of the glazing material ( 10 ), and the long arm ( 35 ) covering a portion of the exterior surface ( 30 ) of the glazing material ( 10 ) from the perimeter thereof to a position beyond the perimeter of the opening in the cabin wall ( 12 ). the spigot ( 4 ) is adhered to the interior surface ( 32 ) of the glazing material ( 10 ) at a position offset from the perimeter of the glazing material ( 10 ). both the exterior trim member ( 6 ) and the spigot ( 4 ) can be adhered to the glazing material ( 10 ) by any suitable adhesive or sealant . the exterior trim member ( 6 ) generally protects the sealant ( 13 ) from ultraviolet radiation , thus most structural sealants and adhesives can be implemented for the purpose of bonding the exterior trim member ( 6 ) and spigot ( 4 ) to the glazing material ( 10 ). for example , polyurethane sealants , which are typically sensitive to ultraviolet radiation , can be used to ensure a strong bond between the elements of the window frame and glazing material . in addition , sealants such as silicone and silyl modified polymers can be used , depending on the application and the desire strength of the bond . once the spigot ( 4 ) and the exterior trim member ( 6 ) are bonded to the glazing material ( 10 ), the window ( 20 ) is ready for bonding to the exterior surface ( 43 ) of the cabin wall ( 12 ). the glazing material ( 10 ) is bonded directly to the exterior surface ( 43 ) of the cabin wall ( 12 ) by a sealant ( 13 ) which can be either the same or different from the sealant ( 13 ) that is used to bond the spigot ( 4 ) and exterior trim member ( 6 ) to the glazing material ( 10 ). the sealant ( 13 ) is typically applied using a applicator having a v - shaped tip . this method of deploying the sealant ( 13 ) allows for a near air - tight seal to be formed between the glazing material ( 10 ) and the exterior surface of the cabin wall ( 12 ). when the glazing material ( 10 ) is bonded to the cabin wall ( 12 ), the spigot ( 4 ) will extend through the opening in the cabin wall ( 12 ). the interior trim ring ( 2 ) is attached by first inserting the open end of the extension section ( 42 ) into the recess ( 7 ) of the spigot ( 4 ). the interior trim ring ( 2 ) is clamped against the interior surface ( 44 ) of the cabin wall ( 12 ) by fastening the interior trim ring ( 2 ) to the spigot ( 4 ). the present invention has been described with regard to preferred embodiments . however , it will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that a number of variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as described herein . | 1 |
although the following text sets forth a detailed description of numerous different embodiments , it should be understood that the legal scope of the description is defined by the words of the claims set forth at the end of this patent . the detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment since describing every possible embodiment would be impractical , if not impossible . numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented , using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent , which would still fall within the scope of the claims . it should also be understood that , unless a term is expressly defined in this patent using the sentence “ as used herein , the term ‘ ______ ’ is hereby defined to mean . . . ” or a similar sentence , there is no intent to limit the meaning of that term , either expressly or by implication , beyond its plain or ordinary meaning , and such term should not be interpreted to be limited in scope based on any statement made in any section of this patent ( other than the language of the claims ). to the extent that any term recited in the claims at the end of this patent is referred to in this patent in a manner consistent with a single meaning , that is done for sake of clarity only so as to not confuse the reader , and it is not intended that such claim term by limited , by implication or otherwise , to that single meaning . finally , unless a claim element is defined by reciting the word “ means ” and a function without the recital of any structure , it is not intended that the scope of any claim element be interpreted based on the application of 35 u . s . c . § 112 , sixth paragraph . fig1 illustrates an example of a suitable computing system environment 100 on which a system for the steps of the claimed method and apparatus may be implemented . the computing system environment 100 is only one example of a suitable computing environment and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of the method of apparatus of the claims . neither should the computing environment 100 be interpreted as having any dependency or requirement relating to any one or combination of components illustrated in the exemplary operating environment 100 . the steps of the claimed method and apparatus are operational with numerous other general purpose or special purpose computing system environments or configurations . examples of well known computing systems , environments , and / or configurations that may be suitable for use with the methods or apparatus of the claims include , but are not limited to , personal computers , server computers , hand - held or laptop devices , multiprocessor systems , microprocessor - based systems , set top boxes , programmable consumer electronics , network pcs , minicomputers , mainframe computers , distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices , and the like . the steps of the claimed method and apparatus may be described in the general context of computer - executable instructions , such as program modules , being executed by a computer . generally , program modules include routines , programs , objects , components , data structures , etc . that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types . the methods and apparatus may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network . in a distributed computing environment , program modules may be located in both local and remote computer storage media including memory storage devices . with reference to fig1 , an exemplary system for implementing the steps of the claimed method and apparatus includes a general purpose computing device in the form of a computer 110 . components of computer 110 may include , but are not limited to , a processing unit 120 , a system memory 130 , and a system bus 121 that couples various system components including the system memory to the processing unit 120 . the system bus 121 may be any of several types of bus structures including a memory bus or memory controller , a peripheral bus , and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures . by way of example , and not limitation , such architectures include industry standard architecture ( isa ) bus , micro channel architecture ( mca ) bus , enhanced isa ( eisa ) bus , video electronics standards association ( vesa ) local bus , and peripheral component interconnect ( pci ) bus also known as mezzanine bus . computer 110 typically includes a variety of computer readable media . computer readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by computer 110 and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media , removable and non - removable media . by way of example , and not limitation , computer readable media may comprise computer storage media and communication media . computer storage media includes both volatile and nonvolatile , 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 . computer storage media includes , but is not limited to , ram , rom , eeprom , flash memory or other memory technology , cd - rom , digital versatile disks ( dvd ) or other optical disk storage , magnetic cassettes , magnetic tape , magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices , or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can accessed by computer 110 . communication media typically embodies 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 includes 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 , communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct - wired connection , and wireless media such as acoustic , rf , infrared and other wireless media . combinations of the any of the above should also be included within the scope of computer readable media . the system memory 130 includes computer storage media in the form of volatile and / or nonvolatile memory such as read only memory ( rom ) 131 and random access memory ( ram ) 132 . a basic input / output system 133 ( bios ), containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within computer 110 , such as during start - up , is typically stored in rom 131 . ram 132 typically contains data and / or program modules that are immediately accessible to and / or presently being operated on by processing unit 120 . by way of example , and not limitation , fig1 illustrates operating system 134 , application programs 135 , other program modules 136 , and program data 137 . the computer 110 may also include other removable / non - removable , volatile / nonvolatile computer storage media . by way of example only , fig1 illustrates a hard disk drive 140 that reads from or writes to non - removable , nonvolatile magnetic media , a magnetic disk drive 151 that reads from or writes to a removable , nonvolatile magnetic disk 152 , and an optical disk drive 155 that reads from or writes to a removable , nonvolatile optical disk 156 such as a cd rom or other optical media . other removable / non - removable , volatile / nonvolatile computer storage media that can be used in the exemplary operating environment include , but are not limited to , magnetic tape cassettes , flash memory cards , digital versatile disks , digital video tape , solid state ram , solid state rom , and the like . the hard disk drive 141 is typically connected to the system bus 121 through a non - removable memory interface such as interface 140 , and magnetic disk drive 151 and optical disk drive 155 are typically connected to the system bus 121 by a removable memory interface , such as interface 150 . the drives and their associated computer storage media discussed above and illustrated in fig1 , provide storage of computer readable instructions , data structures , program modules and other data for the computer 110 . in fig1 , for example , hard disk drive 141 is illustrated as storing operating system 144 , application programs 145 , other program modules 146 , and program data 147 . note that these components can either be the same as or different from operating system 134 , application programs 135 , other program modules 136 , and program data 137 . operating system 144 , application programs 145 , other program modules 146 , and program data 147 are given different numbers here to illustrate that , at a minimum , they are different copies . a user may enter commands and information into the computer 20 through input devices such as a keyboard 162 and pointing device 161 , commonly referred to as a mouse , trackball or touch pad . other input devices ( not shown ) may include a microphone , joystick , game pad , satellite dish , scanner , or the like . these and other input devices are often connected to the processing unit 120 through a user input interface 160 that is coupled to the system bus , but may be connected by other interface and bus structures , such as a parallel port , game port or a universal serial bus ( usb ). a monitor 191 or other type of display device is also connected to the system bus 121 via an interface , such as a video interface 190 . in addition to the monitor , computers may also include other peripheral output devices such as speakers 197 and printer 196 , which may be connected through an output peripheral interface 190 . the computer 110 may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers , such as a remote computer 180 . the remote computer 180 may be a personal computer , a server , a router , a network pc , a peer device or other common network node , and typically includes many or all of the elements described above relative to the computer 110 , although only a memory storage device 181 has been illustrated in fig1 . the logical connections depicted in fig1 include a local area network ( lan ) 171 and a wide area network ( wan ) 173 , but may also include other networks . such networking environments are commonplace in offices , enterprise - wide computer networks , intranets and the internet . when used in a lan networking environment , the computer 110 is connected to the lan 171 through a network interface or adapter 170 . when used in a wan networking environment , the computer 110 typically includes a modem 172 or other means for establishing communications over the wan 173 , such as the internet . the modem 172 , which may be internal or external , may be connected to the system bus 121 via the user input interface 160 , or other appropriate mechanism . in a networked environment , program modules depicted relative to the computer 110 , or portions thereof , may be stored in the remote memory storage device . by way of example , and not limitation , fig1 illustrates remote application programs 185 as residing on memory device 181 . it will be appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers may be used . fig2 may be an illustration of a flowchart of a method of defining data in an inverse hierarchical manner in accordance with the claims . at block 210 , the method may store data in a hierarchical manner . the common manner to visualize - data stored in a hierarchical manner is to think of a pyramid where a single piece of parent data is at the top and child data resides below . fig3 may be such an example . the child data inherits the characteristics of the parent data and may have additional characteristics and these additional characteristics may not be the same among the children . in addition , the child data may have child data , making the parent data “ grandparent data ” 305 ( fig3 ) and may mean that all the parent data 310 and children data 315 may have the characteristics of the grandparent data 305 . confusing as it may be , parent data can be classified as child data if the parent data as has its own parent data . in the example in fig3 , uspto firms 320 is parent data to marshall , gerstein & amp ; borun llp 322 and hunton & amp ; williams 324 , but ustpo firms 320 may be child data to us law firms 340 . at block 220 , the method may allow a definition of the data . a definition may be another element that is added to each piece of data . for example , if the data being stored is data on firms that practice in front of the uspto 320 ( fig3 ), a first definition may be the telephone number of the firm 325 , a second definition may be the customer number of the firm 330 and a third definition may be other practice areas that the firm has knowledge such as bankruptcy law 335 . at block 230 , the method may apply the definition to the desired child data . for example , when looking at firms that practice in front of the uspto and if a definition is other practice areas that the firm has knowledge , many uspto patent firms will have no other practice areas 350 ( fig3 ) while some will have other practice areas 355 . accordingly , the definition will not be applied to all the firms . as another example , if the definition is the customer number for the registered patent attorneys , all firms practicing in front of the uspto should have registered patent attorneys . at block 240 , if the definition applies to the child data 315 ( fig3 ), the definition may be applied to the parent data 310 . for example , if the child data is firms that practice in front of the uspto 320 and the parent data is all firms in the united states 340 , the child data ( firms that practice in front of the uspto 320 ) should have a telephone number 325 . in addition , all firms in the united states 340 should have a telephone number 345 so this may be applied from the child data 320 to the parent data ( law firms in the united states ) 340 . at block 250 , if the definition does not apply to the parent data , the definition may not be applied to the parent data . for example , say child data of firms that practice in front of the uspto is a uspto customer number 330 ( fig3 ). in the united states , considering the astounding number of law firms , the number of firms that do not practice in front of the uspto may be quite large . accordingly , these firms may not have a uspto customer number 330 and this definition may not be applied from the children ( uspto firms 320 ) to all the parents ( law firms in the united states 340 ). at block 260 , the definition may be applied to the desired child data first . for example , the example where united states law firms was the parent 340 ( fig3 ) and uspto firms was the child 320 , the definition may be applied to the uspto firms 320 first . the data definitions may be selected from a plurality of pre - defined data definitions or the method may allow the creation of new data definitions . the data definitions may be applied to some child data of the parent data and not to other child data of the parent data . for example , if the parent was us law firms 340 and the child was uspto firms 320 , if the definition was for uspto biotech firms , not all uspto firms 320 are biotech firms . in the example in fig3 , marshall , gerstein & amp ; borun llp 322 has a well known biotech practice while hunton & amp ; williams 324 may not . accordingly , even though all uspto firms 320 are children of the parent us law firms 340 , not all the children ( uspto firms ) 320 may have biotech practices and may not have the biotech definition so this definition may not be applied to all parents . at block 270 , the method may search the data by beginning the search by searching the child data 315 ( fig3 ). entire books have been written on the different manners to search data . in this case , the search will begin with the child data 315 . if there are multiple levels of data , i . e ., great - grandparent data , grandparent data , parent data and children data , the method will start with the lowest level of data which may be the child level of data 315 . at block 280 , if a search of the child data 315 ( fig3 ) produces a match , then the parent data of the matching child data may be searched . as some parents may have the same definition as the children , the parents will be searched in order to ensure all possible matches are found . in situations where there are multiple levels of data , the search may continue “ up ” the hierarchy from the bottom ( children 315 ) to the top 305 until a level is found with no matches . for example , if a search of the child data 315 does not produce a match , the search may be stopped and no results may be returned and if a search of the parent data 310 does not produce a match , the search may be stopped and the method may return the matching child data 315 . the method may be effective with customer relationship management (“ crm ”) data as crm file can be complex and full of issues regarding data ownership . by searching the lowest level of data , ownership of data may be established at a precise level . in previous systems , an entire tree may have been labeled with a particular ownership when really , some of the child data was owned by others and required exclusions to be added to the child data owned by others . as an example , a “ customer &# 39 ; s data ” would include the customer record , and all the child records of that customer record ( e . g . the orders , credit card purchases , service incidents etc ). however , though the segmentation is natural , additional requirements may force further filtering of the resultant data . for example , if archiving dormant customers , then all customers with no activity in the past three months may be archived along with all the child records . however , it may be required to retain credit - card purchases for a one - year period for some accounting purposes , so the archived customer data set would be defined as the customer record and all its sub - objects , except credit card purchases younger than a year old . extrapolated along additional requirements ( e . g . orders must be kept for 30 days , service incidents can never be archived , all these requirements must also be met when archiving a business record etc ), it can be seen that defining a hierarchy - based data - set from the top - down can be complicated , repetitive and de - centralized . a bottom - up approach to defining the hierarchy as described in the claims allows additional criteria to be defined more naturally , in a re - useable and centralized way . it addresses the hierarchy aspect as a clause in the definition of the sub - object , rather than the parent . in the above example , the retained credit card purchases would be defined as those purchases less than a year old or if a child of an archived business record , then less than 90 days old . the definition of relevant customer records would not mention the credit card purchases . in addition to the bottom - up methodology , some top - down methodology may also be added to further refine searches . at times , a top - down methodology may be useful to ensure that all results are captured . for example , say c is an “ contact ” object and is a child of b and a grandchild of a . a user may have some selection criteria for contact objects , say “ contacts that live in seattle ”. the inverse hierarchy or bottom - up approach allows user to take the hierarchy a and b ( that are “ account ” objects , say ) into account by having some additional criteria like “ child of ‘ downloaded ’ accounts ”. the selection criteria may end up as “ contacts that live in seattle or contacts that are children of downloaded accounts .” as a result , a user may separate the criteria of accounts from that of contacts and specify in the contact criteria any contacts that are children of accounts that have met the account criteria . another way to conceptualize this idea is to have one set of criteria for a first level of the hierarchy and another set of criteria for a second level of the hierarchy . in the previous example , at the account level , the account criteria required that the account be download and at the contact level , the contact criteria required that the contact live in seattle . also , certain links in the hierarchy may implicitly be made to fit criteria just by virtue of being links in the hierarchy . for example , say a is an “ account ” object , b is a “ contact ” object , and c is a “ sales order ” object . say that a matches the criteria for accounts , but b does not match our criteria for contacts . say that the criteria for “ sales order ” includes “ child of ‘ dowloaded ’ accounts ”. based on that criteria , sales order c would match . given that b is a link between a and c , we may say that b is implicitly matched as a result . the data may be stored in a database . no particular database format , brand or manufacturer is contemplated as the method may operate on virtually any database . the method may be applicable when the data is stored in xml format as the xml format has a built in hierarchy which may lend itself to this method . the method may also be stored as computer executable instructions that are stored on a computer readable medium such as a tangible computer readable medium as explained previously . in addition , the method may be part of a computer system . the computer system as described in fig1 may have a memory , a processor , an input device and an output device wherein the processor is adapted to execute computer instructions for executing the method . although the forgoing text sets forth a detailed description of numerous different embodiments , it should be understood that the scope of the patent is defined by the words of the claims set forth at the end of this patent . the detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment because describing every possible embodiment would be impractical , if not impossible . numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented , using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent , which would still fall within the scope of the claims . thus , many modifications and variations may be made in the techniques and structures described and illustrated herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present claims . accordingly , it should be understood that the methods and apparatus described herein are illustrative only and are not limiting upon the scope of the claims . | 6 |
the present disclosure provides two systems for increasing the range of a pool skimmer 100 . the first system is designated by the numeral 200 , is illustrated in fig4 - 10 , and generally relates to a second weir 230 that moves along one or more tracks 210 . the second system is designated by the numeral 300 , is illustrated in fig1 - 15 and generally relates to a deflector 330 . in the drawings , not all reference numbers are included in each drawing for the sake of clarity . the systems 200 and 300 may be used in conjunction with any suitable pool skimmer , and are preferably used with immobile skimmers that are located in swimming pool , pond , fountain , or spa sidewalls , such as the skimmer 100 illustrated in fig1 - 3 . as used herein , the term “ pool ” means a swimming pool , pond , fountain or spa . while , the systems 200 and 300 may be used in spas , it will be appreciated that the systems 200 and 300 are preferably used in swimming pools , given that spas generally have a small surface area and are typically covered during rainstorms . while one pool 110 may use both systems 200 and 300 , generally , only one system will be used with any one skimmer 100 . in other words , a given skimmer 100 will typically be outfitted with only one of the systems 200 or 300 . it will be appreciated that the two systems 200 and 300 may each comprise several embodiments as described herein . referring further to the first system 200 , as shown in fig4 - 10 , the system 200 generally includes one or more tracks 210 , typically two parallel tracks 210 . the track 210 includes a track length 215 and a track recess surface 220 . preferably , the track 210 has a length 215 of at least about 6 inches ( e . g ., about 6 - 24 inches ) and a thickness 216 that is substantially equal to the thickness 148 of the faceplate 145 ( e . g ., about 1 - 3 inches ). the track recess surface 220 includes a track recess 225 extending along the track length 215 . when it is mentioned that the track recess 225 extends along the track length 215 , it is meant that the track recess 225 extends at least partially along the track length 215 . in a preferred embodiment , the track recess 225 extends substantially the entire track length 215 . more preferably , the track recess 225 extends the entire track length 215 so that the second weir 230 can be installed from either the top or the bottom of the track 210 and so that the second weir 230 can slide out of the bottom of the track 210 if struck in a downward motion as a safety feature . the track 210 further includes a sidewall surface 221 configured to attach ( i . e ., directly or indirectly ) to the pool sidewall 120 . in a particularly preferred embodiment , the sidewall surface 221 is configured to attach to the sidewall 120 by attaching to a skimmer faceplate 146 that is attached to the sidewall 120 . preferably , the sidewall surface 221 is disposed at an angle of approximately 90 degrees relative to the track recess surface 220 . preferably , the sidewall surface 221 includes one or more fastener apertures 222 for attaching the track 210 directly or indirectly to the pool sidewall 120 . preferably , the fastener apertures 222 are configured to receive a fastener 223 ( e . g ., bolt , screw , etc .) so that the fastener 223 may attach the track 210 to the skimmer faceplate 145 . in a particular embodiment , the fasteners 223 are a plurality ( e . g ., four ) of pan - head screws that are used to attach two tracks 210 to the skimmer faceplate 145 and the fastener apertures 222 are longer than the diameter of the pan - head screw 223 , as best seen in fig8 , and counter - sunk for the seats of the pan - head screw 223 , which allows for the proper seating of the screws 223 and gives the flexibility of height adjustment of the track 210 . the first system 200 , as previously noted , is particularly useful in conjunction with the typical skimmer 100 illustrated in fig1 - 3 . as previously noted , such skimmers 100 typically include a skimmer opening 135 and a weir 170 , which pivots between a vertical position ( shown in phantom line 170 a in fig2 ) in which the weir 170 is generally parallel to the sidewall 120 ( and perpendicular to the ground ) and prevents large debris from flowing through the skimmer 110 ( more precisely , beyond the weir 170 ) and a horizontal position ( shown in phantom line 170 b in fig2 ) in which the weir 170 is generally perpendicular to the sidewall 120 ( and parallel to the ground ) and allows debris to flow through the skimmer 100 until the debris reaches a filter or debris basket 160 . for ease of reference , the weir 170 of a conventional skimmer 100 is referred to herein as the “ first weir .” in addition to the first weir 170 , the first system 200 further includes a second weir 230 . the second weir 230 is configured to be received in the track recess 225 when the track 210 is attached to the sidewall 120 so that the second weir 230 may move in generally vertical direction ( relative to the ground ) along the track length 216 in response to changing water levels in the pool 110 . preferably , the forces acting on the second weir 230 keep at least a portion of the top edge 231 of the second weir 230 ( preferably at least weir recess portion 235 of top edge 231 as described below ) at or near the top surface of water in the pool 110 during normal operation so that the second weir 230 only allows the top , debris - containing layer of water in the pool 110 to enter skimmer the opening 135 . for example , preferably , at least a portion of the top edge 231 of the second weir 230 is at or near the top surface of water in the pool 110 when the pool 110 is filled with water to the top of skimmer opening 135 . preferably , a majority of the surface area of the second weir 230 is submerged in the pool water during normal operation so that the second weir 230 inhibits non - debris - containing water from entering skimmer opening 135 . those of ordinary skill will appreciate that such forces will include at least the buoyancy of the second weir 230 . the forces may also include the suction power of the skimmer 100 . optionally , the second weir 230 includes one or more sealed air jackets 240 to increase its buoyancy . alternatively , the second weir 230 may be comprised of foam . the system 200 may be comprised of any suitable material , including without limitation , clear plastic ( e . g ., clear injection molded plastic ). preferably , the track 210 is comprised of a resilient plastic to prevent deformation . the track 210 extends at least above , and preferably above and below the skimmer opening 135 so that the top edge 231 of the second weir 230 has the ability to move at least above ( and preferably above and below ) the skimmer opening 135 so that the second weir 230 increases the range of the skimmer 100 . as shown in fig4 - 10 , unlike u . s . pat . no . 7 , 993 , 515 to davies , preferably the first system 200 does not block all water from entering the skimmer opening 135 . the first system 200 generally eliminates the need for the first weir 170 as the second weir 230 is responsible for skimming the top , debris - containing layer of the water in the pool 110 . preferably , the first system 200 further includes a weir fastener 250 ( e . g ., a clip with two prongs ) removably attached to the first weir 170 for immobilizing the first weir 170 at an angle other than 90 degrees relative to the ground ( i . e ., at a position other than the vertical position 170 a ). preferably , the weir fastener 250 has a bottom portion 251 that contacts the top edge 171 of the first weir 170 and a top portion 252 that contacts the top wall 197 of the water passageway 196 of the skimmer 100 , as shown in fig8 . in another embodiment , the first weir 170 is removed so that it does not interfere with skimming by first system 200 . a particular shape of the second weir 230 will now be described . however , it will be understood that the shape described is merely exemplary and that the second weir 230 may have any suitable shape . preferably , as shown in fig4 - 10 , the second weir 230 curves away from the pool sidewall 120 so that water may be stored ( if even for a very short time ) between the rear 232 of the second weir 230 and the skimmer opening 135 . preferably , the second weir 230 extends between about 1 - 12 inches into the pool 110 so that the second weir 230 does not interfere with swimmers . in a particular embodiment , as shown in fig4 - 10 , the second weir 230 comprises a quarter sphere portion 233 generally in the shape of a quarter of a sphere , and the quarter sphere portion 233 has a generally flat open top 234 . preferably , the diameter 237 of the quarter sphere is generally parallel to the ground , it being understood that a quarter sphere has one diameter . preferably , the second weir 230 further includes a weir recess 235 located in the top edge 231 of the second weir 230 . the weir recess 235 may be located adjacent to the lengthwise center 239 of the top edge 231 of the second weir 220 . in such an embodiment , the weir recess 235 is the entry point of water entering beyond the second weir 230 ( and ultimately into the skimmer opening 135 ). preferably , the weir recess 235 is not parallel to the pool sidewall 120 so that the weir recess 235 is optimized to capture the clockwise 183 or counter - clockwise circulation of the pool water . in some embodiments , the second weir 230 further includes a vacuum release door opening 260 and a vacuum release door 261 . the vacuum release door 261 is configured to move between a closed position wherein the vacuum release door 261 seals the opening 260 and an open position wherein the vacuum release door 261 allows water to enter through the vacuum release opening 260 . without being bound to any particular theory , it is believed that a purpose of the vacuum release door 261 , which is ordinarily in the closed position , is that if a child were to push the top edge 231 of the second weir 230 above the water level in the pool 110 , a vacuum may be created between the second weir 230 and the pool sidewall 120 due to suction of the second weir 230 to the pool sidewall 120 caused by skimmer 100 . in addition , when the top edge 231 of the second weir 230 is pushed above the water level in the pool 110 by the child , the water behind the second weir 230 ( i . e . between second weir 230 and skimmer 100 ) will be drained into skimmer opening 135 without being replenished , causing water in the pool 110 to exert pressure on the second weir 230 without a counter - acting force from water behind the second weir 230 ( because the water behind the second weir 230 is drained ). to alleviate such issues , these forces cause the door 261 to move to the open position , allowing water to enter and destroying the vacuum , thereby releasing the second weir 230 from the sidewall 120 and relieving water pressure exerted on the second weir 230 . the vacuum release opening 260 and door 261 are generally the same shape and may be any suitable shape , such as generally circular or rectangular . preferably , the vacuum release door 261 and opening 260 are located in the lower half of the second weir 230 so that the door 261 and opening 260 still will be submerged when a child pushes the second weir 230 upwards , given that a purpose of the door 261 and opening 260 is to allow water to pass through the opening 260 when a child pushes the second weir 230 upwards . the vacuum release door 261 may use any suitable mechanism to bias the door 261 in the closed position , such as a spring 262 or magnet . if a spring 262 is used , the first system 200 may further include a nylon or plastic bolt 264 that passes through an aperture 267 in the second weir 230 . the aperture 267 is slightly smaller than the shaft of the bolt 264 , which when pressed into position becomes rigid and tight and non - moveable . the vacuum release door 261 then slides onto the bolt 264 from the rear side . the forward end 263 of the spring 262 rests against the door 261 and the rear end 266 of the spring 262 rests against a washer 265 . a nylon or plastic nut 268 is placed to the rear of the washer 265 so that the washer 265 cannot move rearwardly ( i . e ., towards the sidewall 120 ) and the spring 262 applies a force to bias the door 261 in a closed position . in another embodiment , a magnet attached to the door 261 or second weir 230 is used to bias the door 261 in a closed position . if a magnet is used , the door 261 may be hinged to the second weir 230 . optionally , the first system 200 is provided as a kit . the first system 200 may be installed by any suitable process . optionally , the process includes : b ) placing two tracks 210 on the left and right sides of the skimmer opening 135 so that the track sidewall surfaces abut the faceplate 145 , the track lengths 215 are perpendicular to the ground , the track recess surfaces 220 of each track 210 face each other , and the faceplate fastener apertures 147 are aligned with the track fastener apertures 222 ; c ) inserting the track fasteners 223 through the faceplate fastener apertures 147 and the track fastener apertures 222 so that track 210 is secured to faceplate 145 and the sidewall 120 ; and d ) positioning the second weir 230 in the track recesses 225 so that second weir 230 is moveable along track lengths 215 . steps a ) through d ) may be performed in any suitable order , including simultaneously . preferably , the track fasteners 223 are slightly longer than the fasteners 146 that are conventionally used to attach the faceplate 145 to the pool sidewall 120 , given that the track fasteners 223 must pass through an additional material , namely the tracks 210 . the process may include additional steps , such as removing the first weir 170 or providing a weir fastener 250 and immobilizing the first weir 170 with the weir fastener 250 . the second system is generally designated by the numeral 300 , is illustrated in fig1 - 15 , and generally relates to a deflector 330 that is external to the skimmer 100 . the deflector 330 is attached , directly or indirectly , to the sidewall 120 and extends outwards into the pool 110 and above the skimmer opening 135 . the deflector 330 further includes a side opening 320 that is positioned to capture water circulating in a clockwise or counter - clockwise fashion ( depending on the circulation pattern in the pool 110 ). the side opening 320 feeds water to the skimmer opening 135 and may be adjacent to the sidewall 120 , as shown in fig1 - 14 . optionally , the side opening 320 is adjacent to the deflector apex 390 , which is the furthest point that the deflector 330 extends outward from the sidewall 120 , as shown in fig1 . preferably , the deflector 330 extends outward from the sidewall 120 a distance of about 1 inch to about 18 inches so that the deflector 330 does not interfere with swimmers . as with the prior embodiment , preferably the first weir 170 is immobilized by a weir fastener 250 or the first weir 170 is removed in the second system 300 . preferably , the deflector 330 does not move within the pool 110 other than to slightly deform in response to pressure applied to the deflector 330 . preferably , the deflector 330 is comprised of rubber . preferably , the side opening 320 spans substantially the entire height 335 of the deflector 300 , as shown in fig1 - 15 , and at least above the skimmer opening 135 . preferably , the deflector 330 includes fastener apertures 310 located on flat portions 316 on opposite sides ( i . e ., the left and right sides ) of the deflector 330 and the second system 300 further includes fasteners 315 for attaching the deflector 330 directly or indirectly to the sidewall 120 . preferably , the flat portions 316 have a width 317 at least equal to the thickness 148 of the faceplate 145 . for example , the flat portions may have a width 317 of at least 0 . 5 inches and preferably 1 - 5 inches so the flat portions 316 lay flat on skimmer faceplate 145 . preferably , the deflector 330 includes a solid , water impermeable floor 340 , which abuts the sidewall 120 below the skimmer opening 135 , and a top opening 350 so that water flows through only the side or top openings 320 and 350 — and not from the floor 340 . preferably , the deflector 330 includes a curved portion 360 that extends outward from the sidewall 120 . preferably , the deflector 330 has a height of at least 8 inches ( e . g ., about 8 inches to about 20 inches ). optionally , the deflector 330 includes a left flap 370 and a right flap 380 and the side opening 320 is located between the left and right flaps 370 and 380 , as shown in fig1 . it will be appreciated the second system 300 , like the first system 200 increases the range of a pool skimmer 100 and preferably does not block all water from entering the skimmer opening 135 , unlike u . s . pat . no . 7 , 993 , 515 to davies . rather , the deflector 330 feeds water to the skimmer opening 135 . however , unlike the first system 200 , which feeds only the top , debris - containing layer to skimmer opening 135 , the second system 300 is less selective and generally feeds any water that is able to enter through the side and top openings 320 and 3650 to the skimmer opening 136 . optionally , the second system 300 is provided as a kit . the second system 300 may be installed by any suitable process . optionally , the process includes : b ) positioning the flat portions 316 so they abut the faceplate 145 and the faceplate fastener apertures 147 are aligned with the deflector fastener apertures 310 ; and c ) inserting the deflector fasteners 315 through the faceplate fastener apertures 147 and the deflector fastener apertures 310 so that deflector 330 is secured to the faceplate 145 and sidewall 120 . steps a ) through c ) may be performed in any suitable order , including simultaneously . preferably , the deflector fasteners 315 are slightly longer than the fasteners 146 that are conventionally used to attach the faceplate 145 to the pool sidewall 120 , given that the deflector fasteners 315 must pass through an additional material , namely the deflector 330 . the process may include additional steps , such as removing the first weir 170 or providing a weir fastener 250 and immobilizing the first weir 170 with said weir fastener 250 . having now described the invention in accordance with the requirements of the patent statutes , those skilled in the art will understand how to make changes and modifications to the disclosed embodiments to meet their specific requirements or conditions . changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention , as defined and limited solely by the following claims . | 2 |
the following description contains a series of examples wherein previously known labeled compounds are processed to yield highly pure labeled compounds that are not previously known . fig1 illustrates synthesis and reactions of [ 1 , 2 - 13 c 2 ] ethyl phenyl sulfide in accordance with aspects of the embodiments . a sample of [ 13 c ] methyl phenyl sulfide ( 15 . 0 g , 0 . 119 moles , 1 equivalent ) was dissolved in tetrahydrofuran ( 150 ml ) in a 1 l round bottom flask . the reaction vessel was then cooled to − 78 ° c . using a dry - ice / ethanol bath . to this cooled reaction sec - butyl lithium ( 1 . 4m / thf , 94 . 24 ml , 0 . 1319 moles , 1 . 3 equivalents ) was added slowly over a 45 - minute period . the reaction was allowed to stir for 30 minutes and then [ 13 c ] methyl iodide ( 17 . 14 g , 0 . 1199 moles , 1 equivalent ) was added slowly over a 40 - minute period to the reaction . the reaction was allowed to stir for an additional hour and allowed to come to ambient temperature . after this period , water ( 100 ml ) was added to the reaction . the reaction was then evaporated to remove tetrahydrofuran . to this mixture dichloromethane ( 150 ml ) was added and the layers were separated . the organic layer was washed with water ( 2 × 20 ml ) and then dried with sodium sulfate and then concentrated in vacuo to give the pure product ( 16 . 1 g , 91 %). the product was suitable for use in subsequent reactions without purification . fig2 illustrates synthesis of 2 - phenylthio [ 1 , 2 - 13 c 2 ] ethanol in accordance with aspects of the embodiments . ethyl ( phenylthio ) [ u - 13 c 2 ] acetate ( 5 . 0 g , 25 . 22 mmol , 1 . 0 eq .) was dissolved in thf ( 50 ml ) in a 250 ml round bottom flask , equipped with a magnetic stirrer , flushed with argon , and was cooled using and ice - water bath . lithium borohydride ( 2 . 0m , 25 . 2 ml , 2 . 0 equivalents ) was added dropwise over a period of seven minutes . the reaction mixture was permitted to warm to room temperature slowly as the ice melted , while stirring under argon . the reaction progress was monitored by tlc ( at 1 , 2 , 8 and 24 hours ) and 13 c nmr ( 2 , 8 and 24 hours ) by taking an aliquot from the reaction mixture , dissolving in cdcl 3 , and monitoring the disappearance of ethyl ( phenylthio ) [ u - 13 c 2 ] acetate and the subsequent appearance of the desired 2 -( phenylthio )[ u - 13 c 2 ] ethanol . the reaction was complete after 24 hours . the reaction mixture was cooled using an ice - water bath then neutralized using 1 n hcl . the expected product was isolated by extraction with dichloromethane ( 3 × 50 ml ). the organic layer was evaporated by vacuum distillation using a rotary evaporator to yield a pale yellow liquid ( 3 . 81 g , 97 %), which was used without further purification . fig3 illustrates reactions of 2 - phenylthio [ 1 , 2 - 13 c 2 ] ethanol in accordance with aspects of the embodiments . 2 - phenylthio [ 1 , 2 - 13 c 2 ] ethanol can be used as a precursor in the production of a number of isotopically tagged compounds . 2 -( phenylthio ) [ u - 13 c 2 ] ethanol ( 1 . 0 g , 6 . 4 mmol , 1 . 0 equivalent ) was dissolved in dichloromethane ( 10 ml ) in a 50 ml round bottom flask , equipped with a magnetic stirrer . 1 . 09 grams of silica was placed into 1 . 0 ml of distilled water and then added to the stirred solution . the mixture was cooled using an ice - water bath . once cooled , sulfuryl chloride ( 1 . 6 ml , 3 . 0 equivalents ) was added dropwise over a period of approximately 3 minutes . the reaction mixture was permitted to warm to room temperature slowly as the ice melted . the reaction progress was monitored by 13 c nmr ( 15 min .) by taking an aliquot from the reaction mixture , dissolving in cdcl 3 , and monitoring the disappearance of 2 -( phenylthio ) [ u - 13 c ] ethanol and the subsequent appearance of the desired 2 - chloro [ u - 13 c ] ethyl phenyl sulfone and was found to have gone to completion . the reaction mixture was cooled using an ice - water bath then neutralized using a saturated solution of sodium bicarbonate until it reached a ph of 8 - 9 . the mixture was then extracted using dichloromethane ( 3 × 50 ml ). the volatiles were removed by vacuum using a rotary evaporator to yield a white solid ( 1 . 1 g , 97 %), which was used without further purification . 2 - chloro [ u - 13 c 2 ] ethyl phenyl sulfone ( 1 . 1 g , 5 . 57 mmol , 1 . 0 eq .) was dissolved in thf ( 12 . 5 ml ) in a 50 ml round bottom flask , equipped with a magnetic stirrer . the mixture was warmed to approximately 30 ° c . using a water bath . once the solution warmed , triethylamine ( 1 . 2 ml , 1 . 5 eq .) dissolved in thf ( 10 ml ) was added dropwise over a period of a minute . salt formation was observed instantly . the reaction mixture was permitted to cool to room temperature . the reaction progress was monitored by 13 c nmr ( 17 hrs .) by taking an aliquot from the reaction mixture , dissolving in cdcl 3 , and monitoring the disappearance of 2 - chloro [ u - 13 c 2 ] ethyl phenyl sulfone and the subsequent appearance of the desired phenyl [ u - 13 c 2 ] vinyl sulfone and was found to have gone to completion . the reaction mixture was filtered to remove the salt and washed with additional thf . the solid that formed was purified using column chromatography to yield a white solid ( 0 . 85 g , 88 %). fig4 illustrates synthesis of vinyl sulfoxides in accordance with aspects of the embodiments . ethyl 2 -( phenylthio )[ 1 , 2 - 13 c 2 ] acetate can be used to produce 2 -( phenylsulfinyl )[ 1 , 2 - 13 c 2 , 2 , 2 - d 2 ] ethanol which can then in turn be used to produce phenyl [ 1 , 2 - 13 c 2 , 2 , 2 - d 2 ] vinyl sulfoxide . the synthetic route can be used to produce all of the isotopic combinations of the vinyl sulfides , sulfoxides and sulfoxides . fig5 illustrates an alternative preparation of vinyl sulfones in accordance with aspects of the embodiments . ethyl 2 -( phenylthio )[ 1 , 2 - 13 c 2 ] acetate can be used to produce 2 -( phenylsulfinyl )[ 1 , 2 - 13 c 2 , 2 , 2 - d 2 ] chloride which can then in turn be used to produce phenyl [ 1 , 2 - 13 c 2 , 2 , 2 - d 2 ] vinyl sulfoxide . fig6 illustrates the synthesis of isotopically labeled ethers and an alternative synthesis of vinyl sulfoxides and in particular the synthesis of benzyl [ 1 , 2 - 13 c 2 ] vinyl ether and phenyl [ 1 , 2 - 13 c 2 ] vinyl sulfoxide in accordance with aspects of the embodiments . a series of reactions beginning with ethyl ( benzyloxy ) [ 1 , 2 - 13 c 2 ] acetate produce a number of isotopically tagged intermediary compounds and culminate in the production of benzyl [ 1 , 2 - 13 c 2 ] vinyl ether and phenyl [ 1 , 2 - 13 c 2 ] vinyl sulfoxide . fig7 - 9 illustrates general formulas for certain labeled compounds in accordance with aspects of the embodiments . the following examples illustrate techniques for the synthesis of compounds described by those general formulas . ethyl ( phenylthio ) [ u - 13 c 2 ] acetate ( 5 . 0 g , 25 . 22 mmol , 1 . 0 eq .) was dissolved in thf ( 50 ml ) in a 250 ml round bottom flask , equipped with a magnetic stirrer , flushed with argon , and was cooled using and ice - water bath . lithium borohydride ( 2 . 0m , 25 . 2 ml , 2 . 0 equivalents ) was added dropwise over a period of seven minutes . the reaction mixture was permitted to warm to room temperature slowly as the ice melted , while stirring under argon . the reaction progress was monitored by tlc ( at 1 , 2 , 8 and 24 hours ) and 13 c nmr ( 2 , 8 and 24 hours ) by taking an aliquot from the reaction mixture , dissolving in cdcl 3 , and monitoring the disappearance of ethyl ( phenylthio ) [ u - 13 c 2 ] acetate and the subsequent appearance of the desired 2 -( phenylthio )[ u - 13 c 2 ] ethanol . the reaction was complete after 24 hours . the reaction mixture was cooled using an ice - water bath then neutralized using 1 n hcl . the expected product was isolated by extraction with dichloromethane ( 3 × 50 ml ). the organic layer was evaporated by vacuum distillation using a rotary evaporator to yield a pale yellow liquid ( 3 . 81 g , 97 %), which was used without further purification . 2 -( phenylthio ) [ u - 13 c 2 ] ethanol ( 1 . 0 g , 6 . 4 mmol , 1 . 0 equivalent ) was dissolved in dichloromethane ( 10 ml ) in a 50 ml round bottom flask , equipped with a magnetic stirrer . 1 . 09 grams of silica was placed into 1 . 0 ml of distilled water and then added to the stirred solution . the mixture was cooled using an ice - water bath . once cooled , sulfuryl chloride ( 1 . 6 ml , 3 . 0 equivalents ) was added dropwise over a period of approximately 3 minutes . the reaction mixture was permitted to warm to room temperature slowly as the ice melted . the reaction progress was monitored by 13 c nmr ( 15 min .) by taking an aliquot from the reaction mixture , dissolving in cdcl 3 , and monitoring the disappearance of 2 -( phenylthio ) [ u - 13 c ] ethanol and the subsequent appearance of the desired 2 - chloro [ u - 13 c ] ethyl phenyl sulfone and was found to have gone to completion . the reaction mixture was cooled using an ice - water bath then neutralized using a saturated solution of sodium bicarbonate until it reached a ph of 8 - 9 . the mixture was then extracted using dichloromethane ( 3 × 50 ml ). the volatiles were removed by vacuum using a rotary evaporator to yield a white solid ( 1 . 1 g , 97 %), which was used without further purification . 2 - chloro [ u - 13 c 2 ] ethyl phenyl sulfone ( 1 . 1 g , 5 . 57 mmol , 1 . 0 eq .) was dissolved in thf ( 12 . 5 ml ) in a 50 ml round bottom flask , equipped with a magnetic stirrer . the mixture was warmed to approximately 30 ° c . using a water bath . once the solution warmed , triethylamine ( 1 . 2 ml , 1 . 5 eq .) dissolved in thf ( 10 ml ) was added dropwise over a period of a minute . salt formation was observed instantly . the reaction mixture was permitted to cool to room temperature . the reaction progress was monitored by 13 c nmr ( 17 hrs .) by taking an aliquot from the reaction mixture , dissolving in cdcl 3 , and monitoring the disappearance of 2 - chloro [ u - 13 c 2 ] ethyl phenyl sulfone and the subsequent appearance of the desired phenyl [ u - 13 c 2 ] vinyl sulfone and was found to have gone to completion . the reaction mixture was filtered to remove the salt and washed with additional thf . the solid that formed was purified using column chromatography to yield a white solid ( 0 . 85 g , 88 %). the embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or right is claimed are defined as follows . having thus described the invention what is claimed is : | 2 |
the subject matter of embodiments of the present invention is described with specificity herein to meet statutory requirements . the description itself , however , is not intended to necessarily limit the scope of claims . rather , the claimed subject matter might be embodied in other ways to include different elements or combinations of elements similar to the ones described in this document , in conjunction with other present or future technologies . when referencing the drawings , like reference characters designate like parts throughout the different views . referring now to fig1 , a sample handheld power tool 100 ( also referred to as “ power tool ”) is depicted . the handheld power tool 100 comprises a motor housing 102 , which encloses a motor ( not depicted ). in addition , the power tool 100 includes control buttons 104 and 106 that are used to control operations of the motor . when using the power tool 100 , a user might grasp near an upper surface 108 of the motor housing 102 to handle and maneuver the power tool 100 . the upper surface 108 might include mold - in features or a grip surface to facilitate easier grasping of the power tool 100 . the handheld power tool 100 might include other elements not depicted such as a battery or other power source , one or more tools , and a dust - collection compartment . it should be noted that while the depicted sample or exemplary power tool 100 is a sander , commonly referred to as a palm sander , the present invention is not limited to use with such a tool . the present invention could be used to couple accessories to other items and / or tools , including manually operated or non - powered tools . nonetheless , for the purpose of depicting a specific implementation or embodiment of the present invention , a handheld power sander is used . in this embodiment of the present invention , the power tool 100 includes a platen 110 to which tools and accessories are directly or indirectly attached . for example , if the power tool 100 were being used as a handheld sanding device , an abrasive sheet could be attached to a bottom of the platen 110 to sand a work piece . that is , the platen 110 includes other features ( not shown , but known in the art ) that allow the abrasive sheet to attach to platen 110 . based on the orientation of the power tool 110 in fig1 , the abrasive sheet would attach to a bottom surface ( see e . g ., fig2 ) of the platen 110 . in addition , the platen 110 is coupled with a drive mechanism of the motor , such that the motor transmits a motion provided by the drive mechanism of the motor to the platen 110 . for example , the motor and drive mechanism might transmit a regular or irregular oscillation or vibration to the platen 110 and , in turn , the abrasive sheet which would then work on the surface to be abraded or sanded . the power tool 100 also includes a removable accessory 112 that releasably attaches to or couples with the platen 110 , and a locking mechanism 114 that connects and locks the removable accessory 112 to the platen 110 . the removable accessory 112 might include various tools and shapes . for example , a first type of removable accessory 112 might have a triangular profile of a first width ( see , e . g ., removable accessory 112 in fig2 ), whereas a second type of removable accessory might have an elongate profile with a second width , which is narrower than the first width ( see , e . g ., removable accessory 112 ′ in fig6 a ). as such , the first type of removable accessory might be usable to perform work across a larger surface area , whereas the second type of removable accessory might be usable to perform more detailed work . in another example , one type of removable accessory includes a substantially flat configuration for working on pieces ( e . g ., wood surface ) having a substantially flat surface ( see , e . g ., removable accessory 112 in fig2 ), whereas another type of removable accessory includes a concave configuration for working on pieces having a rounded surface ( see , e . g ., removable accessory 112 ″ in fig6 b ). if the power tool 100 is a sanding device , then an abrasive sheet might be coupled adjacent to a bottom surface ( hidden from view ) of the removable accessory 112 . in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention , the different types of removable accessories are interchangeable using the connection features of the removable accessory 112 and the locking mechanism 114 . the removable accessory 112 and the locking mechanism 114 are described in more detail in other portions of this detailed description . referring now to fig2 , the platen 110 is depicted from a bottom perspective , which shows the platen bottom surface that was hidden from view in fig1 , and the removable accessory 112 is depicted from a top perspective . the terms “ bottom ” and “ top ” are relative based on the orientation of the tool 100 , and as such , the “ bottom surface ” might be the top surface of the platen 110 if the power tool 110 is rotated in a platen - upward orientation . the platen 110 includes a first bottom surface 116 and a second bottom surface 118 . in an aspect of the present invention , one or more tools are attached adjacent to the first bottom surface 116 and the second bottom surface 118 . in addition , the platen 110 includes a wall 120 connecting the first bottom surface 116 and the second bottom surface 118 . in the embodiment depicted in fig2 , the first bottom surface 116 is more recessed into a body portion of the platen 110 relative to the second bottom surface 118 . as such , the first bottom surface 116 and the wall 120 form a partially enclosed space into which a portion of the removable accessory 112 is insertable . the platen 110 further includes an aperture 122 extending through a thickness of the platen 110 , and in the illustrated embodiment , the aperture 122 is positioned in the wall 120 . in addition , the aperture 122 might also extend though the second bottom surface 118 . in another aspect , the platen 110 includes a channel 124 that connects with the aperture 122 . the channel 124 is constructed ( e . g ., molded ) into the first bottom surface 116 , and the channel 124 includes a first channel end 126 terminating in an interior portion of the first surface 116 . a portion of the channel 124 that opposes the first channel end 126 connects with , and is continuous with , the aperture 122 . in a further aspect of the present invention , the platen 110 includes a slot 125 , which also extends through a thickness of the platen 110 . in one embodiment , the slot 125 is constructed into the first bottom surface 116 and extends inward from a periphery of the platen 110 towards an interior portion of the first bottom surface 116 . the slot 125 includes a slot base 129 , which represents a terminating end of the slot 125 and , in some regards , is similar to the wall 120 . in the illustrated embodiment , the slot 125 , the channel 126 , and the aperture 122 are substantially aligned . in fig2 , the removable accessory 112 is depicted disengaged from the platen 110 . the removable accessory 112 includes a tab 113 having a cam - engaging surface 111 . the removable accessory 112 also includes a flanged tab 115 . in addition , the removable accessory 112 includes a finger 117 that extends from a base portion 119 and the tab 113 extends from the finger 117 . in accordance with an aspect of the present invention , the tab 113 is insertable into the channel 124 of the platen 110 . in addition , the tab 113 is traversable through the channel 124 and toward the aperture 122 . the finger 117 and the tab 113 include respective widths that are sized to allow the finger 117 and the tab 113 to pass through the aperture 122 . in an embodiment of the present invention , a portion 121 of a cam member , which is a component of the locking mechanism 114 , is rotated to not obstruct the aperture 122 , thereby providing an unobstructed path through the aperture 122 through which the tab 113 and finger 117 may pass . in a further embodiment of the present invention , the flanged tab 115 is insertable into the slot 125 . the flanged tab 115 includes a trunk 123 extending from the base 119 . in addition , one or more flanges 127 extends outward from the trunk 123 . as such , the one or more flanges 127 are spaced apart from the base 119 of the removable accessory . in an embodiment of the present invention , the trunk 123 of the flanged tab 115 may be slid from a periphery of the platen 110 into the slot 125 . when the flanged tab 115 is positioned in the slot 125 , the body 119 is positioned adjacent the first bottom surface 116 of the platen 110 and the one or more flanges 127 engage a top surface of the platen 110 that generally opposes the first bottom surface 116 . the top surface of the platen 110 is hidden from view in fig2 and is identified by reference numeral 144 in fig3 . in an embodiment of the present invention , the tab 113 and the flanged tab 115 are inserted through the aperture 122 and the slot 125 ( respectively ) near simultaneously when connecting the removable accessory 112 to the platen 110 . in an embodiment of the present invention , a t - shaped configuration of the flanged tab 115 also contributes to a rigidity of the connection between the removable accessory 112 and the platen 110 . that is , the flanges 127 engage the top surface 144 of the platen , thereby limiting movement in a vertical or first axis . in addition , the trunk 123 of the flanged tab 115 engages the slot base 129 , thereby limiting movement in a longitudinal or second axis , which is substantially perpendicular to the first axis . the trunk 123 of the flanged tab 115 also engages the sides of the slot 125 to limit movement in a lateral or third axis , which is perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis . referring to fig3 , the platen 110 is depicted from a top perspective . in fig3 , another view of the aperture 122 and the channel 124 is provided . fig3 depicts that the aperture 122 and a portion of the channel 124 are continuous with one another and extend through the platen 110 . the platen 110 further includes a screw boss 130 . the screw boss 130 includes a periphery wall 132 that circumscribes a hollow middle region 134 . the screw boss 130 mates with a pivot boss hole 136 passing through a body 138 of the locking mechanism 114 . a screw 140 or other appropriate fastener is fastened inside the hollow middle region 134 when the screw boss 130 is positioned in the pivot boss hole 136 . in addition , a washer 142 may be positioned between the screw head and the body 138 to reduce the risk of the locking mechanism 114 sliding off of , or otherwise breaking away from , the screw 140 . in an aspect of the present invention , a slider or cam member 146 extends from the body 138 of the locking mechanism 114 . when the body 138 is secured onto the screw boss 130 , the cam member 146 is movable to different positions relative to the aperture 122 and the channel 124 . for example , fig2 depicts an arrangement in which a portion 121 of the cam member 146 at least partially covers the aperture 122 and the channel 124 . in an embodiment of the present invention , the locking mechanism 114 rotates at least partially about the screw boss 130 in order to move the cam member 146 between selectable positions . as such , the locking mechanism 114 is rotatable to move the cam member 146 to a side of the aperture 122 and the channel 124 , such that the cam member 146 does not obstruct the aperture 122 and the channel 124 . an enlarged view of one embodiment of the cam member 146 is provided by fig3 , in which the cam member 146 includes various elements . for example , the cam member 146 includes a camming surface 156 . as will be described in other portions of the detailed description , the camming surface 156 is usable to engage the tab 113 of the removable accessory 112 when the tab 113 is inserted through the aperture 122 . in another embodiment , the cam member 146 includes a compressible member 158 , such as a rubber plug or other similar device . the compressible member 158 might also engage the tab 113 in a manner similar to the camming surface 156 . however , the compressible nature of member 158 allows for a greater tolerance between the cam member 146 and the tab 113 . in a further aspect of the present invention , a lever 152 extends from the body 138 of the locking mechanism 114 and is usable to rotate the body 138 about the screw boss 130 . in addition , the platen 110 includes various detent pockets 150 . the detent pockets 150 radially align with a detent ( identified in fig5 by reference numeral 164 ) of the locking mechanism 114 . the detent 164 engages one of the detent pockets 150 in order to bias the locking mechanism 114 in a selected position . when the aperture 122 and the channel 124 are not obstructed by the cam member 146 , an unobstructed path is provided through the aperture 122 and the channel 124 , and the tab 112 and the finger 117 of the removable accessory 112 may pass through the path . in addition , as described with respect to fig2 , the flanged tab 115 is insertable into slot 125 when the tab 113 is inserted through the aperture 122 . the top surface 144 of the platen 110 is shown in fig3 . when the flanged tab 115 is slid into the slot 125 , the flanges 127 of the flanged tab 115 engage the top surface 144 of the platen 110 , as discussed above . referring now to fig4 a and 4 b , an operation of the cam member 146 is depicted in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . in fig4 a , the locking mechanism 114 has been moved to an unlocked position in which the cam member 146 does not obstruct a path through the aperture 122 . in addition , the tab 113 of the removable accessory 112 has been inserted through the aperture 122 , and the flanged tab 115 has been inserted into the slot 125 . in fig4 a , a gap exists between the cam - engaging surface 111 ( fig2 ) of the tab 113 and the platen 110 . the gap intersects with a path that is traveled by the cam member 146 when the locking mechanism 114 is rotated about the screw boss 130 . in fig4 b , the locking mechanism 114 has been rotated counter - clockwise ( relative to fig4 a ) to a lock position , such that the cam member 146 fills the gap adjacent to the cam - engaging surface 111 of the tab 113 . in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention , the camming surface 156 of the cam member 146 biases the tab 113 away from the aperture 122 . in addition , such biasing action of the camming surface 156 against the tab 113 also pulls the flanged tab 115 toward the platen 110 . in an embodiment of the present invention , the removable accessory 112 depicted in fig4 b is disconnectable from the platen 110 . for example , the locking mechanism 114 in fig4 b is rotatable in either a clockwise or counter - clockwise direction . rotating the locking mechanism 114 in either direction will disengage the cam member 146 from the tab 113 and will create an unobstructed path through the aperture 122 and into the channel 124 . when the tab 113 is moved through the aperture 122 and into the channel 124 , the flanged tab 115 is slid out of the slot 125 . when the tab 113 and the flanged tab 115 have substantially cleared the aperture 122 and the slot 125 , respectively , the removable accessory 112 may be disconnected from the platen 110 . referring now to fig5 , a fragmentary cross - section view is provided showing the removable accessory 112 coupled to the platen 110 via the locking mechanism 114 ( i . e ., the locking mechanism 114 is in the same position as in fig4 b ). the tab 113 of the removable accessory 112 has been inserted in the channel 124 and traversed through the channel 124 and the aperture 122 . in addition , the trunk 123 of the flanged tab has been inserted into the slot 125 ( not shown in fig5 ), such that the flanged tab is abuts the slot base 129 . in an embodiment of the present invention , the cam - facing surface 111 of the tab 113 and the trunk 123 of the flanged tab 115 are spaced a distance apart , which is identified by reference numeral 160 . in addition , the slot base 129 of the slot 125 is spaced a distance apart from the camming surface 156 , the distance represented by reference numeral 162 . in an embodiment of the present invention , the distance 160 and the distance 162 are substantially similar . as such , when camming surface 156 biases the tab 113 away from the aperture 122 , the trunk 123 of the flanged tab 115 is pulled into the slot base 129 of the platen 110 and into abutting contact with the slot base 129 , thereby creating a secure connection between the removable accessory 112 and the platen 110 . as described in other parts of this detailed description , an embodiment of the present invention includes a compressible member 158 that is coupled to the cam member 146 and that compressibly engages the cam - engaging surface 111 of the tab 113 . the compressible member 158 helps to account for different sized gaps between the cam - engaging surface 111 and the cam member 146 created by tolerances in the manufacturing process . fig5 also depicts one of the detent pockets 150 . in an aspect of the present invention , the detent 164 is received in and underneath of the lever 152 and a ball of the detent 164 that is biased downwardly engages the detent pockets 150 as the locking mechanism 114 is rotated . as such , the detent 164 provides a friction fit with the detent pockets 150 to bias the locking mechanism in a selected position . many different arrangements of the various components depicted , as well as components not shown , are possible without departing from the scope of the claims below . embodiments of the technology have been described with the intent to be illustrative rather than restrictive . alternative embodiments will become apparent to readers of this disclosure after and because of reading it . for example , while the illustrated embodiments are described herein as having a cam member , the use of the word cam should not be narrowly defined , but should be broadly interpreted to cover objects of any shape , which can rotate or move in an alternate path ( e . g ., such as a straight line ), and perform the function of closing the gap between the cam - engaging surface 111 ( fig2 ) of the tab 113 and the cam member 146 , as the cam member is moved and which bias the tab 113 in a direction to draw the accessory 112 into abutting contact with the platen 110 ( e . g ., a wedge or other item with an inclined face or surface ). alternative means of implementing the aforementioned can be completed without departing from the scope of the claims below . certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations and are contemplated within the scope of the claims . | 1 |
fig1 to 5 show exemplary embodiments of a fluid reservoir 1 , 20 , 40 , according to the invention , the construction and function of which basically correspond to the construction and function of a known fluid reservoir . as fig1 shows , the fluid reservoir 1 is generally connected to a master cylinder ( not shown ) by way of reservoir connections 2 , 3 and fixed thereto . the fluid reservoir 1 has a housing 4 with at least one fluid chamber 7 , the housing 4 comprising a housing upper part 5 and a housing lower part 6 , which are welded together at their edges and partition walls ( not shown ). for filling the fluid reservoir 1 a cylindrical filler neck 8 is provided , which projects at right - angles from an upper side of the housing upper part 5 . a cap 9 serves for closing the filler neck 8 . in order that fluctuating fluid levels do not initiate a pneumatic pressure build - up , means are provided for pressure balancing between a free fluid level of the fluid chamber 7 and an ambient atmosphere . this pressure balancing is achieved by an exchange of air , usually accomplished by suitable means in the cap 9 . this ensures that an adapter part of an automatic filling unit can be fixed airtightly to the filler neck 8 . the fluid reservoir 1 further comprises a reservoir warning device 10 , 10 ′ for monitoring the reservoir filling level of the fluid reservoir 1 . for an optimized utilization of the space the reservoir warning device 10 is incorporated in the filler neck 8 , extended in the direction of the fluid chamber 7 , as is indicated only schematically . for this purpose the filler neck 8 is of somewhat larger dimensions than a float of the reservoir warning device 10 , in such a way that the filler neck can basically fulfil a guide function for the displaceable float . the reservoir warning device 10 , 10 ′ generally comprises a switch unit , with a contact carrier and a connector moulded onto the latter , and the float with a magnet arranged therein as magnetic pick - up , the float being arranged so that it is longitudinally displaceable on the contact carrier . contact tabs and a reed contact as switch element are injection - moulded into the contact carrier or affixed to the latter . in other embodiments of the fluid reservoir 1 the switch unit extends from a side wall into the pressure chambers , the magnetic pick - up being arranged above the switch unit . an arrangement of the switch unit at the base of the fluid reservoir is also feasible . as soon as the magnet passes a switching point of the reed contact due to a drop in the reservoir filling level , reeds of the reed switch close due to the magnetic field generated by the magnet , the magnetic attraction of the reeds exceeding the spring action of the individual reeds . the reed contact may be embodied as a closer or no switch , in which the reeds are opened in the rest position . it is also possible , however , to use a reed contact embodied as an opener or nc switch , which in the resting state has closed reeds , which are opened under the influence of a magnetic force . the switching process generates a signal for an electronic switch unit of the motor vehicle brake system . as is indicated , the reservoir warning device 10 , 10 ′ may be arranged in the area of the cap 9 or in the area of the housing 4 . the fluid reservoir 1 further comprises a filling filter 11 integrally moulded onto the housing 4 . the filling filter 11 is preferably located in the area of the extended filler neck 8 , so that it separates removable components of the reservoir warning device 10 , 10 ′ located in the filler neck 8 from the fluid chamber 7 , and prevents any ingress of dirt into the fluid reservoir 1 , particularly when topping up or refilling with fluid . the filling filter 11 comprises a wall 12 — which is basically classed as part of the extended filler neck 8 , together with a base 13 . as can be seen from fig1 , the wall 12 and the base 13 of the filling filter 11 are moulded onto the housing upper part 5 of the fluid reservoir 1 and the wall 12 adjoining the reservoir filler neck 8 extends into the fluid chamber 7 . the possibility of an incorrect fitting of the filling filter 11 is thereby excluded . during manufacture of the housing upper part 5 by a plastic injection - moulding process the filling filter 11 is integrally moulded onto the former . in the process , through a suitable design of the moulding die , filter apertures 14 having an average pore size of about 50 to 500 μm — a mean pore size of 300 μm is particularly preferred — are at the same time introduced into the wall 12 and the base 13 . it can be seen from fig1 that the area of the filter apertures 14 in the wall 12 extends beyond a max - mark of the fluid reservoir 1 , which indicates the maximum filling level of the fluid reservoir 1 . a ventilation function thereby always also ensues via the filling filter 11 , so that filtering is always ensured , even at the maximum filling level and in the event of particularly rapid fluid filling . it is equally feasible , however , to provide the filter apertures 14 just in the base area and to arrange apertures ( not shown ) in the wall 12 above the max - mark for pressure balancing . simultaneously producing the filter apertures 14 during manufacture of the housing upper part 5 makes it possible to dispense with finishing work on the housing upper part 5 . the filter apertures 14 can be inspected by optical means in a subsequent function check . a length l and a diameter d of the filling filter 11 can furthermore be defined , as required . without departing from the scope of the invention it is also feasible , as an alternative to the filter apertures 14 described , to injection - mould separate filter elements having filter apertures into the wall 12 and / or the base 13 , thereby avoiding expensive special tooling . fig2 shows a second exemplary embodiment of the fluid reservoir 20 . this and also a third exemplary embodiment represented in fig4 differ from the first exemplary embodiment according to fig1 merely in the design of the filling filters , so that the basic construction and function need not be described again . the same components are therefore provided with the same reference numerals . in the second exemplary embodiment of the fluid reservoir 20 a wall 21 of a filling filter 22 is integrally formed with the housing 4 or the housing upper part 5 and a filter element 23 is attached as base 24 to the wall 21 . the filter element 23 is thereby easy and cost - effective to manufacture . it is possible , particularly if the reservoir warning device 10 , 10 ′ is located next to the filler neck 8 , to form the filling filter ( 11 , 22 ) basically as one continuous , perforated part of a wall of the housing upper part 5 , the tubular extended filler neck 8 also being arranged on the housing upper part 5 . as can be seen from fig2 , the filter element 23 can easily be clipped into a circumferential internal groove 25 of the wall 21 . it is feasible here , and particularly cost - effective , for the filter element 23 to be integrally manufactured from a plastic material , as shown in fig3 a . it is also possible here , however , to use known filter elements comprising a fabric 28 inserted into a housing 27 , as shown in fig3 b . in this exemplary embodiment too , the wall 21 of the filling filter 22 may have either one or more pressure balancing apertures 26 or a filter aperture for the exchange of air via the filling filter . other suitable methods of fixing for fastening the filter element 23 to the wall 21 are furthermore also possible without departing from the scope of the invention . in a third and a fourth exemplary embodiment according to fig4 and 5 a filling filter 41 of the fluid reservoir 40 is integrally formed from a plastic material and has filter apertures 42 in a wall 43 and a base 44 , which are produced during manufacture of the filling filter 41 . the separate filling filter 41 is thereby easy and cost effective to manufacture . this embodiment also rules out the possibility of damage to the filter fabric . for insertion into the filler neck 8 the filling filter 41 comprises a circumferential collar 45 . for secured positioning of the filling filter 41 on an outside of the wall 43 , retaining means in the form of snap elements 46 are furthermore moulded on , which secure the filling filter 41 in the fluid reservoir 40 by snapping in behind a collar 47 of the filler neck 8 . any ingress of dirt particles due to incorrect fitting of the filling filter 41 is therefore impossible and the filling filter 41 is particularly rapid and easy to fit . the fourth exemplary embodiment according to fig5 differs from the third exemplary embodiment particularly in that on the circumferential collar 45 of the filling filter 41 a radially outer circumferential seal is provided , for example in the form of a sealing lip or the sealing bead 48 shown , which for hydraulic sealing in a radial direction bears resiliently against a seat of a cylindrical inside wall of the filler neck 8 . as shown , the seal is integrally moulded on an outside 49 of the collar 45 and may be formed from the material of the filler neck 8 . this configuration has the advantage that a certain axially directed insertion or fitting movement of the filling filter 41 automatically produces a scraping or cleaning effect , that is say a self - cleaning action , in respect of the adjacent seal components . to enhance this effect the contour of the sealing bead is preferably of flattened or spherically rounded design . a further improved configuration comprises a sealing bead 48 which — in contrast to the material of the filler neck 8 — is formed from an especially fatigue - resistant elastic material and is moulded on . a further advantage of the radial seal is that vibrations or shocks — such as always occur in motor vehicles — cannot cause a reduction of the sealing effect between the filling filter 41 and the filler neck 8 . it is also feasible in principle , however , to arrange the sealing bead 48 on an underside 50 of the collar 45 , so that the sealing action operates in an axial direction . the sealing bead 48 permits easy and reliable sealing of the filling filter 41 in the area of the collar 45 , 47 . this therefore ensures that even at this point no dirt particles can get into the fluid reservoir 40 . in order to improve the pressure balancing the seal described can furthermore be designed so that by advantageously incorporating at least one miniaturized duct , a perforation or a venting aperture a hydraulic seal is afforded at the same time as pneumatic permeability . it is naturally feasible to reverse the design construction of the seal , as it were , by arranging the elastic seal described at the filler neck , in particular on its collar 47 , without departing from the essence of the invention . in principle the filling filter 11 , 22 , 41 may be embodied as a strainer in all the exemplary embodiments described above . | 1 |
the central concept of the present invention is that the user terminal parses and plays the multimedia files , wherein the multimedia files include interactive information carrying a communication sign , and the user terminal accesses the server based on the trigger of the communication sign carried in the interactive information by the user ; wherein , the format of the interactive information in the multimedia files is tlv format ; the communication sign includes website address information and / or telephone number information ; the interactive information is contained in the heads of the multimedia files , and / or in the bodies of the multimedia files . the interactive information further includes one or more of vendor description information , transaction information , discount information and shopping - ticket returning information . the transaction information includes one or more of beneficiary bank account information , vendor &# 39 ; s name , names of the presented objects and the unit price of the presented objects . referring to fig1 , the method according to the present invention includes the following steps : s 101 : the user terminal parses and plays the multimedia files , wherein the multimedia files include interactive information carrying the communication sign ; the said user terminal may be a gprs mobile phone , a 3g mobile phone , a 4g mobile phone , a computer , a pda or a digital television , etc . ; the user terminal supports online payment , and supports internet - based user identity authentication , user signature and electronic payment ; the user terminal supports popping up advertisement - related interfaces via the trigger of physical buttons or logic buttons , said physical buttons may be different for different user terminals : for mobiles , they refer to one or more specific buttons in the mobile phone keyboard ; for digital televisions , they refer to one or more physical buttons in the remote controller ; and for computers , they refer to one functional key or a combination of several keys in the keyboard or the functional key of the mouse ; said logic buttons refer to the logical buttons on the media player interface , and the function of the logical buttons is to pop up a payment interface of the objects presented in the advertisement , a selection interface of the advertisement or a menu selection interface during playing the multimedia files . the format of the multimedia files may be jpeg , mpeg - 1 , mpeg - 2 , mpeg - 4 , mpeg - 7 , mpeg - 21 , h . 263 , h . 264 or avi , and the like . the interactive information included in the multimedia files played by the user terminal is encoded - and - written into the multimedia files while making the multimedia files . preferably , the interactive information carrying the communication sign is displayed in the first information window directly when playing the multimedia files ; preferably , the user terminal parses and plays the multimedia files , stores the interactive information carrying the communication sign , wherein the interactive information is obtained by parsing ; and during the process of playing the multimedia files , the user terminal displays the stored interactive information via the first information window on receiving a trigger signal indicating that the user desires to display the interactive information ; the interactive information obtained by parsing includes : a first type of interactive information and / or a second type of interactive information ; then , the steps for displaying the interactive information in the first information window include : the first type of interactive information is displayed continuously in the first information window ; and during playing the first type of interactive information , the second type of interactive information is updated and displayed in the first information window by the current second type of interactive information ; the format of the interactive information in the multimedia files is tlv format ; the communication sign includes website address information and / or telephone number information ; s 102 : the said user terminal accesses the server based on the trigger of the communication sign carried in the interactive information by the user . the user terminal receives the interactive information triggered by the user from the first information window , and accesses the server by using the received communication sign carried in the interactive information ; the user terminal creates a call connection according to the telephone number information triggered by the user , or logs on to the server according to the website information triggered by the user ; the interactive information further includes one or more of vendor description information , transaction information , discount information and shopping - ticket returning information ; the transaction information includes one or more of beneficiary bank account information , vendor &# 39 ; s name , names of the presented objects and the unit price of the presented objects . referring to fig2 , the method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the following steps : the video files may be multimedia files in any format , and the present embodiment takes files in avi format as an example to make explanations ; each item of the interactive information is stored in the multimedia files in tlv format , that is , the format of type - length - data , and all the advertisement information can be assembled in an interactive information tlv ; vendor description information , of which the type can be defined as a number of one byte , e . g ., with a value of 0 , or can be a character string with a fixed length , e . g ., for the avi file structure , the 4 bytes ‘ disc ’ can be used to represent the sub - tlv type . here the english description format of avi is used , and the ‘ disc ’ is the abbreviation for vendor description . transaction information , of which the type can be defined as a number of one byte , e . g ., with a value of 1 , or can be a character string with a fixed length , e . g ., for the avi file structure , the 4 bytes ‘ buya ’ can be used to represent the sub - tlv type , which is the abbreviation for buy address . the tlv further includes some sub - tlvs , e . g ., sub - tlv like vendor address , unit price of the presented objects , name of linkman , etc . website address for introducing buying sites : of which the type can be defined as a number of one byte , e . g ., with a value of 2 , or can be a character string with a fixed length , e . g ., for the avi file structure , the 4 bytes ‘ purc ’ can be used to represent the sub - tlv type , which is the abbreviation for purchase ; website address of the detailed information of the presented objects : the type of which can be defined as a number of one byte , e . g ., with a value of 3 , or can be a character string with a fixed length , e . g ., for the avi file structure , the four bytes ‘ info ’ can be used to represent the sub - tlv type , which is the abbreviation for information ; website address of the discount and sale information : the type of which can be defined as a number of one byte , e . g ., with a value of 4 , or can be a character string with a fixed length , e . g ., for the avi file structure , the four bytes ‘ dcnt ’ can be used to represent the sub - tlv type , which is the abbreviation for discount ; telephone number information : the type of which can be defined as a number of one byte , e . g ., with a value of 5 , or can be a character string with a fixed length , e . g ., for the avi file structure , the four bytes of ‘ teln ’ can be used to represent the sub - tlv type , which is the abbreviation for television number ; as for the user terminal that does not support telephone dialing function , this item will be hidden automatically and will not be displayed ; all the said interactive information is combined into a tlv , the type of which is interactive information tlv , and for the avi file , a tlv of ‘ comc ’ type , or called list according to the naming of the avi , can be added to the avi head via the interactive information . the interactive information tlv may include the respective sub - tlvs , wherein the vendor description information sub - tlv is necessary for each vendor , and in the respective sub - tlvs of the same vendor , it must be placed in the first position , and other sub - tlvs are optional . however , usually for each vendor , at least one of the other types of sub - tlvs is required ; the whole tlv can be written in the head of the video file , or in the video file body ; just like the writing manner of captions . the realization manner that the whole tlv may be written in the head of the video files is simple , however , one video file only supports advertisements of one or several presented objects or service information , which is less flexible ; for the manner that the whole tlv may be written in the video file body , the written interactive information can be updated by the contents of the interactive information with the play of the video files , which is more flexible ; in addition , for different multimedia files , the interactive information may have different writing manners ; for the practical realization , video files may support both writing manners ; the interactive information written in the head of the video files is effective during the whole life cycle of the video file , while the interactive information written in the body of the video files is updated continuously with the play of the video files ; s 202 : parsing the video files and the interactive information carried in the video files ; the interactive information encoded - and - written in the video files is parsed by the video files by the media player of the user terminal during parsing the video files , and the parsing result is sent to the interactive information storage unit of the user terminal ; s 203 : reading and displaying the vendor description information carried in the interactive information ; when the user has an intention for purchasing or for further finding out information related to the presented objects or service , the user will press the trigger button , and at this time , the user terminal will display an interactive interface , and the media playing program of the user terminal will read contents in the interactive information storage unit and displays them via the interactive interface ; the interactive interface may be a menu or a graphic selection interface , the detailed contents of the interface or the menu lie on the interactive information encoded - and - written into the video files in step s 201 , and the interactive interface may be a multi - level menu or a multi - level interface , and what is displayed on the first level interface of the interactive interface is the vendor description information , namely , the contents of the vendor description information sub - tlv for the respective vendors ; s 204 : reading and displaying the transaction information , websites for introducing the buying sites , websites for presenting the detailed information of the objects , websites of discount and sale information , and telephone number information carried in the interactive information . when the user selects a vendor description information of a vendor , the interactive interface will pop up a secondary menu or interface , and the contents of the secondary menu or interface are transaction information , website address for introducing the buying sites , websites for obtaining more goods information , websites of discount and sale information , and telephone number information etc . ; s 205 : logging on to the server and carrying out online transaction after the user selects an operation with respect to a presented object or service information from the secondary menu or interface of the interactive interface , the user terminal is triggered and will connect to the corresponding bank payment website , goods information website , etc ., and the interactive interface will pop up the browser interface automatically , wherein the website address of the browser will be filled by the user terminal automatically , and the browser logs on to the corresponding internet website through internet , then the user can perform corresponding operation via the displayed browser interface and carry out online transaction ; for the user terminal that supports telephone dialing , a call connection can be created directly by the telephone number information triggered by the user . referring to fig3 , the system according to the present invention includes : a user terminal 30 and a server 31 ; the user terminal 30 includes : a multimedia file storage unit 301 , a media player 302 , and an interactive information storage unit 303 ; the media player 302 includes : a parsing unit 3021 , an operating unit 3022 and an interactive unit 3023 ; the interactive information storage unit 303 includes : a first storage unit 3031 and / or a second storage unit 3032 . the user terminal 30 is used for parsing and playing the multimedia files , wherein the multimedia files includes interactive information carrying the communication sign , and accessing the server 31 based on the trigger of the communication sign carried in the interactive information by the user ; the server 31 is used for providing access connection for the user terminal 30 ; the multimedia storage unit 301 stores the multimedia files , wherein the multimedia files include interactive information carrying the communication sign ; according to the present embodiment of the system , the said multimedia files are video files in avi format ; the current commonly used multimedia files usually use the tlv structure or tlv - like structure , and therefore respective types of multimedia files are suitable for the storage of the interactive information ; the interactive information is included in the video file head and / or the video file body ; for the video files in avi format , the following two solutions can be used to write the interactive information into the multimedia files : solution one : writing the interactive information in the video file head , and the interactive information forms a new list , namely , the tlv is called a ‘ comc ’ list in the avi file format , and the ‘ comc ’ list is written below the ‘ avih ’ chunk in the ‘ hdrl ’ list of the avi , and in this way , during playing the whole video file , the interactive information is fixed and will not change with the playing of the video files ; solution two : writing the interactive information in the video file body , which is similar to the ‘ txts ’ stream for displaying captions ; an advertising information stream can be added for the interactive information , and the advertising information may change dynamically like the ‘ txts ’ stream ; the advertising stream is used to load the tlv composed of the interactive information , and the interactive information supported by this manner will change dynamically during playing the video files ; the media player 302 parses and plays the multimedia files , and displays the interactive information obtained by parsing , and accesses the server 31 automatically or based on the trigger of the communication sign carried in the interactive information by the user ; the interactive information storage unit 303 is used for storing the interactive information carrying the communication sign , wherein the interactive information is obtained by parsing the multimedia files ; fig4 shows a structure schematic view of the interactive information stored in the interactive information storage unit 303 ; fig5 shows the storage structure schematic view of the interactive information in avi format ; according to the present embodiment , the interactive information includes : vendor description information , transaction information , discount information , shopping - ticket returning information and buying address information ; the transaction information includes : bank website address information , beneficiary bank account information , vendor &# 39 ; s name , names of the presented object , unit price information of the presented objects and telephone number information ; the structure of the transaction information sub - tlv is shown in fig6 ; and the sub - tlvs included in the transaction information sub - tlv are : sub - tlv of the website address of online bank , the avi type of which is bkad ( bank address ); bank account sub - tlv , the avi type of which is bkac ( bank account ); vendor &# 39 ; s name sub - tlv , the avi type of which is vend ( vendor ); sub - tlv of the name of the presented object , of which the avi type is prod ( product ); sub - tlv of the unit price of the presented object , of which the avi type is pric ( price ); it is necessary to provide a lock when modifying the contents in the interactive information storage unit 303 , and at this time no program is allowed to access the contents , and they can only wait . only the media player 302 has the right to modify the contents in the interactive information storage unit 303 ; the interactive information storage unit 303 can be located in any storage media , and the size of the storage area depends on the number of items of the supported advertising information and the size of the storage capacity occupied by each of the items ; wherein , the interactive information can be classified into a first type of interactive information and a second type of interactive information according to the different manners via which the interactive information is written into the multimedia files , wherein the interactive information written in the multimedia file head is the first type of interactive information , and the interactive information written in the multimedia file body is the second type of interactive information ; the parsing unit 3021 is used for parsing the video files , wherein the video files include interactive information carrying the communication sign , and for transmitting the parsed interactive information carrying the communication sign to the interactive information storage unit 303 , wherein the first type of interactive information obtained by parsing is transmitted to the first storage unit 3031 ; and the second type of interactive information obtained by parsing is transmitted to the second storage unit 3032 ; then , the first storage unit 3031 is used for storing the parsed first type of interactive information , and the first type of interactive information is parsed and stored when the parsing unit 3021 starts to parse the video files ; the second storage unit 3032 is used for storing the parsed second type of interactive information , and updating the stored second type of interactive information itself by the currently received parsed second type of interactive information ; the operating unit 3022 is used for playing the multimedia files , and during playing the multimedia files , reading the interactive information that the user desires to display from the interactive information storage unit 303 on receiving the trigger signal indicating that the user desires to display the interactive information , and displaying the interactive information via the first information window , and continuously displaying the first type of interactive information in the first information window ; or displaying the second type of interactive information in the first information trigger window , and during the process of playing the multimedia files , updating the second type of interactive information displayed in the first information trigger window by using the current second type of interactive information ; the first type of interactive information and the second type of interactive information can exist alone according to the practical need , and the detailed realization is the same as what mentioned above , these will not be explained in detail . the interactive unit 3023 is used for accessing the server 31 based on the trigger of the communication sign carried in the interactive information by the user ; for example , after the user accesses the payment bank website through the interactive unit 3023 , the operating unit 3022 pops up the electronic payment interface of the online bank , in which the producer &# 39 ; s or vendor &# 39 ; s name , goods names , unit price of the goods , number for purchasing and bank account , etc . are included , and the user just needs to fill in information like the number for purchasing . to sum up , the present invention adds interactive information related to the presented objects or service information into the interactive information , e . g ., transaction information , website address of the vendor , discount web site , service telephone number , etc . ; via these interactive information , the user can directly contact with the vendor , producer or service provider via internet or telephone conveniently , wherein the service provider includes web service provider or bank . what described above greatly facilitates user &# 39 ; s operation . this is different from the current advertising mode ; and the current advertising mode is usually unilateral and the advertising contents are pure advertisements , after viewing the advertisements , the user needs a remembering or recording process for the contents of interest ; for the user , viewing the advertisements and the payment operation of the objects presented in the advertisements are separated ; the media player according to the present invention , on the one hand , parses the newly added advertising information tlv , and on the other hand , is able to support the user &# 39 ; s trigger ; when the user has an intention to purchase or find out further information on the presented object , via the user terminal &# 39 ; s keys , touching the displaying screen and clicking a functional key of the media player , or the combination of these actions , the media player can pop up the selection interface automatically , and the selection interface can either be a menu selection interface or a panel selection interface ; after the user performs one or more selections through the selection interface , the selection interface will automatically display the interface that the browser logs on to the server , and the user can perform related online payment or web access ; for the user terminals like mobile phones , a call connection can be created . therefore , by using the technical solution of the present invention , the user does not need to input website information or telephone number manually , which facilities the user &# 39 ; s operation . according to the present invention , the media advertisements and user &# 39 ; s electronic payment are connected . after viewing discount information , the user can decide to buy quickly , from viewing related advertising contents to deciding to purchase and to paying fees , the whole process can be accomplished immediately . as for the user that does not have the intention to purchase or find out further information about the presented objects , the multimedia files will not pop up any contents during the playing process . therefore , using the technical solution of the present invention will make the user &# 39 ; s buying operation much more convenient . obviously , those skilled in the art can make any modifications and variations to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . in this way , if the modifications and varieties to the invention are within the scope of the claims of the present invention and the equivalents , the present invention is also intended to contain these modification and varieties . | 7 |
as used herein , the term “ salicylate ” means salicylic acid or a salt thereof . the radiopharmaceutical agent used in the present invention comprises an active ingredient radiolabeled with a radioisotope . as described above , the purpose for the addition of salicylate is to protect the active ingredient against radiolysis . such protection is effective regardless of the type of radiation involved , namely , alpha , beta or gamma radiation . accordingly , salicylate is effective for use with all kinds of radioisotopes used in radiopharmaceuticals . such radioisotopes include 125 i , 131 i , 225 ac , 212 bi , 213 bi , 211 at , 153 sm , 177 lu , 159 gd , 149 pm , 140 la , 175 yb , 166 ho , 90y , 47 sc , 186 re , 188 re , 142 pr , 99m tc , 67 ga , 105 rh , 97 ru , 111 in , 113m in , 115m in . the active ingredient for use in the present invention comprises a molecular structure containing the radioisotope . in some embodiments , the active ingredient may be a radioisotope complexed with a chelating agent such as those described in u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 435 , 990 , 5 , 652 , 361 and 4 , 898 , 724 , incorporated herein by reference . in other embodiments , the active ingredient may be a radiolabeled organic molecule as those described in wo 99 / 63547 and u . s . pat . no . 6 , 315 , 979 , incorporated herein by reference . such active ingredients can be used for medical diagnosis or therapy . salicylate may be added to the radiopharmaceutical agent either before or after radiolabeling the active ingredient with the radioisotope . the form of the radiopharmaceutical agent may be freeze - dried , powder , mixture or liquid form . preferably , the concentration of salicylate in the final radiopharmaceutical formulation is from about 1 - 10 % by weight based on weight of the final formulation . more preferably , the concentration of salicylate is from about 2 - 8 % by weight and even more preferably from about 3 - 7 % by weight . the temperature and pressure at which the salicylate acid is added to the radiopharmaceutical formulation are not critical . the resulting radiopharmaceutical formulations include those suitable for parenteral ( including subcutaneous , intramuscular , intraperitoneal , and intravenous ), oral , rectal , topical , nasal , or ophthalmic administration . formulations may be prepared by any methods well known in the art of pharmacy . such methods include the step of bringing the radiopharmaceutical agent into association with a carrier , excipient or vehicle therefore . in general , the formulation may be prepared by uniformly and intimately bringing the radiopharmaceutical agent into association with a liquid carrier , a finely divided solid carrier , or both , and then , if necessary , shaping the product into desired formulation . in addition , the formulations of this invention may further include one or more accessory ingredient ( s ) selected from diluents , buffers , binders , disintegrants , surface active agents , thickeners , lubricants , preservatives , and the like . in addition , a treatment regime might include pretreatment with non - radioactive carrier . injectable formulations of the present invention may be either in suspensions or solution form . in the preparation of suitable formulations it will be recognized that , in general , the water solubility of the salt is greater than the acid form . in solution form the complex ( or when desired the separate components ) is dissolved in a physiologically acceptable carrier . such carriers comprise a suitable solvent , preservatives , or buffers . useful solvents include , for example , water , aqueous alcohols , glycols , and phosphonate or carbonate esters . such aqueous solutions contain no more than 50 percent of the organic solvent by volume . injectable suspensions are compositions of the present invention that require a liquid suspending medium , with or without adjuvants , as a carrier . the suspending medium can be , for example , aqueous polyvinylpyrrolidone , inert oils such as vegetable oils or highly refined mineral oils , polyols , or aqueous carboxymethylcellulose . suitable physiologically acceptable adjuvants , if necessary to keep the complex in suspension , may be chosen from among thickeners such as carboxymethylcellulose , polyvinylpyrrolidone , gelatin , and the alginates . many surfactants are also useful as suspending agents , for example , lecithin , alkylphenol , polyethyleneoxide adducts , naphthalenesulfonates , alkylbenzenesulfonates , and polyoxyethylene sorbitane esters . the following examples are provided to further illustrate the present invention , and should not be construed as limiting thereof . the materials used in the following examples are indicated below in table 1 . i - hbs ( sodium 3 -( 125 i ) iodo - 4 - hydroxybenzenesulfonate ) solutions were prepared , as in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 315 , 979 , using various potential radioprotectants as shown below in table 2 . conical glass vials ( 2 ml , kimble glass , inc .) were prepared containing pre - weighed amounts of the solid potential radioprotectants to be evaluated . i - hbs ( 1 ml , 195 mci / ml ) was then dispensed into each vial . analytical samples were taken from each vial on days 0 , 2 , 8 , 15 , 23 and 30 . the samples were analyzed by hplc for free 125 i iodide , which is the major radiolytic impurity due to radiolysis . the results from these analyses , expressed as percent free iodide ( 125 i ), are listed below in table 3 . these numbers represent the percent of the radioactivity ( area percent ) associated with the 125 i retention time in the radiometric chromatogram . surprisingly , the use of salicylate ( example 1 ) results in fewer impurities than the radioprotecting agents disclosed in the prior art . fig1 is the chromatogram showing the purity profile for salicylate ( example 1 ). peaks are shown for 125 i , i - hbs and i 2 - hbs ( sodium 3 , 5 -( 125 i ) bisiodo - 4 - hydroxybenzenesulfonate ), as identified in fig1 . fig2 is a chromatogram depicting the purity profile for dihydroxybenzoic acid ( comparative example 5 ). again , peaks are shown for 125 i , i - hbs and i 2 - hbs . however , there is an additional peak with a retention time of approximately 19 . 4 minutes , depicting unidentified impurities which are present in the resulting formulation . such a peak does not exist in fig1 . | 0 |
the present invention relates to a lifesaving air boat comprising a compressed air bomb provided with pull - out safety valves and a plurality of air tubes , adapted to be automatically formed as compressed air in the compressed air bomb is supplied , opening of the pull - out safety valves , into the plurality of air tubes when thrown out from a mother ship onto the sea in the case of emergency and to be propelled by human or wind power . the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown . reference numeral 1 designates a main body of the lifesaving air boat having a compressed air bomb 2 on the outside of the bottom which will be formed by a first air tube 3 held by a t - shaped metallic plate 6 when the air tube 3 is inflated , see fig2 . a second air tube 4 is held at longitudinally opposite sides by said compressed air bomb 2 and will form the main body 1 of the lifesaving air boat . a third air tube 5 is supported by the second air tube 4 and will form a roof . the compressed air bomb 2 located along the outside of the bottom extends substantially in the longitudinal direction across said first air tube 3 and integrally secured to the metallic plate 6 . the compressed air bomb 2 is provided at both ends 7 , 8 with pull - out safety valves 9 ( see fig4 ), through which the compressed air from the compressed air bomb 2 is supplied into respective chambers of the first air tube 3 as well as the second and third air tubes 4 , 5 to inlfate them as pull - out pins 11 are pulled out from the associated pull - out safety valves 9 and thereby the latter are opened . the ends 7 of the safety valves 9 are each provided with high pressure rubber hoses 201 ( see fig2 ) at the air outlets 20 and 21 . each of the high pressure rubber hoses 201 have further hose branches therefrom and these branch hoses are connected to the respective regulating valve 12 . the respective air tubes are provided with regulating valves 12 ( see fig5 ) adapted to regulate a pressure at which the compressed air from the compressed air bomb 2 is supplied through the pull - out safety valves 9 into the respective air tubes . when the pin 11 of the pull out safety valve 9 is pulled out , the compressed air stored in the compressed air bomb 2 is supplied through the end 7 , the pull out safety valve 9 , the high pressure rubber hoses 200 ( see fig2 ) and the regulating valves 12 into the first air tubes 3 , 3 and the second air tubes 4 , 4 . the respective air tubes 3 , 4 and 5 are thus supplied with air and thereby the main body 1 of the lifesaving air boat is formed . after distribution of air , the compressed air bomb 2 serves for protection and stabilization of said main body 1 of the lifesaving air boat . reference numeral 13 designate relatively thick nylon film sheets reinforced with lead between layers which cover exposed spaces 14 , 15 defined by the third air tube 5 , a portion of the second air tube 4 and the end 7 of the compressed air bomb 2 and the third air tube 5 , another portion of the second air tube 4 and the end 8 of the compressed air bomb 2 , respectively ; see fig1 and 3 . one of these nylon film sheets 13 defines a window and the other is provided with a large sized fastener 203 adapted to define an entrance and exit and is normally arranged in a closed condition ; see fig2 and 22 . thus a room is formed and a danger of being washed away by waves is avoided . the boat will readily restore to the normal state even when capsized . the pull - out safety valve 9 and the regulating valve 12 will be now described in detail referring to fig4 and 5 , respectively . reference numeral 10 designates a cap portion forming a part of the pull - out safety valve 9 and through which a vertically movable shaft 140 extends . a head 140a of said vertically movable shaft 140 is urged by a resilient effect of a coil spring 150 against a pull - out pin 11 while a lower end 140b thereof is fixed to a valve body 16 of synthetic rubber . reference numeral 17 designates a main body of the pull - out safety valve 9 on which said cap portion 10 is threaded and reference numeral 18 designates a threaded portion adapted to be threaded into the end 7 or 8 of the compressed air bomb 2 . an arrow c indicates the direction in which the compressed air is supplied from the compressed air bomb 2 into the valve 9 and a valve mouth portion 19 bears against the valve body 16 . the pin 11 of the pullout safety valve 9 may be connected by a string to the handrail or the like of the mother ship so that the pin 11 is automatically pulled out at the moment the main body 1 of the boat is thrown into the sea . alternatively , the pin 11 may be pulled out manually before the boat is thrown into the sea . the main body of the valve 9 is provided with air outlets 20 , 21 which are connected respectively by conduits to the regulating valves 12 which will be described more in detail later . when the pull - out pin 11 is pulled out in the direction indicated by the arrow a , the vertically movable shaft 140 is moved upward under the restoring force of the spring 15 and accordingly the valve body 16 also is bent upward . in consequence , the valve mouth portion 19 is opened and the compressed air is supplied from the compressed air bomb 2 through the air outlets 20 , 21 into the regulating valves 12 . the regulating valves 12 are mounted at suitable locations in the first air tube 3 , the second air tube 4 and the third air tube 5 , respectively , so as to be closed when the pressures within the associated air tubes 3 , 4 and 5 exceed a predetermined level . specifically the regulating valves 12 are independently mounted on the independent second air tubes 4 , 4 on the right side , as illustrated , and the third air tubes 5 , 5 forming the roof . reference numeral 22 designates an air inlet adapted to be connected to the associated air outlet 20 , 21 of the pull - out safety valve 9 and the compressed air supplied through said air inlet 22 is further supplied through a passage 24 extending through a valve stem 23 ( see fig5 a ), an air outlet 25 and an air inlet 26 of each air tube 3 , 4 , 5 into the air tube 3 , 4 , 5 . reference numeral 27 designates a main body of the regulating valve 12 , through which a valve element 29 is vertically displaced in an inner cylinder 28 according to the air pressure within the associated air tube . reference numeral 30 designates a coil spring which normally urges the valve element 29 downward so that the passage 24 extending through the valve stem 23 is opposed to the air inlet 22 and the air outlet 25 to allow the passage of air . reference numeral 31 designates a seat washer and reference numeral 32 designates bellows of synthetic rubber adapted to be expanded and contracted in the directions indicated by arrows d and e , respectively , depending upon the air pressure within the associated air tube 3 , 4 , 5 . reference numeral 33 designates metallic parts of the valve mounted on the first , second and third air tubes 3 , 4 and 5 . in this manner , the compressed air passes through the air inlet 22 of the regulating valve 12 , the passage 24 extending through the valve stem 23 , the air outlet 25 and the air inlet 26 into the air tube 3 , 4 , 5 . as the pressure within the air tube 3 , 4 , 5 rises , the bellows 32 are displaced in the direction indicated by the arrow e , urging the valve element 29 against the expanding resiliency of the coil spring 30 in the same direction and thereby displacing said passage 24 extending through said valve stem 23 out of the alignment with said air inlet 22 and air outlet 25 so that the valve mouth is closed to regulate the pressure at which the compressed air is supplied into the air tube . now the manual mechanism to propel the main body 1 of the lifesaving air boat according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to fig6 and 10 . reference numeral 34 designates oars pivotally mounted on a frame 35 at 36 , said frame 35 being fixed to the previously mentioned metallic plate 6 , and lower ends 37 of the respective oars 34 are pivotally mounted on a reciprocating lever 38 so that the latter is reciprocated in the directions indicated by arrows h and i as said oars 34 are reciprocated in the directions indicated by arrows f and g ; see fig6 and 7 . reference numeral 39 designates a link pivotally mounted on one end 40 of the reciprocating lever 38 at 40a and an operating lever 42 is pivotally mounted on the other end 41 of said link 39 at 42a ; see fig8 . reference numeral 43 designates a rotary shaft on which the other end 44 of said operating lever 42 is loosely mounted while a ratchel wheel 45 and a starting gear 46 are fixedly mounted . reference numeral 47 designates a ratchet pawl mounted on the operating lever 42 at a suitable position , which is normally biased by a spring into engagement with said ratchet wheel 45 . as the reciprocating lever 38 moves in the direction of the arrow h , the operating lever 42 is rotated around the rotary shaft 43 in the direction of an arrow j by a predetermined angle and at the same time the ratchet pawl 47 urges the ratchet wheel 45 in the direction corresponding to an arrow k , thus causing an angular rotation of said ratchet wheel 45 , said rotary shaft 43 and said starting gear 46 together in the same direction ; see fig8 . as the reciprocating lever 38 is now moved back in the direction corresponding to the arrow i , the operating lever 42 is angular - rotated around the rotary shaft 43 in the direction indicated by an arrow l , causing the ratchet pawl 47 to be disengaged from the ratchet wheel 45 and thereby to be brought back integrally with said operating lever 42 in the direction of the arrow l . accordingly , the angular rotation of the rotary shaft 43 occurs only in the direction corresponding to the arrow k and not in the reverse direction . it is only the operating lever 42 that is reversible . reference numeral 48 designates a driven gear in engagement with the starting gear 46 and this driven gear 48 having a clutch mechanism 58 through which said driven gear may be selectively coupled to or brought away from a rotary shaft 49 . reference numeral 50 designates a worm gear fixedly mounted on said rotary shaft 49 and engaged with a further worm gear 51 ; see fig9 and 10 . reference numeral 52 designates a rotary pump adapted to be operated by rotation of the worm gear 51 . reference numeral 53 designates an inertia wheel adapted to be rotated integrally with the driven gear 45 see fig8 . now the wind - powered propelling mechanism for the main body 1 of the lifesaving air boat according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to fig9 and 10 . reference numeral 54 designates a rotary shaft connected to a collapsible omnidirectional windmill and having a starting chain gear 55 fixedly mounted thereon . this rotary shaft 54 is adapted to rotate a driven chain gear 57 through a chain 56 . said driven chain gear 57 is fixedly mounted on the rotary shaft 49 see fig9 and 10 . in using the collapsible omnidirectional windmill , the clutch mechanism 58 may be released so as to disengage the driven gear 48 and the associated elements from the rotary shaft 49 . now the rotary pump 52 will be described in detail illustrated in fig1 . the rotary pump 52 comprises a pump housing 59 , a rotary element 60 and movable valve plates 61 , 62 . said rotary element 60 is adapted to be rotated integrally with the worm 51 . reference numeral 63 designates an opening formed in the movable valve plate 61 of fig1 , through which the movable valve plate 62 of fig1 may loosely extend transversely of said movable valve plate 61 . these movable valve plates 61 and 62 assembled transversely of each other as mentioned just above are loosely inserted into a groove 64 of the rotary element 60 as shown by fig1 and 12 . reference numeral 65 designates a wall made of material such as hard vinyl or plastic covering the inside of the pump housing 59 , reference numeral 66 an inlet and 67 an outlet . the movable plates 61 and 62 are displaced outwards and inwards with respect to the groove 64 of the rotary element 60 while being rotated around the axis of said rotary element 60 as the latter is rotated in the direction of an arrow n so as to suck water through the inlet 66 and then to discharge it through the outlet 67 as a jet stream . the main body 1 of the lifesaving air boat is thus propelled . reference numeral 68 ( fig7 ) designates a water suction hose connected to the inlet 66 of the rotary pump 52 and reference numeral 69 designates a water discharge hose connected to the outlet 67 of the rotary pump . now the collapsible omnidirectional windmill 70 will be described in detail with reference to fig1 - 18 . reference numeral 71 designates a rotary shaft forming a part of the collapsible omnidirectional windmill 70 , which is provided at the lower end with a splined coupling cylinder 72 adapted to be selectively brought into engagement with splines 73 of the rotary shaft 54 to transmit the rotation of said rotary shaft 54 see fig9 and 15 . reference numeral 74 designates a vertically movable guide disc mounted around said splined coupling cylinder 72 and a threaded rod 75 extends through said guide disc 74 in threaded engagement therewith , so that the rotation of said threaded rod 75 causes the vertical movement of the guide disc 74 ( see fig1 ), thereby causing the rotary shaft 71 to be vertically moved , and at the same time causes the collapsible omnidirectional windmill 70 to be opened or closed . reference numeral 76 designates projections formed around the vertically movable guide disc 74 ( see fig1 ) loosely engaged within respective longitudinal grooves ( not shown ) so that said vertically movable guide disc 74 may be smoothly displaced in the vertical direction without rotation . reference numeral 77 generally designates handle mechanism for vertical movement of the threaded rod 75 and reference numeral 78 designates a base cylinder and a base reinforcing structure . reference numeral 79 designates a ring loosely fitted in a top 80 of the base cylinder 78 and knock - engaged into grooves of the rotary shaft 71 so that this ring 79 may be rotated integrally with said rotary shaft 71 which extends through said ring 79 and is vertically movable . outer frames 81 are mounted at the lower ends on the ring 79 in a collapsible manner . reference numeral 83 designates a ring similarly knock - engaged into the grooves of the rotary shaft 71 so that said rotary shaft 71 extends through this ring 83 and the latter is vertically movable but rotated integrally with said rotary shaft 71 . inner frames 84 are mounted at the lower ends on the ring 83 in a collapsible manner at 85 . reference numeral 86 designates a ring mounted around the rotary shaft 71 in a vertically movable manner and is normally held about at a middle point of said rotary shaft 71 . this ring 86 also is knock - engaged into the grooves of the rotary shaft 71 so as to be rotated integrally with the latter . arms 87 are collapsibly mounted on this ring 86 at 88 . these arms 87 having the ends opposite to those mounted on the ring 86 centrally connected to the respective frames 81 , 84 serve to open and close the collapsible omnidirectional windmill . reference numeral 89 designates a ring on which the upper ends of the inner frames are collapsibly mounted . reference numeral 90 indicates the position at which the collapsible omnidirectional windmill is fully opened . reference numeral 91 designates a ring fixed to the upper end of the rotary shaft 71 , on which the upper ends of the outer frames 81 are collapsibly mounted at 92 . rotation of the handle mechanism 77 causes the vertically movable guide disc 74 to be moved upwards in the direction of an arrow n and thereby the splines of the rotary shaft 54 to be brought out of engagement with the splines 73 . correspondingly , the rings 83 , 86 and 89 are displaced along the rotary shaft 71 in the direction of an arrow o by sufficient distances , respectively , to collapse the frames 81 , 84 and the arms 87 and thereby to close the windmill . referring to fig1 , reference numeral 93 designates sails of cloth and reference numeral 94 designates auxiliary arms projecting from the respective arms 87 . the frames 84 are collapsibly mounted on the opposite ends of said auxiliary arms 94 , respectively , while the frames 81 are collapsibly mounted on the front ends of the arms 87 , respectively . sails extend between each pair of mutually associated frames 81 and 84 , respectively . reference numeral 95 designates cords extending between each pair of adjacent arms 87 . the collapsible omnidirectional windmill 70 is rotated in the direction of an arrow q as the windmill 70 is exposed to the wind coming in the direction of an arrow p . a steering mechanism will now be described in detail in conjunction with fig1 and 20 . reference numeral 96 designates a steering device by operation of which hydraulic piston - cylinder units 97 and 98 may be activated . reference numerals 99 to 102 designate conduits connected to piston - cylinder units 103 ad 104 for operation of rudders , respectively . reference numerals 105 and 106 designate outer rudders rotatably mounted on a shaft 107 and connected , respectively at 110 , to piston rods 108 and 109 of said cylinders 103 and 104 , respectively , so that said outer rudders 105 and 106 swing around the shaft 107 in the direction of arrows s as said piston rods 108 and 109 are advanced in the direction of arrows r . reference numerals 111 and 112 designate projections provided on the insides of the outer rudders 105 and 106 , respectively , so as to engage inner rudders 113 and 114 which will be described later and thereby cause the latter to swing respectively . the inner rudders 113 and 114 also are rotatably mounted on said shaft 107 and include projections 115 and 116 for engagement with the associated outer rudders at said projections 111 and 112 , respectively . thus , the outer rudders 105 and 106 swing in the direction of the arrows s with the projections 111 and 112 urging the associated projections 115 and 116 of the inner rudders 113 and 114 , causing the latter to swing in the direction of the arrows s , respectively . reference numeral 117 designates a watershoot serving to collect water coming through the water discharge hose 69 and then to discharge the collected water through an outlet 118 in the form of a jet stream . said outer and inner rudders are pivotally mounted on the shaft 107 adjacent said outlet 118 . as the piston 97a of the hydraulic piston - cylinder unit 97 is displaced in the direction of the arrow j by operation of the steering device 96 , the hydraulic pressure within said hydraulic piston - cylinder unit 97 flows in the conduit 99 and drives the piston rod 108 within the piston - cylinder unit 103 for operation of the rudders in the direction of the arrow r so that the outer rudder 105 swing around the shaft 107 in the direction of the arrow s . then the projection 111 urges the associated projection 115 of the inner rudder 113 , advancing said inner rudder 113 in the direction of the arrow s . in consequence , the jet stream discharged through the outlet 118 of the watershoot 117 is deflected in the direction of an arrow u and a course of the main body 1 of the lifesaving air boat is changed . to change the course of the main body 1 in the opposite direction , the hydraulic piston - cylinder unit 98 may be operated so as to cause the outer rudder 106 and the inner rudder 114 to swing . the arrangement of the propelling system , the driving system , and the like , can be better appreciated from examining fig2 and 22 . in examining fig2 and 22 , it will be noted that the main body 1 of the boat is provided on the left side with a steering device 96 centrally arranged with a driving mechanism including the oars 34 and on the right side with a gear box 202 for change - over between the man - powered system and the wind - powered system . a rotary shaft 54 is vertically mounted on the rear box 202 to accommodate a rotary shaft 71 of the collapsible omnidirectional windmill 70 . the windmill 70 is normally demounted and laid on its side within the main body 1 of the boat and raised up when used , since the windmill 70 is useless when the main body 1 of the boat is thrown into the sea . the rotary pump 52 is accommodated within the gear box 202 . now the manner in which the lifesaving air boat according to the present invention is operated will be described . initially , it should be understood that when the boat is still not supplied with compressed air it will not be inflated as shown by fig1 , 3 21 and 22 , and therefore , the boat at this time point appears as a metallic plate 6 longitudinally extending and having a cover thereover as can be readily visualized from the above explanation . immediately after the boat has been thrown into the sea , compressed air is still not sufficiently supplied into the respective air tubes so that the boat can not satisfactorily float on the water . when the main body 1 of the lifesaving air boat according to the present invention is thrown out onto the sea , the pullout pin is forcibly pulled out and compressed air in the compressed air bomb flows through the respective regulating valves for the first , second and third air tubes 3 , 4 and 5 into these air tubes to inflate them . such distribution of the compressed air into the respective air tubes forms a practically useful main body 1 of the lifesaving air boat . the main body 1 of the boat can restore its normal posture in accordance with the principle of the japanese &# 34 ; daruma doll &# 34 ; even when the main body 1 of the boat is turned over in the sea and inundation to degree occurs , since compressed air is supplied into the third air tubes 5 forming the roof and thereby the nylon films 13 form chambers . accordingly , the main body 1 of the boat normally floates on the surface of the sea . when it is desired to propel the main body 1 of the lifesaving air boat in the manual manner , the oars 34 are alternately pushed and pulled in the directions of arrows f and g so that the rotary pump 52 may be operated through the reciprocating lever 38 , the link 39 , the operating lever 42 , the rotary shaft 43 , the ratchet wheel 45 , the starting gear 46 , the driven gear 48 , the worm gear 50 and the worm 51 . the rotary pump 52 discharges a jet stream through the water discharge hose 69 , the watershoot 117 and the outlet 118 and thereby to propel the main body 1 of the lifesaving air boat . when the collapsible omnidirectional windmill 70 is used to propel the main body 1 of the lifesaving air boat , the driven gear 48 and the associated elements are disengaged from the rotary shaft 49 by disconnecting the clutch , then the collapsible omnidirectional windmill 70 is opened and the rotary shaft 54 of the starting chain gear 55 is coupled to the rotary shaft 71 of the collapsible omnidirectional windmill 70 so that the torque of said collapsible omnidirectional windmill 70 is transmitted by the starting chain gear 55 , the chain 56 , the driven chain gear 57 , the rotary shaft 49 , the worm gear 50 and the worm 51 to the rotary pump 52 which , in turn , discharge a jet stream through the watershoot 117 and thereby to propel the main body 1 of the lifesaving air boat . the lifesaving air boat according to the present invention , which is arranged and operates in the manner as aforementioned , facilitates a quick lifesaving in an emergency and may be propelled selectively by human power or wind power towards a goal . | 1 |
it is to be understood that the figures and descriptions of the present invention have been simplified to illustrate elements that are relevant for a clear understanding of the invention , while eliminating , for purposes of clarity , other elements that may be well known . those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other elements are desirable and / or required in order to implement the present invention . however , because such elements are well known in the art , and because they do not facilitate a better understanding of the present invention , a discussion of such elements is not provided herein . the detailed description will be provided hereinbelow with reference to the attached drawings . in accordance with the present invention , a tailgate extension apparatus is provided that is capable of functioning in conjunction with a conventional tailgate ( fig1 ) to add the functionality of three additional positions ( fig6 , and 8 ). initially referring to fig1 of the drawings , a tailgate extension apparatus is incorporated in a vehicle 20 with a drop down tailgate 100 . handle 110 is for releasing latches ( discussed later ) which enable tailgate 100 to drop down to a horizontal position . although the vehicle 20 shown in fig1 is a pick - up truck , the invention may be used with many different kinds of cargo - carrying vehicles . the tailgate 100 is preferably a hybrid tailgate ( described below ) comprised of a plastic inner structural module ( reinforcing module ) surrounded by a thin metal skin , but the present invention may also be used with a conventional hollow steel tailgate . when in its fig1 stored position , the tailgate extension apparatus can not be seen , except along the top edge of the tailgate 100 . [ 0031 ] fig2 schematically illustrates the tailgate 100 in its horizontal position , and fig3 shows the tailgate extension apparatus 200 pulled out from its storage position inside tailgate 100 . the tailgate extension apparatus 200 generally comprises : two side arms 282 , a step portion 280 , two side braces 310 that are removably attached to the side arms 282 , and a plurality of hinges having non - rotating portions 250 and rotating portions 286 . these are for enabling pivoting of the extended tailgate extension apparatus 200 between a plurality of operative positions . all of these components of the tailgate extension apparatus 200 are retractably mounted within the tailgate 100 , as indicated by dotted lines in fig2 . the operative positions preferably include a tailgate extension position ( fig6 ), a tailgate backstop position ( fig7 ) and a step position ( fig8 ). preferably , the sidearms 282 and step 280 of tailgate extension apparatus 200 are integrally formed as a u - frame member 205 . preferably , u - frame member 205 is formed of of extruded metal tubing , preferably aluminum or steel , but it could , alternatively , be made of a plastic , composite , or other material . lighter materials are preferred to limit the overall weight of the tailgate and increase the ease with which the tailgate may be used . [ 0033 ] fig4 is a top view of the u - frame member 205 showing how side braces 310 are stored when the tailgate extension apparatus 200 is stored within tailgagte 100 . the two side arms 282 of the tailgate extension 200 preferably include storage recesses 350 into which the side braces 310 may be stored when the tailgate extension apparatus 200 in not in use . the recesses 350 are in the outwardly facing sides of the side arms 282 . each recess 350 preferably also includes a hole 360 ( best seen in fig3 ) through which the locking post 320 of side brace 310 may be inserted . each recess preferably also includes a hole 365 for the offset portion 330 of the side brace 310 . a through hole 370 in the inwardly facing sides of the side arms 282 is also provided for the offset portion 330 of the side brace 310 . preferably , a threaded mechanical fastener 340 , such as a cap screw , selectively prevents the side brace 310 from disengaging completely from the side arm 282 . the side brace 310 may be retained in its storage position by a clip or other fastening device ( not shown ) that functions to hold the brace 310 in place yet also releases it from the sidearm 282 when adequate lateral pressure is applied to the brace . the u - frame member 205 , preferably , has various cross - sections at different parts ( such as rectangular , round , oval or otherwise shaped in profile ), with the appropriate cross - section profile being chosen for the purpose that any particular area of the member is intended to serve . in a presently preferred embodiment , the u - frame member 205 is a hollow extruded aluminum tube that has a circular or oval profile upon extrusion . the tube may then be hydroformed to impute the angles necessary to create the step 280 , the recesses 350 for the side braces 310 , and other features . the step 280 itself may have a more “ flattened ” profile such as an oval or “ c ” shape so that the upper portion of the step ( when the u - frame 205 is in the step position ) provides a broad , flat surface area upon which a user can step . in additional embodiments , the various segments ( e . g ., 280 , 282 ) of the u - frame member 205 may be manufactured separately , and then brought together before being installed into the tailgate . many different variations on this theme are envisioned within the scope of the invention . the tailgate 100 preferably includes two hollow slots or channels 170 that serve to house and guide the arms 282 of the tailgate extension 200 . fig3 defines two sections , 9 - 9 and 10 - 10 . the former section is shown in fig9 and the latter is shown in fig1 . channels 170 , which are visible in fig9 and 10 guide the tailgate extension 200 to move from its its stored position ( fig2 ) to its extended ( operative ) positions ( fig6 , and 8 ). referring to fig9 and 10 , the inner portion 172 of channel 170 is provided to accommodate the offset portion 330 of side brace 310 as the tailgate extension 200 is moved between its stored position , as shown in fig2 to its extended position , as shown in fig3 . fig9 and 10 show the structure of the hybrid tailgate . the upper metal skin 190 and the lower metal skin 195 are shown , above and below the reinforcing module 175 , respectively . [ 0039 ] fig1 shows a wire 186 which connects the tailgate handle 110 to one of the tailgate latches 180 . a similar wire ( not shown ) connects the tailgate handle 110 to the opposite latch . the latches 180 capture posts on the vehicle 20 when the tailgate is in the raised position shown in fig1 . release of the latches 180 permits the tailgate to be lowered to the position shown in fig2 and 3 . following conventional practice , the latches 180 , preferably , are spring loaded to the closed position . when handle 110 is pulled , opening forces are applied to the latches 180 through wires 186 . wires 186 pass through transverse slots 176 in reinforcing module 175 . the present invention is preferably incorporated into a so - called “ hybrid ” tailgate but may also be used with an adapted conventional tailgate . a conventional tailgate is typically manufactured by forming a flat sheet of steel into the shape of a tailgate and thereafter welding the edges together . these tailgates are heavy to work with , and alternative solutions are continually sought . a hybrid tailgate , on the other hand , includes an interior reinforcing module of plastic or other lightweight material that is formed as the framework of the tailgate . a thin sheet of metal , such as aluminum , is then assembled around the outside of this reinforcing member . the plastic / aluminum ( or other ) combination may be as strong as a conventional steel tailgate but is lighter and easier to work with . the general structure of a hybrid tailgate is disclosed , for example , in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 944 , 373 which issued on aug . 31 , 1999 , and which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety . with a conventional tailgate , the channels 170 that guide and store the arms 282 of the u - frame member 205 may have to be specifically formed within the tailgate . with the preferred hybrid tailgate , however , the channels 170 may be made by hollowing out part of the plastic reinforcing member that makes up the interior of the hybrid tailgate structure . because the plastic reinforcing member already exists within the hybrid tailgate and further because plastic is an easier material to shape ( mold ) than steel , creating the channels 170 in the hybrid tailgate is preferred . as best shown in fig4 and 5 , hinge elements having non - rotating portions 250 and rotating portions 286 are preferably positioned on the ends of the u - frame arms 282 and serve to pivotably mount the tailgate extension 200 to the vehicle tailgate 100 . each hinge non - rotating portion 250 includes a depression 253 . the depression 253 serves to lock the u - frame member 205 into a closed position for storage by way of a spring - loaded detent 156 within the tailgate . each hinge non - rotating portion 250 preferably includes a pair of pin engaging portions 252 . a pin ( not shown ) attaches the hinge rotating portion 286 to the hinge non - rotating portion 250 . relative rotation occurs about axis 251 of the hinge non - rotating portion 250 . such a design allows the u - frame member 205 to rotate almost 180 degrees about the non - rotating portion 250 when the u - frame member 205 is fully extended from the tailgate 100 . thus , the u - frame member can be moved from the step position ( fig8 ) to the extension position ( fig6 ) or to the backstop position ( fig7 ). a spring - loaded detent 156 ( shown schematically as a hidden block in the drawings ) is located adjacent each channel 170 . the spring loaded detent 156 engages depression 253 on hinge non - rotating portion 250 to retain the tailgate extension 200 in the stored position inside the tailgate ( fig2 ). additionally , there is a stop 158 ( shown schematically as a hidden block in the drawings ). preferably , stop 158 engages the hinge non - rotating portion 250 to prevent the tailgate extension from being completely removed from the tailgate 100 . the stop 158 may , for example only , operate by engaging depression 253 on hinge non - rotating portion 250 . the locking posts 320 on the side braces 310 are for engaging the tailgate latches 180 ( schematically indicated in block form in the drawings ). when the tailgate extension 200 is in the backstop position , shown in fig7 or the step position , shown in fig8 and the locking posts 320 on the side braces 310 are engaged with the tailgate latches 180 , the side braces 310 become diagonal braces which provide rigid positioning of the tailgate extension 200 . rigid positioning of the tailgate extension 200 in the backstop position shown in fig7 and the step position shown in fig8 involves cooperation of the braces 310 and the stops 158 . to realize the step position , the tailgate 100 is first opened by moving it from a vertical position ( fig1 ) to a horizontal position ( fig2 ). the u - frame member 205 is then disengaged from the stored position by disengaging the detent 156 ( by pressing a release button and / or pulling the u - frame out of the tailgate 100 ) and extending the u - frame from the tailgate until the stop 158 engages the hinge non - rotating portion 250 . the braces 310 may then be released from the arms 282 of the u - frame member 205 . this may be accomplished by withdrawing each brace 310 laterally from a clip in the side of the u - frame member 205 . the u - frame member 205 may then be pivoted downward until it is possible to engage the locking posts 320 located on the side braces 310 with the tailgate latches 180 located on the sides of the tailgate 100 . at this point the u - frame 205 is locked in position , and the u - frame can be used as a step ( fig8 ). in one embodiment of the invention , the step portion 280 of the u - frame member 205 is grooved or knurled in a manner such that traction will be enhanced . fig8 shows the tailgate extension 200 in the step position , and defines a cross section , 12 - 12 . fig1 shows this cross section , and it shows the knurled surface 290 of the step 280 . in another embodiment , shown in fig1 , a pad 295 may be applied to the step 280 to aid in user traction . to release the u - frame member 205 from this step position , the braces 310 are disengaged from the tailgate latches 180 , preferentially , by pulling the handle 110 on the tailgate 100 and pulling in an upward direction on the side braces 310 . the side braces 310 may then be placed in their storage positions in the recesses 350 in the arms 282 of the u - frame member 205 . the u - frame member 205 may then be returned to a horizontal position and reinserted into the tailgate by and sliding the u - frame member 205 into the tailgate until the detent 156 engages . another potential use of the invention is when the u - frame member 205 is in the tailgate extension position ( fig6 ). this position allows for the hauling of oversized loads , much like a flatbed truck , but with more support for the cargo than with a conventional tailgate . in this position , the u - frame member 205 is extended horizontally from an open tailgate 100 , thereby increasing the effective length of the tailgate . to realize this position , the tailgate 100 is first opened by moving it from a vertical position ( fig1 ) to a horizontal position ( fig2 ). the u - frame member 205 is then disengaged from the stored position by disengaging the detents 156 and extending the u - frame from the tailgate 100 until the locking posts 320 on the side braces 310 can be captured by the tailgate latches 180 , as shown . in this position , the side braces 310 are substantially parallel to the arms 282 of the u - frame 205 , and the side braces 310 prevent the tailgate extension 200 from being pulled fully out , so the channels 170 in the reinforcing module 175 prevent the u - frame member 205 from rotating downward . at this point , the u - frame member 205 is locked in position and the u - frame can function as an extension of the existing tailgate 100 ( fig6 ). to release the u - frame member 205 from this position , the braces 310 are removed from the latch mechanism 242 in the tailgate by pulling the handle 110 on the tailgate 100 . they are then replaced in their storage positions , within the recesses 350 of the u - frame arms 282 . the u - frame member 205 may then be reinserted into the tailgate 100 by sliding it into the tailgate until the detent 156 engages . the present invention may also be used with the u - frame member 205 in the backstop position ( fig7 ). this position allows for the hauling of oversized loads that may potentially fall out of the bed when the tailgater 100 is in a horizontal position . to place the u - frame member 205 in the backstop position , the tailgate 100 is first opened by moving it from a vertical position ( fig1 ) to a horizontal position ( fig2 ). the tailgate extension 200 is then pulled fully out until the stops 158 prevent further movement . this is the configuration shown in fig3 . the u - frame member 205 is then rotated upwardly to the vertical position shown in fig7 . the side braces 310 are then attached by inserting the locking posts 320 into the tailgate latches 180 . in that configuration , the side braces 310 act as diagonal braces which prevent rotation of the u - frame member . the u - frame member 205 then acts as a backstop , preventing the accidental discharge of loads . cargo may be lashed to the u - frame member 205 . to release the u - frame member 205 from this position , the braces 310 are removed from the tailgate latch mechanism 180 in the tailgate 100 and replaced in their storage positions in the side arms 282 of the u - frame . the u - frame member 205 may then be returned to a horizontal position and reinserted into the tailgate 100 by sliding the u - frame into the tailgate until the detent 156 engages . in order for the side braces 310 to place the u - frame member 205 in a vertical position for use as a backstop , or a slanting position for use as a step , the hole 365 for the offset portion 330 of side brace 310 may be placed below the axis of rotation 251 of the hinge non - rotating portion 250 . also , the tailgagte latch 180 is preferably designed so that when locking post 320 is engaged with the latch , the locking post 320 is also below axis of rotation 251 . although the above description details the general structure and use of the present invention , there may also be additional features that can be used with the tailgate extension apparatus . for example , when the tailgate extension is used in the backstop or extension position , the extension is acting as a body panel but only comprises a u - frame . therefore , there is a large amount of space within the u - frame through which certain types of cargo could fall out of the vehicle . therefore , as shown in fig1 , one preferred addition to the above tailgate extension apparatus includes a removable cover plate 400 that can be snapped or otherwise attached to the u - frame when necessary . the cover plate 400 may be a thin sheet of plastic , metal , leather , or any other suitable material . preferably , the additional cover plate 400 is a thin solid sheet that can be attached to the surface of the tailgate that faces the interior of the truck bed or other cargo space . the plate 400 may be attached with a plurality of snaps , bolts , or any other fasteners . when needed , the plate 400 is simply removed from the tailgate and attached to the u - frame member . once attached , the plate 400 will provide the support of a regular body panel . it is preferred that the cover plate 400 be attached by hinges 410 to the conventional tailgate at the upper portion of the interior face of the tailgate . when the tailgate is opened and the tailgate extension apparatus is extended and locked into place as a backstop or extension , this additional plate 400 can be rotated on the hinges and swung against the u - frame which will be at a 90 degree ( backstop ) or 180 degree ( extension ) orientation from the open tailgate . once swung into position , the cover plate 400 can be secured to the u - frame 205 with snaps or any other fastening mechanism . it is noted that cover plate 400 is not stored within the tailgate 100 , but lies against the top surface of the tailgate when the tailgate is down , which is the inner surface of the tailgate when the tailgate is up . when the tailgate extension 200 is employed as a step , the cover plate 400 may be rotated to a position on the tailgate 100 so it does not interfere with step 280 . nothing in the above description is meant to limit the present invention to any specific materials , geometry , or orientation of elements . many part / orientation substitutions are contemplated within the scope of the present invention and will be apparent to those skilled in the art . the embodiments described herein were presented by way of example only and should not be used to limit the scope of the invention . although the invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments in an application , one of ordinary skill in the art , in light of the teachings herein , can generate additional embodiments and modifications without departing from the spirit of , or exceeding the scope of , the claimed invention . accordingly , it is understood that the drawings and the descriptions herein are proffered only to facilitate comprehension of the invention and should not be construed to limit the scope thereof . | 1 |
in describing preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings , specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity . however , the disclosure of this patent specification is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected and it is to be understood that each specific element includes all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner . referring now to the drawings , wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views , particularly to fig1 , an image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention is explained . fig1 is a schematic sectional view showing the schematic structure of a two - station type image forming apparatus to which an image forming apparatus of the present invention is applied . the image forming apparatus of fig1 typifies an intermediate transfer type color image forming apparatus in a two - station type recording system . in fig1 , an intermediate transfer belt 110 as an intermediate transfer medium is stretched over two opposing rollers 120 and 130 that are provided away from each other . the intermediate transfer belt 110 is rotated by these rollers 120 and 130 . in addition , the intermediate transfer belt 110 is arranged in a vicinity of an image formation process mechanism which is described below . assuming that the intermediate transfer belt 110 rotates in the direction of the arrow a , a first image station 140 and a second image station 150 are provided as the image formation process mechanism in this order from an upstream side in the belt rotation direction . further , a transfer roller 160 as an image transferring mechanism is provided to contact with and to separate from the roller 130 across the intermediate transfer belt 110 . in addition , a cleaning blade 170 is provided to contact with and to separate from the roller 120 across the intermediate transfer belt 110 . an image formation process of such an image forming apparatus is based on a general electrostatic recording system from the viewpoint of the first image station 140 . in the dark , an optical wiring unit 180 writes an electrostatic latent image of a corresponding color onto a photosensitive member 141 uniformly charged with a charging mechanism ( not shown ). then , a developing device 144 develops the electrostatic latent image as a visual image to transfer a toner image onto the intermediate transfer belt 110 . incidentally , the developing device 144 of the first image station 140 and a developing device 154 of a second image station 150 have visualizing functions using two different colors . since four colors can be prepared by adding black to three primary colors , these four colors may be assigned to a corresponding one of a magenta developing device 142 , a cyan developing device 143 , a yellow developing device 152 , and a black developing device 153 to form a full - color image . hence , the same image formation area of the intermediate transfer belt 110 passes sequentially through the two image stations 140 and 150 while being applied with a transfer bias voltage by transfer rolls 145 and 155 which serve as an intermediately - image - transferring mechanism and oppose the drum - like photosensitive members 141 and 151 , respectively , to thereby multiply transfer toner images onto the intermediate transfer belt 110 for each color . the image area of the intermediate transfer belt 110 that has been multiply transferred with the two toner images of different colors is passed sequentially through the two image stations 140 and 150 again while being multiply transferred with toner images of colors different from the previous ones by each image station . in this way , after the same image formation area has passed through the image stations 140 and 150 again , a full - color toner image can be formed through the multiple transfer in the same image formation area . then , the formed full - color toner image is transferred onto a sheet p as a sheet - like medium . the transfer is carried out such that a transfer bias voltage is applied to a transfer roller 160 for a final transfer process which is brought into close contact with the roller 130 across the intermediate transfer belt 110 to pass the sheet p through a nip portion between the transfer roller 160 and the intermediate transfer belt 110 . after the final transfer process , the full - color toner image formed on the sheet p is fixed by a fixing mechanism 190 to form the final full - color image on the sheet p . fig2 is a sectional view showing the structure of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention . the image forming apparatus of fig2 is structured such that a transfer sheet holding unit 201 a , a sheet feeing roll 201 b , a wiring device 202 , developing devices 203 and 204 , an intermediate transfer belt 205 for intermediate transfer , a fixing mechanism 206 , and an electrical system 207 are stacked in this order from the bottom . further , a sheet conveying path including a manual feeding roller 208 , registration rollers 209 a and 209 b , and a transfer roller 210 is provided substantially vertically , and passes through the transfer sheet holding unit 201 a and the sheet feeding roll 201 b and extends upward from a sheet transfer unit as a nip portion between the transfer rollers 210 and 211 towards a sheet discharging unit 212 through a fixing unit including the fixing mechanism 206 . the writing device 202 includes a laser optical system using a light source such as a semiconductor laser , an led ( light - emitting diode ), or the like . the following drum - like photosensitive members 213 and 214 as image bearing members are exposed to light corresponding to image information . more specifically , two semiconductor lasers ( not shown ) apply laser beams corresponding to the image information to stacked polygon mirrors 202 a . then , the light reflected by the polygon mirrors 202 a passes through scanning lenses 202 b and 202 c , and is reflected by reflection mirrors 202 d and focused in exposure positions of the rotating photosensitive members 213 and 214 . incidentally , each optical part is positioned and fixed to a housing 215 serving as a base of an apparatus main body casing . in this embodiment , a two - beam laser scanning system is used , but a writing method or structure is not limited thereto . in this embodiment , the wiring device 202 is provided below the photosensitive members 213 and 214 . thus , it is unnecessary to form an opening through which wiring light passes , in the housing 215 that supports the wiring device 202 from below the device . thus , it is possible to improve the strength of the housing 215 . next , a latent image forming and developing system mainly increases three cassettes or devices of a photosensitive cassette , a cleaning cassette ( cleaning device ), and a developing device , and the three cassettes and a sub side plate ( not shown ) supporting the developing device are incorporated into a unit to constitute the image station . the image station can be removably fixed to the apparatus main body . the photosensitive cassette and the cleaning cassette can be removably fixed to the sub side plate . two image stations are prepared using the same members and provided in parallel on the right and left sides . in fig2 , a first image station 300 is provided on the left side and a second image station 400 is provided on the right side . further , the two photosensitive members 213 and 214 constitute a photosensitive cassette 500 . in the photosensitive cassette 500 , the two photosensitive members 213 and 214 are integrated into one unit so as to be collectively attached and removed . that is , one photosensitive cassette 500 is provided for the two image stations 300 and 400 . the photosensitive cassette 500 can be attached to and removed from the two image stations 300 and 400 . the integration of the two photosensitive members into a unit facilitates insertion of the photosensitive member at the time of setting a machine and replacement thereof . further , unlike conventional process cartridges or image formation units , the other image forming mechanisms are not incorporated , so burdens on a user , a manufacturer , and environments can be alleviated . however , further alleviation of the burdens on the user , the manufacturer , and the environments is hindered by collective replacement of the two photosensitive members different in usable lifetime ( discard of a serviceable photosensitive member ). as a countermeasure against this , in the present invention , the photosensitive members are individually detachable to the unitized photosensitive cassette . to be specific , the first image station 300 and the second image station 400 include the developing devices 203 and 204 , and cleaning cassettes 216 and 217 , respectively , and share the detachable photosensitive cassette 500 . further , the photosensitive members 213 and 214 can be individually removed from and attached to the photosensitive cassette 500 . fig3 is a plan view showing the schematic structure of image stations of the image forming apparatus according to this embodiment . fig4 is a perspective view showing the schematic structure of each photosensitive member of each image station . incidentally , in fig3 and 4 , the same components as those of fig2 are denoted by like reference numerals . the plan view of fig3 shows the schematic structure of the first image station 300 and the second image station 400 as viewed from above . sub side plates 601 and 701 of each image station positioned in main body side plates 600 and 700 constituting the apparatus main body casing are coupled so as to keep predetermined interval and degree of parallelization with high dimensional accuracy , by a stay or a shaft ( not shown ). further , the developing devices 203 and 204 are rotatably supported and positioned by rotating shafts 801 and 802 inside the sub side plates 601 and 701 . thus , the developing devices 203 and 204 are integrated with the sub side plates 601 and 701 . the size and shape of each of the sub side plates 601 and 701 are determined so as to cover a developing driving member such as a gear or a shaft or a developing component such as a toner replenishment port provided to side portions 803 , 804 , and 805 , 806 of the developing devices 203 and 204 . further , the sub side plates 601 and 701 support the cleaning cassettes 216 and 217 such that the cassettes can be individually , rotated and removed / attached . the two photosensitive embers 213 and 214 are integrated into one unit to constitute the photosensitive cassette 500 . the sub side plates 601 and 701 support the photosensitive cassette 500 such that the photosensitive members 213 and 214 can be rotated and removed / attached . then , the sub side plates 601 and 701 are used to integrate the developing devices 203 and 204 and cleaning cassettes 216 and 217 . the first image station 300 and the second image station 400 share the photosensitive cassette 500 . the obtained first image station 300 and second image station 400 are set and fixed in positioning portions of the main body side plates 600 and 700 , and a relative relationship therebetween is thus determined . the sub side plates 601 and 701 are detachable to the main body side plates 600 and 700 together with at least the developing deices 203 and 204 . as described above , the photosensitive cassette 500 includes a holder 811 that protects and integrates , and rotatably supports the photosensitive members 213 and 214 , rotating shafts 807 and 808 , and bearings 809 and 810 . that is , unlike the conventional process cartridge or image forming unit , the photosensitive drums and other process mechanisms are not integrated . in addition , the plural photosensitive drums are not individually structured . that is , in the photosensitive cassette 500 , the bearings 809 and 810 of fig3 can be individually slid outwardly . the bearings are slid outwardly to expose the rotating shafts 807 and 808 . as shown in fig4 , cut - out portions 812 and 813 having the diameter somewhat larger than the diameters of the rotating shafts 807 and 808 are formed in both side portions of the holder 811 . the exposed rotating shafts 807 and 808 pass through the cut - out portions 812 and 813 , so the photosensitive members 213 and 214 can be individually removed / attached . thus , the photosensitive members 213 and 214 can be attached / detached to / from the holder 811 . as shown in the schematic diagram of a driving mechanism of the photosensitive members in fig5 , in the photosensitive members 213 and 214 , gears 814 and 815 integrated with the rotating shafts 807 and 808 are engaged with worm gears 817 and 818 of a worm shaft 816 . the worm shaft 816 is connected with a motor 820 provided to the image forming apparatus main body , through a pulley 819 . thus , the photosensitive members 213 and 214 are rotated in a clockwise direction that is the direction of the arrow of fig5 by a driving torque of the motor 820 . the gears 814 and 815 ( or the photosensitive members 213 and 214 etc .) are formed of the same material with the same shape and quality . identical positions on the outer side surfaces of the gears 814 and 815 are marked as marks 821 and 822 . the marks 821 and 822 are put on the most eccentric positions of the gears 814 and 815 . when the photosensitive members 213 and 214 are attached to the apparatus main body , the marks 821 and 822 are put in identical positions . for example , at the time of replacing the photosensitive member , the member is attached such that the marks 821 and 822 are put in upper positions . hence , relative driving phases of the gears 814 and 815 are matched . then , a speed difference between the photosensitive members 213 and 214 due to the eccentric gears 814 and 815 is eliminated to suppress color drift . whether or not the marks 821 and 822 are put in identical positions is checked by sensors 823 and 824 for detecting the marks 821 and 822 . at the time of setting a machine just after the purchase of the image forming apparatus , a new photosensitive cassette where photosensitive members marked in identical positions are integrated is attached to the apparatus main body , so no problem arises . at the time of replacing the photosensitive members , for example , replacing one of the photosensitive members , it is necessary to precisely match mark positions . if a user needs to execute this operation , the operation should be very easy . to that end , for example , whenever printing of an image in the image forming apparatus is completed to stop the photosensitive members and other driving units , the sensors 823 and 824 detect the marks 821 and 822 as shown in fig5 to stop these components . in this way , the marks are always placed in predetermined positions ( in fig5 , upper positions ), so it is only necessary to attach a new photosensitive member to the photosensitive cassette while matching the mark positions . hence , a user is free from a stress of positional alignment of the marks only by being given a message that “ attach photosensitive member with mark being faced up ”. at this time , the sensors 823 and 824 automatically check whether or not the positions of the marks 821 and 822 are matched . if not matched , a user is notified of the misalignment on a display or the like of the apparatus main body and required to reattach the photosensitive member . further , in the first image station 300 , as shown in fig2 and 3 , the photosensitive cassette 500 is positioned with high accuracy relative to the sub side plates 601 and 701 that fix and support the developing device 203 including the developing rollers 218 and 219 with high positional accuracy . the same applies to the second image station 400 . at the time of forming an image , the photosensitive members 213 and 214 of the photosensitive cassette 500 of this embodiment need to contact a developing or cleaning mechanism upon the image formation , and thus are exposed . if the removed photosensitive cassette 500 is placed outside the image forming apparatus at the time of replacing the photosensitive member , and the exposed portion contacts the floor or the like , there is a fear that the photosensitive members 213 and 214 are adversely affected . thus , the photosensitive cassette 500 of this embodiment is structured as shown a schematic sectional view of fig6 that shows the structure of the photosensitive cassette . the holder 811 has protrusions around the photosensitive members 213 and 214 . lines j - j , k - k , and n - n connecting tip ends of the protrusions extend outside the photosensitive members 213 and 214 . with such structure , for example , even if the photosensitive cassette 500 is provided on the lines j - j , k - k , and n - n , the holder 811 protects the members , so the exposed portion of the photosensitive members 213 and 214 never contacts the floor . hence , it is possible to improve the operability and prevent adverse influence on the photosensitive members 213 and 214 . further , as shown in fig2 , in the first image station 300 , the cleaning cassette 216 that supports the cleaning mechanism 220 and the charging device 221 is positioned relative to the photosensitive cassette 500 positioned with high accuracy to the sub side plates 601 and 701 of fig3 to improve a relative positional relation among the photosensitive member 213 , the cleaning mechanism including the cleaning blade 220 and a sealing roller 221 , and a roller - like charging device 222 . further , the cleaning cassette can separately contact the photosensitive cassette such that the cleaning cassette 216 side is operated by the sub side plates 601 and 701 . in this way , the photosensitive cassette is structured as above , and the relation between the photosensitive cassette 500 , and the cleaning cassette and the sub side plates 601 and 701 is set as above , so the photosensitive cassette 500 can be removed from the apparatus main body , and the photosensitive members 213 and 214 can be removed from the photosensitive cassette 500 . hence , the photosensitive members 213 and 214 can be solely replaced . that is , replacement timings of the photosensitive members 213 and 214 can be individually set based on each usable life . that is , the used component is only replaced , and a serviceable component is not replaced . further , the intermediate transfer belt or developing device , the cleaning device , and the charging device provided around the photosensitive member or components thereof are extremely close to or in contact with the photosensitive member . in this state , if the photosensitive cassette 500 is removed from the apparatus main body , there is a fear that not only the photosensitive member but also the devices or components provided closer to or in contact with the photosensitive member are damaged . in addition , an operability is too low . this holds true of the attachment to the apparatus main body . for example , in fig2 , when the photosensitive cassette 500 is pulled out frontward in fig2 and thus removed from the apparatus main body , the photosensitive member is pulled out while being in contact with the intermediate transfer belt , the developing roller , the cleaning blade , and the charging roller of the first image station 300 and the second image station 400 . thus , in the present invention , in the case of attaching / removing the photosensitive cassette 500 to / from the apparatus main body , the devices or components around the photosensitive member are temporally separated from the photosensitive member whenever the photosensitive cassette is removed / attached , after which the photosensitive cassette 500 is removed / attached . at the time of attaching the cassette , the separated devices or components are restored to the original positions after the photosensitive cassette 500 is inserted . thus , a positional relation therebetween is returned to the original one . the individual replacement of the photosensitive members 213 and 214 alone is described above . furthermore , if the photosensitive cassette 500 alone can be removed from the image forming apparatus main body prior to the developing device or the cleaning cassette , the replacement of the photosensitive members 213 and 214 that require frequent replacements is facilitated . a process element to be replaced most frequently is the photosensitive members 213 and 214 . during the frequent attachment / removal of the photosensitive cassette 500 and replacement of the photosensitive members 213 ad 214 , removing the serviceable developing device or cleaning cassette together with the sub side plates 601 and 701 is troublesome and low in applicability , and causes another problem that a user &# 39 ; s hand or surroundings get dirty . to overcome such drawbacks , in this embodiment , the used component alone is replaced , and the serviceable component is not removed as long as possible . further , a component that would be more frequently replaced is preferentially removed . incidentally , in this embodiment , the photosensitive members 213 and 214 have the drum shape , but may be structured in a belt shape . further , in the first image station 300 , the cleaning cassette 216 includes a cleaning mechanism including the cleaning blade 220 as a cleaning member for removing residual toner or contaminants on the photosensitive member 213 , and the sealing roller 221 for preventing the toner from being splashed at the time of cleaning , and the charging roller 222 for uniformly charging the photosensitive member 213 surface . these are integrated so as to surround the photosensitive member 213 with a waste toner recovery cleaning container 223 serving as a holder . further , the sealing roller 221 and the charging roller 222 are rotatably supported to the cleaning container 223 , and the connected wit the photosensitive member 213 by a gear train . as mentioned above , the driving force is transmitted by the gear 814 through the worm shaft 816 to rotate the photosensitive member . at the time of removing / attaching the photosensitive cassette 500 , the gear train is disengaged . in order to minimize the wasteful replacement , the life periods of the charging roller 222 and the cleaning mechanism that would be worn and deteriorated are set almost equal in such a way that , for example , images can be printed on about 400 to 500 k sheets . the waste toner reservoir provided to the cleaning container 223 is set such that the waste toner is fully filled before the life of the charging roller 222 or the cleaning mechanism expires . the cleaning cassette 216 is housed and fixed to a cassette case 224 integrated with the sub side plates 601 and 701 , so its position relative to the photosensitive cassette 500 and the photosensitive member 213 is determined with high accuracy . in this way , the cleaning cassette 216 can be removed / housed from / to the cassette case 224 so as to be solely replaced . the cleaning cassette 216 is positioned and fixed by the sub side plates 601 and 701 similar to the photosensitive cassette 500 , and can be solely removed / attached . incidentally , the cassette 216 can separate from / contact with the photosensitive cassette 500 , that is , the photosensitive member 213 . the same holds true of the second image station 400 . to keep up with the recent tendency to downsize the image forming apparatus , or reduce the diameter of the photosensitive member , the cleaning cassette is accordingly provided around the photosensitive member , for example , in fig2 , provided in a space extending from the right side surface to the lower portion of the photosensitive member 213 . the cleaning cassette occupies a wide area . thus , for pulling out the cleaning cassette 216 upward , the photosensitive cassette 500 should be removed beforehand . in other words , in such a structure where the photosensitive cassette 500 is placed in a path along which the cleaning cassette 216 is to be removed , the image forming apparatus main body can be reduced , but in addition , the photosensitive member 213 to be most frequently replaced , that is , the photosensitive cassette 500 can be preferentially and easily removed . further , the cleaning cassette 216 cannot be removed unless a correct operation procedure , for example , a process of removing the photosensitive cassette 500 first is executed . accordingly , a user can determines which operation to execute , so an applicability is expected to improve . further , a risk of replacing wrong parts or damaging the parts upon the replacement is eliminated . as mentioned above , in the image forming apparatus where a user replaces expendables , how to facilitate the replacement or prevent erroneous replacement is most important , so an advantage of this embodiment that a user can clearly grasp what to do next is great . further , in the image forming apparatus of this embodiment , the photosensitive member or developing device is removable vertically to the rotational driving shaft . thus , unlike the case of removing the device in the rotating axis direction , the photosensitive member never contacts the driving mechanism upon the attachment / removal , and image forming mechanism such as the photosensitive member can be removed / attached without being damaged . further , the cleaning cassette is replaced by notifying a user that the waste toner is fully filled . in this embodiment , the charging roller 222 is used as the charging device , and the cleaning blade 220 and the sealing roller 221 are used as the cleaning meas . however , the present invention is not limited to the system , method , structure , material , etc . of these mechanisms . further , the above applies to a cleaning - less cassette . further , the sub side plates 601 and 701 are provided with the developing device 203 including the cyan developing device 225 and the magenta developing device 226 for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive member 213 using the developing rollers 218 and 219 , and the cassette case 224 housing the cleaning set 216 for determining a position of the charging roller 222 and the cleaning mechanism relative to the photosensitive member 213 . the side plates integrate these components further , the photosensitive cassette 500 is positioned and fixed integrally with the sub side plates 601 and 701 , and detachably and attahcably fitted and held therein . further , as for the cyan developing device 225 as a component of the developing device 2 - 3 , cyan toner is supplied from the replenishment port 227 to one end of a transfer screw 229 . the cyan toner supplied into the developing device by the transfer screw 229 is stirred in the direction opposite to the transfer direction by a paddle roller 220 . during this process , the toner is supplied to the developing roller 218 . the transfer screw 228 is separated from the paddle roller 229 across a partition wall 230 . incidentally , the same applies to the remaining developing device , the magenta developing device 226 as a component of the developing device 203 in order not to mix the toners different in moving directions . further , the yellow developing device or the black developing device that constitutes the developing device 204 of the second image station 400 has the same structure except that the processed image color is different . further , in the case of switching the color in the firs image station 300 or the second image station 400 , while the photosensitive member is rotated , one of the cyan developing device 225 and the cyan developing device 226 switches a developing function to the other developing device to form a visual image on the photosensitive member using two colors in order . this method is classified into two : ( a ) a method using the electrical or magnetic force without changing the position of the image forming unit or the developing roller and ( b ) a method of changing the position of the device and the developing roller so as to separate from / contact with the photosensitive member . in this embodiment , at the time of removing the photosensitive cassette 500 , the developing device and the developing roller are temporally separated from the photosensitive member , so in the case of using the method ( a ), a mechanism for physically separating the developing device and the developing roller from the photosensitive member is added , and in the case of using the method ( b ), the method ( a ) is used and the above mechanism is added , and both of the developing rollers are separated from the photosensitive member in such a neutral position that the rollers are separated from the photosensitive member . fig7 is a schematic sectional view showing each image station positioned and fixed in a reference setting position in the image forming apparatus main body of this embodiment . in fig7 , in the first image station 300 , image forming mechanism such as the charging roller 222 , the cyan developing device 225 , the magnet developing device 226 , a quenching lamp 231 , and the cleaning blade 220 are provided around the photosensitive member 213 . the unit including the sub side plates 601 and 701 having these image forming mechanism , and the cassette case 224 is also referred to as an image forming unit main body . the developing unit side plate 232 supports the cyan developing device 225 and the magenta developing device 226 on both sides to form the developing device 203 . the developing device 203 is rotatably supported by the rotating shaft 801 attached t the sub side plates 601 and 701 larger than the developing unit side plate 232 . the sub side plates 601 and 701 support the developing device 203 as well as axially support the cassette case 224 rotatably around the shaft 234 . further , a semi - circular groove 235 extends above the sub side plates 601 and 701 , and the rotating shaft 807 is fitted into the groove 235 ( bearing 814 a of fig4 ) to position the photosensitive cassette 500 . the cassette case 224 axially supports the holder 825 rotatably about the shaft 233 . in this state , a detachment step of fig8 to 10 is carried out . first , as shown in fig8 , a lock mechanism ( not shown ) of the cassette case 224 is released , and then the cassette case 224 is turned to the right in the direction of the arrow about the shaft 234 . as a result , the developing roller 222 , the cleaning cassette 216 of the cleaning blade 220 of the cleaning mechanism , and the quenching lamp 231 are separated from the photosensitive member 213 . thus , the cleaning blade 220 in close contact , and the sealing roller 221 in contact are separated from the photosensitive member 213 , so the photosensitive cassette 500 can be removed . as shown in fig7 , for example , under the normal attachment condition , the sealing roller 221 provided above the photosensitive member 213 and opposite t the developing roller 218 contacts the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive member 213 in a position above an imaginary plane passing the centers of the developing roller 218 and the photosensitive member 213 . under this state , the photosensitive member 213 cannot be removed upward . thus , it is necessary to separate the sealing roller 221 from the photosensitive member 213 . in addition , the cleaning blade 220 is brought into close contact with the photosensitive member 213 from a counter direction , in the normal attachment position . therefore , unless the blade is separated therefrom , the photosensitive member 213 cannot be attached / removed . in view of these , as shown in fig8 , the cassette case 224 is rotated about the shaft 234 to the right in the direction of the arrow beforehand . likewise , the photosensitive member 219 should be separated from the developing rollers 218 and 210 . since one of the developing rollers 218 and 219 is always in contact or close contact with the photosensitive member 213 , the photosensitive member 213 may be damaged or toner may spill from the developing roller if the photosensitive member 213 is removed / attached in this state . accordingly , in this embodiment , the color is switched based on the above method ( b ). further , the developing rollers 218 and 219 are moved away from the photosensitive member 213 , that is , moved to a neutral position beforehand within a color switchable range of the developing devices 225 and 226 . the way of separate the developing devices 225 and 226 from the developing rollers 218 and 219 is not limited to the above . in the case of increasing a distance between the developing devices 225 and 226 and the developing rollers 228 and 219 , the developing devices 225 and 226 may be moved to the left of fig8 , for example . in the second image station 400 , similar separating operation is executed . unless the separating operation is carried out in both of the image stations , the photosensitive cassette 500 cannot be removed . next , as shown in fig9 , the photosensitive cassette 500 is pulled out upward from the sub side plates 601 and 701 at the cut - out angle of the groove 235 formed above the sub side plates . if necessary , the holder 825 is rotated to the left about the shaft 233 to retract the quenching lamp 231 from the removal area of the cleaning cassette 216 , after which as shown in fig1 , the cleaning cassette 216 is removed upward from the cassette case 224 . in fig1 , a container of the cleaning cassette 218 is a box , and the cleaning blade 220 and the lower portion of the sealing roller 221 define a sealed space . this space serves as a waste developer container 236 that contains waste toner . a waste developer scraped off by the cleaning blade 220 , in this embodiment , the waste toner is recovered to the waste developer container 236 . the cleaning cassette 216 is integrated with the waste developer container 236 and can be removed / attached to the cassette case 224 , that is , can be removed / attached to the sub side plates 601 and 701 . accordingly , when the waste developer container 236 is filled up with waste toner , the entire cleaning cassette 216 ire replaced or only the waste toner is disposed of to recycle the cleaning cassette 216 . as shown in fig9 , the removed photosensitive cassette 500 is place on the table as shown in fig4 or 6 . at this time , phase - matching marks 821 and 822 of the gears 814 and 815 of the photosensitive members 213 and 214 as shown in fig5 are positioned in identical upper positions . then , a used photosensitive member out of the photosensitive members is pulled out from the holder 811 ( by sliding bearing 814 a or 815 a ) to replace the used one with a new photosensitive member . at the time of attaching the new photosensitive member , the new photosensitive member is attached to match a phase - matching mark position with that of the unreplaced one . if both of the photosensitive members should be replaced at a time , both of them may be replaced , but in this case , the positional alignment of the marks is troublesome and requires much time . thus , in this case , it is efficient to replace the photosensitive cassette with a new cassette including the mark - adjusted photosensitive members , and thus a user never gets his / her hands dirty . fig1 is a schematic sectional view showing how the photosensitive cassette is replaced in the image forming apparatus of this embodiment . in fig1 , an upper casing 900 is rotated about a shaft 901 to the left to separate the intermediate transfer belt 205 from the photosensitive members 213 and 214 to remove / attach the photosensitive cassette 500 . further , in this embodiment , in order to improve the operability in individual attachment / removal of the photosensitive members to / from the photosensitive cassette 500 , even if the photosensitive cassette 500 is attached to the apparatus main body , the photosensitive members can be individually removed / attached . in this case , however , after the photosensitive members are removed , the photosensitive cassette 500 needs to be positioned in the first image station 300 and the second image station 400 . the photosensitive cassette 500 of fig4 is structured such that the sub side plates 601 and 701 are supported to the bearing of the photosensitive member , so if the photosensitive member alone is removed as shown in fig1 , the holder 811 not supported cannot keep its posture . to that end , in order to enable the individual attachment / removal of the photosensitive member in the state where the photosensitive cassette 500 is attached , the protrusions 814 a and 815 a concentric with the bearings 814 a and 815 a of the photosensitive members 213 and 214 are formed on the side surfaces of the holder 811 as shown in fig1 . the inner diameter thereof is set to receive the bearings 814 a and 815 a of the photosensitive member , and the outer diameter thereof is set within a range of the sub side plates 601 and 701 . accordingly , the holder 811 is supported to the sub side plates 601 and 701 , and the photosensitive members 213 and 214 are supported to the holder 811 , so even if the photosensitive member is removed from the photosensitive cassette 500 , the holder 811 can keep its posture inside the apparatus main body . in this case as well , the process for matching phases of the gears of the photosensitive member is the same as above . further , the way to retract and separate the intermediate transfer belt , the developing mechanism , the cleaning mechanism , and the charging mechanism are the same as above at the time of removing / attaching the photosensitive member . incidentally , in this embodiment , mechanisms for fixing or unfixing the sub side plates to / from the apparatus main body , mechanisms for fixing or unfixing the photosensitive cassette to / from the sub side plates , or the like have no particular function and structure , and thus are omitted . a general lock mechanism may be used . as regards the attachment / removal of the photosensitive member to / from the holder of the photosensitive cassette is described using an example of sliding the bearing of the photosensitive member , but the present invention is not particularly limited thereto and an appropriate mechanism may be adopted . further , the embodiment of the present invention describes the two photosensitive members , but the present invention is not limited thereto , and is applicable to any image forming apparatus using plural photosensitive members . numerous additional modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings . it is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims , the disclosure of this patent specification may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein . this patent specification is based on japanese patent application , no . jpap2005 - 050807 filed on feb . 25 , 2005 in the japanese patent office , the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein . | 6 |
turning to fig1 , an rf welder 1 is disclosed that has circuitry 7 and software that automatically tunes the impedance of the die 10 and material 11 ( fig3 ) to match that of a solid state generator 9 . alternatively the solid state generator 9 may automatically tune the frequency of its output signal to match the impedance of the load to the generator . the tuning enables a maximum power transfer through the material 11 . remaining with fig1 , the rf welder 1 has welding components 12 that include a top platen or plate 13 and bottom plate 14 . each plate 13 and 14 is manufactured from an electrically conductive material and is adapted to act as an electrode for an rf dielectric heating system . each plate 13 and 14 is in communication with the high frequency rf generator 9 so that the top plate 13 is electrically hot and the bottom plate 14 serves as an electric ground . the thickness of each plate is sufficient to prevent flexing or fatiguing of the plates by periodic loading of the plates . the top plate 13 is adapted to receive energy from the generator 9 and , as illustrated in fig3 , the bottom plate 14 is adapted to ground energy traveling from the top plate 13 through a conductive base 27 . the plates 13 and 14 are parallel to each other and large enough to fit the die 10 and material 11 . the lower plate 14 is a stationary base . the top plate 13 is movable between an opened or home position and a closed or press position . the opened position spaces the top plate 13 from the lower plate 14 so that the die 10 can be changed and material 11 can be fed . the top plate 13 is indirectly mounted to a plurality of platen arms 18 that move perpendicular to the pressing surface of the plate 13 . the rate of motion of the plate arms 18 is relatively slow to minimize the injury risk upon inadvertent operator contact with the plate . the range of motion for the top plate 13 is defined by the range of motion for the plate arms 18 . the arms 18 are provided with a bottom plate 19 which defines the top range of motion and a top plate 20 which defines the bottom range of motion . the bottom range of motion , with the absence of the usable die 10 , is 0 . 010 inches from the top face of the bottom plate 14 . the separation minimum prevents the plates from buckling when power is transferred during operation . the die 10 and material 11 further limit the range of bottom motion that is reachable by the top plate 13 by creating a separation barrier between the top and bottom plates 13 and 14 . between the arms 18 and the top plate 13 are four spacers 21 . each spacer 21 is parallel to and the same length as each other spacer . each spacer is manufactured from a non - conductive material which prevents the power from the generator 9 from being transferred to arms 18 . the electrical control of the arms 18 is achieved through known techniques , such as those defined in u . s . pat . no . 2 , 993 , 3600 incorporated herein by reference . after the press has been actuated by the operator , the operation of the press elements is coordinated via cam - operated micro - switches and limit switches at the ends of the strokes of the various reciprocating components . alternatively , strain gauges are located in each spacer 21 . the registered strain determines the maximum downward travel of the top plate 13 . the arms 18 are advanced and retracted , to advance or retract the top plate 13 , with the use of activation switches 22 . the switches are powered through cabling 23 that receives power from a standard electrical current , such as a 120 volt wall current , fed through a transformer 24 . turning again to fig3 , advancing the top plate 13 maintains pressure on the die 10 for purposes of completing the embossing or welding of the material . the pressure is maintained for a period of time sufficient to ensure both that the material properly fills the die cavity so that the desired overall outer shape is achieved , and so that the complete formation of the embossed indicia is obtained . dwell times for the press will be on the order of 0 . 1 - 5 . 0 seconds , preferably 1 . 0 to 3 . 0 seconds . as compared to manually retracing the top plate 13 , a timing relay switch maybe used for controlling the period of the application of the dielectric sealing current in accordance with the materials being added . referring again to fig1 , the welding components 12 include the die 10 . the die 10 is a typical die use for embossing or welding the material 11 . fig7 , for example , illustrates a sample die having a diamond design about the word “ diamond .” returning to fig1 , the die 10 has a cavity with inner walls and a bottom shape that is exactly like the desired final outward shape of the end product being the compressed product . the die 10 is made of material which is capable of withstanding the required welding and embossing pressures . typically , the principle component of the die 10 is a steel alloy . another welding component 12 is the material 11 . material , which maybe welded or embossed , includes pvc , pet , rpet , pu , urethane and vinyl coated materials and other related sealable materials . the material is adapted to be sealed onto other different or identical materials , a . k . a . appliqué on material and material on material . the rf welder 1 has power input components 15 which include the generator 9 . the generator 9 in a first exemplary embodiment , is a solid state generator being , for example , model cx - 1000a , 27 . 12 mhz by comdel corporation , of 11 kondelin road , gloucester , mass . 01930 . the “ 1000a ” stands for 1000 watts , or 1 kw of power . in a second alternative embodiment of the invention a variable frequency generator , such as comdel model cv1000 , may be used as the generator 9 . the amount of power required for a given application is dependent upon type or quantity of material that is subject to the rf welder 1 . a solid state generator is required as compared to an oscillator tube style generator . the oscillator tube style generator has an extensive swing in load impedance during use which renders the tuner incapable of matching the impedance of the platen to the generator . the solid state generator , on the other hand , is capable of operating at a 100 % duty cycle and , notably , is capable of remote operation , i . e . the power supply is capable of being located in a separate room , with the efficiency of the rf welder 1 remaining in a high 90 percent efficiency . separating the power supply from the generator is advantageous for medical applications as the power supply portion can be put outside a clean room environment if needed . separating the power supply is also advantageous for quality control purposes for allowing a separate control room where the operators of the machines are incapable of changing the setting arbitrarily . another benefit of a solid state generator is the efficiency at which the generator is capable of supplying power . some materials weld better with differing frequencies or respond better to variable frequencies , such as frequencies that ramp downwardly through the welding or embossing process to account for material property changes through the welding process . the physical characteristics of alternating frequencies will be apparent , though unobvious , to those knowledgeable in the art . the generator 9 in the first exemplary embodiment provides welding and embossing energy to the load at a fixed frequency such as 27 . 12 mhz . in the second exemplary embodiment the generator 9 is a variable frequency generator and provides energy at an adjusted frequency in a band advantageously around a predetermined frequency such as 27 . 12 mhz . the frequency for rf welding and embossing is set by governmental regulation , and it is to be appreciated that other frequencies could be - used where available by law . the power supplied by the generator depends on the material being processed and the processing to the material . a typical generator for an embosser or welder produces 6 kilowatts ( kw ) or more of power . however , wattage both above and below 6 kw could be supplied , where necessary . the cabling 16 is chosen because it is capable of carrying the current which results and is determined by the rf power supplied by the generator and the impedance of the load without failure due to over - dissipation . this cable is a standard cable for applications in rf welding and embossing . a sample of the cabling is the type provided with one of the aforementioned generators by comdel corporation . it is to be appreciated that cabling having greater or lesser dissipative characteristics could be employed , where necessary . the power input 15 also includes a transducer 26 that transfers power from the generator to the top plate 13 . in the first exemplary embodiment of the invention there is a power regulator 17 which includes the impedance matching system 7 and is connected to the welding components 12 . the impedance matching system 7 and the generator 9 , electronically communicate through the coaxial cable 16 . the impedance matching system 7 is , for example , model cpm - 25 , air cooled , single phase , 115 volt , vacuum variable caps by comdel corporation , 11 kondelin road , gloucester , mass . 01930 , having power supply number cx 27 . 12 by comdel , which is a known impedance matching network . the impedance matching system 7 includes an algorithm that gradually slows the adjustment of the matching network capacitors so that precise impedance matching is achieved ensuring that the proper power is delivered to the load during the welding or embossing process . even with high loads , the impedance matching system 7 is capable of being responsive to the change of material characteristics during the process . in the second exemplary embodiment of the invention frequency tuning is used to match the impedances . the generator 9 is a variable frequency generator that supplies energy at a varying frequency within a band of frequencies that extend above and below a predetermined , advantageously chosen , frequency . the generator 9 has a control circuit 52 that adjusts the frequency of the rf energy output by the generator 9 to match the impedances between the generator 9 and the load . therefore the impedance matching system 7 may be replaced with a fixed filter 38 that matches the impedance between the generator 9 and the load at the predetermined , advantageously chosen , frequency in the band of frequencies that the generator 9 will operate . an exemplary configuration of the fixed filter 38 is illustrated in fig8 . as may be seen in fig8 , the fixed filter 38 is interposed between the generator 9 and all other load components 50 . all other load components 50 may include and is not limited to : the welding components , material 11 and power regulator 17 . the fixed filter 38 impedance should be determined based on the average or mean load impedance that will be experienced during processing . alternatively the impedance matching system 7 may be used and the impedance matching algorithm is activated for the initial configuration of the impedance matching system 7 . when frequency tuning is activated during processing , the control circuit 52 measures the radio frequency signal at the input nodes 40 and 41 to the fixed filter 38 ( i . e . at the generator 9 output ), either for the reflected power or phase difference between voltage and current signals . the control circuit 52 then determines that the frequency should be changed in order to provide an impedance match between the generator 9 and the load and makes the necessary adjustment to the frequency of the generator 9 . the control circuit 52 continues during the welding process , to monitor the signal and vary the frequency to maintain the impedance match between the generator 9 and the load . it is also understood by those in the art that other indicia of the electrical state of the rf welder at the generator 9 or another location within the rf welding circuit may be used to determine adjustment to the frequency of the generator 9 . the impedance characteristics of the welding components 12 , such as the plates 13 and 14 , the die 10 and the material 11 , are based upon the solid structure and material properties of the components . the impedance characteristics differ from one piece of material to another and change throughout the welding or embossing processes in a manor which is known in the art . these changes affect the power being transferred through the load and the power required to be dissipated by the load components . both the first and second exemplary embodiments of the invention are designed to dynamically adjust the impedance that the generator sees so that the power level delivered is controlled and over - dissipation of the cables and other components does not occur . this ensures that the proper power is consistently delivered to the die 10 and material 11 . the disclosed stabilizing technology optimizes amplifier ( power supply and generator ) performance , reducing power - gain changes caused by material 11 and die 10 impedance fluctuations , both dynamic and static . the power regulator 17 includes cables 25 which are , for example , standard 25 pin peripheral cables adapted to transfer signals indicative of inductance and electrical characteristics of the welding components 12 to the impedance matching system 7 after the top plate 13 is pressed against the bottom plate 14 . signals traveling through the cables 25 are , for example , digital signals converted from an analog to digital converter ( not shown ). the a / d converter is connected to receive signals from the impedance matching system 7 in a manor that is readily apparent to one skilled in the art and analyzed and interpreted by the regulator 17 so that the regulator 17 may determine the electrical state of the load . due to the dynamic adjustments of the impedance matching system 7 in the first exemplary embodiment and the variable frequency generator 9 in the second exemplary embodiment , manual adjustments are unnecessary and iterations are not required to maintain the desired power characteristics . accordingly , both the first and second exemplary embodiments account for differences in each unique material piece , each unique die , and the changing power characteristics that result during heating . in fig5 , the operation of the first exemplary embodiment of the rf welder 1 is disclosed . the die 10 is installed on the underside of the top press plate 13 at step s 11 . the material 11 that is the subject of the embossing or welding is secured to the lower plate 14 at step s 12 . the top plate 13 is lowered onto the bottom plate 14 and the impedance matching system 7 is activated at step s 13 . once the plate 13 is lowered , the impedance matching system 7 reads and , as required , affects the impedance characteristics of the welding components 12 . the adjusting prevents more than a 50 ohm load from being dissipated by the cables 16 and enables power to transfer continuously through the die 10 and material 11 at a frequency of 27 . 12 mhz . once the impedance characteristics are tuned , the rf welder 1 is capable of indicating readiness with a visual or audible signal at s 14 . the generator 9 is automatically or manually activated and the impedance matching system 7 dynamically maintains the tuned characteristics throughout the embossing or welding cycle at step s 15 . then the material is removed at step s 16 . since the material welding is optimized for each material piece , there is no need to manually re - tune before welding or embossing any individual piece of material . accordingly , the welding or embossing of the next material pattern can continue at step s 17 . alternatively , a new die can be installed and the process can begin again at step s 11 . in fig6 , the operation of the second exemplary embodiment of the rf welder 1 is disclosed . the die 10 is installed on the underside of the top press plate 13 at step s 110 . the material 11 that is the subject of the embossing or welding is secured to the lower plate 14 at step s 120 . the top plate 13 is lowered onto the bottom plate 14 at step s 130 and continues to step s 150 . alternatively , if the impedance matching system 7 is used , the top plate 13 is lowered onto the bottom plate 14 and the impedance matching system 7 is activated at step s 135 . then once the plate 13 is lowered , the impedance matching system 7 reads and , as required , affects the impedance characteristics of the welding components 12 . the adjusting prevents more than a 50 ohm load from being dissipated by the cables 16 and enables power to transfer through the die 10 and material 11 at a predetermined , advantageously chosen , frequency such as 27 . 12 mhz . once the characteristics are tuned , the rf welder 1 is capable of indicating readiness with a visual or audible signal at s 140 and the process proceeds to step s 150 . once the plate 13 is lowered , the generator 9 is automatically or manually activated and the generator 9 dynamically maintains the tuned characteristics by varying its output signal frequency throughout the embossing or welding cycle at step s 150 . then the material is removed at step s 160 . since the material welding is optimized for each material piece , there is no need to manually re - tune before welding or embossing any individual piece of material . accordingly , the welding or embossing of the next material pattern can continue at step s 170 . alternatively , a new die can be installed and the process can begin again at step s 110 . an rf welder 1 has been disclosed with circuitry that automatically affects the impedance of the load so that the generator 9 is capable of transferring maximum power through die 10 and material 11 . the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics . the described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not as restrictive . the scope of the invention is , therefore , indicated by the appended claims and their combination in whole or in part rather than by the foregoing description . all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope . | 1 |
present invention provides a packaging method for manufacturing ibiiiavia solar cell modules using a combination of more than one type of encapsulants to cover the front and back of the solar cells within the module to obtain a synergistic advantage in combination with reduced packaging cost and increased module lifetime . in one embodiment , a solar cell module having one or more solar cells may be encapsulated using at least two different layers of encapsulant materials . accordingly , back of the interconnected solar cells within the module structure , which would not be exposed to light and its degrading affects , can be covered with a first material layer that is low cost and soft therefore providing a low - stress cushion for the devices . the first material may or may not be a transparent material . a front side of the interconnected solar cells , where the light is received , may be covered with a second material layer which is a transparent material layer that does not release harmful chemicals during lamination and is not prone to chemical degradation when exposed to light although it may be a higher cost material . in one embodiment , light receiving side of the solar cells may be coated with a transparent polyurethane material layer such as thermoplastic polyurethane ( tpu ), and the back side of the solar cells may be coated with a copolymer material layer such as ethylene vinyl acetate ( eva ). fig2 shows the stacked components of a solar cell module 100 of the present invention in expanded view . the solar cell module comprises a solar cell device 102 or circuit interposed between a first encapsulant layer 104 or back encapsulant layer and a second encapsulant layer 106 or front encapsulant layer . a thickness range for the back encapsulant layer may be 12 - 18 mills , preferably 12 mils , and for the front encapsulant layer 106 may be 20 - 25 mils , preferably 20 mils , as will be further explained . the solar cell device 102 may be a string of solar cells 108 which are electrically interconnected using conductive interconnects 110 by utilizing processes , such as soldering , that are well known . the module 100 may have a rectangular or any other geometrical shape , and thus the size of the encapsulant layers 104 and 106 , and the distribution of the solar cells 108 are arranged accordingly . the module 100 may also include additional components such as a back protective sheet 105 or layer placed under the back encapsulant layer 104 , and a front protective sheet 107 or layer which may be placed over the front encapsulant layer 106 . the back protective sheet 105 may typically be a sheet of glass or a polymeric sheet such as tedlar ®, or another polymeric material . the back protective sheet 105 may comprise stacked sheets comprising various material combinations that will be described more fully below . the front protective sheet 107 is typically a glass , but may also be a transparent flexible polymer film such as tefzel ®, or another polymeric film . tedlar ® and tefzel ® are brand names of fluoropolymer materials from dupont . tedlar ® is polyvinyl fluoride ( pvf ), and tefzel ® is ethylene tetrafluoroethylene ( etfe ) fluoropolymer . it should be noted that the thicknesses of the components shown in fig2 are not to scale . as shown in fig2 , each solar cell 108 comprises a base portion 112 having a back surface 113 and a front portion 114 having a front surface 115 . the base portion 112 includes a substrate 116 and a contact layer 118 formed on the substrate . a preferred substrate material may be a metallic material such as stainless steel , aluminum or the like . an exemplary contact layer material may be molybdenum . the front portion 114 may comprise an absorber layer 120 , such as a cigs absorber layer which is formed on the contact layer 118 , and a transparent layer 122 , such as a buffer - layer / zno stack , formed on the absorber layer . an exemplary buffer layer may be a ( cd , zn ) s layer . conductive fingers ( not shown ) may be formed over the transparent layer 122 . each interconnect 110 electrically connects the substrate 116 or the contact layer 118 of one of the cells to the transparent layer of the next cell , preferably in the manner shown in fig2 . however , the solar cells 108 may be interconnected using any other method known in the technology . in the solar cell device 102 , the base portions 112 of the solar cells 108 form the back side 124 of the solar cell device and likewise front portions 114 of the solar cells 108 form the front side 126 or the light receiving side of the solar cell device . direction of the incoming light is depicted by arrows a . furthermore , surface area of the front side 126 , i . e ., a combination of the areas of the front surfaces 115 , forms the front surface or light receiving surface of the solar cell device , and similarly the surface area of the back side , i . e ., a combination of areas of the back surfaces 113 , forms the back surface of the solar cell device 102 . back surface and the front surface of the solar cell device 102 may include insulation spaces among the solar cells 102 . as will be described more fully below , using a packaging process such as a lamination process , the back encapsulant layer 104 is coated over the back side 124 , and the front encapsulant layer 106 is coated over the front side 126 , entirely sealing the solar cell device 102 , as shown in fig3 . as mentioned above , the packaging method of the invention advantageously uses different materials as encapsulants to coat the backside 124 and the front side 126 to minimize chemical incompatibility issues between the packaging materials and the solar cells as well as reducing the cost and increasing the solar cell and module stability , output and life time . referring to fig2 , in this embodiment , the back encapsulant layer 104 and the front encapsulant layer 106 may comprise materials that are chemically compatible with the back and front side materials of the solar cells that they are covering or coating . in this context , chemical compatibility means that no cell - performance - degrading chemical reaction can occur between the solar cell components and the first encapsulant material and the chemicals that may form in time under the operating conditions of the module under the sun . the back encapsulant layer material may comprise a polymer material such as eva copolymer , poly vinyl butyrate ( pvb ), surlyn ®, polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate ( pet ), and ethylene methyl acrylate ( ema ). eva , pvb , surlyn ® ( a family of ethylene methacrylic acid e / maa copolymers , in which part of the methacrylic acid is neutralized with metal ions such as zinc or sodium ) and ema are transparent or translucent materials . pet may be made transparent or opaque . in this embodiment , the back encapsulant layer 104 may preferably be eva . as described before , eva is not a well chemically - compatible material for the solar - cell materials , especially thin film compound materials such as ( cd , zn ) s , cdte , cigs and transparent conductive oxides , although it is a low cost material . however , eva or another packaging material , which may or may not be a transparent material , may be used as a back - layer encapsulant to coat the back side of the solar cell device . the front - layer encapsulant material may preferably comprise thermoplastic polyurethane ( tpu ) material which is chemically compatible with the front side of the thin film solar cell materials . after the stack , shown in fig2 , is prepared , it is subjected to a laminating process in a commercially known laminating apparatus . in the laminating apparatus , heat and pressure is applied to the components of the stack to attach the encapsulant layers 104 and 106 to the solar cell device 102 and to the front and back protective sheets 107 and 105 . referring back to fig2 , in an exemplary lamination process , initially the front encapsulation layer 106 ( tpu in this embodiment ) is placed on the front protective sheet 107 which is pre - cleaned . there may be a moisture barrier tape or hot melt around the edges of the front sheet 107 . then , the front side 126 of the solar cell device 102 ( interconnected solar cell string ) is placed on the front encapsulant layer 106 . the back encapsulant layer 104 ( eva in this embodiment ) is placed on the back side 124 of the solar cell device 102 . finally , the back sheet 105 is placed over the back encapsulant layer 104 . as mentioned above the back protective sheet material may be glass or tedlar . however , various stack configurations may also be used as a back protective sheet such as tedlar / aluminum ( al )/ tedlar , tedlar / al / pet ( polyethylene teraphthalate )/ primer , tedlar / al / pet / eva , pvdf ( polyvinylidene fluoride )/ al / pet / primer or tedlar / pet / tedlar , pet / al / pet / primer , pen ( polyethylene naphthalate )/ al / pet , tedlar / sio x / pet . alternatively , adhesives may be used to provide better adhesion between the components of the above stack . the adhesives promote adhesion between organic - inorganic and organic - organic interfaces . both eva and tpu materials may comprise adhesion promoters ( silane coupling agents ) to provide crosslinking sites with other materials . for example , adhesion promoters like gamma - methacryloxy - propyl - trimethoxysilane ( dow corning z - 6030 ), 3 - aminopropyltriethoxysilane , bis ( trimethoxysilylpropyl ) amine ( silquest a - 1170 ) would improve adhesion between eva and tpu layers , and also among encapsulants , front and back protective sheets . other adhesion promoters may be other amino , diamino , vinyl , epoxy , and urethane silanes . such stacked components of the solar cell module are placed in a laminator and heat treated for about 10 - 20 minutes in a temperature range of 120 °- 160 ° c . the laminator may be a clamp - type laminator or it may be a roll - to - roll laminator . the clamp - type laminator may contain upper and lower chambers , and a rubbery diaphragm . the stacked components of the solar cell module will be placed on a heating plate in the lower chamber at a temperature range of 120 °- 160 ° c . during the lamination process , the upper and lower chambers are de - aired ( vacuum ) to 0 . 1 - 10 mbar pressure level in 3 - 20 seconds and kept at this pressure level for 3 - 7 minutes . the process de - airs and melts the front encapsulate and the back encapsulant around the solar cell device 102 . after the melting step , the upper chamber pressure will be brought up to atmospheric pressure in several seconds while the lower chamber pressure will be kept at its previous pressure level . this step will apply pressure to the stacked components by the diaphragm and last 7 - 13 minutes to complete a uniform , bubble - free solar cell lamination . the lamination process yields a packaged solar cell module as shown in fig3 . the back encapsulant layer 104 coats the back side of the solar cell device 102 and the front encapsulant layer 106 coats the front side of the solar cell device . prior art packages that seal solar cell modules with eva material ( eva at the top and bottom of cell circuits ) produce a large quantity of residual chemicals left in the sealed module because of the cross - linking ( curing chemistry ) nature of eva . these chemicals remaining in the package for 20 - 25 years is a source of failure due to their corrosive , discoloring and delaminating affects , since the chemical and photochemical reactions continue under sunlight and moisture , and are accelerated by light . therefore , under sunlight , the sealed package continues to generate substantial residual chemicals such as peroxides that are trapped in that package over the lifetime of the solar cell module . however , the above described present invention , which employs a combination of tpu and eva , effectively reduces the residual chemicals generated during the lamination process by at least 50 % since one of the eva layers is eliminated . therefore , in the present invention , the amount of chemicals that are a source of module failure is less than 50 % of the prior art modules which are fully sealed with eva . adding to this , another advantage of using eva at the bottom of the module is that the residual chemicals generated during lamination do not hurt the active part of the solar cells which are located at the front side . besides , since the eva is behind the solar cells ( where the substrate is ) its exposure to sunlight is blocked off by the solar cells on top of the eva layer . thus , the eva layer is not exposed to sunlight and residual chemicals generated as a result of this exposure during the operation are eliminated , except at the edges of the cells which occupy a relatively small area . further more , the modulus of elasticity for tpu is higher than that is for eva ( about 4000 psi for tpu and 1000 psi for eva ), making tpu a more rigid material than eva . the solar cells in a module will be exposed to mechanical and thermal stresses in the outdoors as they are heated up by sun during the day and cooled down during the night or when they are exposed to windy situations . cuddihy et al . ( applications of ethylene vinyl acetate as an encapsulation material for terrestrial photovoltaic modules , e . f . cuddihy . c . d . coulbert , r . h . liang , a . gupta , p . willis , b . baum , doe / jpl / 1012 - 87 ,) have shown that the encapsulant thickness needed to protect solar cells in a solar module depends on the encapsulant material &# 39 ; s modulus of elasticity . the lower the modulus of elasticity , the lesser the thickness of encapsulant required to dampen the stresses on the solar cells inside a solar module . it has been found that the thickness ( in units of mils ) to modulus of elasticity ratio ( in units of klb / inch 2 ) should be equal to or greater than 4 for encapsulant material to dampen the stress due to wind deflection . ( e . f . cuddihy , encapsulant selection and durability testing experience , jet propulsion laboratory , reliability and eng . of thin - film photovoltaic modules ; p 249 - 274 , 1985 ) typically , 12 to 18 mils thickness range is the most commonly used material specification for eva layers in the solar cell industry . from a t / e ratio point of view , the 18 mil thickness is very well sufficient even for the reduced eva thickness (˜ 20 %) after lamination . a typical tpu thickness range in the industry may be 20 - 25 mils . minimum 20 mil thicknesses is required for tpu encapsulant to be able to dampen the stresses on solar cells taking into considerations of t / e , and reduced encapsulant thickness after lamination . tpu ( front encapsulant )/ tpu ( back encapsulant ) packages need to use thicker tpu layers ( total ≧ 40 mils ) than the eva layers in an eva / eva packages (˜ 20 - 36 mils ) to dampen the deflective and thermal stresses in the sealed module structure . since eva is less rigid than tpu material , by using a thin and flexible eva on the bottom of the cell , the overall tpu / eva package thickness is reduced . 20 mil thick tpu for front and 12 mil thick eva for the back layer encapsulant , a total of 32 mil , will be sufficient to protect the solar cells from the deflective stresses . this is especially important for flexible module packages . thinner package has more mechanical flexibility . another advantage of using a combination of a tpu layer along with a eva layer is that this combination can be manufactured using a roll - to - roll process in which the combination tpu / eva layers are sufficiently flexible to be rolled upon completion , whereas an eva only construction is too rigid for use in a roll - to - roll process manufacturing . although the present invention is described with respect to certain preferred embodiments , modifications thereto will be apparent to those skilled in the art . | 7 |
fig1 illustrates a joint 10 that forms a part of a pipe system . it may be in the form of an insert part with coupling ends 12 , 14 for connecting to a riser , especially a working riser . the joint has an axis 16 that is aligned with the axis of the rest of the pipe . the joint comprises an upper telescopic part 20 which defines a fluid channel 13 and has a flange 12 at one end . a lower telescopic part 40 defines a fluid channel 15 and has a flange 14 at one end . the lower part has a portion 17 with an extended diameter of the fluid channel 15 for receiving a pipe socket 22 that forms a part of the upper telescopic part . sealing elements ( not shown ) are mounted between the lower part 40 and the pipe socket 22 . the pipe socket 22 is releasably secured in the lower part 40 by means that are arranged to be broken or severed when subjected to a predetermined force . for example , the means may be in the form of shear pins 32 , 34 . a floating piston is also advantageously provided for pressure balancing when the joint is broken , as described in more detail in our simultaneous application no . 20043933 , filed on 10 , sep . 2004 . a bending limiter is also advantageously provided in order to reduce the stresses on the riser during normal use , which is well known in the art . it may , for example , be a rubber sleeve which is also described in greater detail in the above - mentioned previously filed application . when the riser is subjected to tension exceeding a predetermined value , the shear pins 32 and 34 will break , thus enabling the upper part 20 to be separated from the lower part 40 . the shear pins are arranged to be broken in the event of an upwardly directed tension . in each of the upper and lower telescopic parts 20 , 40 , valves 21 and 41 respectively are mounted in the form of oppositely directed rams , which , when the pistons are moved towards each other , are arranged to close the passage 15 . since the valves are identical , only the lower valve 41 will be described in greater detail as it will be understood that the upper valve 21 contains corresponding parts . as illustrated in fig1 , the valve 41 may be machined in one piece with the telescopic part 40 , with the result that it is in the form of two projecting valve housings 42 , 44 . alternatively , the valve housings may be separate parts that are attached to the telescopic part 40 by means of bolts or the like . the valve housings 42 , 44 are also identical and arranged symmetrically about the joint &# 39 ; s centre axis 16 . thus the description of the parts in the valve housing 42 that follows will apply to corresponding parts in the valve housing 44 . the valve housing 42 has a through - going bore 43 whose axis 44 a intersects the axis 16 of the main passage . the bore 43 is closed by an end plate 45 which , by means of bolts 46 , is attached to the valve housing 42 . the end plate 45 has a bore 48 a which is of smaller diameter than , but axially aligned with the bore 43 . a piston 47 with a front part 50 is movably mounted in the main bore 43 . the piston is connected with an actuator rod 48 . the actuator rod extends through the bore 48 a in the end plate 45 and is attached to a crosshead 49 . the crosshead 49 comprises two threaded bores 51 , 52 for receiving driving rods 53 , 54 . in fig4 the valve &# 39 ; s piston 47 is illustrated in greater detail . the front part 50 comprises a first bore 71 in which is mounted a seal 72 . the opposite piston 73 has a corresponding seal 74 , with the result that when the pistons are moved towards each other , the passage 15 is closed . furthermore , in the front part 50 there is provided a knife 75 which is inserted in a slot 76 in the opposite piston 73 . a slot 77 is also provided in the front part 50 for receiving a knife 78 in the opposite piston 73 . the knives are used to sever an object located in the fluid channel 15 when the valves are closed . each driving rod 53 , 54 extend from the crosshead 49 over to a crosshead 55 belonging to the second valve housing 44 . the driving rod 53 has threaded ends 56 , 57 , with the result that one end has a right - hand thread while the other end has a left - hand thread . the driving rod 53 also comprises a cogwheel 58 . a driving belt 59 has teeth over at least a part of its length and is passed over the cogwheel 58 so that the driving belt &# 39 ; s teeth are engaged with the cogwheel &# 39 ; s teeth . at its upper end the driving belt is attached to a securing device 30 on the upper telescopic part 20 while its lower end is loosened and rolled up as illustrated in fig1 . as also illustrated in fig1 , three additional driving belts are provided whereof only two , 61 and 62 are illustrated . the driving belts 59 and 62 are attached in the upper telescopic part and mounted on each side of the joint . the driving belt 62 is connected with a cogwheel mounted on the driving rod 54 in the same way as that described for the driving rod 53 . the driving belt 61 and its non - illustrated corresponding belt on the opposite side are secured at their lower ends in the lower telescopic part 40 at 60 and , in the same way as for the valve 41 , are mounted around corresponding cogwheels on driving rods 23 and 24 in the valve 21 in the upper telescopic part 20 . when the joint is subjected to tension that causes the shear pins 32 , 34 to break , the parts 20 , 40 of the joints will begin to move apart . the driving belts that are fastened in the upper and lower telescopic parts will rotate the cogwheels , thereby causing the driving rods 53 , 54 and 23 , 24 to rotate and drive the crossheads inwards . since the actuator rods are attached to the crossheads , the rams will be moved towards each other for closing the main passage 13 , 15 . fig2 illustrates a second embodiment of the invention , in which the safety jioint is indicated generally by reference number 100 . the rams are designed in the same way as those in fig1 , but they are equipped with hydraulically operated actuators . thus only the valves will be described in the following , since the other parts are identical to the joint illustrated in fig1 . in the same way as described for fig1 , each valve 121 , 141 comprises oppositely directed pistons which , when they are moved towards each other , are arranged to shut off the main passage 13 , 15 . in this embodiment the valves 121 , 141 are also identical and in the following only the valve 141 will be described since it will be understood that the valve 121 is of identical design . in the same way as illustrated in fig1 , the lower telescopic part 140 comprises valve housings 142 , 144 , which are also identical but inverted relative to each other . the valve housing 142 has a through - going bore 143 in which a piston 147 with a front end 150 is slidably mounted . the bore 143 extends to an actuator cylinder 145 which by means of , e . g . bolts 126 is attached to the valve housing 142 . the cylinder 145 is closed at its other end by a cap 171 which has a bore 146 a that is of smaller diameter than , but axially aligned with the bore 143 . to the piston is attached an actuator rod 146 which in turn is attached to a hydraulic driving piston 149 . a port 155 is provided in the valve housing 142 . in a similar manner a port 151 is provided in the valve housing 144 . a rod 172 may be attached to the driving piston 149 , extending through the bore 146 a to the outside of the valve housing , thus enabling the piston 147 to be moved manually . the joint 100 also comprises means to provide hydraulic power for operating the driving piston 149 and a corresponding driving piston in the valve housing 144 . in the example illustrated in fig2 , the means comprise a number of piston and cylinder devices arranged symmetrically around the joint 100 , whereof only two , 131 , 133 are illustrated in fig2 . the device 131 has a piston 135 that is movable in a cylinder housing 136 of the device 131 . a driving rod 137 extends from the piston 135 beyond the cylinder with its end attached to a flange 125 on the upper telescopic part 120 . a port 138 is provided in the cylinder wall under the piston 135 . in a similar manner , the device 133 comprises a piston 165 with a driving rod 169 movable in a cylinder housing 166 with ports 167 and 168 . the port 138 is connected via a pipe 152 with the port 155 in the valve housing 142 , while the port 167 is connected with the port 151 in the valve housing 144 via a pipe 154 . ports in the other non - illustrated cylinders are similarly connected with ports in the upper valve 121 . when the upper telescopic part 120 is pulled out of the lower telescopic part 140 , the piston 135 in the piston device 131 will move upwards in the cylinder 136 . this results in a negative pressure under the piston 135 and , via the pipe 152 , a negative pressure in the actuator cylinder 145 . this will cause the driving piston 149 and , thus , the ram 147 to move towards the joint &# 39 ; s centre axis . the same process will occur with the second ram in the valve housing 144 and the valve will thereby close the passage 13 , 15 . the same process will occur with the upper valve 121 . alternatively , the driving fluid may be removed on the top of the piston 135 via a port 139 and passed to a port ( not shown ) on the back of the driving piston 149 , thereby driving the ram 147 towards closing of the valve . in an alternative version the cylinders may be arranged in the reverse manner , i . e . with the retaining flange located on the lower telescopic part 140 . alternatively , half of the piston devices may have oppositely directed piston rods , where half are attached to the flange 125 and half attached to the lower flange . the rams are advantageously provided with cutting elements to enable them to sever a pipe located in the passage 15 , as illustrated in fig4 . the piston rod 137 is attached in such a manner that it will be broken when the telescopic parts are completely separated from each other . they may , for example , be provided with shear pins similar to those for the telescopic part 22 or any other type of weakening device . fig3 illustrates a third embodiment of the invention . a joint 200 is illustrated here where ball valves 221 , 241 are mounted in the upper telescopic part 120 and the lower telescopic part 140 respectively . each valve has a drive pin ( not shown ) connected to an arm 224 and 244 respectively . a driving rod 226 is attached at one end to the driving arm 224 and at its lower end is attached to the valve housing of the valve 241 at a fastening point 228 . similarly , a driving rod 246 is attached at one end to the driving arm 244 and at its other end is attached to the valve housing of the valve 221 at a fastening point 248 . a combined stop and locking mechanism 230 and 250 respectively is provided in order to restrict the movement of the arms and to ensure that the valves are kept locked in their closed positions . when the joint is subjected to tension that causes the shear pins to be broken , the parts will be pulled apart . the rods 226 , 246 will thereby move the valve arms , thus causing the balls to rotate and the valves to close . at the fastening points 228 , 248 the rods are provided with means that cause them to be released from the fastening points when the arms 224 , 244 are rotated to their extreme position . with the invention a solution has been arrived at where at least one fluid channel ( 13 or 15 ) in a riser can be closed if an event occurs that causes the joint to be broken . the valves will ensure that pressure in the riser is kept inside , thereby avoiding dangerous situations . if the event occurs while work is in progress in the well , a coiled tubing , wire or cable located inside the riser can also be severed . some embodiments for implementation of the invention have been described above , but for a person skilled in the art it will be obvious that several other methods exist for actuating the valves . for example , a key device may be employed which via a transmission mechanism pushes the rams towards each other . it will also be obvious to a skilled person that the hydraulic actuation can also be employed for the ball valves . the joint may be placed at any suitable location , but advantageously near the seabed end and immediately above the emergency disconnect joint . alternatively , the joint may be a part of the emergency disconnect unit , i . e . the lower part of the joint forms the emergency disconnect unit . | 8 |
fig1 shows an ultrasonic transducer indicated by reference numeral 1 and serves for indicating the level of the contents of a container or the storage level of a material at a storage place . the ultrasonic transducer consists of a housing 2 , transducer housing 3 , connecting part 4 , as well as the original pulse generator 5 . the ultrasonic transducer 1 is inserted into the inner space of a container , not shown in the figures , through the opening 6 . the container is closed with a cover 7 of which only a short section is illustrated . a threaded bolt 41 of the connecting part 4 penetrates through a central bore 71 of the connecting flange 72 in order to fasten the ultrasonic transducer 1 . the threaded bolt 41 and the flange 72 form a separable connection by means of which the ultrasonic transducer 1 is retained on the connecting flange 72 . the piezoelectric crystal 31 is arranged inside of the pot - shaped transducer housing 3 . the base of the transducer housing 3 forms the membrane 32 of the ultrasonic transducer . at the side facing the membrane 32 , the face surface of the piezoelectric crystal , as well as a short section of the outer surface of the piezoelectric crystal 31 , is covered with the adaptation layer 33 . this is realized by retaining the piezoelectric crystal 31 at an exactly defined distance from the membrane 32 via short supports 34 . the inner space of the transducer housing 3 situated opposite the membrane 32 is entirely filled by the damping layer 35 . consequently , the piezoelectric crystal 31 is covered by the damping layer 35 on its outer surface as well as its face surface situated opposite the membrane 32 . electric connecting lines 51 connect the piezoelectric crystal 31 with theoriginal pulse generator 5 formed by an electric circuit 52 . this original pulse generator is electrically connected with an evaluation device arranged at a distance from the measuring space via one additional electric line 53 . fig3 shows that the pot - shaped transducer housing 3 is provided with locking springs 36 on its end situated opposite the membrane 32 . these locking springs are evenly distributed over the periphery of the transducer housing 3 . the function of these locking springs 36 will be discussed in detail below . the pot - shaped transducer housing 3 is preferably manufactured as a molded part consisting of a polypropylene . the original pulse generator 5 generates an electric original pulse and excites the piezoelectric crystal 31 to oscillate at the frequency of the ultrasonic wave via the electric connecting lines 51 . the acoustic energy is essentially emitted from the face surfaces of the crystal 31 in the axial direction . however , part of this energy is also emitted from the outer surface of the crystal 31 in the radial direction . the plastic layer33 , which faces the membrane 32 and fills the intermediate space between the membrane 32 and the crystal 31 , causes an adaptation of the acoustic impedance of the ceramic material of the piezoelectric crystal 31 to the impedance of the media into which the acoustic pulse is emitted . the damping layer 35 that fills the remaining inner space of the pot - shapedtransducer housing 3 damps the emission of energy in the radial direction as well as the axial direction extending away from the membrane 32 . since this plastic layer not only causes a damping of the emitted energy but also an impedance adaptation , the undesired emission of energy may not be prevented entirely . while a reduction of the emission in the axial direction extending away from the membrane 32 currently no longer represents a problem , a satisfactory solution with respect to the radial emission has not been found so far . although it was attempted to reduce the emission of radial oscillation energy by increasing the sound absorption , namely by expanding the sound propagation path via the dampinglayer , this measure is always associated with an increase in the dimensionsof the housing diameter and may not be realized in the ideal fashion . the transition of acoustic energy from one material to another material causes an acoustic impedance jump at the boundary surfaces of the materialwhich , in turn , leads to a partial reflection of the acoustic pressure wave . the same also applies to the transition from plastic to air . this transition of the acoustic energy on the boundary surfaces of the materialdepends to a high degree on the ratio between the acoustic impedances z 1 and z 2 of the two materials . the reflection factor r for the acoustic pressure is calculated in accordance with the formula with materials , the characteristic acoustic impedance of which differs by the factor 5 , this results in a reflection factor of 0 . 67 . this means thatthe acoustic pressure was lowered to 33 % of its original intensity after passing through the boundary surfaces of the material . after passing through the boundary surfaces of two materials , this value is reduced to 11 % of its original intensity . very high coefficients of reflection resultduring the transition of the acoustic pressure from plastic to air , i . e ., alarge portion of the pressure wave is reflected . since this effect does notdepend on the thickness of the materials , it is , for example , possible to construct the housing walls very thin or design the distances to the housing walls to be very small . the invention utilizes this effect due to the fact that the transducer housing 3 penetrates the opening 21 in the housing 2 coaxially , that the transducer housing is separated from the housing 2 via an exactly defined thin air gap 38 that has a cylindrical shape and extends in the radial direction , and that structure - born sound is decoupled additionally within the region of the outer surface of the piezoelectric crystal 31 . this is realized by arranging three short cylindrical sections of larger diameter in such a way that they surround the opening 21 of the housing 2 as shown in fig2 and 3 . the first section situated opposite the connecting part 4 has such a diameter and width that it forms a groove 22 of round cross section for accommodating a flexible , annular seal 23 . the second , central section also forms a groove 24 that serves for accommodating an annular seal 25 . the annular seals 23 and 25 may be formed of customary o - rings . the third section 26 is somewhat wider and has such a cross section that its annular surface facing the groove 24 forms a shoulder 27 that serves for bracing the locking springs 36 if the transducer housing 3 is insertedinto the opening 21 . a longer section 28 , the diameter of which is approximately 2 mm larger than the diameter of the section 29 extending between the groove 24 and the section 26 , extends between the grooves 22 and 24 . the section 29 in cooperation with the seals 23 and 25 forms the exact guidance of the outersurface 37 of the transducer housing 3 in the opening 21 of the housing 2 . the inner wall of the section 28 of the housing 2 and the outer surface 37of the transducer housing 3 consequently form an exactly defined cylindrical air gap 38 with a thickness of approximately 1 mm or less and a length of approximately 25 mm . the air gap 38 surrounds the outer surface of the piezoelectric crystal 31 . the air gap 38 causes , in the boundary surfaces of the material , a transition from plastic to air , subsequently a transition from air to plastic and a transition from plastic to air once again at the outer surface of the housing 2 . each of these transitions triggers a partial reflection of the sound wave that is caused by the acoustic impedance jump . the membrane 32 of the transducer housing 3 extends radially beyond the outer surface 37 , so that its periphery coincides with the periphery of the housing 2 . in the inserted and locked position , the annular surface 55of the membrane 32 facing the face side of the housing 2 does not directly adjoin the face surface of the housing 2 , but a second air gap 39 that extends in the radial direction and has a thickness of approximately 0 . 2 mm is formed between these two components . the housing 2 also may be manufactured as a molded part consisting of a polypropylene . fig1 shows that parts 2 and 3 are assembled in such a way that the connecting line 53 is initially electrically connected with the electric circuit 52 and inserted into the opening 21 of the housing 2 . the originalpulse generator 5 assumes the position shown in fig1 . after inserting theannular seals 23 and 25 , the preassembled transducer housing 3 is inserted into the opening 21 until the transducer housing 3 assumes the position shown in fig1 and the locking springs 36 are engaged on the shoulder 27 of the housing 2 . once the components 3 and 5 are arranged in this position inside the housing 2 , the remaining free space may be filled witha suitable sealing compound 54 . the transducer housing 3 is now separated from the housing 2 via a precisely defined and exactly cylindrical air gap that has an annular shape and extends in the radial direction . the two seals 23 and 25 permanently seal the cylindrical air gap , namely also under difficult conditions , and cause an additional decoupling of the structure - born soundfrom the region of the transducer housing 3 situated opposite the outer surface from the housing 2 . due to the three material transitions , namely transducer housing 3 -- air gap , air gap -- housing 2 , housing 2 -- measuring space , the characteristic acoustic impedances for the material plastic z k ˜ 2 × 10 6 n s / m 3 and air z l ˜ 400 n s / m 3 result in a reduction of the acoustic pressure emitted radially on the outer surface of the piezoelectric crystal 31 that is 45 - 50 db lower compared to a direct emission into air . it goes without saying that the acoustic impedance jumps also may be obtained by the boundary surfaces of different materials . | 1 |
referring now to fig1 a high speed switch packaging arrangement 10 is shown . the high speed switch packaging arrangement 10 includes a backplane 12 , a plurality of first connectors 14 ( only one shown ), a plurality of second connectors 16 ( only one shown ), a plurality of interface cards 18 , and a switching subsystem 20 comprising one or more integrated circuits and support circuitry as required . as shown in fig2 the backplane 12 is generally rectangular in shape ; however , other shapes such as a hexagon , an octagon or other appropriate shapes can be used for a given application and generally rectangular should be understood to include backplanes where portions of the backplane may be cut out , off the edges or the like . the backplane 12 has a first end 12a , a second end 12b , a third end 12c , a fourth end 12d , a first side 12e and a second side 12f . the first and second ends 12a , 12b are opposite each other , and the third and fourth ends 12c , 12d are opposite each other . the backplane 12 is preferably a printed circuit board ( pcb ) constructed using standard pcb technology . the plurality of first connectors 14 are disposed along the first end 12a of the backplane 12 while the plurality of second connectors 16 are disposed along the second end 12b of the backplane 12 . the first and second connectors 14 , 16 are mounted to the first side 12e of the backplane 12 in a conventional manner . the first and second connectors 14 , 16 are illustrated as being male portions of standard connector pairs and each includes a plurality of pins 22 . the first and second connectors 14 , 16 are aligned with each other to form corresponding pairs of connectors . for example , a first connector 14a is aligned with and spaced a predetermined distance from a second connector 16a so as to receive connectors from a corresponding one of the plurality of interface cards 18 . while the first connectors 14 and the second connectors 16 are illustrated as being lined up along the first end 12a and second end 12b of the backplane 12 , respectively , they do not need to be in lines provided corresponding pairs of the connectors 14 , 16 are properly spaced relative to one another to receive the interface cards 18 . referring to fig3 each of the plurality of interface cards 18 includes a third connector 24 , a fourth connector 26 , a first input / output ( i / o ) port 28 , a second i / o port 29 , a third i / o port 30 and a fourth i / o port 31 . the i / o ports 28 - 31 are disposed along a first end 18a of each interface card 18 while the third and fourth connectors 24 , 26 are disposed along a second end 18b of each interface card 18 . the third and fourth connectors 24 , 26 are illustrated as being female portions of standard connector pairs and include appropriate sockets ( not shown ) which receive the pins 22 of the first and second connectors 14 , 16 when the third and fourth connectors 24 , 26 are connected to the first and second connectors 14 , 16 , respectively . the third and fourth connectors 24 , 26 are separated from one another by the same predetermined distance as the first and second connectors 14 , 16 so that the first and second connectors 14 , 16 may properly receive and engage corresponding third and fourth connectors 24 , 26 when one of the plurality of interface cards 18 is mounted on the backplane 12 . it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that either additional or fewer i / o ports may be provided on each of the interface cards 18 . equipment processing high speed signals is connected to the i / o ports 28 - 31 so that the high speed signals can be appropriately switched through the switching subsystem 20 to provide required interconnections for the high speed signals . it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the i / o ports 28 - 31 may be connected to mass storage systems , video distribution systems or the like which utilize the high speed switch for their operation . each i / o port 28 - 31 includes an input connection 28a , 29a , 30a , 31a for receiving signals from the connected equipment and an output connection 28b , 29b , 30b , 31b for transmitting signals to the connected equipment . the first and second i / o ports 28 , 29 are connected to the third connector 24 while the third and fourth i / o ports 30 , 31 are connected to the fourth connector 26 . the i / o ports 28 - 31 are preferably connected to the third and fourth connectors 24 , 26 through a plurality of input pce traces 36 and a plurality of output pcb traces 38 on the interface cards 18 . the input and output pcb traces 36 , 38 are illustrated as each being a pair of traces for receiving and transmitting data signals ; however , the i / o ports 28 - 31 may be connected to the third and fourth connectors 24 , 26 using single traces or other connection means , such as hardwiring . the input and output pcb traces 36 , 38 are connected between connection pins 40 on the i / o ports 28 - 31 and connection panels 24a , 26a of the third and fourth connectors 24 , 26 which connect the traces 36 , 38 on the interface card 18 to respective sockets of the third and fourth connectors 24 , 26 . attenuation , distortion and cross - talk are reduced by making the traces 36 , 38 as short as possible and by routing the traces 36 , 38 so that traces from one i / o port which cross traces from any other i / o port are reduced to a minimum , preferably to zero . consequently , the first and second i / o ports 28 , 29 are routed to the closest connector , i . e . the third connector 24 , and the third and fourth i / o ports 30 , 31 are routed to the closest connector , i . e . the fourth connector 26 . only input and output traces have been shown on the accompanying figures for clarity and simplicity . however , it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other traces and electrical components may be used both on the backplane 12 and each or any of the port or interface cards 18 for line termination , impedance matching , grounding , signal conditioning and other requirements of the high speed switch packaging arrangement 10 . it is apparent that the connectors 14 , 16 , 24 , 26 are not pin limited by the required connections so that the unused pins may also be used for some or all of the aforementioned purposes in the present invention . furthermore , the particular arrangement of i / o ports 28 - 31 and connectors increase the available number of pins for other uses . alternately , connectors having fewer pins can be used . it is to be understood that the i / o ports 28 - 31 may be adapted to receive and transmit data signals using a variety of different technologies . for example , the signals may be transmitting using unshielded twisted pair conductors , shielded twisted pair cables , fiber optic cables and coaxial cables as well as other signal transmission means . it is to be further understood that one or more of the above technologies may be used by different ones of the i / o ports 28 - 31 in the present invention . as shown in fig2 the switching subsystem 20 is positioned between the first and second connectors 14 , 16 , and preferably , generally centered between the first , second , third , and fourth ends 12a - 12d of the backplane 12 . for ease of illustration , the switching subsystem 20 is shown as being mounted on the first side 12e of backplane 12 and comprises a single integrated circuit chip 44 having first and second sides 44a , 44b opposing one another and third and fourth sides 44c , 44d opposing one another . of course , the switching subsystem 20 can also be mounted on the second side 12f of the backplane 12 and such mounting is used in a working embodiment of the high speed switch packaging arrangement 10 and is currently preferred . the integrated circuit chip 44 includes a plurality of connection pins 46 disposed along its first , second , third , and fourth sides 44a - 44d , respectively . in the illustrated embodiment , the connection pins 46 include a plurality of input connection pins 46a disposed along the third and fourth sides 44c , 44d of integrated circuit chip 44 for receiving data signals and a plurality of output connection pins 46b disposed along the first and second sides 44a , 44b of integrated circuit chip 44 for transmitting data signals . a plurality of electrical connections 48 , pcb traces as illustrated , are disposed on the backplane 12 for connecting the integrated circuit chip 44 with the first and second connectors 14 , 16 . the plurality of electrical connections 48 include a plurality of input connection traces 48a and a plurality of output connection traces 48b . as with the input and output traces 36 , 38 on the interface cards 18 , input and output connection traces 48a , 48b each include a pair of traces for receiving and transmitting signals . the input and output connection traces 48a , 48b are routed to the pins 22 of the first and second connectors 14 , 16 so that input connection traces 48a correspond to the input traces 36 coupled to the third and fourth connectors 24 , 26 and the output connection traces 48b correspond to the output traces 38 coupled to the third and fourth connectors 24 , 26 . the output connection traces 48b coupled to the first connectors 14 are connected to the output connection pins 46b on the first side 44a of integrated circuit chip 44 . the output connection traces 48b coupled to the second connectors 16 are connected to the output connection pins 46b on the second side 44b of the integrated circuit chip 44 . the input connection traces 48a from the first connectors 14 are connected to the input connection pins 46a on a first portion 44e of the third and fourth sides 44c , 44d of the integrated circuit chip 44 . the input connection traces 48a from the second connectors 14 are connected to the input connection pins 46a on a second portion 44f of the third and fourth sides 44c , 44d of the integrated circuit chip 44 . as shown in fig2 the first portion 44e of the third and fourth sides 44c , 44d is the upper portion of the integrated circuit chip 44 nearest the first connectors 14 . similarly , the second portion 44f of the third and fourth sides 44c , 44d is the lower portion of the integrated circuit chip 44 nearest the second connectors 16 . the input and output connection traces 48a , 48b are arranged so that input connection traces from each connector which cross input connection traces from the other connectors are reduced to a minimum , preferably to zero , and output connection traces from each connector which cross output connection traces from the other connectors are reduced to a minimum , preferably to zero . such an arrangement allows for shorter traces which reduces the attenuation and distortion of the signals connected by the traces . further , cross - talk is reduced by reducing the number of traces which cross one another . furthermore , shorter traces also reduce cross - talk by reducing the length of parallel traces and hence the coupling between traces . where traces are parallel to one another , signals from one trace are more likely to be coupled to another trace due to capacitive and inductive coupling which increases with increasing path length . the input connection traces 48a which cross the output connection traces 48b are crossed using standard multilayer pcb technology . as with the interface cards 18 , only input and output traces have been shown on the accompanying figures for clarity and simplicity . however , it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other traces and electrical components may be used for line termination , impedance matching , grounding , signal conditioning , other support circuitry and other requirements of the high speed switch packaging arrangement 10 . in the preferred embodiment of the present invention , the integrated circuit chip 44 is a 32 channel integrated circuit switch . there are eight pairs of first and second connectors 14 , 16 which interface with eight interface cards 18 . the eight interface cards 18 are coupled to 32 i / o ports 28 - 31 for full 32 channel switching . further , the present invention allows the interface cards 18 to be positioned over the switching subsystem 20 , illustrated as the integrated circuit chip 44 . the integrated circuit chip 44 is controlled by a processor ( not shown ) so that the data signals between the i / o ports 28 - 31 may be routed as required . the high speed switching arrangement 10 of the present invention increases the number of devices which may be coupled thereto as well as making the arrangement 10 as compact as possible . it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the switching subsystem 20 may include multiple integrated circuits which perform a switching function comparable to the switching function performed by the integrated circuit chip 44 . further , the number of interface cards 18 which are coupled to the backplane 12 is not critical to the invention . the packaging arrangement 10 may be increased by adding additional interface cards 18 and additional switching features from switching subsystem 20 . conversely , the packaging arrangement 10 may use fewer interface cards 18 by not using available interface card slots or manufacturing a backplane with less than 8 slots . similarly , the number of i / o ports coupled to the interface cards 18 is not critical to the invention . additional i / o ports may be added to the interface cards 18 to increase the switching capacity of the packaging arrangement 10 . conversely , every i / o port does not have to be used . the interface cards 18 may also be designed with fewer than 4 i / o ports . it should be apparent that the packaging arrangement 10 may be designed to handle any reasonable number of interface cards and i / o ports as long as the electrical paths , crossovers , etc . are as outlined above to ensure the advantages of the present invention . the plurality of first and second connectors 14 , 16 have been shown as being aligned in two parallel rows of connectors . however , it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that adjacent connectors do not have to be aligned with one another . it is only critical that the spacing between the first and second connectors 14 , 16 remain consistent with the spacing of the third and fourth connectors 24 , 26 . it will be further appreciated by those skilled in the art that the spacing between adjacent pairs of first and second connectors 14 , 16 need not be consistent as long as there are corresponding interface cards having similar spacings between the third and fourth connectors 24 , 26 . it should be apparent that the switching subsystem 20 should be placed between the first and second connectors 14 , 16 . stated another way , the first connectors 14 are positioned on one side of an axis 50 defined by the first side 44a of the integrated circuit chip 44 . first connectors 14 are above the axis 50 and first side 44a so that the interconnecting traces are as short as possible . similarly , the second connectors 16 are positioned on one side of an axis 52 defined by the second side 44b of the integrated circuit chip 44 . second connectors 16 are below the axis 50 and second side 44b so that the interconnecting traces are as short as possible . as shown in fig2 the axes 50 , 52 are substantially parallel to the first and second sides 44a , 44b of integrated circuit chip 44 . however , it should be apparent that the axes 50 , 52 may be at an angle with respect to the first and second sides 44a , 44b if the integrated circuit chip is rotated with respect to the first and second connectors 14 , 16 . the switching subsystem 20 would still be between the first and second connectors 14 , 16 and the first and second connectors would still be on one side of the axes 50 , 52 . in the illustrated embodiment of the present invention , the switching subsystem 20 , first connectors 14 and second connectors 16 are mounted on the first side 12e of the backplane 12 . single sided placement of the switching subsystem 20 and the connectors 14 , 16 reduces manufacturing steps making the backplane easier to produce . alternately , the switching subsystem 20 can be mounted on the first side 12e of the backplane 12 and the first and second connectors 14 , 16 can be mounted on the second side 12f of the backplane 12 . these configurations allow the interface cards 18 to be mounted over the switching subsystem 20 . the high speed switch arrangement 10 is even more compact since the interface cards 18 may be placed over the switching subsystem 20 . the configuration of the backplane with the switching subsystem 20 between the first and second connectors 14 , 16 increases the number of ports which may be provided by the switch arrangement 10 while reducing the length of signal traces on the backplane 12 and interface cards 18 . the switching arrangement 10 is also easy to maintain and may be upgraded easily . if one of the interface cards 18 fails , the failed card may be simply replaced by removing it from the backplane 12 and installing a new card . the packaging arrangement 10 may be upgraded by simply replacing the switching subsystem 20 , for example integrated circuit chip 44 as illustrated , or by installing upgraded port or interface cards . further , a new backplane utilizing the same circuit arrangement of the current backplane 12 may be used . changing the backplane in this manner would be transparent to the interface cards 18 such that the interface cards 18 may be reused without any changes . the switching arrangement 10 is compact , versatile , easily upgradable and easily maintained . having described the invention of the present application in detail and by reference to preferred embodiments thereof , it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims . | 7 |
the variable power energy harvesting system of the invention may be embodied in several alternative configurations for efficiently harvesting energy during alternatively low and high power input conditions , such as a solar system for example , which may operate under both low and high insolation conditions wherein available input power may vary by orders of magnitude . in a solar powered system , for example , under low insolation conditions , such as cloudy outdoor conditions or indoors , solar panel power output is greatly reduced . it is often nevertheless desirable to harvest the small amount of available energy . the harvested energy may be used to run a low - power system or may be stored in batteries or other storage elements . in low power battery operated systems , this harvested energy can be enough to eliminate drain from standby power , extending battery life . this can facilitate continual operation without the frequent need for additional external charging . it is also often desirable to have the capability to maximize energy harvesting under high insolation conditions with the same system . this can require multiple modes of operation to get the most power from a solar panel , when the available power can change by several orders of magnitude , such as when moving a portable solar powered system from within a building having artificial lighting out into direct sunlight . due to these and other challenges and potential problems with the current state of the art , improved methods , apparatus , and systems for energy harvesting would be useful and advantageous . initially referring primarily to fig1 , an exemplary embodiment of a variable power energy harvesting system 100 has a control loop 102 , which includes control logic 104 . the system uses comparators 106 to assess the available harvested voltage , e . g ., v panel in relation to preselected high and low levels . a boost converter 110 with the low - power hysteretic control loop 102 based on harvested voltage v panel is used to regulate the power harvesting apparatus , in this example solar panel array 112 , at its mppt ( maximum power point tracking ) voltage . the hysteretic control loop 102 may be run as the only control , or may be used in conjunction with additional control ( s ) when the available harvested power is sufficient to power additional control circuitry . for example , the system may include the capability to detect the condition that power is being delivered to a load above a threshold level , and then engage a more sophisticated mppt regulation control . the power required for the operation of the mppt regulation is preferably small relative to the available harvested power . optionally , a temperature sensor may be provided for monitoring operating temperature . operating temperature may be used to adjust the harvested voltage based on temperature - induced effects on system performance . now referring primarily to fig2 , an example of an embodiment of such a variable power energy harvesting system 200 is shown . it has been found that actively monitoring output power v batt enables the system to choose the optimum harvested voltage v panel to maximize power output , e . g ., v batt , realized from the solar panel array 112 . a suitable current sensor 202 is used to track the output v batt . in the event the harvested voltage v panel is less than output voltage v batt , as determined by the sensor 202 , the control logic 104 may be used to select the optimal output voltage level v batt with a view toward maximizing power harvested ( v panel ) from the solar panel 112 . the current sensor 202 and mppt ( digital to analog converter ) dac 204 provide the functionality needed by the control loop 102 to improve the energy harvesting efficiency of the system 200 based on the conditions experienced by the energy source , e . g . solar panel 112 , that affect the voltage available ( e . g ., v panel ) for use by the system 200 . in the case of low - power applications for which it is particularly desirable to monitor the load , such as portable electronics powered by a battery , the system 200 may be configured to briefly wake up to check the status of the load , e . g ., v batt , and determine whether conditions allow the system to continue charging . this wake up is preferably operated at a relatively low duty cycle , so as to not dramatically change the power delivered to the load v batt . alternative views of an exemplary embodiment of a variable power energy harvesting system are shown in fig3 , depicting a schematic diagram of the system 300 , and fig4 , illustrating the operation of the system 300 . in this example , a dc / dc synchronous switching li - ion battery charger system 300 includes fully integrated power switches , internal compensation 302 , and full fault protection 304 . the system 300 utilizes temperature - independent photovoltaic maximum power point tracking ( mppt ) circuitry 306 to provide power output v batt from energy harvesting apparatus 312 during full charge constant - current ( cc ) mode . a preferred switching frequency of 1 mhz enables the use of small filter components , resulting in system size and cost advantages . in a presently preferred embodiment , in full - charge mode the duty cycle is controlled by the mppt regulator 306 . once termination voltage is reached , the regulator operates in voltage mode . when the regulator is disabled ( en is low ), the system draws less than 10 ua quiescent current . now referring primarily to fig4 , an example of the operation of the variable power energy harvesting system in the context of a solar battery charger is shown . when the output voltage , such as battery charging voltage , is at a low threshold , e . g ., below 3 . 0 volts in this example , the system 300 enters a pre - charge state and applies a small , programmable charge current to safely charge the battery to a level for which full charge current can be applied . once the full charge mode has been initiated , the system 300 attempts to maximize available charge current to the battery by adjusting its duty cycle to regulate its input voltage to the mpp voltage of the energy harvesting apparatus , in this example photovoltaic cells . if sufficient current is available from the pv cell to exceed the safe 1c charge rate of the battery , then the programmable 1c current limit function will take priority over the mpp control function and the pv cell voltage will rise above the mpp value . when the battery voltage has increased sufficiently to warrant entering a maintenance mode ( constant voltage ), the pwm control loop forces a constant voltage across the battery . once in constant voltage mode , current is monitored to determine when the battery is fully charged . this regulation voltage as well as the 1c charging current may be set to change based on battery temperature . for example , in a preferred embodiment , there are four temperature ranges which may be set independently , for example , 0 - 10 ° c ., 10 - 45 ° c ., 45 - 50 ° c . and 50 - 60 ° c . the 0 ° c . and 60 ° c . thresholds stop charging and have 10 degrees of hysteresis . the intermediate points have 1 degree of hysteresis . a thermal shutdown is also provided . in the event the temperature of the system exceeds 170 ° c . ( in typical implementations ), the sw outputs tri - state in order to protect the system 300 from damage . the nflt and all other protection circuitry remains active to inform the system 300 of the failure mode . once the system 300 cools sufficiently , e . g ., to 160 ° c . ( typical ), the system 300 attempts to restart . if the system 300 reaches 170 ° c ., the shutdown / restart sequence repeats . an internal current limit is preferably maintained . the current through the inductor is sensed on a cycle by cycle basis and in the event a selected current limit is reached , the cycle is abbreviated . current limit is always active when the regulator is enabled . an under - voltage lockout feature is also preferably provided . in this example , the system 300 is held in the “ off ” state until the harvested voltage v panel reaches a selected threshold , 3 . 6v , for example . there is preferably a 200 mv hysteresis on this input , which requires the input to fall below 3 . 4v before the system 300 disables . a battery over - voltage protection circuit designed to shutdown the charging profile if the battery voltage is greater than the termination voltage is also preferably provided . the termination voltage may preferably be changed based on user programming , so the protection threshold is set to 2 % above the termination voltage . shutting down the charging profile puts the system in a fault condition . a variable power energy harvesting system 500 is depicted in fig5 . in this exemplary preferred embodiment , a buck converter configuration is shown . in this system 500 , the design is configured to anticipate the operational condition that the harvested voltage v panel may be greater than the required output voltage v batt . when the available harvested power is too low to power any active control circuitry , the pass device ( sw 1 ) in the buck converter 510 switches to the “ on ” state . this does not allow mppt to function , but can nevertheless provide the highest output power because the system power overhead can be almost zero . as an alternative , this can also be done with a parallel switch to the main pass device . similar to boost mode , the device can briefly wake up to check load status and available harvested power , e . g ., v panel . again , this should be at a low enough duty cycle to not dramatically change the power delivered to the load . a second mode of operation in a buck configuration is a low power hysteretic control based on the harvested voltage ( v panel ). this requires some power overhead , so the available power should be sufficient to run the required circuitry . similar to the hysteretic control in the boost mode , this can be to a fixed voltage , a changing voltage based on temperature , or an active control that monitors the output power to regulate the energy harvesting apparatus , e . g ., panel 512 , to its mppt voltage . finally , in the event the available power is sufficient , a more sophisticated control may be activated to allow for better mppt regulation . the efficiency gains from better mppt regulation should be significant enough to overcome the additional power overhead in running the additional control . alternative views of an exemplary embodiment of a variable power energy harvesting system having a buck converter are shown in fig6 . in preferred embodiments , a “ power good ” ( pg ) pin ( not explicitly shown ) is used to indicate a fault condition or inability to charge . the output is an open - drain type . when en is low , the system 500 is nominally active . assuming no fault conditions , the pg pin is open . an external resistor r ( not explicitly shown ) connected between the pg pin and an external i / o rail pulls the pg output up to the rail voltage , indicating that charging is underway . in the event a fault occurs , the pg pin is pulled to ground . the three events which can trigger a pg fault indication are preferably , input under - voltage , output over - voltage , and thermal shutdown . in preferred embodiments , the boost configuration of the system 500 is a dc / dc synchronous switching boost converter with fully integrated power switches , internal compensation , and full fault protection . a temperature - independent photovoltaic maximum power point tracking ( mppt ) system 500 thus embodied endeavors to maximize output current to the load , making it advantageous as a supply for battery charging applications . a switching frequency of 2 mhz is preferably chosen to enable the use of small external components for portable applications . examples of the operation of the system 500 are described for two typical scenarios . in one example , an intermediate charger circuit may be used between the system 500 and a battery or other storage element . the terminal voltage is set high . when the system starts up and ramps the output voltage above the pg threshold , the pg flag is set . until the load is capable of sinking the full amount of current available from the boost converter , the output rises to the light load regulation value of 5 . 0v . once sufficient load is applied to the system , the load itself determines the output voltage of the converter . in this case , the mpp tracking function adjusts the harvested input voltage of the system in order to maximize the output current ( and thus output power ) into the load . in another example , the system may be used to directly charge a li - ion battery , with the terminal vterm set low . insolation of the pv panel allows immediate charging of the battery . the mpp tracking function works to deliver the maximum possible charge current to the battery until the termination voltage of 4 . 0v is reached . at this point , the device automatically transitions to an accurate voltage regulation mode to safely maintain a full charge on the battery . the current through the inductor is sensed on a cycle by cycle basis and if current limit is reached , the cycle is abbreviated . current limit is always active when the boost converter is enabled . if the temperature of the system exceeds a selected threshold , such as 150 ° c ., for example , the sw outputs tri - state in order to protect the system from damage . the pg and all other protection circuitry remain active to inform the system of the failure mode . once the system cools to a lower threshold , e . g ., 140 ° c ., the system attempts to restart . in the event the system again reaches 150 ° c ., the shutdown / restart sequence repeats . the pg output is pulled low to signal the existence of a fault condition . the system 500 preferably also has an output over - voltage protection circuit which prevents the system 500 from reaching a dangerously high voltage under sudden light load conditions . the typical over - voltage detection threshold is 102 % of the terminal voltage value . in the event of such a condition , the pg output is pulled low to signal a fault condition . input under - voltage protection is also preferably provided . the system 500 monitors its input voltage and does not permit switching to occur when the input voltage drops below a selected threshold , e . g ., 250 mv . switching resumes automatically once the input voltage is above a higher selected threshold , e . g ., 275 mv . in addition , the pg output is pulled low to signal a fault condition . as shown in fig7 , the variable power energy harvesting system may be implemented in a buck - boost configuration 600 , that is , a configuration in which the harvested voltage v panel may be greater or less than the load voltage v batt . this can be done with all or part of the features of the boost and buck configurations shown and described herein working in parallel with a control mechanism to select which function should be active under given conditions . the buck - boost system 600 is a dc / dc synchronous switching charge controller which utilizes a temperature - independent photovoltaic maximum power point tracking ( mppt ) circuit in efforts to optimize power from energy harvesting apparatus such as a solar panel . the system 600 controls fet devices in buck , boost , and buck / boost configurations in order to support a wide range of system power levels and output voltages . a preferred 100 khz switching frequency results in low system quiescent current levels . the system 600 includes integrated battery charge controls for li - ion , nimh and lead acid batteries . in full - charge mode the duty cycle is controlled by the mppt regulator . fig8 illustrates an implementation of a variable power energy harvesting system 700 demonstrating a buck configuration similar to that shown and described with reference to fig1 - 4 , with the addition of a parallel charge pump to work when the harvested voltage v panel is below the output v batt . this charge pump is controlled to run when the harvested voltage v panel is within a certain voltage range . any of the above configurations can be combined with a traditional mppt component . the system may be operated with the traditional mppt solution in a standby low power state while one of the above configurations is active , and then begin to run when the available power is sufficient to run the traditional solution . an additional alternative feature of a variable power energy harvesting system 800 is shown in fig9 . this embodiment illustrates a configuration in which , under ultra - low power conditions , the energy harvesting apparatus , such as an array of pv panels , can be reconfigured to reduce losses . a pv panel is configured such that the cells may be recombined in series and / or parallel combinations in order to set the mppt voltage of the panel to approximate the voltage of the load . in this case , the load may be connected directly to the panel output or a simple linear circuit may be used to connect the load . the reconfiguring of the stack may be controlled by polling the conditions or as part of a control loop to maximize energy harvesting . alternatively , or additionally , a single capacitor or array of capacitors may be connected to all or some portion ( s ) of the energy harvesting apparatus such as a solar panel stack . once these capacitors receive a level of charge from the energy harvesting stack , e . g ., solar cells , this charge may be combined together or transferred to the power control circuitry for output . these capacitors are preferably controlled such that the voltage on the capacitors is held close to the mpp voltage of the energy harvesting apparatus . in the event of a low energy harvesting level , e . g ., some of the solar panel is blocked so that it is not producing sufficient power , the capacitors are used to provide substitute power in the interim until a higher energy harvesting level is achieved . many variations are possible within the scope of the invention . in preferred embodiments , the apparatus of the invention preferably includes circuitry adapted to provide the capability to regulate various levels of power produced by associated energy harvesting apparatus . for purposes of clarity , detailed descriptions of functions , components , and systems familiar to those skilled in the applicable arts are not included . the methods and apparatus of the invention provide one or more advantages including but not limited to , improved energy harvesting efficiency and / or improved operating ranges for energy harvesting systems . while the invention has been described with reference to certain illustrative embodiments , those described herein are not intended to be construed in a limiting sense . for example , variations or combinations of functions and / or materials in the embodiments shown and described may be used in particular cases without departure from the invention . various modifications and combinations of the illustrative embodiments as well as other advantages and embodiments of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the arts upon reference to the drawings , description , and claims . | 7 |
the present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings , in which some but not all embodiments of the invention are shown . indeed , this invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein ; rather , these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements . like numbers refer to like elements throughout . a packaging apparatus 20 in accordance with one embodiment of the invention is shown in fig1 . the apparatus 20 is of the dual - web type for advancing a first or upper web 22 and a second or lower web 24 in generally parallel opposing relation with a product p disposed between the webs 22 , 24 and sealing the webs 22 , 24 together to capture the product p therebetween . the webs 22 , 24 can comprise various materials such as , but not limited to , paper pr paperboard , polymeric films , metal foil , polymeric foam , or combinations thereof . the apparatus 20 includes a main frame having a base formed by a plurality of spaced vertical support columns 26 , 28 , 30 , on one side of a longitudinal axis of the apparatus , and a corresponding plurality of spaced vertical support columns 26 ′, 28 ′, 30 ′ on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis . upper and lower longitudinal members 32 are rigidly connected between support columns 26 and 28 and between support columns 28 and 30 , and similar longitudinal members 32 ′ are rigidly connected between columns 26 ′ and 28 ′ and between columns 28 ′ and 30 ′. a lower transverse member 34 is rigidly connected between the support columns 26 and 26 ′, a lower transverse member 36 is rigidly connected between the support columns 28 and 28 ′, and a lower transverse member 38 is rigidly connected between the support columns 30 and 30 ′. a generally planar infeed bed 40 is rigidly connected between the longitudinal members 32 , 32 ′. a lower longitudinal member 42 is rigidly connected between the lower transverse members 36 and 38 . the main frame also includes a superstructure that extends up from the base and above the infeed bed 40 . the superstructure is formed by upward extensions of the support columns 26 , 26 ′, 30 , and 30 ′. an upper transverse member 44 is rigidly connected between the upper ends of the columns 26 and 26 ′. an upper longitudinal member 48 is rigidly connected between the upper ends of the columns 26 and 30 , and an upper longitudinal member 50 is rigidly connected between the upper ends of the columns 26 ′ and 30 ′. upstream columns 26 and 26 ′ support web mounts 52 , 54 that respectively support supply rolls of the webs 22 , 24 in a rotatable manner . the upper web 22 is drawn from its supply roll and advanced over a guide 56 supported between the longitudinal members 48 , 50 , then over a guide 58 supported between the longitudinal members 48 , 50 and spaced longitudinally downstream from the first guide 56 , and then downward for further handling as described in detail below . the lower web 24 is drawn from its supply roll and advanced under a lower guide 60 supported between columns 28 , 28 ′, then over an upper guide 62 supported between columns 28 , 28 ′, then onto the upper surface of the infeed bed 40 . the infeed bed 40 supports a pair of web edge guides 64 , 66 that extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the machine and are spaced apart by a distance about equal to the width of the lower web 24 . the edge guides 64 , 66 capture the opposite edges of the web 24 between the infeed bed 40 and the guides 64 , 66 and thereby hold the lower web 24 flat on the infeed bed 40 and substantially prevent transverse movement of the web 24 , while allowing the web 24 to freely move in the longitudinal direction . a product p to be packaged is placed upon the lower web 24 on the infeed bed 40 , as further described below . with reference to fig1 and 3 , the apparatus 20 includes a pair of rollers 70 , 72 that are rotatably mounted in the main frame at a downstream end thereof . the rollers 70 , 72 form a sealing , nipping or packaging station at which the webs 22 , 24 are sealed together to enclose the product p . advantageously , one or both of the rollers 70 , 72 comprises a resiliently deformable material at least over a medial portion of the roller &# 39 ; s length , such that the passage of the product p through the nip deforms the roller ( s ) 70 , 72 and the restoring force of the resiliently deformable material presses the webs 22 , 24 toward each other so that the webs 22 , 24 conform closely to the product p . the webs 22 , 24 advantageously have cold seal or cohesive material on their facing surfaces such that the application of pressure by the rollers 70 , 72 causes the webs 22 , 24 to adhere to each other but not to the product p . the end portions of each of the rollers 70 , 72 advantageously comprise a generally non - deformable material for firmly gripping the opposite edge portions of the webs 22 , 24 , and the rollers 70 , 72 advantageously are rotatably driven for advancing the webs 22 , 24 through the apparatus 20 , thus comprising a web drive system . alternatively , a separate web drive system can be employed if desired . furthermore , other types of packaging stations can be used , such as non - resilient rollers that engage edge portions of the webs 22 , 24 to seal them together , heat - sealing devices for heat - sealing the webs together and others . at a downstream end of the infeed bed 40 , an upper web support plate 74 is mounted between a pair of spaced end plates 76 , forming a housing that rests atop the base of the main frame . this housing preferably is pivotable relative to the main frame about hinges on a corner of the housing , for access to internal parts of the machine when required for maintenance and the like . the upper web support plate 74 is spaced vertically above the level of the infeed bed 40 . the upper web 22 is advanced beneath a pair of longitudinally spaced web guides 78 , 80 supported atop the end plates 76 , such that the upper web 22 passes along the upper surface of the support plate 74 . the support plate 74 provides support for the upper web 22 so that an adhesive label can be affixed to the web 22 either by hand or by a labeling unit . as best seen in fig4 and 5 , the apparatus 20 includes an infeed gate 82 suitably mounted ( such as below the upper web support plate 74 ) in a position upstream of the nip defined by the rollers 70 , 72 . the infeed gate 82 is connected to an actuator 84 , such as a pneumatic cylinder or the like , operable to move the infeed gate 82 between a blocking position wherein the lower edge of the gate 82 abuts or nearly abuts the lower web 24 on the infeed bed 40 and an unblocking position wherein the lower edge of the gate 82 is spaced above the lower web 24 by a distance exceeding a maximum height of the products p to be packaged such that the products p can pass beneath the gate 82 . thus , when a package is to be formed , the infeed gate 82 is lowered to the blocking position and the product p is placed on the lower web 24 with the leading edge of the product p abutting the gate 82 . this ensures that the leading edge of the product p is in a consistent , repeatable location with respect to the nip . the location at which the product p is placed onto the lower web 24 or the infeed bed 40 , as explained later , is referred to herein as the “ product placement location .” referring to fig3 through 5 , the apparatus 20 also includes a product - sensing detector 86 for detecting the presence of a product p on the lower web 24 at the infeed gate 82 . the product detector 86 is located at or downstream of the product placement location . for example , the product detector 86 may be mounted above the lower web just upstream of the infeed gate 82 . the detector 86 is positioned such that it has a direct line of sight to the lower web 24 as long as no product p is on the web 24 , but so that the line of sight is blocked by any product p present on the web 24 . the product detector 86 can comprise various types of devices , including , but not limited to , a sensor trained or calibrated to detect a specific color or illuminance . examples of available sensors that may be used are the keyence cz - 40 digital fiber - optic sensor with a cz - klp amplifier , or the emx uvx 300 , the former being a color sensor and the later a luminescence sensor . with a color sensor , the sensor is aimed at the lower web 24 proximate to the upstream side of the infeed gate 82 . the sensor is trained to detect the color of the lower web 24 . in operation , if the sensor detects the color that the sensor is trained for , i . e ., the color of the lower web 24 , and then the system controller 88 connected to the sensor determines that no product p is present . conversely , if the sensor does not detect the trained color , presumably because a product p is blocking the sensor &# 39 ; s line of sight to the web 24 , then the system controller 88 determines that a product p is present . similarly , with a luminescence sensor , the sensor is aimed at the lower web 24 preferably proximate to the upstream side of the infeed gate 82 . the sensor is trained to detect the luminance of the lower web 24 including the effect the cohesive has on the luminance . in operation , if the sensor detects the luminance that the sensor is trained for then the system controller 88 determines that no product p is present . conversely , if the sensor does not detect the trained luminance , presumably because a product p is in the way , then the system controller 88 determines that a product p is present . in order to enhance the detection ability a sensing agent , such as a luminescence or fluorescent additive , may be added to the cohesive that is applied to the webs 22 , 24 of material . one example of such an agent is “ leucophor bsb liquid 130 .” this additive chemical comes under the general family of anionic stilbene derivatives . the sensor agent provides the web 24 with a more distinct luminance to which the sensor can be trained . one skilled in the art would appreciate that various other additives may be employed with this invention or various other methods can be used to provide the additive on the webs 22 , 24 , including , but not limited to , mixing the additive with the cohesive or applying or affixing the additive directly to the webs 22 , 24 of material . in other features of the present invention , the sensing agent may be incorporated into the edge area of the webs 22 , 24 so that the sensor can detect the edge of each web 22 , 24 . the sensing agent may also be applied in a unique pattern - like fashion to at least one of the webs 22 , 24 allowing the sensor to determine the tension of the web or webs 22 , 24 , the amount of packaging material left on the supply rolls , the type of web 22 , 24 , or some other aspects . in some embodiments , the determination of one or more of these aspects is used by the system controller 88 to adjust or maintain one or more of the machines settings , including but not limited to the motors or actuators of the web drive system as discussed further below . in yet another embodiment , as illustrated in fig5 , the product - sensing detector 86 may be a light - sensitive sensor . more specifically , a light source 87 positioned on an opposite side of the lower web 24 from the detector 86 may be used to radiate light through the lower web 24 . the light - sensitive detector can monitor the light that passes through the lower web 24 . in operation , a product p on the lower web 24 would interfere with the light passing through the lower web 24 . the light - sensitive detector can detect the difference in received light caused by the product p blocking the light path . this difference in received light can be used to infer that a product p is either present or absent on the lower web 24 . as noted , the apparatus 20 may also include a system controller 88 . the controller 88 can be programmed to control the various motors and actuators of the apparatus 20 that effect movement of the moving parts . in particular , the controller 88 is connected to a motor 90 that drives the nip rollers 70 , 72 , to a cutoff device 92 , to a motor 93 that drives an out - feed conveyor 94 , and to an actuator 84 for the infeed gate 82 . the controller 88 is also connected to the product detector 86 and receives a signal therefrom . a manual mode of operation of the apparatus 20 is now explained with primary reference to fig1 and 3 . rolls of upper and lower webs 22 , 24 are mounted in the web mounts 52 , 54 , respectively . the upper web 22 is threaded through the machine by advancing the web 22 over the guides 56 , 58 and then downward and under the guides 78 , 80 , and then through the nip between rollers 70 , 72 . the lower web 24 is threaded by advancing the web 24 under guide 60 , over guide 62 , through the web edge guides 64 , 66 and through the nip . to begin a packaging sequence , a product p is placed on the lower web 24 against the infeed gate 82 , which is normally down in its blocking position unless the controller 88 commands its actuator 96 to raise the gate 82 . next , a cycle switch is activated . for example , a cycle start button 98 is pressed , which causes a series of operations as follows : based on the signal from the product detector 86 , the system controller 88 determines whether a product p is present , and if no product p is present then no further operations occur until the next time the cycle start button 98 is pressed . if a product p is present , then the controller 88 causes the infeed gate 82 to be lifted up to allow the passage of the product p , and causes the web drive system motor 162 to drive the rollers 70 , 72 to advance the webs 22 , 24 and the product p through the nip to produce a package 100 ( as shown in fig2 ), which is cut off by the cutoff device 92 and conveyed by the out - feed conveyor 94 to the machine discharge . the process generally as described above is repeated for each subsequent package . fig6 illustrates another embodiment of a packaging apparatus in accordance with the present invention , wherein the packaging apparatus 20 is suitable for packaging a continuous stream of products p in an automated fashion . the structure of the packaging apparatus 20 according to this embodiment is similar to the ones described above , with some exceptions . the lower web 24 is still drawn from its supply roll and is guided by a series of guides . however , the lower web 24 is not supported by the upper surface of the infeed bed 40 . instead , the lower web 24 travels under and around the infeed bed 40 . the infeed bed 40 includes a separate conveying system . for example and as illustrated , the infeed bed 40 may include an endless belt or conveyor 102 driven by a suitable drive device 103 . a plurality of pushers 104 are attached to the conveyor 102 at regularly spaced intervals . the pushers 58 project up from the conveyor 102 so the pushers 104 can facilitate the advancement of the products p toward the nip and the products p are fed one at a time into the nip . the movement of the infeed bed conveyor 102 can be continuous or intermittent and can be synchronized with the operation of the other elements of the apparatus 20 as will be understood by those skilled in the art . products p are delivered and placed one at a time onto the infeed bed conveyor 102 at a product placement location by one or more additional conveying systems , not visible in the drawings . the product - sensing detector 86 in this embodiment is preferably mounted above and aimed at a portion of the infeed conveyor 102 proximate to an upstream end of the conveyor 102 . the product detector 86 is trained or calibrated to detect the color or luminance of the belt 102 . if the product detector 86 detects a color or luminance other than that of the infeed bed conveyor belt 102 then the system controller 88 infers that a product p is on the infeed bed conveyor belt 102 . if the product detector 86 fails to detect any product p after a specified period of time , the controller 88 causes the motor 90 to shut down and stop the advancement of the webs 22 , 24 . once the product detector 86 detects a product p again , the controller 88 causes the motor to start up and thus begin to advance the webs 22 , 24 again . the present invention has several advantages . the product detector 86 conserves packaging material and energy by ensuring the running of the packaging apparatus 20 only when a product p is present for packaging . in circumstances where the products p are delivered to the packaging apparatus 20 in small numbers or sporadically , the apparatus 20 won &# 39 ; t engage the drive system or advance the webs 22 , 24 of packaging material unless the cycle switch is activated and the product detector 86 detects a product p . the product detector 86 avoids empty cycles , i . e . running an operating cycle without a product p , and the wasted resources associated with empty cycles , by determining whether a product p is present before starting the apparatus 20 even after the cycle switch is activated . also , in circumstances where the products p are delivered in a higher volume or in a continuous stream , the present invention allows for the continuous operation of the packaging apparatus 20 without requiring an operator &# 39 ; s supervision and protects against breaks in the delivering of products p by shutting down the apparatus 20 until delivery of the products p continues again . many modifications and other embodiments of the invention set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this invention pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings . therefore , it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims . although specific terms are employed herein , they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation . | 1 |
in the present disclosure , like reference numbers refer to like elements throughout the drawings , which illustrate various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure . referring now to fig1 a , a noise collection and analysis system 100 is shown that is useful in phased array analysis for separating device under test subcomponent noise sources . in system 100 , a device under test 101 emits noise ( shown by ref . no . 106 ) that is detected by both a phased array 102 of sound sensors and a far - field ( and , in an exemplary embodiment , polar ) array 103 of sound sensors . phased array 102 and far - field array 103 are described below with respect to fig3 . a processing system 104 receives the signals from the phased array 102 and the far - field array 103 and processes such signals in accordance with the methods disclosed herein , under the control of a user via user interface 105 ( e . g ., a keyboard , mouse and video display ). as one of ordinary skill in the art will readily understand , processing system 104 may digitize the signals from each sound sensor or such signals may be locally digitized at arrays 102 , 103 and provided as digital signals to processing system 104 . the sound sensors in each array 102 , 103 maybe be any suitable sensor for detecting sound , including but not limited to microphones , hydrophones , laser sensors , and seismometers . as shown in fig1 b , processing system 104 may be a conventional computing system for processing the noise signals detected by arrays 102 , 103 and may include , for example , a processor 110 , a memory unit 111 , ram / rom 112 , an input interface 113 and an input / output interface 114 , all of which may be coupled via a bus 115 . as one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize , many other computer architectures may be substituted for the architecture shown in fig1 b and provide comparable results . in particular , the processing system 104 may operate under an operating system stored in memory unit 111 and loaded at startup via a built - in operating system ( bios ) stored in ram / rom 112 . the operating system may provide a user interface via input / output interface 114 ( which may constitute , at least in part , a keyboard interface , a mouse interface and a video display interface ). preferably the user interface is a graphical user interface ( gui ). the operating system allows computer programs stored on memory unit 111 to be executed under user control . input interface 113 is coupled to the phased array 102 and far - field array 103 of sound sensors and may include suitable analog to digital converters to generate digital signals corresponding to the sound signals detected at each of the sound sensors in arrays 102 , 103 . in the alternative , as discussed above , the analog to digital conversion may be done locally at each array 102 and 103 and input interface may be alternatively configured to receive digital signals instead of analog signals . processing system 104 preferably includes one or more computer programs stored on memory unit 111 which , under user control , performs the method of fig3 discussed below . referring now to fig2 , an overhead view of a test system layout 200 is shown . in particular , a device under test is positioned with a key point at a reference point 201 positioned along an origin line 205 . the key point of the device under test may be a primary nozzle exit of an aircraft engine , for example . the phased array 102 is movable ( e . g ., along line 206 ) and is shown in fig2 at an initial position ( at an angle of 50 ° designated by dotted line 203 ) and at a final position ( at an angle of 150 ° designated by dotted line 204 ). during testing , as discussed below , noise data is collected at discrete points ( e . g ., 10 ° steps ) as phased array 102 traverses along line 206 . phased array 102 consists of a plurality of sound sensors mounted on a vertical planar array and is an adaptable aperture planar array as described in commonly assigned u . s . pat . no . 8 , 009 , 507 b2 (“ the &# 39 ; 507 patent ”), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference . the construction and operation of phased array 102 is fully set forth in the &# 39 ; 507 patent and will not be repeated herein . the sound sensors mounted on phased array 102 have a nested pattern , and the generation of the pattern of each of the nested arrays is described in commonly assigned u . s . pat . no . 6 , 583 , 768 , the disclosure of which is also incorporated herein by reference . the far - field array 103 consists of a series of sound sensors 211 to 221 which , in an embodiment , may be each positioned at an equal distance from reference point 201 at angles from 50 ° to 150 ° ( as shown in fig2 ) with respect to reference point 201 . when testing noise emitted by an aircraft engine positioned with the primary nozzle exit at reference point 201 , each sound sensor may be positioned 25 feet from reference point 201 . in an alternative embodiment , the sound sensors 211 to 221 in far - field array 103 may be positioned in other configurations , e . g ., along a line that is parallel to line 206 or on another well - behaved spatial curve . in another alternative embodiment , sound sensors embedded in phased array 102 may be used for calibration . although the test setup shown in fig2 shows an angular range of 50 ° to 150 ° for phased array 102 and for far - field array 103 , this range may be increased or decreased , depending on the device under test and the space available for testing , for example , and still provide acceptable results . in an exemplary embodiment , data is collected at discrete points as the phased array 102 is moved in 10 ° steps . also , data may be acquired in various facilities , including open jet facilities for which a wind tunnel shear layer may exist between the phased array 102 and the device under test . appropriate corrections for refraction and attenuation of sound owing to the shear layer would be applied in such a configuration using methods familiar to those who are skilled in the art . furthermore , in some situations , the phased array 102 may be fixed in place and the device under test may be moved instead ( e . g ., along line 205 ) such as would occur in flyover testing . in one embodiment , the phased array 102 , as explained in more detail in the &# 39 ; 507 patent , may consist of 416 sound sensors distributed over four subarrays of various sizes , with the subarrays providing overlapping coverage over the frequency ranges of interest . the four sizes may be referred to as : small ( s ), medium ( m ), large ( l ) and extra - large ( xl ), with the baseline sub - arrays containing , respectively , 170 , 199 , 110 and 170 sound sensors . the horizontal / vertical sub - array apertures may be approximately 12 inch × 9 inch ( s ), 26 . 2 inch × 19 . 8 inch ( m ), 57 . 6 inch × 43 . 6 inch ( l ) and 126 inch × 95 . 6 inch ( xl ) in size . a sharing of sound sensors between the various sub - arrays may be used to reduce the overall sound sensor count required to make measurements with the fidelity afforded by the array . referring now to fig3 , a flowchart 300 is shown for performing the method of the instant disclosure . first , at step 301 , data is collected at every sound sensor during noise testing for each position of phased array 102 , as discussed above . in particular , as discussed in more detail in the &# 39 ; 507 patent , phased array 102 is moved , in one embodiment , in discrete steps , for example 10 ° steps , from a first position , e . g ., 50 ° relative to reference point 201 , to a second position , e . g ., 150 ° relative to reference point 201 ( the angle is typically measured to the center of phased array 102 as shown in fig2 ). the data is stored in memory , and the data from the sound sensors in phased array 102 is first stored as a time series and then processed into a cross - spectral matrix ( csm ) and stored . in another embodiment , phased array 102 and sound sensors 211 to 221 are held stationary while the device under test moves along a curved path relative to phased array 102 ( e . g ., in flyover testing ). in step 302 , conventional frequency domain delay and sum beamforming ( spatial filtering ) is applied to each phased array data csm for the given configuration , condition and phased array location . for flyover testing , time domain delay and sum beamforming with dedopplerization ( to account for the moving source ) is used . fig4 a shows a sample conventional beamforming map 400 for the θ = 90 ° phased array location at 21 khz ( model scale frequency ) for a stationary device under test . map 400 shows a well - defined noise source region 401 at the exit of nozzle 404 and two downstream noise sources 402 , 403 . map 400 shows raw , uncorrected noise source map data ( i . e ., levels as seen at the phased array 102 , not actual levels at the particular noise source , and without any correction for distance and atmospheric absorption ). ref . no . 405 ( the “+” mark ) designates the location in map 400 where the peak level occurs . this peak level is associated with the downstream most noise source . the peak levels in the upstream nozzle exit region are only 0 . 07 db lower than the maximum peak level . this means that , if source location is defined based on the maximum peak level in map 400 , there could be very wide excursions in the peak source location with frequency if the levels fluctuate even slightly between the upstream and downstream noise sources . next , at step 303 , the conventional beamforming data is then deconvolved using an appropriate method . as one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize , there are a number of conventional deconvolution methods available for use in this process . fig4 b shows the deconvolved beamforming data based on a cutoff threshold of 9 db below map peak for the processing . as evident , in fig4 b , the three noise subcomponent regions seen in fig4 a are now clearly separated , as shown by ref nos . 406 , 407 , 408 . notably , the peak noise level ( ref . no . 406 ) is located near the exit of nozzle 404 . as described below , this frequency falls in the range of frequencies over which the dominant noise sources transition from being downstream ( noise source ) dominated to upstream ( nozzle exit ) dominated . at step 304 , the usable frequency ranges and emission angles for each phased array subarray are calculated . a phased array may have insufficient spatial resolution capability below a certain lower frequency while the array data may begin to and continue to degrade in quality owing to decorrelation effects across the array and / or noise source directivity effects above a certain higher frequency . in effect , the usable frequency ranges and emission angles consist of the frequencies and angles over which the beamform map noise sources are well defined ( clearly localized ) and over which the map is largely free of non - noise related array processing artifacts . in selecting the usable ranges to use for the analyses , the same set of frequencies may be required for use across all angles in certain analyses . this leads to a tradeoff between the angle and frequency parameters . for a given analysis , if there is a need for maximum frequency coverage , a user may need to down - select the angle range . on the other hand , if maximum angular coverage is desired for a given analysis , it may be necessary to reduce the frequency range for a particular array . at step 305 , corrections for at least distance , atmospheric absorption loss , pressure doubling and shear layer refraction effects may be applied to the deconvolved data . as stated above , the beamform map data shown in fig4 a and 4b consists of levels as measured at the phased array 102 , without any correction for distance , atmospheric absorption loss pressure doubling or shear layer refraction effects at the plate face of phased array 102 . in particular , at step 305 the distances are corrected to 1 foot lossless values . fig4 c shows the fig4 b levels after correction in step 305 . after correction , the narrowband data are preferably reduced to ⅓ octave band levels by summing the appropriate phased array frequency bins , although one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that other band definitions may be chosen for normalization ( that is , nth octave band or narrowband ). next , at step 306 , the space over which the noise subcomponent data can be calibrated and projected is determined . this requires scanning the corrected noise map data to determine the downstream - most and upstream - most source locations over all frequencies . fig5 a shows an overhead schematic 500 of the locations within the test facility of the sound sensors 211 to 221 in the far - field array 103 spanning from 50 ° to 150 ° as well as the positions of the centers of phased array 102 spanning from 60 ° ( ref . no . 512 ) to 150 ° ( ref . no . 513 ). line 515 represents the complete range over which noise sources exist over all of the angles and frequencies of phased array 102 . as seen , the downstream - most source 516 is at about x = 145 inches . line 518 connects source 516 with the upstream - most phased array location 512 . location 512 is the upstream - most location , instead of the 50 ° point shown in fig2 , because line 518 would extend out of range of far - field array 102 ( i . e ., too far upstream of sound sensor 211 ) if the 50 ° point shown in fig2 was used . likewise , line 519 connects source 516 with the downstream - most phased array location 513 . the source levels at source 516 — as a function of phased array angle — are therefore only defined over the interior angle bounded by lines 518 , 519 . similarly , lines 520 , 521 represent the bounds over which the source levels at the upstream - most source 517 can be defined . the intersection of the included angle ranges of these two sets is shown as the shaded region 530 in fig5 b . region 530 therefore defines the space over which all source points spanning between sources 516 and 517 are completely defined by all phased array locations . outside of this region 530 , the noise levels between sources 516 and 517 may be only partially defined ( i . e ., incomplete ) or not defined at all , therefore precluding their use for analysis . region 530 corresponds to the locations to which the phased array data can be projected and identifies which of the sound sensors 211 to 221 can be used for calibrating the data from phased array 102 ( i . e ., only the sound sensors within region 530 may be used — sound sensors 213 to 220 ). at step 307 , the noise source directivity is extracted at each point on the beamforming grid for each frequency . fig6 a is an overhead plot of the test facility 600 illustrating the key features leading to extraction of the phased array signal levels . included in fig6 a are locations for sound sensors 211 to 221 in the polar array 103 from 50 ° to 150 °, a beamform map 610 with extended noise sources , and an outline 404 of the nozzle under test ( the beamform map 610 is deliberately enlarged for illustration purposes ). also shown are the locations of the phased array 102 at the 50 ° to 150 ° phased array measurement locations 621 to 631 , with rectangle 632 , 633 , 634 showing the phased array 102 positions at the 50 °, 90 ° and 150 ° phased array locations , respectively . the common origin 640 of the polar array 103 and the phased array 102 is at the primary nozzle exit of the nozzle 404 on the nozzle centerline 616 . a ray 661 propagates from a grid point 641 through the 50 ° phased array 632 location 621 and makes an angle β 650 with respect to centerline 616 . angle β 650 does not have a measure of 50 ° because the grid point 641 is offset downstream from the polar array origin 640 . the noise level along ray 661 is indicated by a dot 671 in the polar plot . this level corresponds to the level as measured by the phased array 102 . this process is repeated during step 307 over all phased array positions to define the noise directivity at the grid point of interest as shown by dashed curve 675 . fig6 b shows an equivalent image to fig6 a , but with a grid point 685 located farther downstream within beamform map 610 . in this case , the directivity ( as shown by dashed curve 680 ) is tightly sampled over most of the locations of the phased array 102 , but becomes significantly coarse over the locations at 130 °, 140 ° and 150 ° degree phased array location 629 , 630 , 631 measurements , suggesting that the phased array measurements should be preferably acquired at equal intervals along the array traverse instead of at equal angles . this is important since , in projecting the noise levels to different spatial locations , interpolation of the noise level directivity curve is used . at step 308 , the frequency data at each grid point are calibrated using the corresponding frequency data from the polar array 103 sound sensors 211 to 221 ( note that phased array frequency data are typically narrowband or nth octave band in content ). standard practice for conventional beamforming of phased array data typically involves replacement of the cross - spectral matrix ( csm ) diagonal elements with the average value across each csm row , or deletion of the diagonal elements . replacement of the csm diagonal in these ways allows for significant improvement in the noise source localization quality in the beamform maps . however , this modification results in a change of the energy balance in the data . that is , the conventional beamforming output levels will be impacted . owing to this and other array processing effects , the phased array data must be calibrated in order to allow for correct projection of the noise source levels . the calibration is achieved through use of the polar microphone spectra . fig7 is a composite of fig6 a and 6b , showing the polar plot curves 675 , 680 generated in step 307 . based on an assumption that the noise level contours shown in beamform map 610 include all noise sources in the testing environment ( i . e ., that there are no significant noise sources outside of the beamforming grid ), for a given sound sensor within the polar array 103 , e . g ., sound sensor 214 , the noise source at the upstream grid point 641 propagates to sound sensor 214 along ray path 720 . ray path 720 passes through the noise directivity curve 675 between measured points ( points 721 and 722 ). in order to project the noise level at grid point 641 to sound sensor 214 , the noise level therefore needs to be interpolated from the directivity curve 675 to obtain a projection level value ( point 705 ). the level of this interpolated value is then projected to the sound sensor 214 by applying corrections for distance and atmospheric absorption . similarly , at downstream grid point 685 , the noise source at location 685 projects along ray 730 to sound sensor 214 and likewise requires interpolation between measured points ( points 731 and 732 ) to point 710 for noise level projection purposes . the projected levels from these grid points 641 , 685 are then summed together to obtain the total noise contribution from these two grid points to the levels measured at the sound sensor 214 . this process of interpolation , projection and summation is repeated over all remaining grid points , thus providing the total noise contribution from all grid points to sound sensor 214 . theoretically , the total ( summed ) value will be exactly equal to the spectral level measured by sound sensor 214 at the frequency of interest . however , in practice this is not necessarily the case owing to the modification of the csm diagonal elements and to array processing effects . therefore , a calibration value must be defined as the difference between the actual level at sound sensor 214 and the summed levels obtained from projection of the phased array levels at the grid points to the sound sensor 214 . this calibration value is then applied directly back to all of the grid spectral values in beamform map 610 ( along the reverse direction of the rays paths ( e . g ., lines 720 , 730 ) connecting the grid points to sound sensor 214 ). this process yields calibrated directivity levels shown by the dots 740 , 750 in the respective polar plots 760 , 770 in fig7 . this process is repeated for all of the valid ( as determined in step 306 ) sound sensors among sound sensors 211 to 221 ( fig5 b shows that only sound sensors 213 to 220 have valid data ) to obtain a complete set of calibrated noise levels at each grid point . for convenience , the calibrated levels are preferably corrected to a 1 foot lossless distance by applying appropriate atmospheric absorption and distance corrections . by applying such a correction , it is then straightforward to project the calibrated noise levels to any desired spatial location , subject to the valid projection space constraints as determined in step 306 . at step 309 , the calibrated data is projected to a desired location . the process for projecting the calibrated data is analogous to the calibration procedure described earlier , as shown in fig8 . in fig8 , point 800 designates a desired projection point . the calibrated 1 foot lossless directivity data ( from curve 810 ) at the upstream grid point 641 is used to obtain an interpolated value corresponding to the point where ray 830 ( that projects from grid point 641 to point 800 with the level being corrected for atmospheric absorption loss and distance ) crosses curve 810 . similarly , the calibrated 1 foot lossless directivity data ( from curve 820 ) at the downstream grid point 685 is used to obtain an interpolated value corresponding to the point where ray 835 ( that projects from grid point 685 to point 800 with the level being corrected for atmospheric absorption loss and distance ) crosses curve 820 . this process is applied over all remaining grid points in beamform map 610 to provide a complete set of projected levels — from all such grid points — that are then summed together to provide the total noise level at point 800 . of particular interest for noise source analysis is determination of the level of contribution of various subcomponent regions to the total noise levels . note from the beamform map 610 in fig9 that there are three prominent noise sources at this particular frequency , shown as zone 1 ( 905 ), zone 2 ( 910 ) and zone 3 ( 915 ). zone 1 ( 905 ) corresponds to noise near the nozzle exit , which is known to dominate at high frequencies while zone 2 ( 910 ) and zone 3 ( 915 ) capture the remaining ( downstream ) noise sources , which may include , for example , jet mixing noise that dominates at low frequency . it is desirable to project ( separately ) the noise levels from each of these zones to the location of the 90 ° polar array sound sensor . the determination of the noise contribution from each zone 905 , 910 , 915 follows the same procedure as described above for determining the total levels , but instead only projects the levels from within a given zone . the resulting spectra are shown in the line plot 900 in fig9 . curve 920 corresponds to the total projected levels which are , by default , the same as the polar array 103 levels because the phased array 102 levels have been calibrated to the polar array 103 levels . the zone 1 ( 905 ) nozzle levels ( subcomponent spectra ) correspond to curve 906 in fig9 and are first measurable at band 43 and increase continuously in level up to band 45 , beyond which they are essentially the same as the total levels ( i . e ., the nozzle noise source completely dominates the noise field starting at band 45 ). at the downstream end of the noise field , zone 3 ( 915 ) nozzle levels ( subcomponent spectra ) correspond to curve 916 which dominates the noise contributions completely for bands 40 and 41 and then continuously decreases ( in terms of contribution to the total ) owing initially to the increasing influence of the noise source within zone 2 ( 910 ) ( the zone 2 nozzle levels ( subcomponent spectra ) corresponding to curve 911 ) which has a peak contribution at band 43 . fig9 clearly illustrates how the balance in noise contribution varies with frequency owing to the noise sources in the three zones 905 , 910 , 915 and captures the frequencies at which each noise source dominates . at step 310 , the source locations are extracted for user - defined zones . in addition to being able to project the noise subcomponent levels to different spatial locations , there is also a need to know how the locations of the dominant noise sources vary spatially . fig1 includes a plot 1000 which shows the variation of source location with frequency for beamform map 610 . note that the horizontal axis has been normalized in terms of distance ( x ) from the core nozzle exit location ( xcore ) and fan nozzle exit diameter ( dfan ). there are various options available for defining source location . one definition is to determine the location on the noise map ( at a given frequency ) at which the highest level occurs , that is , the peak level location versus frequency ( global peak ). this is shown by curve 1010 in the plot 1000 . at lower frequencies , the dominant noise sources are about 5 fan nozzle diameters downstream of the primary nozzle exit and the high frequency dominant noise sources are centered just downstream of the primary nozzle exit . a clear transition occurs in curve 1010 at band 44 below which the downstream noise sources dominate and above which the nozzle exit sources dominate . however , the use of a global peak for defining the dominant source location does not account for the presence of other noise sources or their potential influence on the source location calculation . to address this issue , a first alternative source location definition instead calculates the mean value of all locations for which noise sources exist ( in this case , a threshold level is set below the peak level in the map to define the grid points for which the levels exceed the threshold ). this definition therefore takes into account the spatial distribution of all of the noise sources . the result of such calculation is shown as curve 1020 in fig1 . a second alternative source location definition instead consists of calculating a weighted average using the noise levels at each grid point for the weighting . this is shown by the curve 1030 in fig1 . the first thing to notice is that the spatial average ( curve 1020 ) and weighted average ( curve 1030 ) definitions provide relatively similar calculations of source location versus frequency ( even though the differences vary by up to about half a fan diameter , this is considered to be a small difference in terms of projecting source locations to flight ). there is a large difference in source locations between the calculations based on spatial / weighted averages ( curves 1020 and 1030 ) and the calculations based on global peak level ( curve 1010 ), on the order of several fan diameters , which is significant and can lead to large errors in projecting source locations to flight . the source location calculations may be further refined by restricting the analyses to the three zones defined earlier . the results of such analyses are shown in plot 1100 in fig1 based on the calibrated data from beamform map 610 . plot 1100 includes the weighted average calculation curve 1030 from fig1 . each zone includes respective peak curves 1110 a , 1110 b , 1110 c , respective spatial average curves 1120 a , 1120 b , 1120 c and respective weighted average curves 1130 a , 1130 b , 1130 c . reduction to separate zones allows for source location data that extends over a wider frequency range than can otherwise be obtained when considering the full map . for example , in fig1 , the downstream source location only extends to band 43 , owing to the dominance by the nozzle noise sources for bands 44 and higher . however , by restricting the calculations to specified zones , the downstream noise source , zone 3 ( 915 ), is seen to extend higher to band 44 in fig1 . similarly , the nozzle noise source , zone 1 ( 905 ), is seen in fig1 to extend to an even lower frequency . the intermediate influence of the zone 2 ( 910 ) source is also evident in fig1 . by isolating zones instead of using peak or average source locations , the full frequency range can be seen over which each individual source has significant contributions ( or even exists as an identifiable noise source ). although the present disclosure has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments and various aspects thereof , it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure . it is intended that the appended claims be interpreted as including the embodiments described herein , the alternatives mentioned above , and all equivalents thereto . | 7 |
there is increasing controversy regarding the long - term damage of repeated concussions among national football league ( nfl ) players . concussions and other types of play - related traumatic brain injuries have been proposed as a major cause of adverse conditions after retirement , including memory loss , depression and chronic traumatic encephalopathy ( cte ). similar debate and controversy over concussions and associated long term symptoms and conditions exist at the collegiate level . the problem also concerns youth athletic organizations due to the popularity of football among youth athletes . concussions arise from an abrupt redirection of the human body or the sudden impedance of a human body in motion . in the game of football , it can be caused either by a direct blow to the head , or an indirect blow to the body . a bump , blow , or jolt to the head can cause a concussion , a type of traumatic brain injury . concussions can also occur from a blow to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth . resulting neurological damage may present temporarily and then quickly resolve . under another scenario , there may be no immediately detectable neurological damage . however , the concussion may increase the probability of injury from subsequent blows and collisions . the training apparatus provides an excellent training tool for teaching proper tackling techniques using a combination of a traditional tackle dummy and strategic placement of a football on the apparatus as further described below . the concept of the football tackle is simple . one player initiates contact with a ball carrier to prevent the ball carrier &# 39 ; s progress and to potentially remove the ball from the carrier &# 39 ; s possession . in short , tackle means to forcibly bring a ball carrier to the ground . however , the very act of tackling , i . e . the collision of two moving bodies , presents a risk for concussion . proper tackling may reduce such risk . in view of this fact , both the nfl and the ncaa have banned improper methods to reduce the occurrence of concussion and to promote player safety in general . as just one example , the nfl has instituted rules penalizing players for using their helmet to strike defenseless players in the head or neck . as another example , the ncaa prohibits targeting of or initiating contact to the head or neck area of a defenseless opponent with the helmet , forearm , fist , elbow or shoulder . youth football associations and leagues have adopted similar rules and protections to reduce the risk of head injury . in view of these rules , coaching methods must promote effective tackling techniques that bring the ball carrier to the ground without directly striking the head and neck area of the carrier . these coaching methods are particularly important in youth athletics . youth football athletes that learn and adopt proper tackling postures will carry this habit forward into collegiate and potentially professional play . the training apparatus as seen in fig1 - 10 provides an excellent training tool for teaching proper tackling techniques using a combination of a traditional tackle dummy and strategic placement of a football on the apparatus as further described below . fig1 shows a perspective view of a training apparatus under an embodiment . for purposes of orientation , refer to fig2 which superimposes a three dimensional cartesian coordinate system onto the cylinder like structure of the training apparatus . it is convenient to use this coordinate system to define the front , back , left and right portions of the apparatus . fig2 shows the x , y and z axes of the coordinate system intersecting at the midpoint of the training apparatus &# 39 ; s axis , i . e . the axis of the dummy &# 39 ; s cylinder like structure . the x and y axes form right angles with the cylinder &# 39 ; s axis . the z axis is collinear with the cylinder &# 39 ; s axis . under this coordinate system , we are able to define the front , right , left , and back of the training apparatus . the front side is the portion of the training apparatus visible to a viewer in position 210 . the right side is the portion of the training apparatus visible to a viewer in position 220 . the back side is the portion of the training apparatus visible to a viewer in position 230 . the left side is the portion of the training apparatus visible to a viewer in position 250 . fig1 shows a representative embodiment of the training apparatus . the training apparatus comprises a cylindrical structure which stands upright on football field without further reinforcement . alternatively , a coach or other party may stand behind the apparatus in position 230 to provide additional reinforcement during practice sessions . the training apparatus may under one embodiment comprise a preformed high density foam core . the exterior sheathing may comprise pvc covering . it is of course understood that the training apparatus may be manufactured using alternative materials and methods . as further indicated below , the training apparatus may comprise various weights and dimensions depending upon the average size of the players using the product during a practice session . as indicated above , fig1 shows a representative embodiment of the training apparatus . the apparatus represents an opposing football player . as seen in fig1 , the apparatus includes strap and indentation configurations . for ease of reference each installation may be referred to as a “ strap / indentation ” or as a “ strap / indentation configuration ,” “ strap / indentation structure ,” or “ strap / indentation formation .” further , each installation may be referred to simply as a configuration , structure or formation . note that the location of strap / indentations shown in fig1 - 10 change according to the size and dimension of the apparatus in order to maintain the same relative locations of strap / indentations as shown in such figures . specifically , fig1 shows a strap / indentation 110 on the left side of the apparatus and a strap / indentation 140 on the right side of the apparatus . further , fig1 discloses strap / indentation formations 120 , 130 on the upper left and upper right of the apparatus . with reference to strap / indentation 110 as an example , the formation comprises the combination of a strap and indentation slot at a single location . the slot represents a recessed area on the outer surface of the apparatus . fig3 b provides a blow up view of a left side strap / indentation formation 310 . again with reference to strap / indentation 110 of fig1 , the recessed area provides under an embodiment a horizontally disposed contour that approximately matches the exterior shape of a football . accordingly , the recessed area may be approximately 2 inches deep , 3 inches wide , and 4 inches long . the corresponding strap spans the width of the recessed slot at its midpoint and protrudes laterally from the apparatus in a semi - circular configuration ( see also fig3 b , 310 ). the indented slot may be formed as part of the apparatus &# 39 ; s foam core construction , but embodiments are not so limited . the strap may comprise flexible material . alternatively , the strap comprises plastic or rubberized cleats or claws which are rigid but flexible as shown in fig1 . the straps may be attached to the apparatus in any manner , such as by providing cut - outs in the exterior covering of the apparatus that correspond to the indentation locations . in actual use , a coach may place a football into left side slot / indentation 110 of fig1 by working the ball into the recessed area and underneath the strap . fig7 shows a football installed in slot / indentation 720 . as seen in fig7 , a surface of the football resides within the slot of slot / indentation 720 , and the corresponding strap functions to secure the football in place . under an alternative embodiment , the slot may frictionally engage the football to provide a strapless press fit . with reference to fig1 , the left side slot / indentation 110 is mirrored by an identical opposing slot / indentation 140 . both of these configurations include slots that are horizontally disposed . however , fig1 shows the alternative configurations of strap / indentation 120 , 130 . for example , slot / indentation 120 is offset from formation 110 by approximately 45 degree . further , slot / indentation 130 is offset from formation 140 by approximately 45 degrees . otherwise , the formations 120 , 130 provide structure identical to that of formations 110 , 140 . fig5 shows a football secured within an offset formation 510 . although an installed football may reside securely in a strap / indentation as seen in fig7 , it is clear that the football may be dislodged with the appropriate application of force . in a practice session , a coach may place a football in strap / indentation 720 . the position of the ball represents a ball carrier holding the ball tightly against the body at approximately waist level . the player or tackler is then instructed to tackle the apparatus but with the added task of separating the football from the apparatus . therefore , the player is instructed to tackle the apparatus by targeting the location of the ball with his face mask . this approach necessarily requires the player to tackle “ low ,” i . e . to target the apparatus well below the head and neck region . this approach simultaneously teaches proper tackling while maximizing turnover opportunities . with reference to fig5 , note that the coach may also place the football in slot / indentation 510 . this position of the ball represents a ball carrier holding the ball tightly against the body at approximately chest level . the tackler is commissioned with the same task of targeting the location of the ball with his face mask which again necessitates proper tackling below the head and neck region . the football may be placed in any one or combination of the slot / indentations shown in fig1 - 10 . of course it is understood that the training apparatus may be used in connection with other sports . as just one example , the training apparatus may provide slot / indentations that simulate the location of a soccer ball near an opposing player &# 39 ; s foot . in a practice session , a coach may place a soccer ball in such indentation and instruct a player to “ tackle ” the apparatus and dislodge the ball in a take - away maneuver . the player approaches the apparatus and uses his or her foot to target the soccer ball with sufficient velocity to dislodge the ball from the apparatus . the approach forces the player to target the exact location of the ball . otherwise , the take - away maneuver is unsuccessful . it is understood that the training apparatus as described herein is capable of multiple application across numerous sporting platforms . as described above , the fundamental idea for the training apparatus is to remove the need for coaching strategy ( or error ), as it applies to tackling technique . the apparatus itself serves as instruction for proper tackling form through strategic placement of the football that is dislodged through the use of proper tackling technique . the training apparatus includes slot / indentation formations in a variety of locations . fig3 a is a front view of the training apparatus with side indentations 310 , 320 under an embodiment . fig3 b is a blow up view of slot / indentation 310 of fig3 a . fig4 is a front view of the training apparatus with front side offset slot / indentations 410 , 420 under an embodiment . fig5 is a front view of the training apparatus with offset front 510 , 530 and side 520 , 540 slot / indentations and football attached to front offset slot / indentation 510 under an embodiment . fig6 is a side view of the training apparatus of fig5 under an embodiment . fig7 is a front view of the training apparatus with offset front 710 , 730 and side 720 , 740 slot / indentations and football attached to left side slot / indentation 720 under an embodiment . fig8 is a side view of the training apparatus of fig7 under an embodiment . fig9 is a perspective view of a left side strap / indentation 910 under an embodiment . fig1 shows a close up view of the strap / indentation 910 shown in fig9 under an embodiment . it is understood that the tackle training apparatus of fig1 - 10 and the system and method for training proper tackling technique are merely illustrative . other arrangements may be employed in accordance the embodiments set forth below . further , variations of the training apparatus may comply with the spirit of the embodiments set forth herein . | 6 |
with reference to fig1 a field emission array 10 is illustrated that includes a substrate 12 and an emitter tip 14 protruding upwardly from substrate 12 . preferably , substrate 12 and emitter tip 14 comprise a semiconductive material , such as silicon . alternatively , emitter tip 14 may comprise a different material , either semiconductive or conductive , than the material of substrate 12 . although only a single emitter tip 14 is illustrated in fig1 substrate 12 includes an array of pixels , each of which includes one or more emitter tips 14 . referring now to fig2 a layer 16 of dielectric material , which is also referred to herein as a first layer or as a first dielectric layer , may be disposed over substrate 12 and emitter tip 14 . as illustrated , layer 16 is raised above emitter tip 14 . preferably , the thickness of layer 16 is less than the height of emitter tip 14 so as to facilitate the exposure of layer 16 through the subsequently deposited layer 18 during planarization of layer 18 . in addition , the thickness of layer 16 preferably facilitates the subsequent definition of a grid opening 26 ( see fig9 ) of desired size . layer 16 may comprise any dielectric material , which is also referred to herein as a first dielectric material , that may be employed in fabricating semiconductor devices or field emission arrays , including , without limitation , silicon oxides , oxides , silicon nitrides , borophosphosilicate glass (“ bpsg ”), phosphosilicate glass (“ psg ”), and borosilicate glass (“ bsg ”). known techniques , such as growing an oxide , depositing glass , oxide , or nitride ( e . g ., by chemical vapor deposition (“ cvd ”)), and optionally doping any silicon oxides , may be employed to dispose layer 16 over substrate 12 and emitter tip 14 . as shown in fig2 a , layer 16 may include an electrically conductive path 17 extending substantially therethrough , such as a piece of metal or a hole . if such electrically conductive paths 17 extend substantially through the dielectric layer of a field emission array , electrical shorts may occur between substrate 12 , below the dielectric layer , and the oppositely electrically charged grid layer 24 , located above the dielectric layer ( see fig9 and 10 ). turning to fig3 another layer 18 , which is also referred to herein as a second layer , is disposed over layer 16 . as shown in fig3 since layer 18 has a substantially consistent thickness , layer 18 includes upward protrusions 19 over each emitter tip 14 . layer 18 preferably comprises a material that may be planarized by known processes , such as by chemical - mechanical planarization or chemical - mechanical polishing . in addition , the material of layer 18 is preferably selectively etchable with respect to the dielectric material of layer 16 and with respect to the material of emitter tip 14 . an exemplary material that may be employed as layer 18 is chromium , which may be deposited by known sputtering techniques . as shown in fig3 a , any conductive paths 17 ( e . g ., pieces of metal ) that extend through layer 16 may also extend into or through layer 18 . fig4 illustrates the substantial planarization of layer 18 to remove protrusions 19 , to define an opening 20 through layer 18 substantially above each emitter tip 14 , and to expose the dielectric material of layer 16 located substantially above each emitter tip 14 through the corresponding opening 20 . layer 18 may be planarized by known processes , such as by the chemical - mechanical planarization or chemical - mechanical polishing processes disclosed in u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 193 , 226 and 4 , 811 , 522 ( hereinafter “ the &# 39 ; 226 patent ” and “ the &# 39 ; 522 patent ”, respectively ), the disclosures of both of which are hereby incorporated in their entireties by this reference . preferably , layer 18 is planarized such that the combined thickness of layer 16 and layer 18 is at least the height of emitter tip 14 . as shown in fig4 a , portions of any conductive paths 17 that protrude from layer 18 may be removed during the planarization of layer 18 . referring now to fig5 the dielectric material of layer 16 that is exposed through opening 20 of layer 18 may be removed from above at least a top portion of emitter tip 14 by known processes . for example , an etchant that is selective for the dielectric material of layer 16 over the material of layer 18 or the material of emitter tip 14 may be employed to remove dielectric material through opening 20 . when such an etchant is employed , layer 18 may be used as a mask . alternatively , a mask may be disposed over layer 18 by known processes , such as by disposing a photoresist material thereover and exposing and developing selected regions of the photoresist . the dielectric material of selected regions of layer 16 may be removed through opening 20 and through a corresponding aperture of the mask . when a separate mask is disposed over layer 18 , the etchant that is employed to remove dielectric material from layer 16 need only be selective for the dielectric material over the material of emitter tip 14 . fig6 illustrates the substantial removal of layer 18 from layer 16 . layer 18 may be removed from layer 16 by known processes , such as by etching the material of layer 18 . if an etchant is employed to remove the material of layer 18 , the etchant is preferably selective for the material of layer 18 over the dielectric material of layer 16 . as substantially all of layer 18 is removed from field emission array 10 , a wet etch process and wet etchants are preferably employed , as the removal of layer 18 may not be selective and wet etchants typically exhibit greater selectivity than comparable dry etchants . of course , dry etchants may also be employed . after layer 18 has been substantially removed from field emission array 10 , any etchants that were employed may be removed from field emission array 10 by known processes , such as by washing field emission array 10 . fig6 a shows that any conductive paths 17 that extend into or through layer 18 may be removed substantially to an upper surface of layer 16 during the substantial removal of layer 18 from field emission array 10 . with reference to fig7 another layer 22 of dielectric material may be disposed over layer 16 . layer 22 is also referred to herein as a third layer or as a second dielectric layer . the regions of layer 22 that are disposed substantially over each emitter tip 14 may protrude from the substantially planar surface of layer 22 . the dielectric material of layer 22 , which is also referred to herein as a second dielectric material , may be substantially the same material as the dielectric material of layer 16 or a different type of dielectric material than that of layer 16 . preferably , layer 16 and layer 22 have a combined thickness that imparts field emission array 10 with substantially a desired dielectric material thickness . the relative thicknesses of layer 16 and layer 22 may also be configured to facilitate the formation of a grid opening 26 ( see fig9 and 10 ) of a desired size ( e . g ., diameter ) above each emitter tip 14 , as well as facilitate the fabrication of a grid layer 24 ( see fig9 and 10 ) a desired height above the top of emitter tip 14 . layer 22 may comprise any dielectric material that may be employed in fabricating semiconductor devices or field emission arrays , including , without limitation , silicon oxides , oxides , silicon nitrides , borophosphosilicate glass (“ bpsg ”), phosphosilicate glass (“ psg ”), and borosilicate glass (“ bsg ”). known techniques , such as growing an oxide , depositing glass , oxide , or nitride ( e . g ., by chemical vapor deposition (“ cvd ”)), and optionally doping any silicon oxides , may be employed to dispose layer 22 over layer 16 and the exposed portions of emitter tip 14 . as shown in fig7 a , layer 22 may substantially cover and insulate any conductive paths 17 that extend through layer 16 . accordingly , the occurrence of electrically conductive paths through the combination of dielectric layers 16 and 22 is significantly reduced relative to the likelihood that conductive paths will extend substantially through the dielectric material of field emission arrays with a single dielectric layer and cause electrical shorts therethrough . although layer 22 may also include electrically conductive paths 23 therethrough , the likelihood that conductive paths 23 will align with conductive paths 17 and cause electrical shorts in field emission array 10 is relatively small . fig8 illustrates the disposition of yet another layer 24 , which is also referred to herein as a fourth layer or as a grid layer , over layer 22 . as layer 22 includes upward protrusions substantially over each emitter tip 14 and layer 24 may be disposed over layer 22 in a substantially consistent thickness , layer 24 may also include protrusions 25 substantially over each emitter tip 14 . the material of layer 24 preferably comprises a semiconductive or conductive material that may be employed in fabricating field emission arrays or semiconductor devices . moreover , the material of layer 24 is preferably a planarizable material , and may withstand etching by etchants of the underlying dielectric materials . exemplary materials that are suitable for use as layer 24 include , without limitation , silicon , polysilicon , chromium , aluminum , and molybdenum . the material of layer 24 may be disposed over layer 22 by known techniques , such as by physical vapor deposition (“ pvd ”) processes ( e . g ., sputtering ) or by chemical vapor deposition (“ cvd ”) processes , such as plasma - enhanced cvd (“ pecvd ”), low pressure cvd (“ lpcvd ”), or atmospheric pressure cvd (“ apcvd ”). referring to fig9 layer 24 may be substantially planarized to remove protrusions 25 , to define a grid opening 26 through layer 24 substantially above each emitter tip 14 , and to expose the dielectric material of layer 22 located substantially above each emitter tip 14 through the corresponding grid opening 26 . layer 24 may be planarized by known processes , such as by the chemical - mechanical planarization or chemical - mechanical polishing processes disclosed in the &# 39 ; 226 patent and in the &# 39 ; 522 patent . preferably , following the planarization of layer 24 , the thickness of layer 24 is substantially a desired thickness for a grid of field emission array 10 . referring now to fig1 , the dielectric material of layer 22 that is exposed through each grid opening 26 and the dielectric materials of layer 22 and layer 16 may be removed from each emitter tip 14 by known processes . for example , an etchant that is selective for the dielectric materials of layer 22 and layer 16 over the material of layer 24 and over the material of emitter tip 14 may be employed to remove dielectric material through grid opening 26 . when such an etchant is employed , layer 24 may be used as a mask . alternatively , a mask may be disposed over layer 24 by known processes , such as by disposing a photoresist material thereover and exposing and developing selected regions of the photoresist , and the dielectric material of selected regions of layer 22 and layer 16 removed through grid opening 26 and through a corresponding aperture of the mask . when a separate mask is disposed over layer 24 , the etchant that is employed to remove dielectric material from layer 22 and from layer 16 need only be selective for the dielectric material over the material of emitter tip 14 . the methods of the present invention facilitate the fabrication of a field emission array 10 that has grid openings 26 of substantially any useful size ( e . g ., less than about 2 μm or about 1 μm ). thus , the method of the present invention may be employed to fabricate a field emission array 10 with an electrically optimized grid opening 26 . the method of the present invention may also be employed to tailor and electrically optimize the thickness of the layers of dielectric material 16 , 22 and of the grid layer 24 . although the foregoing description contains many specifics and examples , these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention , but merely as providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments . similarly , other embodiments of the invention may be devised which do not depart from the spirit or scope of the present invention . the scope of this invention is , therefore , indicated and limited only by the appended claims and their legal equivalents , rather than by the foregoing description . all additions , deletions and modifications to the invention as disclosed herein and which fall within the meaning of the claims are to be embraced within their scope . | 7 |
the most preferred embodiments of the present invention comprise a system and a method for managing and implementing customer / client retention - related communication activities with a high degree of flexibility and customization , making the present invention particularly well - suited for in disparate business environments , as well as government and non - profit environments . deployed over the internet , the present invention provides a mechanism for multi - tiered organizations to control and manage the types of communications used by company personnel for customer contact , including marketing and similar campaigns for cross - selling , as well as customer loyalty and retention purposes . the most preferred embodiments of the present invention are designed to automate communications and interactions between various industry organizations / sales agents and their customers and / or prospects , including in - process contacts with customers and partners , while also offering data analytics , flexible reporting , custom marketing campaigns / activities , relationship building tools , communication effectiveness reporting and enhanced levels of management control and oversight . after a registration and subscription / service level - setting process , sales agents and companies can transmit data files containing prospects , in - process , completed transaction details including details of their customers , and their business partners and associates . this process can be conducted on periodic pre - determined regular intervals or on an “ ad - hoc ” basis in real - time , depending on the specific application . after the client or customer data files have been imported , completed transaction data , prospects and in - process communications can be organized and simply added to a database for later use , or assigned to one of a number of automated activity programs . the system can then be configured to automatically send customized communications ( e . g . highly personalized cards and gifts , emails messages , etc .) to the customers for a user controllable period of time . the goals of the various preferred embodiments of the present invention are to keep the company and the company &# 39 ; s representatives “ fresh ” in the customer &# 39 ; s mind while ensuring the customer never gets overwhelmed with too many communications . printed output can contain multiple personalized elements ( company logo , sales agent photograph and signature , cross - selling products , tear off referral card with company indicia , legal disclaimers , industry - specific regulatory details ( e . g . in the mortgage industry , the banker / broker license details ) and may also contain either user - defined copy or professional and pertinent copy from a pre - configured library of customized or customizable content elements . the user may either follow a wizard to create their own catalog of marketing activities or may opt to simply select from the many timely and pertinent pieces made available to retain or revive client relationships . customers , prospects , in - process and partners can then be selected ( based on data - bound criteria ) for a tactical custom campaign . in addition , the most preferred embodiments of the present invention further comprise complex and substantial support for various organizational preferences that may be based on organizational structure and “ inherited ” according to a fully configurable hierarchy of users and associated user “ roles .” these preferences may include parent company details ( e . g . mailing / referral return address , company logo , legal disclaimers , automated program preferences including optional / mandated sales agent elements , per element billing directions and per element pay - as - you - go / pay - up - front billing programs , etc .) that can be “ pushed ” downward through the organization to sales agents to ensure compliance and consistency of look and message . the most preferred embodiments of the present invention may be used equally by a human with a pc and a web browser or by another piece of software consuming extended markup language (“ xml ”) protocol communications ( e . g ., simple object access protocol or “ soap ” web services ) for deployment at a crm - style customer portal . the most preferred embodiments of the present invention may be deployed and used by sales agents , any sized companies ( from small independent operations to large international corporate organizations ) and 3 rd party transaction data aggregators ( e . g . ellie mae &# 39 ; s “ mortgage connectivity hub ™”), sophisticated monitoring and audit logging complete with an “ impersonation ” functionality , allow the various preferred embodiments of the present invention to offer unprecedented oversight and management of sub - ordinate organizations and employees . in summary , the most preferred embodiments of the present invention can be used to streamline the processes of businesses involved in attracting and retaining customers . referring now to fig1 , a computer - based crm system 100 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises : at least one wireless communication device 125 ; a data server 130 ; a desktop computer 170 ; a laptop computer 180 , and a personal digital assistant (“ pda ”) 190 ; all connected or communicatively coupled via a network 120 . additionally , an optional printer 110 , and an optional fax machine 140 are shown . taken together , the components of computer - based crm system 100 provide a way for a disparate user base , including program administrators , managers , and clients , to access one or more components or subsystems of crm system 100 as described herein in conjunction with the various preferred embodiments of the present invention . while the present invention will be described in detail by using various examples , including a typical application suitable for use in conjunction with the mortgage banking industry or similar business operation , those skilled in the art will recognize that the methods and techniques described herein have broad applicability to other environments and applications where quick , efficient , targeted , and customizable customer communication is desirable . network 120 is any suitable computer communication link or communication mechanism , including a hardwired connection , an internal or external bus , a connection for telephone access via a modem , standard co - axial cable lines , high - speed t1 line , radio , infrared or other wireless communication methodologies ( i . e . “ bluetooth ,” infrared ( ir ), etc . ), private or proprietary local area networks ( lans ) and wide area networks ( wans ), as well as standard computer network communications over the internet or an internal network ( e . g . “ intranet ”) via a wired or wireless connection , or any other suitable connection between computers and computer components known to those skilled in the art , whether currently known or developed in the future . it should be noted that portions of network 120 may suitably include a dial - up phone connection , broadcast cable transmission line , digital subscriber line ( dsl ), isdn line , or similar public utility - like access link , including networks connected to the internet . in the most preferred embodiments of the present invention , at least a portion of network 120 comprises a standard internet connection between the various components of computer - based crm system 100 . network 120 provides for communication between the various components of computer - based crm system 100 and allows for relevant information to be transmitted from device to device . in this fashion , one or more users of crm system 100 can quickly and easily gain access to the relevant data and information utilized to search , retrieve , and display information from one or more databases as described in conjunction with the various preferred embodiments of the present invention . wireless communication device 125 is communicatively coupled to network 120 and is representative of any wireless communication mechanism that may be used to provide for wireless communication between network 120 and the various devices associated with network 120 , including desktop computer 170 , laptop computer 180 and pda 190 . wireless communication device 125 may comprise any type of wireless bridge , wireless router , or similar type of device . regardless of the specific components , physical nature , and topology , network 120 serves to logically and communicatively link or couple the physical components of computer - based crm system 100 together , regardless of their physical proximity , thereby enabling communication between the various components . this is especially important because in many preferred embodiments of the present invention , data server 130 , desktop computer 170 , and laptop computer 180 may be geographically remote and / or physically separated from each other . data server 130 represents a relatively powerful computer system that is made available to desktop computer 170 , laptop computer 180 , and / or pda 190 via network 120 . various hardware components ( not shown this fig .) such as external monitors , keyboards , mice , tablets , hard disk drives , recordable cd - rom / dvd drives , jukeboxes , fax servers , magnetic tapes , and other devices known to those skilled in the art may be used in conjunction with data server 130 . data server 130 may also provide various additional software components ( not shown this fig .) such as database servers , web servers , firewalls , security software , and the like . the use of these various standard hardware and software components is well known to those skilled in the art . given the relative advances in the state - of - the - art computer systems available today , it is anticipated that functions of data server 130 may be provided by many standard , readily available data servers . this may also include the deployment of multiple inter - connected and redundant data servers 130 to enhance the availability and reliability of the functions provided by data server 130 . depending on the desired size and relative power required for data server 130 , storage area network ( san ) technology may also be deployed in certain preferred embodiments of the present invention . additionally , various biometric and identification verification devices for identifying users and controlling access as well as creating and verifying digital signatures ( i . e ., electronic signature processing ) may also be included . desktop computer 170 and laptop computer 180 may be any type of computer system known to those skilled in the art that is capable of being configured for use with crm system 100 as described herein . this includes various levels of desktop computers , tablet computers , laptop computers , pen - based computers and the like . additionally , handheld and palmtop devices , such as pda 190 , are also specifically included within the description of devices that may be deployed as a companion to or in lieu of computer system 170 . it should be noted that no specific operating system or hardware platform is excluded and it is anticipated that many different hardware and software platforms may be configured to create computer system 170 . as previously explained in conjunction with data server 130 , various hardware components and software components ( not shown this fig .) known to those skilled in the art may be used in conjunction with computer system 170 . it should be noted that in the most preferred embodiments of the present invention , desktop computer 170 is linked ( via wired or wireless connection ) to its own lan or wan and has access to its own data server ( not shown this fig .). personal digital assistant ( pda ) 190 is representative of a class of devices that are at least somewhat less full - featured and less powerful than computers 170 and 180 . this includes , for example , windows mobile os devices , palm os devices , pocket pc devices , and various types of “ smart phones ” ( e . g ., the apple iphone , palm pre , or google android ). those skilled in the art will recognize these various devices and others that are suitable for deployment as pda 190 . while somewhat less powerful than computers 170 and 180 , pda 190 is also configured to communicate with data server 130 via network 120 to send and retrieve client communications and related information to and from data server 130 . given the standard functionality for devices that may be deployed as pda 190 , this communication will typically be a wireless internet connection ( e . g . “ wi - fi ” or “ wi - max ”), a gsm or other telephone communication , and / or a bluetooth connection . one example of the use for pda 190 in the context of crm system 100 would be a data collection activity by a sales representative conducting off - site visits to prospective clients with the resulting information being collected and stored in a database on data server 130 for later use or access in conjunction with one or more crm or client contact programs . in general , the communication between devices associated with data server 130 will be requests for entering data into or retrieving data from one or more databases located on data server 130 . the users of desktop computer 170 and / or laptop computer 180 may be program administrators , managers and / or prospective clients who are seeking to make determinations regarding program eligibility and related activities . additionally , various related service providers such as government agencies , banks , insurance companies , mortgage companies , benefits administrators , and their employers and agents may also have access to one or more databases located on data server 130 via desktop computer 170 and / or laptop computer 180 . a typical transaction may be represented by a request for a benefits eligibility determination for a prospective client . in this case , a request to access the prospective client &# 39 ; s data file is sent from desktop computer 170 and / or laptop computer 180 to data server 130 . upon receipt of a valid request , data server 130 processes the request to access one or more databases containing the relevant information and takes the specific action requested by desktop computer 170 and / or laptop computer 180 , typically by retrieving and returning the requested data to desktop computer 170 and / or laptop computer 180 . the request may be directed towards locating a specific item in a database , comparing one or more items in the database , obtaining additional information from a database about one or more prospective clients , determining and calculating benefits eligibility , or other similar requests . it should be noted that while fig1 shows only a single desktop computer 170 and a single laptop computer 180 , it is anticipated that the most preferred embodiments of the present invention will comprise dozens and even hundreds of computer systems 170 and laptop computers 180 . each of these computers 170 and 180 will be configured to access data server 130 in an appropriately secure way so as to accomplish the specific objectives of the user of the desktop computer 170 or laptop computer 180 . for example , the service provider that controls the databases stored on data server 130 may utilize desktop computer 170 or laptop computer 180 to access data server 130 and create or modify a given database . an insurance provider , located in a remote location , may use desktop computer 170 or laptop computer 180 to access data server 130 to retrieve information about benefits for one or more clients that are stored in a database stored on data server 130 , etc . in the most preferred embodiments of the present invention , multiple desktop computers 170 and multiple laptop computers 180 will all be configured to communicate simultaneously with data server 130 and with each other via network 120 . in addition , the most preferred embodiments of the present invention include an application service provider ( asp ) or software as a service (“ saas ”) environment where data server 130 is operated as a clearinghouse in a hosted operation . in this fashion , multiple desktop computers 170 and laptop computers 180 will have access to data server 130 and the databases stored thereon via a global computer network such as the internet . data server 130 is further described below in conjunction with fig2 below . optional printer 110 and an optional fax machine 140 are standard peripheral devices that may be used for transmitting or outputting paper - based documents , notes , transaction details , reports , etc . in conjunction with the various requests and transactions processed by crm system 100 . optional printer 110 and an optional fax machine 140 may be directly connected to network 120 or indirectly connected to network 120 via any or all of desktop computers 170 , laptop computers 180 , and / or data server 130 . in the most preferred embodiments of the present invention , printer 110 will comprise one or more high speed high quality color printers configured to print all manner of marketing and customer retention collateral . finally , it should be noted that optional printer 110 and optional fax machine 140 are merely representative of the many types of peripherals that may be utilized in conjunction with crm system 100 . it is anticipated that other similar peripheral devices will be deployed in the various preferred embodiment of the present invention and no such device is excluded by its omission in fig1 . those skilled in the art will recognize that fig1 depicts a fairly standard arrangement where data server 130 is considered to be a server and computers 170 and 180 are considered to be clients of data server 130 . additionally , those skilled in the art will recognize that the functionality of data server 130 may be deployed on either of computers systems 170 and 180 in a more traditional “ stand - alone ” environment . in either case , the methods of the present invention are designed to minimize the amount of data that must be transferred from a database to the user of crm system 100 . referring now to fig2 , data server 130 of fig1 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention represents one of many commercially available computer systems . however , those skilled in the art will appreciate that the methods and apparatus of the present invention apply equally to any computer system , regardless of the specific operating system and regardless of whether the computer system is a traditional “ mainframe ” computer , a complicated multi - user computing apparatus or a single user device such as a personal computer or workstation . data server 130 most suitably comprises at least one central processing unit ( cpu ) or processor 210 , a main memory 220 , a memory controller 230 , an auxiliary storage interface 240 , and a terminal interface 250 , all of which are interconnected via a system bus 260 . note that various modifications , additions , or deletions may be made to data server 130 illustrated in fig2 within the scope of the present invention such as the addition of cache memory or other peripheral devices . fig2 is not intended to be exhaustive , but is presented to simply illustrate some of the more salient features of data server 130 . processor 210 performs computation and control functions of data server 130 , and most preferably comprises a suitable central processing unit ( cpu ). processor 210 may comprise a single integrated circuit , such as a microprocessor , or may comprise any suitable number of integrated circuit devices and / or circuit boards working in cooperation to accomplish the functions of a processor or cpu . processor 210 suitably executes one or more software programs contained within main memory 220 . auxiliary storage interface 240 allows data server 130 to store and retrieve information from auxiliary storage devices , such as external storage mechanism 270 , magnetic disk drives ( e . g ., hard disks or floppy diskettes ) or optical storage devices ( e . g ., cd - rom ). one suitable storage device is a direct access storage device ( dasd ) 280 . as shown in fig2 , dasd 280 may be a dvd or cd - rom drive that may read programs and data from a dvd or cd disk 290 . it is important to note that while the present invention has been ( and will continue to be ) described in the context of a fully functional computer system with certain application software , those skilled in the art will appreciate that the various software mechanisms of the present invention are capable of being distributed in conjunction with tangible signal bearing media as one or more program products in a variety of forms , and that the various preferred embodiments of the present invention applies equally regardless of the particular type or location of signal bearing media used to actually carry out the distribution . examples of signal bearing media include : recordable type media such as dvd and cd roms disks ( e . g ., disk 290 ), and transmission type media such as digital and analog communication links , including wireless communication links . various preferred embodiments of the program product may be configured to : create and modify multiple databases ; track , update and store information for a plurality of sales agents , clients and prospective clients , participants in various industries such as banking and insurance , benefits coordinators , government officials , healthcare providers , and healthcare facilities ; configure and implement various search and retrieve functions for a multitude of communication programs , including search requests and program configurations made by users of system 100 ; track and store information about various programs and communication options ; update and transmit search results to one or more users ; and provide one or more user interfaces for accomplishing all of these functions . in this fashion , the appropriate entities ( i . e ., administrators , sales agents , clients , managers , etc .) can utilize the program product to initiate and complete a wide variety of communications applications as set forth herein . similarly , a program product in accordance with one or more preferred embodiments of the present invention can also be configured to perform substantially all of the steps depicted and described in conjunction with the figures below for implementing a crm system . memory controller 230 , through use of an auxiliary processor ( not shown ) separate from processor 210 , is responsible for moving requested information from main memory 220 and / or through auxiliary storage interface 240 to processor 210 . while for the purposes of explanation , memory controller 230 is shown as a separate entity ; those skilled in the art understand that , in practice , portions of the function provided by memory controller 230 may actually reside in the circuitry associated with processor 210 , main memory 220 , and / or auxiliary storage interface 240 . terminal interface 250 allows users , managers , system administrators , and / or computer programmers to communicate with data server 130 , normally through separate workstations or through stand - alone computer systems such as computer systems 170 and computer systems 180 of fig1 . although data server 130 depicted in fig2 contains only a single main processor 210 and a single system bus 260 , it should be understood that the present invention applies equally to computer systems having multiple processors and multiple system buses . similarly , although the system bus 260 of the preferred embodiment is a typical hardwired , multi - drop bus , any connection means that supports bi - directional communication in a computer - related environment could be used . main memory 220 suitably contains an operating system 221 , a web server 222 , one or more databases 223 , an email server 224 , a fax server 225 , a crm mechanism 226 , a user interface 227 , and a security mechanism 228 residing in main memory 220 and being executed by processor 210 . crm mechanism 226 may also comprise a rules engine and workflow model to assist with the overall flow of data storage , retrieval , and processing . the term “ memory ” as used herein refers to any storage location in the virtual memory space of data server 130 . it should be understood that main memory 220 might not necessarily contain all parts of all components shown . for example , portions of operating system 221 may be loaded into an instruction cache ( not shown ) for processor 210 to execute , while other files may well be stored on magnetic or optical disk storage devices ( not shown ). in addition , although database 223 is shown to reside in the same memory location as operating system 221 , it is to be understood that main memory 220 may consist of multiple disparate memory locations . it should also be noted that any and all of the individual components shown in main memory 220 might be combined in various forms and distributed as a stand - alone program product on a cd or dvd . operating system 221 includes the software that is used to operate and control data server 130 . in general , processor 210 typically executes operating system 221 . operating system 221 may be a single program or , alternatively , a collection of multiple programs that act in concert to perform the functions of an operating system . any operating system now known to those skilled in the art or later developed may be considered for inclusion with the various preferred embodiments of the present invention . web server 222 may be any web server application currently known or later developed for communicating with web clients over a network such as the internet . examples of suitable web servers 222 include apache web servers , linux web servers , and the like . additionally , other vendors have developed or will develop web servers that will be suitable for use with the various preferred embodiments of the present invention . finally , while depicted as a single device , in certain preferred embodiments of the present invention web server 222 may be implemented as a cluster of multiple web servers , with separate and possibly redundant hardware and software systems . this configuration provides additional robustness for system uptime and reliability purposes . regardless of the specific form of implementation , web server 222 provides access , including a user interface , to allow individuals and entities to interact with web portal application 224 , including via network 120 of fig1 . database 223 is representative of any suitable database known to those skilled in the art . in the most preferred embodiments of the present invention , database 223 is a structured query language ( sql ) compatible database file capable of storing information relative to various items that may be of interest to the users of crm system 100 of fig1 . in the most preferred embodiments of the present invention , database 223 will comprise a collection of information about one or more contacts ( with a contact being defined as potential participants , customers , clients , etc .) along with the contact attributes and specific situation / circumstances as well as providing for the tracking and management of multiple programs , programs requirements , procedures and protocols that may be used to provide various services to the prospective contacts or program participants . in the most preferred embodiments of the present invention , database 223 comprises multiple databases that may be used by different components to store , retrieve , and manage various information elements in conjunction with the operation of crm system 100 of fig1 . for example , database 223 may contain a user database , containing all of the relevant information for each user of crm system 100 of fig1 , including their roles , job description , and rights within crm system 100 of fig1 . similarly , a company database may be another set of data configured within database 223 . additionally , security access provisions , restrictions , and permissions for each user may also be considered as a database contained within database 223 . another important use of database 223 may be the storage of various graphic images ( e . g ., logos , photographs , etc .) that may be accessed by the users of crm system 100 of fig1 in conjunction with the preparation and deployment of certain marketing and customer loyalty programs . those skilled in the art will recognize that other types of information for other types of data that may be used in other applications ( e . g ., historical , informational , technical , etc .) may be stored and retrieved as well . while database 223 is shown to be residing in main memory 220 , it should be noted that database 223 may also be physically stored in a location other than main memory 220 . for example , database 223 may be stored on external storage device 270 or dasd 280 and coupled to data server 130 via auxiliary storage i / f 240 . additionally , as discussed above , while shown as a single database 223 , those skilled in the art will recognize that database 223 may be a single monolithic database or actually comprise a series of related databases , logically linked together . depending on the specific application and design parameters , database 223 may take many different forms when implemented . while not required , the most preferred embodiments of data server 130 of fig1 will typically include an email server 224 . e - mail server 224 is any email server application capable of being configured and used to send and receive various status messages and updates to data server 130 and between computers 170 , 180 , and / or 190 of fig1 via email , as may be necessary to enhance the overall process of completing various indexing , search - and - retrieve and / or eligibility determination transactions described herein . this includes the generation of automated email messages relating to the tracking and management of various programs as well as informational messages related to prospective clients and the status of crm system 100 of fig1 . automated e - mail messages are also generated to provide notifications regarding the status of user accounts as well as other information for related to the programs and prospective participants in accordance with the preferred embodiments of the present invention . optional fax server 225 is any fax server known to those skilled in the art and is configured to receive inbound fax messages and to transmit outbound fax messages . fax server 225 may format and transmit any data processed by crm system 100 of fig1 and make it available for use by any other component of crm system 100 of fig1 . additionally , fax server 225 may process the data received and send it directly to web server 222 and make the incoming data available for further processing by crm system 100 . crm mechanism 226 is a software mechanism executed by processor 210 and provides the functional operational aspects of crm system 100 of fig1 . additional details regarding crm mechanism 226 are presented below in conjunction with fig3 . user interface 227 provides a way for a user to access the various features and functions of crm system 100 of fig1 . in the most preferred embodiments of the present invention , user interface 227 will be configured for deployment as a web client to be used in conjunction with web server 222 . in this fashion , any standard web browser ( e . g ., safari , firefox , internet explorer , etc .) may be used to access crm system 100 of fig1 . the most preferred embodiments of the present invention will also include a security and / or encryption mechanism 228 for verifying access to the data and information contained in and transmitted by data server 130 . security mechanism 228 may be incorporated into operating system 221 and / or web server 222 . additionally , security mechanism 228 may also provide encryption capabilities for other components of crm system 100 of fig1 , thereby enhancing the robustness of crm system 100 . security mechanism 228 is most preferably configured to protect the integrity and security of the information transmitted via network 120 of fig1 . given the present levels of concern for and restrictions on unauthorized communications set forth by laws such as the controlling the assault of non - solicited pornography and marketing act of 2003 (“ can - spam act ), the national do - not - call registry , and similar state , local , and national directives regarding communication restrictions , the function of security mechanism 228 may also be important for compliance issues and to ensure that all communications are authorized and appropriate . once again , depending on the type and quantity of information stored in database 223 and security mechanism 228 may provide different levels of security and / or encryption for different computer systems 170 and 180 of fig1 . additionally , the level and type of security measures applied by security mechanism 228 may be determined by the identity or “ role ” of the end - user and / or the nature of a given request and / or response . in some preferred embodiments of the present invention , security mechanism 228 may be contained in or implemented in conjunction with certain hardware components ( not shown this fig .) such as hardware - based firewalls , switches , dongles , and the like . in the most preferred embodiments of the present invention , the various components of crm system 100 of fig1 are able to communicate using multiple communication protocols , including hypertext markup language ( html ), soap , xml , and others . those skilled in the art will recognize that the communication protocols used herein may be readily adapted and configured to allow for the rapid and efficient transmission and receipt of data by and between the various components of crm system 100 of fig1 . this would also include the ability to customize the input and output of crm system 100 of fig1 for integration with other systems . the use of xml and similar electronic communication protocols in general is well known to those skilled in the art . referring now to fig3 , a block diagram representing the functionality of crm mechanism 226 of crm system 100 of fig1 is depicted . as shown in fig3 , the most preferred embodiments of crm mechanism 226 will comprise : a program control mechanism 310 ; a graphics mechanism 320 ; a communications compliance mechanism 330 ; a cross - selling mechanism 340 ; a mail reply mechanism 350 ; a user and role management mechanism 360 ; a data management mechanism 370 ; and a marketing mechanism 380 . program control mechanism 310 comprises a mechanism for creating , invoking , and / or managing series of automated activity programs including collections of stock ( e . g ., pre - defined ) or user - defined activities with prescribed , data - bound or offset production and associated delivery dates . an “ activity ” is simply a term for a specific user directed “ communication ” with a client , prospective client , customer , etc . an activity may comprise an email message , a gift package , a greeting card , a formal letter , etc . an activity program is a collection of activities that are delivered to the customer or client at the prescribed time and in the prescribed manner . a user of crm system 100 of fig1 can access program control mechanism 310 via user interface 227 of fig2 to create , select , customize , modify , delete , or implement one or more automated activity programs , as desired . these automated activity programs may be directed towards specific marketing campaigns or customer retention campaigns . each activity has a unit price , a shipping price , billing scheme ( e . g ., pay - as - you - go or pay - up - front ) and billing contact information that provides an indication of which company or sales agent is to be billed for the selected activity program . this allows for centralized or decentralized billing , for any amount or type of output , to any level within the organization . in addition , programs and program elements available to a user of crm system 100 of fig1 via program control mechanism 310 can be determined , manipulated , and / or controlled by a supervisory level user ( e . g ., a user &# 39 ; s immediate supervisor or manager at a corporate entity ) and those selected programs and activities are pushed down to subordinate branch offices and any sales agents therein . corporate entities can also specify permitted , optional activities thus providing the sales agents with various activity program options they can choose for adoption , if desired . a corporate entity may not wish to mandate any specific activity program or programs but may simply indicate which programs are available for use by a sales agent . additionally , based on the hierarchy of the company or organization , billing policies and payment procedures for any selected activity programs created by subordinate entities may be billed to corporate headquarters , the district or branch office , or directly to the sales agent , thereby providing for maximum flexibility in the payment process . the corporate office may decide to allow sales agents to only use pre - determined activity programs , which may be selected via user interface 227 of fig2 . additionally , corporate entities can determine and control whether or not subordinate branch offices are able to create custom activity programs , which can be offered to that branch &# 39 ; s sales agents , and both corporate and branch entities can determine or control whether or not sales agents are able to create their own programs . basically , the decisions made at the highest level are “ inherited ” by each lower level , with each lower level being able to further restrict , but not expand , the type and quantity of activity programs available via program control mechanism 310 . in this type of hierarchal system , the flexibility that can be offered provides for the optimal level of communications to be made , as determined by the appropriate decision - makers in the company . in at least one preferred embodiment of the present invention , a company or a sales agent , given appropriate permissions , may create their own custom marketing activities and construct automated activity programs from those custom marketing activities . once created , these custom activity programs may be configured for use by other sales agents , in the same fashion as stock automated activity programs are configured and provided for use via program control mechanism 310 . graphics mechanism 320 is a mechanism provided to control the use of graphics within one or more activity programs , if printed output is to be incorporated . recognizing the importance of consistency for a company &# 39 ; s brand in marketing activities , it may be desirable to control the types and content of the images utilized in a given activity program or for any other purpose . graphics mechanism 320 provides a way to select , approve , and include various graphical images ( e . g ., logos , pictures , etc .) in a customer communication . crm system 100 of fig1 , via graphics mechanism 320 , can take an image from a stored location , such as database 223 of fig2 , and have that image appear on all printed output and , where desired , physical products such as gift tins and similar goods . standardized or approved graphic images can be provided by a corporate entity and these images will be used in all communications generated by all subordinate branches and sales agents . as explained above in conjunction with program control mechanism 310 , a company may allow subordinate organizational units to provide their own logo to be used by them and their sub - ordinate branch officers and sales agents . if no company above a sales agent provides an image , the printed output may be adapted to provide company details in place of a graphical image on all printed output . communications compliance mechanism 330 is provided to enhance corporate compliance with communication requirements imposed by various governmental and regulatory agencies and their associated regulations . for example , for the mortgage industry , it may be necessary to ensure that a banker / broker license number and a legal disclaimer ( one for each state or zip - code group , or a location - independent default ) is specified and used in all printed output . similarly , for law firms , many state bar associations require the inclusion of certain language on all marketing communications . failure to abide by the restrictions and mandates of the governing authority can lead to serious repercussions . since this is a user - configurable element , it is possible to ensure that each activity program approved for use by a sales agent is pre - configured with the necessary elements to ensure compliance . in the most preferred embodiments of the present invention , communications compliance mechanism 330 will be configured to programmatically interface with a database such as database 223 or some external database to verify the address and contact status of each potential customer , actual customer or other intended recipient of a planned activity or communication so as to ensure that all selected and intended recipients are cleared for contact or participation in the selected activity or marketing campaign . in this fashion , it will be possible to minimize or eliminate contacting or otherwise communicating with individuals that have established a do - not - contact preference via crm system 100 of fig1 or with an outside agency or organization . these preferences can be stored in database 223 of fig2 and updated on a periodic or as - needed basis , including real - time screening at the time a marketing campaign or activity program is created and / or updated . the specific details for communication compliance can be provided individually or collectively at the corporate level and at any of the subordinate company levels . higher levels may determine whether or not lower levels are allowed to override the details with their own . while the most common use will be for the inclusion of specific messages according to geographic locations , other discriminating characteristics may be selected . for example , certain messages may need to include certain information based on the demographics of the intended recipient ( e . g ., age or sex , etc .). regardless of the specific determination , communications compliance mechanism 330 provides for demographic , national , regional , state , county and even zip code specific language or disclaimers to be submitted and used based on the location of the intended recipient of the communication for any activity program , thus ensuring regulatory compliance regardless of where the intended recipient is physically located . the corporate entity can provide appropriate details and may also prevent any subordinate organization in the hierarchy from overriding the pre - selected details , thus enforcing the same details in all printed output . alternatively they may offer this feature to subordinate organizations to accommodate differing brands and corporate identities . cross - selling mechanism 340 is provided to allow for the inclusion of other products and services to be offered in a given marketing campaign or activity program . for example , a company may enter into a partnership with another entity and receive a commission from that entity for selling certain products or services on behalf of that entity . these products and services can be selected and identified at the highest corporate level and then pushed down to all subordinate organizations and sales agents . alternatively , the corporate level may delegate the selection and promotion of cross - selling products down to the appropriate subordinate organizations and sales agents . at each level , subordinate organizations and sales agents can be prohibited from overriding the prescribed cross - selling products or permitted to select from a group of pre - approved products or services . crm mechanism 226 of fig2 , via cross - selling mechanism 340 , may be configured to search from the sales agent role level upwards through the organizational hierarchy until it finds an approved set of products and services to include in the selected program or campaign on output . if no specific products and services are provided , a default set may be provided and used or , alternatively , the cross - selling of products and services may be excluded from consideration . where the cross - selling of products and services is included in a campaign or activity program , the details may be incorporated into printed materials as part of a “ tear - off and return ” card that lists cross - selling products and services that can be printed on the selected output . for example , the products and services may appear as a check box list of product names , in the selected language of the recipient ( they will be detailed in english if no alternative language copy is provided ) with an appropriate return address printed on the reverse side . the recipient may simply check the appropriate box for anything they are interested in hearing more about , tear off that portion of the printed piece and put it in the mail . embedded tracking information on the tear off portion allows the company or sales agents to track which recipient received the original communication , thereby providing feedback on the effectiveness of the cross - selling campaign . alternatively , there may be a special code or link embedded in an email message . when the recipient replies to the email , requesting additional information , the source of the email , along with the details of the response , can be captured for use in supplying the requested information , tracking the source of the referral , and evaluating the effectiveness of the campaign . mail reply mechanism 350 provides additional functionality for communication with the prospect or customer with regards to certain communications . mail reply mechanism 350 offers support for both courtesy reply mail and business reply mail methodologies . both approaches require a return address for any replies that the marketing campaign or activity program may generate ( e . g ., requests for products and services , including cross - selling of third party products and services ). the desired return address , whether a physical mailing address or an email return address , can be set at a corporate company level or at the branch offices . each level of the corporate hierarchy has the ability to prohibit overriding the pre - determined or default address by any subordinate level organizations in the corporate hierarchy . then , when the specific communication missives are transmitted to the intended recipients , the appropriate address for return communications will appear . specifying and controlling the response address at the corporate level allows for centralized response tracking . user and role management mechanism 360 provides a significant improvement over presently known crm systems . each user , when given access to crm system 100 of fig1 , is assigned one or more “ roles ” that corresponds to their job function . each “ role ” defines a specific set of permissions within crm system 100 of fig1 that defines which features and functions of crm system 100 of fig1 the user can access . for example , in a typical sales organization , the following roles may be defined ; sales agent ; branch manager ; company manager ; billing contact ; transaction data contact ; reports contact ; etc . the role for each user can be configured and assigned based on the identity of the user and then detected based on some unique identifying characteristic of the user ( e . g ., e - mail address ). once the role or roles have been assigned , the user will only be able to access the functions and information in crm system 100 of fig1 that are associated with their assigned role . while this feature can be deployed in conjunction with security mechanism 228 , it also allows for “ role impersonation ” to be implemented . role impersonation is explained in greater detail below . it &# 39 ; s entirely possible for one user to fulfill multiple roles within a given organization . in this case , the user may be assigned a role for sales agent and another role for company manager ( the permissions super - set of billing , transaction data and reports contact ). then , when the user wants to access crm system 100 of fig1 , they will be presented with a list of roles that they may select from at the time of login and they will have the appropriate permissions enabled for that session . if the user logs into the system again and selects a different role , the permissions for that role will be enabled . where a user only has one role assigned , they will not be presented with a choice of roles during the login process and the one existing role will be assumed and used . it is also entirely possible for a sales agent to be registered in crm system 100 of fig1 by multiple companies . in this case the user is presented the collection of roles at login . once logged in , their data will be partitioned such that the user will only see the data belonging to the sales agent role at their respective company associate with their login identity . to see the data belonging to their other sales agent role , they must either log back in with that role or use a “ fast role ” switch feature at the top of the home page to change their current system role . crm system 100 of fig1 has default roles and associated permissions for all supported user or entity types , however , individual organizations may wish to construct their own roles with user - definable permissions . they are bound by the same detection rules ; however , the permissions for those user defined roles can be set on a per - company basis . where alternative role profiles exist , all subordinate organizations and sales agents will “ inherit ” or receive the prescribed set of permissions . the ability for subordinate organizations to change their role profiles can be prohibited at any company level in the corporate hierarchy . in addition to the major system roles clients can create their own users for ancillary individuals in their organization ( e . g ., personal assistants , interns , etc ). crm system 100 of fig1 also supports the notion of delegation of roles . for example , if user a has been granted permission to a given function by virtue of their assigned role , that permission can also carry a flag indicating whether or not it can be delegated to another user . if the delegation flag is set to “ yes ,” user a can ( with appropriate permissions ) create a new user b and delegate that permission ( along with the associated permissions ) to the new user b . user b is then free to log into the system and use the delegated functions as if user a were logged into crm system 100 of fig1 and executing those functions . user a maintains full control over the activities and delegations to user b and user b can be disabled or deleted by user a at any time . should user a get disabled or deleted , user b and their permissions will also be automatically disabled or deleted by crm system 100 of fig1 . also , users and permissions carry an expiration date that can be configured to allow for automatic disabling of users and permissions at a specified future point in time . a delegated permission may or may not be delegated further ( i . e . user b may [ with appropriate permissions ] be able to create new user c , but user b ′ s permissions cannot automatically be further delegated to user c unless specifically allowed by the user that delegated the permissions to user b . the ability to create users , create roles and delegate permissions is another preference that can be permitted , prohibited and controlled at any organizational level within crm system 100 of fig1 . data management mechanism 370 may be used to import and export data to and from crm system 100 of fig1 . accessing data management mechanism 370 via user interface 227 , a user may identify and specify the method and data format of transaction data files to be submitted from an existing transaction processing systems that are to be imported into crm system 100 of fig1 . these import parameters can be pre - defined at any company or sales agent level , depending upon where the transaction data is being submitted from and depending on the permissions granted for the specific user by security mechanism 228 of crm system 100 of fig1 . data management mechanism 370 can also support client - specific field mappings , thereby providing support for report data exported from existing transaction processing systems . after an initial submission , the custom field mappings may be created and subsequent submissions from the transaction processing system will be automatically imported into crm system 100 of fig1 in accordance with the user - specified field mappings . where the structure of the submitted data is implicit , mutually understood and enforced ( e . g . for mortgage industry standards maintenance organization “ mismo ” documents and application program interface “ api ” submissions ) the data may be automatically imported without user intervention . the transactions imported into crm system 100 of fig1 via data management mechanism 370 may then be processed by an importation and rules engine associated with data management mechanism 370 . the imported elements adhere to any ownership details embedded within the data ( e . g . a corporate entity may submit data centrally , but may include a branch or sales agent id to associate with a given transaction or transactions ). the imported transaction data may also contain specific identification parameters specifying which automated activity program the transaction is to be associated with . there may also be data - bound criteria supplied with the imported transactions to help associate the transaction with an appropriate marketing campaign or activity program ( e . g . if loan amount & gt ;$ 1 , 000 , 000 direct to “ high value client ” program , etc .). duplicate and repeat customers may also be detected and flagged for later user attention as necessary . once the desired transaction have been imported into crm system 100 of fig1 via data management mechanism 370 , a notification may be sent to the owner of the batch of imported transactions to draw attention to any actions that need to be taken relative to the imported data and associated transactions . the user is then able to log into crm system 100 of fig1 and tend to any outstanding issues via user interface 227 of fig2 . the rules and importer logic are user - definable and although defaults exist , a user is free to define their own importation rules to implement their particular marketing strategy . these rules are , once again , settable at a company level and subordinate organizations may be permitted or prohibited from overriding them . once a transaction has been imported and is free of identifiable issues , it awaits activation by the user . the most preferred embodiments of the present invention comprise an activation preference , specifying the number of business days after importing the transaction data into crm system 100 of fig1 that the user has to review the assumed actions before the transaction is activated and output is scheduled and created . during this time the user can change any and all details about the particular transaction and the program ( or lack of ). if no action is required and no issues exist , the transaction will automatically become active . activation preferences are settable at the corporate level and at all branches and sales agents . as previously explained in conjunction with other features , branches and sales agents can be permitted or prohibited from changing the activation preferences . marketing mechanism 380 is provided to further enhance the functionality of crm system 100 of fig1 by providing additional user control over certain aspects of marketing campaigns and activity programs for the creation of centralized marketing strategies . a corporate entity , branch office or sales agent may create marketing activities and organize them into user - defined categories in various catalogs ( e . g ., prospect , in - process , customer , partner , etc .). a corporate office or an office with at least one branch may further apply permissions to certain activity categories . for instance , a corporate entity may define a collection of marketing activities and organize them into geographical categories . then , it would be possible to select a category and define which branch offices are permitted and / or prohibited from seeing and / or using the activities in that category , and what the default permission should be for newly registered branches ( e . g ., allow or deny access ). the corporate entity may also specify whether particular activities can be copied and : a ) used as is ; or b ) changed and used with permission . this allows users of the corporate catalog to crate a copy of a pre - defined activity and if permitted , make changes to tailor to their specific needs , then with or without permission the activity can be used in a campaign . access to the various catalogs and the categories of activities therein can be controlled by the client , exposing only prescribed marketing activities to authorized parts of the organization while preventing unauthorized activities from being created and used . for many software applications , such as crm system 100 of fig1 , it is typically desirable to provide certain types of “ drill - down ” functionality for specific interrogation , management , and roll - up reporting systems for multi - tiered corporate organizations . this type of functionality allows different users to have access to different levels and layers of information within the system . in the past , the software design often included one or more contrived means to ensure that the correct user is given access to only the things that they should have access to while providing some type of flexibility for viewing other aspects of the system . in many cases , this would mean the provision of multiple passwords and multiple user login representations for various views of the application and the application data . each user could access the system using a different set of codes to access different areas of the system . this approach , while functional , is far from efficient and may provide opportunity for system misuse . crm system 100 of fig1 incorporates a novel method to provide this form of application capability and security through the implementation of “ role impersonation .” another novel feature of crm system 100 of fig1 is the concept of role impersonation . as previously discussed , a role is a collection of permissions . these permissions manifest themselves in a variety of ways within crm system 100 of fig1 , but most notably in the group and function menus offered at the top of every page rendered via user interface 227 of fig2 . when a user logs in , they are presented their roles ( if one role is available , that is assumed ), a role is selected and the user is logged into the system . this results in the creation of a current user object configured with all of the important details about the role and the company it belongs to . the home page and all other pages rendered by user interface 227 of fig2 are programmatically aware of the current user object and adapt the functions and information presented to the user based on their assumed role ( e . g ., sales agent , manager of an organizational unit , or ancillary user ). in a broader sense , “ roles ” also represent a form of “ data aggregation ” or scope of data that may be presented to a user . in conjunction with each specific role , a user may get new permissions ( which gives the user access to various application pages and functions ) by selecting a different role , but those permissions will only present data from database 223 of fig2 that are consistent with and constrained by the selected role &# 39 ; s data aggregation scope ( e . g . corporate manager role will have access to all branch offices [ or a subset thereof ] and all subordinate sales agent data , a branch manager role will have access to only the subordinate sales agent data , and a sales agent will only have access to their own data .) this functionality enforces logical data partitioning between various roles and the companies that the various roles are linked to . in this fashion , a manager will see report elements that are company specific and automatically roll - up subordinate organization and sales agent data , and provide drill - down interrogation whereas , a sales agent will see only their personal data and results , without being able to access higher level data . particular roles can contain role - specific permissions . a corporate manager role will typically have access to a list of their sub \ ordinate organizational units and a branch manager role will have access to a list of their sales agents . selecting a branch office will display the available users and sales agents within that branch and further selecting one of the displayed results will cause impersonation of that user &# 39 ; s role . likewise , a branch manager can select a user role or sales agent within their list of subordinates to impersonate . impersonation results in a new current user object being created and populated with the selected user role &# 39 ; s details and permissions . the previous current user object is pushed onto the impersonated user ( first - in , last - out “ filo ”) stack within the new current user object . the new current user object is stored in the user &# 39 ; s session and the user is directed to the home page . all page elements and menus rendered by user interface 227 of fig2 will be changed to display the new current user &# 39 ; s permissions and context . this all occurs without the actual user being required to log into or out of crm system 100 of fig1 . an impersonating user will see a portion of the screen display indicating the option to “ go back ” “ to { previous user name }” in place of the standard “ logout ” indicia typically displayed on every page when a user is not involved in impersonation . clicking on the “ go back ” indicia will result in the new current user object becoming the last added object on the impersonation stack . the updated current user is then saved in the user &# 39 ; s session and the user is directed to the home page . when all impersonation objects have been eliminated from the stack , the user is no longer impersonating any user and they will see the “ logout ” indicia appear on every page and , clicking on this indicia will result in the current user being destroyed and the logout command will be confirmed and executed . there are no programmatic limits to the number of impersonations that can take place and safeguards exist to prevent impersonation loops . referring now to fig4 , a block diagram 400 of the stack used for “ role impersonation ” in accordance with a crm mechanism in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown . as shown in fig4 , each of role 1 , role 2 , and role 3 have a set of permissions and datasets that are configured as part of their respective role . each of these roles , permissions , and datasets are configured to allow a user to have access to the functions and data associated with their job . by configuring different roles , the security and accessability of the system is significantly enhanced . additionally , by allowing user to “ impersonate ” other roles , the flexibility of the system is also enhanced . in step 1 , a user logs into crm system 100 of fig1 and role 410 , associated with a user that has only one role , is pushed onto stack 400 . alternatively , should the user have multiple roles , the user may be presented with a drop down box , listing each of the roles that the user has been granted permission to impersonate . should the user choose to impersonate a second role , role 420 , for example , then role 420 , along with the associated permissions and dataset is “ pushed ” onto the stack . this is illustrated in step 2 , with both role 410 and role 420 being on stack 400 . similarly , by choosing to impersonate role 430 , the permissions and dataset associated with role 430 are pushed onto stack 400 and the user can access the functions and data prescribed by the system boundaries for role 430 . then , as shown in step 4 and step 5 , the user may choose to revert back to the previous roles , and the discarded roles are “ popped ” off of stack 400 . at each step of the way , the user has the rights and authority to access the various functions and data associated with the then - current role . once there is only a single role left , then the user cannot back out any more and may choose to impersonate another role or simply log off the system . referring now to fig5 , a schematic representation of a user web page for interfacing with a crm mechanism in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown . as shown in fig5 , a program interface 510 , rendered by user interface 227 of fig2 , will display a series of program elements 530 , 540 , and 550 . each of these program elements will allow the user to access certain functions of crm system 100 of fig1 and / or data elements contained in database 223 of fig2 . in addition , in the most preferred embodiments of the present invention , program interface 510 will typically display a status indicator 520 . status indicator 520 will be used to display the current user and offer the current user the ability to log out of crm system 100 of fig1 or change the impersonation status of the user . for example , if a user log into crm system 100 of fig1 , and that user has only a single role , then the user will be taken directly to program interface 510 and the functions and data associated with that current users role will be available and the user may access those functions and data . however , if the user has been granted permission to impersonate additional roles , then status indicator 520 may be configured as a drop down box , with each of the available roles displayed in the drop down box . in this fashion , the user can rapidly select and navigate between various roles in crm system 100 of fig1 . lastly , it should be appreciated that these embodiments are preferred exemplary embodiments only , and are not intended to limit the scope , applicability , or configuration of the invention in any way . rather , the foregoing detailed description provides those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing one or more preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention , it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in the exemplary preferred embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims . | 6 |
referring to fig1 of the drawings , there is diagrammatically shown a filter which comprises a resonant circuit 10 with loss , coupled to one of the ports of a circulator 12 . the transmission characteristic from ports 1 to 3 of the circulator is the reflection characteristic from the network 10 connected to port 2 . assume that the coupling into the resonant circuit is adjusted such that the resistive part at resonance is matched to the impedance of the circulator , then at resonance all of the power supplied at port 1 emerges at port 2 and is absorbed in the resistive part of the resonator . hence , there is no transmission to port 3 . in this case the transmission characteristic from ports 1 to 3 of the circulator is of a single resonator with an infinite rejection at centre frequency , i . e . as if the resonance were from a resonator of infinite unloaded q . if fo is the centre frequency and b the 3 db bandwidth of the resonance , then by a simple calculation the unload q ( qu ) of the resonator is given by : ## equ1 ## for example if b = 250 khz and fo = 1 ghz , then qu = 8 , 000 . this shows that the type of specification previously considered can be met with cavities of much lower qu if a design procedure is established for a multi - element filter . the following discussion concerns the design for a variable q reflection mode filter and in particular designs which provide a maximally flat response and a quasi equiripple response . the discussion provides solutions to the approximation problem and subsequent investigation of the synthesis leads to explicit design formulas for filters of arbitrary degree . two examples of 5th and 6th degree filters will be given designed around the previous specification and the measured results are shown to be in good agreement with theory . furthermore , it will be shown that by adding transmission zeros into the reflection mode filter , further enhancement in effective unloaded q can be obtained : a 6th degree device will be discussed to demonstrate this point . firstly a reflection mode filter with a maximally flat response will be discussed with reference to fig2 . using a circulator , the reflection coefficient s 11 ( p ) of a reflection mode filter becomes the transmission coefficient of the overall device shown in fig2 . assuming that the circulator 12 is normalised to 1ω impedance , then in lowpass prototype form as shown in fig3 a maximally flat response will be achieved if : ## equ2 ## where n is the degree of the filter and d n ( ω 2 ) is a polynomial of degree n in ω 2 with : for the normal maximally flat response : ## equ3 ## and the resulting network is a lowpass ladder network with infinite qu terminated in a 1ω resistor . initially consider the case where each resonator will have the same qu . assume that the ratio of conductance to capacitance of each shunt element is normalised to 1 / 2 and using the transformation then the input admittance of the network may be expressed as a reactance function y ( z ). hence : ## equ4 ## where p is the complex frequency variable ( p = jω assuming a sinusoidal input signal ), and for a maximally flat response around p = 0 : ## equ5 ## where : ## equ6 ## now : ## equ7 ## and let the return loss l r = l 1 (≈ 20 db ) for ω & lt ; ω s and l r = l 2 (≈ 1 db ) for ω & gt ; ω p , then : ## equ8 ## and ## equ9 ## therefore : ## equ10 ## and for n large : ## equ11 ## and hence there is a fundamental limit to the ratio of the passband frequency to the stopband frequency . to achieve the objective , a response is required between the response in equation ( 4 ) and that in equation ( 9 ). one such response is : ## equ12 ## in this case : ## equ13 ## and ## equ14 ## hence : ## equ15 ## and ## equ16 ## for l 1 = 20 db , l 2 = 1 db and n = 7 : ## equ17 ## as compared to 1 . 53 from the normal maximally flat response given in equation ( 4 ). from equation ( 14 ) the following bounded real reflection coefficient may be formed : ## equ18 ## with ## equ19 ## where θ r is a constant applicable to the r th resonator . forming the input admittance ## equ20 ## and synthesising as the lossy ladder network shown in fig3 explicit formulas are obtained for element values given by : where k r - 1 , r is the admittance inverter value for the coupling between the ( r - 1 ) th and r th resonator , and if ## equ21 ## where e r and e r - 1 are intermediate variables and c r is the capacitance of the r th resonator , with ## equ22 ## then : ## equ23 ## and ## equ24 ## where g r is the conductance of the r th resonator . it can also be shown that : ## equ25 ## to illustrate the use of these explicit formulas , consider the case of n = 5 . then : ## equ26 ## therefore : ## equ27 ## also , defining the normalised q of each resonator as ## equ28 ## then from equations ( 21 ) and ( 22 ): ## equ29 ## which directly assists in determining the relative q &# 39 ; s of each cavity . consideration will now be given to a quasi equiripple reflection mode filter . extending the normally maximally flat response to the equiripple case gives : ## equ30 ## where ## equ31 ## where t n ( ω ) is the chebyshev polynomial of nth degree , with the resulting lowpass ladder network having infinite qu and terminated in a 1ω resistor . for the case of uniform qu , it may readily be demonstrated that ## equ32 ## and using optimisation the ω r , r = 1 → n may be chosen to provide an equiripple response . for example , for n = 7 , the ω r are 0 , ± 1 . 95 , ± 3 . 85 , ± 5 . 51 to give a 20 db stopband level . however , as in the maximally flat case , as the degree of the network is increased , the selectivity tends to a limit and this prototype has restricted value . it is not obvious how to extend the desirable maximally flat response given in equation ( 14 ) to an equiripple response . however , it is possible to readily generate the quasi equiripple function : ## equ33 ## where α is a constant which determines the ripple level , this function is of degree n in ω 2 due to the cancellation of both the factors ( 1 - ω 2 ) and ( 1 - α 2 ω 2 ). the ripple level in the stopband is given by : ## equ34 ## for l 1 = 20 db , then α = 1 . 100 , 1 . 077 , 1 . 060 for n = 6 , 7 and 8 respectively . thus , since α is of the order of unity , the factor ## equ35 ## causes very little deviation from the equiripple behaviour . this is illustrated in fig4 for the case of n = 7 . forming the bounded real reflection coefficient from equation ( 32 ) gives ## equ36 ## where ## equ37 ## forming the input impedance : ## equ38 ## then the ladder structure shown in fig5 may be synthesised to give the characteristic admittance of the inverters as : ## equ39 ## and the admittance of the rth shunt element is ## equ40 ## where c r and g r are as given in equation ( 22 ). we have constructed and tested two experimental devices in accordance with the invention . the first was of degree 5 with a 20 db stopband of just less than 1 mhz at a centre frequency of 840 mhz . the cavities were tem resonators where the variable q was obtained by varying the diameters of the cavities . the measured response is shown in fig6 showing good agreement with theory . the second device was of degree 6 with a 20 db bandwidth in excess of 1 . 1 mhz and tuned to a similar centre frequency . in this case , energy was decoupled from the last cavity to form a transmission characteristic : ## equ41 ## and the measured results in fig7 again demonstrate good agreement with theory . an additional coupling ( indicated at cc in fig5 ) was introduced between the input and the third resonator to produce a pair of real frequency transmission zeros close to the band - edge and then the network was optimised . this had the effect of reducing the reflected loss at the points and measured results are shown in fig8 and 9 , showing that a significant reduction in loss can be achieved at the passband edges . in this case , the first two cavities were dielectric resonators . it will be appreciated that in the variable q reflection mode filters which have been described , the particular choice of the maximally flat and quasi equiripple solutions to the approximation problem have been shown to lead to explicit formulas for the element values in the ladder network realisations . experimental devices of degree 5 and 6 have been designed and constructed with the measured results showing good agreement with theory . it will also be appreciated that a reciprocal device can be produced by connecting two reflection mode filters to the output ports of a 3 db hybrid . | 7 |
the cutting device for cutting the steel cable out of a conveyer belt contains a frame 1 , which rides on a level base 3 with the use of four rollers 2 . a traction cable 4 is attached at the front end of the frame 1 and is coupled with a drive , not shown , with which cable the cutting device is pulled in a longitudinal direction of a matrix in the form of a belt band 5 . during this movement , the belt band 5 is taken up in a lateral opening 6 of the frame . steel cables 7 are embedded in the central core region of the belt band 5 and with the aid of a cutting device are cut out in the manner explained below . the frame 1 consists of two main components 8 and 9 , which are connected to one another by a coupling element 10 , so that the front pair of rollers 2 is mounted in frame section 8 and the back pair of rollers is mounted in frame section 9 . both frame sections 8 , 9 can be adjusted toward one another by means of a screw spindle 13 that can be operated by a crank handle 11 against the effect of a spring 12 . the thread sleeve 14 of the screw spindle is fastened onto the lower frame section 9 that can be pivoted . in order to introduce the belt band 5 into the uptake aperture 6 , the screw spindle 13 is unscrewed from the thread sleeve 14 , by means of which the aperture 6 will be accordingly enlarged . at the upper frame section an adjustable holder is mounted . an upper blade 16 is attached in this holder with the aid of a clamping plate 17 and a screw 18 , so as to be detachable . in the lower frame section 9 an adjustable holder 20 is provided for a lower blade 21 , which , in a manner similar to the upper blade 16 , is firmly but detachably clamped into the holder with the aid of a clamping plate 22 and a screw 23 . below the upper blade 16 a counter brace is mounted . this brace takes the form of a pressure roller 25 in the lower frame section 9 . the contact surface of this counter brace presses against the lower side of the belt band 5 ( fig2 ). in an analogous manner , a counter brace in the form of a pressure roller 27 is provided above the lower blade 21 . this roller 27 is mounted on a plate 26 attached at the upper frame section 8 and which can be adjusted in its set elevation by means of set screws 28 , 29 and locked in place ( fig1 ). the distance between the two frame sections 8 and 9 and thus the position of the upper blade 16 secured on the upper frame section 8 with respect to the counter brace 25 mounted in the lower frame section 9 is determined by means of a set screw 30 . this screw rests at its lower end in the frame section 9 and can be adjusted by means of a milled head 31 in a matching guide 32 in the upper frame section 8 . a milled nut 33 is provided for securing it in place . as seen in fig2 the two identically shaped blades 16 , 21 consist of a sheet metal blank made of , for example , spring steel , and formed by bending . two essentially straight side blades 35 , 36 are connected by a partially cylindrical indented guiding and centering section 37 , which serves as a self - centering guide for each respective steel cable 7 during the cutting process . a cutting edge 38 is formed in the guiding and centering section 37 at the front side of the blade . the cutting edge continues into one cutting section each 39 , 40 on either of the two side blades 35 , 36 . these cutting edges 38 to 40 are bordered by the inner surface of the sheet metal blank and an outer diagonal surface 41a , 41b , 41c . as may be seen especially in fig1 both blades 16 , 21 are oriented at an acute angle toward the longitudinal axis of each steel cable 7 . this acute angle α is identical with the inclination of the diagonal surface 41a , 41b , 41c toward each of the side blades 35 , 36 and the guiding and centering section 37 of the metal blank and only a few degrees in magnitude . the surface 41b is maintained at a slight distance from the cable 7 so as to space the cutting edges 38 , 39 and 40 from the cable . in this manner an optimal cutting effect is achieved , as well as self - centering of the blade with respect to the steel cable , with the result that the steel cable cut out will possess a rubber casing of constant wall thickness and strength . simultaneously , in each cutting operation of the upper blade 16 and the lower blade 21 a constantly stem - shaped strip will be cut out of each of the upper and lower layers of the belt , so that after the completion of all cutting operations the belt will appear in the form of a multiplicity of strips and with the reinforcing cables 7 cut out . the device described in detail above works in the following manner . given a conveyer belt situated on a base 3 , the steel cable is exposed for a few centimeters by hand , using a conventional knife , and at a predetermined interval which is equal to the joining length of each respective belt end . thereupon , the device is applied laterally at one edge of the belt so that the one belt edge catches in the lateral aperture 6 . in order to make this maneuver possible , the upper frame section 8 is lifted up by turning the hand crank 11 with respect to the lower frame section 9 superimposed on the base 3 with the use of rollers 2 . by turning the hand crank once more , the upper frame section is lowered into the position with respect to the lower frame section , as shown in fig1 during which process the lower pressure roller 25 comes up to the lower surface of the belt and the upper pressure roller 27 to the upper surface of a steel cable 7 to apply pressure , and precisely in the manner depicted in fig1 and 2 , i . e ., below and above the assigned blades 16 and 21 ,. the proper interval of the pressure roller 25 functioning as a lower counter brace is set by working the set screw 30 , which , when the upper frame 8 is closed by means of the crank 11 , comes to rest on one of the plates attached to the lower frame 9 . the pressure roller 27 , functioning as a counter brace , is set separately by working the set screws 28 , 29 . the device is next pulled on the base ( by using the drive , not shown , and the traction element 4 ) in the longitudinal direction of the belt . during this process the upper blade 16 and simultaneously the lower blade 21 each perform a cut . by virtue of the lateral staggering of these two blades 16 , 21 , the lower blade 21 will respectively cut the externally situated steel cable 7 and the upper blade the neighboring steel cable 7 out of the conveyer belt , in the manner shown in fig2 during which process one strip 42 and 46 for each will result . after such a cutting procedure has been executed up to each respective end of the belt , the device is returned to its original position ; and once the steel cable 7 has been removed , is addressed to the newly formed edge of the belt , whereupon cutting procedure is continued by a renewed longitudinal movement of the device . the device shown in the drawings is a compact and lightweight hand apparatus that can be operated by one attendant . it is only necessary in exceptional cases to guide the apparatus through the cutting procedure by hand , because owing to the shape of the upper and lower blades , they guide themselves . thus the apparatus rolls along the table - shaped base and along the steel cables 7 arranged parallel to one another in the belt . by using such a hand apparatus a number of the work steps necessary under the current state of the art can be eliminated . this will bring about considerable savings in man - hours in making high - strength joints between two belt ends . with the present invention , it is also possible to cut out other long - extended reinforcing elements made of metal cable , metal rods or the like out of a rubber or plastic matrix , which , for example , may become necessary for the preparation or disposal of such composite materials . used or completely worn out conveyer belts reinforced with steel cable especially , as used , for example , in open - pit mining , can be prepared for purposes of disposal by removing the steel reinforcing elements from the rubber matrix . in such a case it is useful for the cutting device to possess a number of upper and lower blades arranged side by side , so as to be able to cut out a correspondingly large number of steel cables in one single cutting operation . under certain circumstances even only one set of blades would suffice for such an apparatus , because the reinforcing cables could each be removed or pulled out of their respective beds diagonally upward , following a complete removal of the upper rubber layer . and finally , the bead core of worn - out vehicle tires could be cut out in accordance with the principle of the present invention with a contoured upper and lower blade , for which purpose in such a case the cutting device would be arranged in a stationary position above a rotary driven holding device for a tire . | 1 |
the integrated hydrostatic transaxle is shown generally in fig1 to 3 . the integrated hydrostatic transaxle has a common housing 10 for the components thereof . the common housing 10 is of two parts , with a top part 12 and a bottom part 14 which are joined together along a split line 16 which is disposed generally horizontal when the integrated hydrostatic transaxle is installed in operative position . the housing parts 12 and 14 are held in assembled relation by a series of bolts 18 extending through peripheral flanges of the top and bottom housing parts which abut at the split line 16 . the shape of the housing parts in plan is shown in fig2 wherein a portion of the top housing part 12 is seen in the lower left part of the figure and with the remainder thereof broken away to show the bottom housing part 14 . the common housing 10 encloses a hydrostatic transmission having a pair of hydraulic displacement units , indicated generally at 20 and 22 , respectively , and also houses transaxle components , seen particularly in fig2 . the transaxle components include a pair of oppositely - extending axles 23 and 24 having ends extended beyond the bottom housing part for mounting of drive wheels ( not shown ) and their centerlines are coincident with the housing split line 16 . the bottom housing part 14 has bearings 25 and 26 at the outboard ends and thrust bearings 27 and 27a at the inboard ends of the axles for rotatable support thereof and with the axles being geared together through a differential , indicated generally at 28 . this differential includes bevel gears 29 and 30 at the inner end of the respective axles 23 and 24 with drive input gears thereto including a gear 31 which meshes with an output gear 32 of a gear reduction drive . the gear reduction drive has a drive input connection from the hydraulic displacement unit 22 , with the output shaft 35 ( fig3 ) of the latter having a gear 36 which meshes with a gear 37 . the latter gear is rotatably fixed to a gear 38 which meshes with the previously - mentioned gear 32 . a brake for the drive is mounted externally of the common housing 10 and associated with an end of the drive output shaft 35 , with this brake structure , including a brake 40 , a brake drum 41 and a brake cover 42 . each of the hydraulic displacement units 20 and 22 is shown in detail in fig3 and is of generally the same construction . the hydraulic displacement unit 20 has a rotatable cylinder block 45 connected by a splined connection 46 to a drive input shaft 47 having an internal end rotatable in a journal 47a positioned in a center section , indicated generally at 48 , of the hydrostatic transmission . the outboard end of the drive input shaft 47 is rotatably supported by the top housing part 12 by means of a bearing 49 . a lip seal 50 seals the shaft opening in the top housing part 12 . the rotatable cylinder block 45 has a series of piston - receiving chambers , each of which movably mount a piston 51 of a relatively large diameter and with each of the pistons 51 being urged by an associated spring 52 into following engagement with a swashplate structure . the hydraulic displacement unit 20 has overcenter variable displacement , with this operation being achieved by angular adjustment of a swashplate 54 which , as well known in the art , can have its angle varied from the clockwise position shown in fig3 to an opposite extreme position in a known manner and by manually operable structure , not shown . the swashplate can pivot about a pivot axis in a counterclockwise direction and past a horizontal center position , as viewed in fig3 . the swashplate 54 , as known in the art , mounts a thrust plate 55 against which the pistons abut and a bearing and bearing guide structure rotatably support the thrust plate 55 relative to the body of the swashplate . each of the piston - receiving chambers has a passage 57 opening to a face of the rotatable cylinder block 45 for coaction with arcuate ports of the center section 48 which will be described subsequently . the hydraulic displacement unit 22 is a fixed displacement unit and has a rotatable cylinder block 58 with a plurality of piston - receiving chambers each movably mounting a piston 59 which is spring - urged by a spring 60 toward a swashplate 61 . the swashplate 61 has a thrust plate 62 against which an end of the pistons engages and a ball thrust bearing 63 interposed between the thrust plate and the swashplate to rotatably mount the thrust plate . the rotatable cylinder block 58 drives the drive output shaft 35 through a splined connection 64 therebetween . an inner end of the drive output shaft 35 rotates within an opening 65 in the center section 48 which may optionally receive a journal 66 and , if the journal is not used , the opening . 65 is cylindrical as shown in fig1 . the outboard end of the drive output shaft 35 is sealed by a lip seal 67 and with bearing structure disposed interiorly thereof including a ball bearing 68 . each of the piston - receiving chambers of the rotatable cylinder block 58 has a passage 69 opening to a face thereof which coact with arcuate ports associated with a face of the center section 48 to be subsequently described . since the hydraulic displacement unit 22 is of a fixed displacement , the swashplate 61 need not be adjustably mounted and , therefore , can be supported by the common housing 10 against hydraulic forces exerted through the pistons 59 . as seen in fig3 the centerline of the drive output shaft 35 is located on the split line 16 of the housing parts 12 and 14 and extends through a central opening 69 in the swashplate 61 . the swashplate 61 spans the split line and support thereof against fluid forces is provided by the common housing at both sides of the split line . the foregoing description generally describes the integrated hydrostatic transaxle wherein the bottom housing part 14 provides a common sump for the transaxle components as is evident in fig1 and 2 and also for the hydrostatic transmission as is evident from fig1 to 3 . the hydraulic displacement units 20 and 22 have their respective rotatable cylinder blocks arranged with their axes of rotation generally at right angles to each other . it is the primary function of the center section 48 to provide communication between selected piston - receiving chambers of the respective cylinder blocks 45 and 58 . in achieving this primary function , center section 48 has been uniquely designed to minimize costly machining operations and enable formation of the body of the center section by casting . examples of such casting , without limitation , are lost foam casting and die casting . the resulting material of the cast body of the center section has a relatively high degree of porosity as compared to a conventional machined center section for a hydrostatic transmission and in order to assure any leakage problem of high pressure fluid contained within a passage in the center section , because of porosity , is confined within the common housing , the center section 48 has been constructed as a separate one - piece center section which is positionable within the bottom housing part 14 as seen in fig3 . the one - piece center section 48 is generally l - shaped to have a pair of faces generally at right angles to each other with one planar face 72 coacting with a face of the rotatable cylinder block 45 of the variable displacement unit 20 and a second planar face 73 coacting with a face of the rotatable cylinder block 58 of the hydraulic displacement unit 22 . the center section body has two integral parts 74 and 75 oriented to have the two parts define the legs of the l shape of the center section , with the part 74 having the planar face 72 and the part 75 having the planar face 73 . the planar face 72 has a pair of arcuate ports 76 and 77 and the planar face 73 has a pair of arcuate ports 78 and 79 , as seen in fig8 and 10 , respectively . first and second straight , generally parallel passages 80 and 81 are cast into the center section body and function to intersect the arcuate ports and place the arcuate ports in paired relation for fluid communication . the first passage 80 intersects with arcuate port 76 and arcuate port 78 to provide a first pair of ports in fluid communication . the second passage 81 intersects arcuate ports 77 and 79 and places them in paired fluid communication . in operation of the integrated hydrostatic transaxle , one or the other of the first and second fluid passages functions to deliver fluid under pressure from the variable displacement unit 20 functioning as a pump to the fixed displacement unit 22 , functioning as a motor , and with the other fluid passage providing for return of fluid from the motor to the pump . the first and second fluid passages 80 and 81 terminate at one end at their intersection with the arcuate ports 78 and 79 and are closed at their other end as formed in the casting process . the center section 48 has a third passage 84 intersecting said first passage 80 and a fourth passage 85 intersecting the second passage 81 , with the passages 84 and 85 opening to a surface 86 of the center section opposite to the planar face 72 . a through bore 87 extends perpendicular to and is positioned between the first and second fluid passages 80 and 81 and a fifth fluid passage 88 , sealed intermediate its ends by journal 47a , extends generally parallel to the through bore 87 and is positioned between the first and second fluid passages 80 and 81 . a sixth fluid passage 90 extends between and normal to the fifth fluid passage 88 and a recess 91 in the center section set back from the surface 86 of the center section . the utility of the through bore and third through sixth passages will be readily understood by reference to fig3 to 7 and the following description . the third and fourth fluid passages 84 and 85 mount a pair of check valves which each having a tubular seat member 93 and 94 , respectively , fitted therein and which form seats for a pair of check valve balls 95 and 96 spring - urged downwardly against the seats . the check valves function , when closed , to block fluid flow from either of the first and second passages 80 and 81 to a recess or well 100 ( fig3 ) formed by a cavity in the bottom housing port 14 . this recess is generally oval and is defined by a continuous upstanding wall on the bottom housing part with wall sections shown at 101 and 102 . the lower ends of the third and fourth passages 84 and 85 open into this generally oval recess . the oval recess 100 is sealed off , at its top , by a generally oval - shaped wall 103 on the underside of the center section 48 and which has a sealing o - ring 104 therebetween . this is a sealed recess or well so that filtered fluid in the recess may be a source of make - up fluid to the hydrostatic transmission . structure associated with the check valves also provides for a bypass function wherein , even though the pump is set at a displacement and is operable , there is no drive of the motor since the first and second passages 80 and 81 are cross - connected through opening of the check valves and the generally oval recess 100 . the make - up fluid is delivered to the generally oval recess 100 from the common sump within the bottom housing part 14 by flow through an open space beneath the center section 48 ( fig3 ) and through a cylindrical filter 110 having o - ring seals at its top and bottom . the interior of the filter 110 communicates with the sixth fluid passage 90 in the center section . as previously described , the sixth fluid passage 90 communicates with the fifth fluid passage 88 and the fifth fluid passage 88 communicates with the through bore 87 so that fluid reaches the recess 100 . the center section has a series of through mounting holes at 115 , 116 , and 117 whereby , as seen in fig3 in assembly , the center section 48 can be secured to the upper housing part 12 , as by self - tapping screws 118 and the final assembly achieved by bringing the bottom housing part 14 into association with the top housing part 12 along the split line 16 . all of the first through sixth fluid passages of the center section as well as the through bore 87 , recess 65 , recess 91 and through mounting holes 115 - 117 can be formed in the center section in a casting process . there is only a limited amount of machining required to finish the center section . as previously stated , a cast center section has a higher porosity than a conventional machined center section , which could create the possibility of leakage from whichever of the first and second passages 80 and 81 may have pressure fluid therein ; however , the one - piece , integral center section which is independent of the housings avoids any problem from such leakage since such leakage would merely be into the common sump of the integrated hydrostatic transaxle and which is open to atmosphere through a bleed tube 140 . the bypass operation previously referred to is effected by opening the check valves by raising the check valve balls 95 and 96 off their seats . the structure for this includes a bypass actuator structure including a bypass actuator plate 120 and a bypass rod 121 . the bypass actuator plate 120 , as seen in fig4 and 7 , is positioned in the generally oval recess 100 in the bottom housing part 14 and , at its middle , is connected to the lower end of the bypass rod 121 and has a pair of upturned ends ( fig7 ) positioned beneath the check valve balls 95 and 96 . lifting of the bypass rod 121 causes the bypass actuator plate to lift the check valve balls and place the center section first and second passages 80 and 81 in fluid communication . lifting of the bypass rod 121 is achieved by rotation of a handle 125 positioned above top housing part 12 and , as seen particularly in fig2 and 5 . the bypass rod 121 is longitudinally movable in an opening 126 in the top housing part 12 as well as having its lower part extending downwardly through the through bore 87 of the center section and is normally urged downwardly by a spring 127 . as seen in fig6 the handle 125 has cam shapes 130 formed thereon which coact with ends of a through pin 131 fitted into an end of the bypass rod 121 . rotation of the handle 125 from the position shown in the drawings to bring the cams 130 under the through pin 131 raises the through pin and the bypass rod 121 to establish the bypass operation . the bypass rod 121 and center section 48 are uniquely associated with the housing structure whereby a bypass operation also results in bleeding air from the system fluid . when the bypass rod 121 is in its lower position and the check valves are closed , the upper end of the through bore 87 of the center section 48 is closed by a seal washer 135 backed up by peripheral flange on the bypass rod , so that there is no fluid communication between the through bore 87 and the interior of the common housing 10 . when the bypass rod 121 is raised to effect a bypass operation , the seal washer 135 is moved upwardly from its seat whereby the upper end of the through bore 87 is open to the interior of the common housing and air can bleed off to the housing interior . air that accumulates in the common sump can bleed off to atmosphere through the bleed tube 140 ( fig1 ). it is believed that the operation of the integrated hydrostatic transaxle is clearly apparent from the foregoing description . however , it may be briefly summarized as follows . an engine drives the drive input shaft 47 for the variable displacement unit 20 ( functioning as a pump ) to cause operation of the displacement unit 22 ( functioning as a motor ) and the drive output shaft 35 drives the transaxle components shown in fig2 for rotation of the wheel axles 23 and 24 . the direction of rotation of the wheel axles can be shifted from forward to reverse by shifting the swashplate 54 of the variable displacement unit 20 to a position opposite side of center from that shown in fig3 and with resulting reversal of pressure fluid flow through the center section 48 from the pump to the motor . in the event there is to be no rotation of the wheel axles 23 and 24 while the pump is still operating and set for displacement , a bypass operation is achieved by rotation of the handle 125 to raise the bypass rod 121 and open the check valve balls 95 and 96 . as previously mentioned , any air in the passages in the center section can bleed to the sump of the common housing . either one of the check valves can automatically open to provide make - up fluid to the transmission circuit from the generally oval recess 100 when the pressure existing in one or the other of the first and second straight passages 80 and 81 in the center section is sufficiently less than that of the fluid in the oval recess to overcome the spring closing force on a check valve ball . | 1 |
[ 0014 ] fig1 depicts a wireless communication system 100 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention . wireless communication system 100 includes user terminals 110 and 120 , wireless communication network 130 , and network information delivery control processor 140 . wireless communication network 130 comprises know functions necessary to operate and maintain wireless communications including radio network interface 150 . wireless communication network 130 can be based on any well known technology , such as analog or digital . user terminals 110 and 120 are coupled to radio network interface via links 111 and 121 , respectively . links 111 and 121 provide communication among a plurality of user terminals such as 110 and 120 . user terminals 110 and 120 as well as links 111 and 121 can be based on any well - known technologies , such as time division multiple access ( tdma ) or code division multiple access ( cdma ). only a single block of communications network elements 130 , radio network interface 150 , two user terminals 110 and 120 , and single network initiated information delivery control processor 140 are depicted in fig1 for clarity . in the embodiment depicted in fig1 user terminal 110 and user terminal 120 are coupled to and communicating with communication network 130 . it should be understood that in an actual network a plurality of user terminals are coupled to communication network 130 . as depicted in fig1 user terminal 110 is communicating with communication network 130 via link 111 . user terminal 120 is communicating with communication network 130 via link 121 . links 111 and 121 are over - the - air links and can either be the same or different . in the embodiment depicted in fig1 network initiated information delivery control processor 140 is coupled to and communicating with communication network 130 via link 141 . link 141 can be based on any known technology such as digital , analog , wireless , or wireline . it should be understood that in an actual network a plurality of network initiated information delivery control processors can be coupled to wireless communication network 130 . in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention , network initiated information delivery control processor 140 receives a call request from a user terminal , such as user terminal 110 . the call request can originate from a terminal connected to communication network 130 or from any other network that can interface with communication network 130 such as a public switched telephone network ( pstn ). network initiated information delivery control processor 140 accepts the call and requests instructions from originating user terminal 110 . communication between originating user terminal 110 and network initiated information delivery control processor 140 can be sent a variety of ways , including but not limited to using inband analog signals and out - of - band messages . network initiated information delivery control processor 140 accepts instructions from originating user terminal 110 . the instructions received from originating user terminal 110 preferably comprise information to be delivered to specific other user terminals , unique identifiers of the other user terminals , information delivery priority , and information life time . the unique identifiers of the other user terminals comprise information such as the address or geographical location of the other user terminals . the information life time is an indication of a time period after which the information is no longer to be delivered . these instructions are stored in network initiated information delivery control processor 140 . in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention , network initiated information delivery control processor 140 instructs radio network interface 150 when to report the load level on over - the - air links 111 and 121 . these instructions include but are not limited to a periodic interval , demand for real - time measurement , or when the load level has changed by a predetermined amount . additional instructions include trigger points against which radio network interface 150 compares the actual over - the - air utilization . these instructions are sent via link 141 . network initiated information delivery control processor 140 and radio network interface 150 communicate via link 141 using any known technology such as digital , analog , wireless , or wireline . in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention , radio network interface 150 monitors and stores the utilization of link 111 . this monitoring can be accomplished via methods such as buffer size and message delay . radio network interface 150 compares actual monitored utilization with the predetermined trigger levels received from the network initiated information delivery control processor 140 to derive a normalized load level for link 111 . radio network interface 150 reports the load level for link 111 as instructed by network initiated information delivery control processor 140 . these instructions include but are not limited to a periodic interval , demand for real time measurement , or when the load level has changed by a predetermined amount . network initiated information delivery control processor 140 receives and stores the current load level reported by radio network interface 150 . network initiated information delivery control processor 140 compares the delivery priority of each stored set of information to determine at what load level each piece of information is designated for transmission . this transmission can be made to a specific user terminal , such as user terminal 120 , a list of user terminals , or all user terminals in a specific geographical area . in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention , network initiated information delivery control processor 140 increases the delivery priority of the information if it has not been transmitted for a predetermined period of time . in addition , network initiated information delivery control processor 140 will delete information that has exceeded the life time specified by the originating user terminal . [ 0024 ] fig2 depicts network initiated information deliver processor 140 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention . network initiated information deliver processor 140 comprises input port 220 , control processor 230 , memory 240 , output port 250 , and links 270 , 280 , and 290 . control processor 230 may comprise a plurality of processors , each with substantially identical functions or with functions distributed among them by function type . however , a single control processor 230 is shown in fig2 for clarity . links 270 , 280 , and 290 are preferably ethernet connections , but can alternately be any communication protocol that provides for communication between elements . in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention , input port 220 and output port 250 interface with wireless communication network 130 . this can be based on any known technology , such as analog , digital , wireless , and wireline . input port 200 and output port 250 may be located on the same physical link . input port 220 and output port 250 preferably carry both bearer and control information between control processor 230 and wireless communication network 130 . input port 220 and output port 250 can be connected directly to wireless communication network 130 , or to any network which can be connected to wireless communication network 130 , such as the public switched telephone network ( pstn ). control processor 230 interacts with originating users to obtain the information to be transferred and to receive instructions concerning the transmission of the information . control processor 230 interacts with radio network interface 150 to request load level information and to transmit the stored information when it is appropriate . control processor 230 interacts with memory 240 to determine what information should be transmitted given received load levels , elevates the delivery priority of information that has not been transmitted for some predetermined interval , and deletes information which is no longer valid . information is considered to be no longer valid when the life time specified by the user terminal originating the information has been exceeded . [ 0027 ] fig3 depicts a flowchart 300 of a method for providing network initiated information delivery in a radio network interface in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention . radio network interface 150 receives ( 301 ) instructions from network initiated information delivery processor 140 concerning the measuring and reporting intervals of the load level . given these instructions and the knowledge of when the last measurement was made , radio network interface 150 determines ( 302 ) if a measurement is to be made . if not , radio network interface waits until it is appropriate to make a measurement . if it is time to make a measurement as determined at step 302 , a measurement of the over - the - air utilization is taken ( 303 ). this measurement can be taken in a variety of ways , including but not limited to buffer size and message delay . radio network interface 150 compares ( 304 ) the measurement to predetermined trigger levels and generates a normalized load level for the over - the - air link . radio network interface 150 determines ( 305 ) if a report should be generated and sent to network initiated information delivery control processor 140 . this decision can be based on a variety of factors including but not limited to elapsed time since the last report was generated or number of load levels traversed since the last report was generated . if a report should be generated , radio network interface 150 generates ( 306 ) a report . [ 0031 ] fig4 depicts a flowchart 400 of a method for providing network initiated information delivery in a network initiated information delivery control processor in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention . network initiated information delivery control function 140 receives ( 401 ) load levels from the various radio network interfaces with which it communicates . network initiated information delivery control function 140 then stores ( 402 ) the load level values received . network initiated information delivery control function 140 then determines ( 403 ) which if any of the stored information should be transmitted to user terminals based on the reported load levels and the instructions from the user terminal which originated the information . as part of the decision process , information that has not been transmitted for a predetermined period of time will be assigned a higher delivery priority if the information had been designated by the originator or the network initiated information delivery control function as a candidate for escalation , and information whose life time has expired will be deleted . if it is appropriate to sent information , the information is sent ( 404 ). the present invention thereby provides a method and apparatus that allows pushed messages to be sent efficiently without overloading the communication system . utilizing the present invention , a communication system can send pushed messages without causing delay , missed messages , or lost calls , especially in heavily loaded systems . while this invention has been described in terms of certain examples thereof , it is not intended that it be limited to the above description , but rather only to the extent set forth in the claims that follow . | 7 |
the present invention includes a ribbon cassette for use in a printer wherein an endless ribbon is stored in stuffing - box manner in the body of the cassette and is caused to be exited from the body through an exit port located at one end of the cassette . referring now to fig1 and 2 , a ribbon cassette , generally indicated at 12 , includes a top portion 14 and a bottom portion 16 , such portions 14 and 16 being identical in structure and forming the two halves of the cassette 12 . fig1 illustrates the bottom portion 16 of the cassette 12 , as viewed in the direction of the arrows 1 -- 1 of fig2 . the ribbon cassette 12 is a long and narrow design and the top portion 14 includes a top plate 17 , and the bottom portion 16 includes a bottom plate 18 ( fig2 ) and two side plates 20 and 22 ( fig1 and 4 ) with latch members , as at 24 , for securing the top and bottom portions 14 and 16 to each other along abutting flanges 21 and 23 , and latching with mating ledges or lips 25 . the top portion 14 also includes two side plates 20 and 22 with flanges 21 and 23 , latch members 24 and mating ledges or lips 25 . the left side of the cassette 12 has an inlet or entrance port 26 ( fig1 and 4 ) defined and framed by curved portions 28 and 30 which guide and control an endless ribbon 32 in vertical orientation as it enters the body or cavity 34 ( fig1 ) of the cassette 12 . the right hand side of the cassette 12 provides an outlet or exit port 35 for the ribbon 32 ( fig1 and 3 ) and includes upstanding portions , generally indicated at 36 and 37 ( fig2 and 3 ). the upstanding portions 36 and 37 are integral parts of the respective top and bottom portions 14 and 16 , and are located outside the cavity 34 . a dam 38 stretches across the top portion 14 of the cassette 12 and a dam 39 ( fig1 ) stretches across the bottom portion 16 of the cassette 12 at the end of the cavity 34 . the upstanding portions 36 and 37 occupy slightly less than one - half of the distance across the end of the cassette 12 ( fig1 ), so that an opening is provided between the two upstanding portions 36 and 37 in assembled relationship to provide the exit port 35 for the ribbon 32 ( fig3 ). the upstanding portions 36 and 37 each include a left portion 40 ( fig1 ) adjacent the respective dams 38 and 39 , a right portion 42 at the end of the cassette 12 , and a connection or side portion 44 . the portions 40 , 42 and 44 essentially serve as walls providing support structure for the portions 14 and 16 . a ramp structure 48 , formed integral with the top plate 17 and a ramp structure 50 , formed integral with the bottom plate 18 of the cassette 12 ( fig2 ), extend across the end of the cavity 34 ( fig1 ) and each ramp structure 48 , 50 includes a curved portion 52 ( fig2 ) which is contacted by the edge of the ribbon 32 as it exits from the cavity 34 . the height of each of the ramp structures 48 and 50 is about one - half the height of the respective dams 38 and 39 . fig2 shows one of the side portions of each of the two identical halves of the cassette 12 and the manner of construction thereof wherein the ribbon 32 is guided and contained by the ramp structure 48 of the cassette top portion 14 and by the ramp structure 50 of the bottom portion 16 . of course , it is noted that the two portions 14 and 16 are shown widely separated and that in the assembly of the portions 14 and 16 , the surfaces 54 and 56 are in contact with each other and further that the upstanding portions 36 and 37 fit together , as shown in fig3 . the ramp structure 48 and 50 adjacent the dams 38 and 39 of the portions 14 and 16 provide means for vertically centering the ribbon 32 ( fig2 ) so that each of the dams 38 and 39 restricts or restrains the ribbon 32 an equal amount during exit of the ribbon 32 from the cavity 34 of the cassette 12 . the ramp structures 48 and 50 of the cassette portions 14 and 16 effectively train or guide the inked ribbon 32 in a path from the cavity 34 and through the exit port 35 . the ramp structures 48 and 50 position the ribbon 32 in a vertical orientation at a height to provide equal restraint of the ribbon 32 by the dams 38 and 39 as the ribbon 32 passes therebetween . while each of the ramp structures 48 and 50 is designed and molded as having a ribbed surface with ribs 53 ( fig1 ), the surface may be plain or smooth . the ribbon 32 is nominally one inch wide and is stored in the cavity 34 in stuffing manner ( fig1 ). the height of the cavity 34 is slightly greater than the width of the ribbon 32 to allow for freedom of travel within the cavity 34 so that there is a small amount of clearance between the top edge of the ribbon 32 and the ceiling of the cavity 34 . fig2 shows the ribbon 32 in edgewise manner in diagrammatic form and illustrates the clearance between the top and bottom portions 14 and 16 of the cassette 12 and the edge of the ribbon 32 . when the ribbon 32 passes between the ramp structure 48 and 50 of the cassette portions 14 and 16 , the ribbon edges are in contact with the surfaces of the ramp structures 48 and 50 so that the ribbon 32 is guided and controlled in a vertically centered position prior to exit from the cavity 34 . the ribbon 32 is momentarily squeezed or restrained an equal amount by the dams 38 and 39 of portions 14 and 16 for the purpose of placing a slight restriction or retarding force on the travel of the ribbon 32 , the squeezed effect being shown at 58 and 60 ( fig2 ). the height of the dams 38 and 39 , the height of the stuffing cavity 34 , and the width of the ribbon 32 along with the height of the ramp structures 48 and 50 all figure in the design and construction of the ribbon cassette 12 for effectively restraining the inked fabric ribbon 32 as it leaves the cavity 34 and for guiding the ribbon 32 around suitable printer guides ( not shown ) adjacent the cassette 12 for proper tracking of the ribbon 32 . it is thus seen that herein shown and described is a ribbon cassette 12 of the stuffing - box type that includes means for vertically centering the ribbon 32 and for helping to prevent jamming of the ribbon 32 at the exit end or port 35 of the cassette 12 . the present invention enables the accomplishment of the objects and advantages mentioned above , and while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein , variations thereof may occur to those skilled in the art . it is contemplated that all such variations and modifications not departing from the spirit and scope of the invention hereof are to be construed in accordance with the following claims . | 1 |
reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention , examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings . the device disclosed herein can be used for removing an electrode tip , and includes a part near to the electrode tip which is made thin such that electrode tips which are fitted in a tight space between shanks can be removed with ease , and noise generation during the work can be prevented . a device m 1 constructed in accordance with the teachings of the invention for removing an electrode tip is shown in fig1 and 2 . the device m 1 is adapted for removing an electrode tip 4 fitted to a shank 1 and 2 of a welding robot as a resistance welder . the device m 1 includes a body 10 connected to an arm ( not shown ) of a working robot , and a fore end 13 . the fore end 13 projects from a side of a top surface of the body 10 in a horizontal direction for inserting between the shanks 1 and 2 and for mounting on the electrode tip 4 when the electrode tip 4 is to be removed . the reference numeral 5 denotes a tapered hole of the electrode tip 4 fitted to the tapered shaft 3 of the shanks 1 and 2 . referring to fig1 - 3 , the body 10 has a driving motor ( not shown ) fitted with a reduction gear in a housing 11 for rotating a driving gear 12 ( explained later ) in a regular or reverse direction . the fore end 13 includes a case 14 fixed to the housing 11 , a holding member 20 and a turning plate 27 accommodated in the case 14 , a claw 25 held in the holding member 20 , an intermediate gear 29 engaged with the driving gear 12 for turning the turning plate 27 , and compression rings 18 screwed on top and bottom of the case 14 . referring to fig3 and 4 , the turning plate 27 has a substantially disk form and includes a hole 27 a with an inside diameter which is greater than an outside diameter of the electrode tip 4 . the turning plate 27 also includes a gear portion 27 e on an outer circumference for engagement with the intermediate gear 29 , and cylindrical ribs 27 f on top and bottom surfaces thereof . a center of rotation x of the turning plate 27 is provided in an up and down direction at the center of the hole 27 a . a recess 27 b is formed in an inner circumference of the turning plate 27 for placing the claw 25 therein . as shown in fig5 one side surface of the recess 27 b is an engagement pressing surface 27 c for turning the claw 25 to an engagement region where a fore end 25 b of the claw 25 engages with the electrode tip 4 . the claw 25 is turned to the engagement region by turning the turning plate 27 in a regular direction such that the engagement pressing surface 27 c engages a convex portion 25 d and a side surface 25 e of the claw 25 . the other side surface of the recess 27 d is a disengagement pressing surface 27 d for turning the fore end 25 b of the claw to a disengagement region in which the fore end 25 b of the claw 25 makes no interference with the electrode tip 4 . the claw 25 is turned to the disengagement region by turning the turning plate 27 in a reverse direction such that the disengagement pressing surface 27 d engages the convex portion 25 f and a side surface 25 g of the claw 25 ( see fig9 ). referring to fig3 - 9 , the claw 25 includes a body 25 a ( e . g ., a substantially rectangular plate ), and a shaft 25 h ( e . g ., a cylindrical column ) on top and bottom surfaces of the body 25 a . the fore end 25 b of the body 25 has a sharp angled form , and a plurality of grooves taking the high friction with the electrode tip 4 into consideration . that is , in the first embodiment , the claw 25 is dimensioned such that its fore end 25 b is projected into a pass through hole 22 j in the holding member 20 when the claw 25 is turned into the engagement region . the shafts 25 h of the claw 25 are disposed parallel to the center of rotation x . the shaft 25 h is vertically disposed in a space 22 i defined in the rib 22 f ( which will be explained later ) on the holding member 20 in the vicinity of the fore end 25 b such that a cross section of the claw 25 is projected from the recess 27 b of the turning plate 27 into the hole 27 a and into the space 22 i defined in the rib 22 f . a height h 1 of the body 25 a ( see fig3 ) is slightly smaller than a thickness t 1 ( fig4 ) of the rib 22 f on the holding member 20 ( which will be explained later ). as shown in fig3 and 4 , the holding member 20 has the same center of rotation x as the turning plate 27 . the holding member 20 includes a disk 21 , and a disk 22 with a stepped portion . the outside diameter of the disk 21 is dimensioned such that the disk 21 is rotatable in an inner circumference of the rib 27 f on a top surface of the turning plate 27 . the disk 21 has a pass through hole 21 a . the inside diameter of the hole 21 a is slightly greater than the outside diameter of the electrode tip 4 . the disk 21 has a thickness which is greater than a height of the rib 27 f so that an outer circumference of the disk 21 projects from the rib 27 f . as explained below , this outer circumference serves as a braking surface 21 g for engaging a brake arm 32 . the disk 21 also has a tapered surface 21 b ( see fig3 ) at an upper edge around the pass through hole 21 a to facilitate easy insertion of the electrode tip 4 from above . a holding hole 21 c and two pair of fitting holes 21 e located on opposite sides of the holding hole 21 c are positioned around the pass through hole 21 a . each fitting hole 21 e has a smaller inside diameter at a lower portion to form a stepped surface 21 f ( see fig3 ). the disk 22 has a disk portion 22 a and a rib 22 f projected upward from the disk portion 22 a . the outside diameter of the disk 21 a is dimensioned such that the disk portion 22 a is rotatable in an inner circumference of the rib 27 f on a bottom surface of the turning plate 27 . the disk 22 has a pass through hole 22 b at a center thereof . the pass through hole 22 b has an outside diameter which is slightly greater than the electrode tip 4 . the disk portion 22 a has a thickness equal to a height of the rib 27 f . a tapered surface 22 c is formed at a bottom side edge of the pass through hole 22 b to facilitate easy insertion of an electrode tip from below ( see fig3 ). the disk 22 includes a holding hole 22 d adjacent the pass through hole 22 b ( see fig3 ). the holding hole 22 d is located in vertical alignment with the holding hole 21 c in the disk 21 . the shafts 25 h on the top and bottom of the claw 25 are respectively inserted in these holding holes 21 c , 22 d . accordingly , in the illustrated device m 1 , inside surfaces of the holding holes 21 c , 22 d in a clockwise direction centered on the rotation center x form rotating action surfaces 21 d , 22 e which take a torque when the turning plate 27 rotates in a regular direction . as shown in fig3 - 5 , the rib 22 f has a substantially cylindrical form projected upward from a rim of the pass through hole 22 b on a top surface of the disk portion 22 a . a space portion 22 i is defined in the rib 22 f in the holding hole 22 d region . the outside diameter of the rib 22 f is selected such that the rib 22 f can be inserted in the hole 27 a in the turning plate 27 . as shown in fig5 the rib 22 f includes a pass through hole 22 j having an inner diameter d 1 and an inner circumference which are formed equal to the pass through hole 22 b . there are a plurality of grooves 22 k ( see fig5 ) formed in the inner circumference of the pass through hole 22 j at a portion opposite to the space portion 22 i . the rib 22 f has a thickness ( height ) t 1 ( see fig4 ) which is slightly greater than a thickness t 0 of an inside circumference of the ribs 27 f on the turning plate 27 . the rib 22 f also has four screw holes 22 g on the top surface thereof . these holes 22 g are aligned with the fitting holes 21 e in the disk 21 . as shown in fig5 - 8 , a groove 22 h is formed in one side surface of the space portion 22 i of the rib 22 f for preventing interference with the claw 25 until the claw is disposed in the engagement region . the inside diameter d 1 of the pass through hole 22 j in the holding member 20 is dimensioned such that a portion ( i . e ., a groove side 22 k portion ) located opposite to the claw 25 at the inner circumference of the pass through hole 22 b is pressed by the outer circumference of the electrode tip 4 when the claw 25 is brought into the engagement region and presses the tip 4 . in the illustrated device , the inside diameter d 1 of the pass through hole 22 j is 17 mm , and an outside diameter of the electrode tip 4 is 16 mm . as shown in fig1 - 4 , the case 14 includes an upper case 15 and a lower case 16 . each of the upper case 15 and the lower case 16 has an annular projection 15 b , 16 b at the fore end side . the inner circumference of the annular projections 15 b , 16 b form pass through holes 15 a , 16 a . the pass through holes 15 a , 16 a correspond to the outside diameter of the gear portion 27 e in the turning plate 27 . six screw holes 15 c , 16 c for bolts ( not shown ) are formed in each of the annular projections 15 b , 16 b for fitting the compression rings 18 thereto . each of the upper case 15 and the lower case 16 has six connection holes 15 d , 16 d in a periphery of the body 10 for connection to each other . in particular , the connection hole 15 d is a simple pass through hole while the connection hole 16 d is a threaded hole . each of the upper case 15 and the lower case 16 has a fitting hole 15 e , 16 e for fitting a holding bolt 33 for rotatably holding the intermediate gear 29 and a brake arm 32 of a brake device 31 explained later . the fitting hole 15 e is a simple pass through hole while the fitting hole 16 e is a threaded hole . recesses 15 f ( see fig3 ) and 16 f for accommodating the intermediate gear 19 and recesses 15 g ( not shown ) and 16 g ( see fig4 ) for accommodating the driving gear 12 are formed in opposite surfaces of the upper case 15 and the lower case 16 . the recess 16 g forms a pass through hole . as shown in fig3 and 4 , a compression ring 18 is provided for rotatably accommodating the turning plate 27 within the upper case 15 and the lower case 16 . the compression ring 18 includes a cylindrical portion 18 a of a size which can be inserted in the inner circumference of the annular projections 15 b , 16 b on the upper case 15 and the lower case 16 . it also includes a jaw portion 18 d which is formed on an outer circumference of an end portion of the cylindrical portion 18 a . each of the jaw portions 18 d has fitting holes 18 e which correspond to the threaded holes 15 c , 16 c in the upper case 15 and the lower case 16 . the compression rings 18 are fitted to the upper case 15 and the lower case 16 by bringing the jaw portions 18 d into contact with the annular projections 15 b , 16 b on the upper case 15 and the lower case 16 by means of bolts ( not shown ) threaded into the threaded holes 15 c , 16 c via the fitting holes 18 e such that end surfaces 18 c of the cylindrical portions 18 a spaced from the jaw portion 18 d are at opposite sides . each of the fitting holes 18 e is provided with a stepped surface in an inside surface for receiving a bolt head to prevent projection of the bolt head when the compression rings 18 are fitted to the upper case 15 and the lower case 16 . thus , when the upper case 15 and the lower case 16 are fitted , each of the compression rings 18 blocks the outer circumference of the cylindrical rib 27 f of the turning plate 27 from the inner circumference of the cylindrical portion 18 a . also , when the upper and lower cases 16 are fitted , the top and bottom surfaces of the gear portion 27 e of the turning plate 27 between the end surfaces 18 c is rotatable under a condition of the turning plate 27 . the braking device 31 includes one pair of brake arms 32 and a compression coil spring 34 . each of the brake arms 32 has a semicircular compression piece portion 32 a at a fore end thereof for covering one half of the braking surface 21 g on the disk portion 21 of the holding member 20 . each brake arm 30 also includes a spring seat 32 b at a far end for disposing the compression coil spring 34 therebetween . a bolt 33 is located at a center portion of the arms 32 for rotably supporting the brake arm 32 on the case 14 . in assembly of the fore end portion 13 , the turning plate 27 and the intermediate gear 29 are disposed between the upper and lower cases 15 , 16 , the compression rings 18 are fitted to the upper and lower cases 15 , 16 with bolts ( not shown ), and bolts are passed through the connecting holes 15 d , 16 d to connect the upper and lower cases 15 and 16 to each other . then , the claw 25 is disposed in the recess 27 b of the turning plate 27 and , at the same time , the disk 21 and the stepped disk 22 are disposed from top and bottom of the turning plate 27 . in detail , the rib 22 f is inserted into the pass through hole 27 a from below , and at the same time , each of the fitting holes 21 e are matched with the threaded holes 22 g , and the shafts 25 h are inserted into each of the holding holes 21 c , 22 d . when each of the connecting bolts 23 are threaded into the threaded holes 22 g through each of the fitting holes 21 e , the disk 21 and the stepped disk 22 are fastened . in other words , the holding member 20 is assembled and is disposed to pass through the turning plate 27 . since the height t 1 of the rib 22 f of the holding member 20 is slightly greater than the height h 1 of the body 25 a of the claw 25 and the inside surface thickness t 0 of the ribs 27 f on the turning plate 27 , the claw 25 is rotatably held by the holding member 20 centered on the shafts 25 h . the holding member 20 is secured within the case 14 by the rib 27 f and the like such that the holding member can make a relative movement with the turning plate 27 by matching the rotation center x with the turning plate 27 . the assembly of the fore end portion 13 is completed by fitting the brake arm 32 to the case 14 by using the holding bolts 33 , by bringing the compression piece portions 32 a into contact with the braking surfaces 21 g on the disk 21 of the holding member 20 , and by positioning the compression coil spring 34 between the spring seats 32 b . it is preferable that , after the fore end portion 13 is assembled , the intermediate gear 29 and the driving gear 12 are engaged , and the fore end portion 13 and the body 10 are assembled . as shown in fig5 - 7 , when removing an electrode tip 4 , the turning plate 27 is placed around the electrode tip 4 such that the electrode tip 4 is inserted in the pass through holes 21 a and 22 b in the holding member 20 which is concentric to the pass through hole 27 a in the turning plate 27 . the driving motor in the body 10 is then driven to turn the turning plate 27 in a clockwise direction with reference to the center of rotation x by using the driving gear 12 and the intermediate gear 29 . then , as shown in fig5 - 7 , the engagement pressing surface 27 c of the turning plate 27 is engaged with the convex portion 25 d and side surface 25 e of the claw 25 to turn the claw 25 in a clockwise direction taking the shaft as a rotation center . the claw 25 will turn until , as shown in fig8 the claw 25 enters the engagement region where the fore end 25 b of the claw 25 engages with the outer circumference of the electrode tip 4 , thereby securing the electrode tip 4 in the pass through hole 22 j . the electrode tip 4 is engaged with the fore end of the claw 25 with the electrode tip 4 tilted slightly such that the electrode tip 4 presses against the groove portion 22 k of the pass through hole 22 j . under this condition , if the turning plate 27 is further rotated in a clockwise direction , the fore end 25 b of the claw 25 is directed toward a center direction of the electrode tip 4 , making a deeper engagement with the electrode tip 4 with a greater resistance of engagement of the claw 25 . when rotation of the claw 25 becomes difficult , a rotation torque applied to the turning plate 27 exerts a force on the rotating action surfaces 21 d , 22 e which engage the claw 25 , so that the holding member 20 is rotated in a clockwise direction together with the turning plate 27 against a resistance of a rotation braking force of the brake arms 32 . as the holding member 20 rotates with the claw 25 engaging with the electrode tip 4 held in the pass through hole 22 j , the electrode tip 4 is rotated in a clockwise direction with the turning plate 27 . because even a slight rotation of the electrode tip 4 releases the fitting between the tapered shaft 3 of the shank 1 and the electrode tip 4 , if the fore end portion 13 is moved downward together with the body 10 from the fore end side of the shank 1 , the electrode tip 4 can be removed from the shank 1 . after the fore end portion 13 is brought over a collection box , the driving motor in the body 10 is driven in reverse , to cause a reverse rotation of the turning plate 27 and holding member 20 in a counterclockwise direction with reference to the center of rotation x . then , as shown in fig9 the disengagement pressing surface 27 d of the turning plate 27 comes into contact with the convex portion 25 f and the side surface 25 g of the claw 25 . as a result , the claw 25 rotates in a counterclockwise direction about the shaft 25 h so that the fore end 25 b of the claw 25 releases the electrode tip 4 in the pass through hole 22 j , and enters into the disengagement region . because the electrode tip 4 is released from engagement with the fore end 25 b of the claw and , thus , from the compression force into the groove portion 22 k in the inner circumference of the pass through hole 22 j , the tip 4 is dropped from the pass through hole 22 j in the holding member 20 and the pass through hole 27 a in the turning plate 27 , and the tip 4 falls into the collection box . after reversing the turning plate 27 reduces the engagement resistance of the claw 25 , the holding member 20 is no longer rotated because the rotation braking force of the compression piece portions 32 a in the brake arms 32 act on the braking surfaces 21 g . continued rotation of the turning plate 27 rotates the claw 25 to the disengagement region . the electrode tip 4 on the lower shank 2 can also be easily collected into the collection box in the same manner as the electrode tip 4 on the upper shank 1 if the fore end portion 13 is brought around the electrode tip 4 , the turning plate 27 is rotated in a clockwise direction , the fore end portion is moved to a required position , and the turning plate 27 is reversed . from the foregoing , persons of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the disclosed device m 1 can be made slim to permit easy removal of an electrode tip 4 fitted in a tight space between the shanks 1 and 2 . moreover , since what is required in the removal of the electrode tip 4 is a simple engagement of the fore end 25 b of the claw 25 with the electrode tip 4 , there is no noise of impact , and occurrence of noise during working is suppressed . as described above , the disclosed device has the holding member 20 disposed to pass through the pass through hole 27 a in the turning plate 27 , the end portion 21 g of the disk 21 projects from the turning plate 27 , and the rotation braking force applied to the holding member 20 is generated by the brake arms 32 pressing the outer circumference 21 g to apply a friction force thereto by using the compression coil spring 34 . accordingly , because the height of the brake arms 32 can be selected to be within the height of the outer circumferences 21 g , and because portions of the braking device 31 other than the brake arms 32 can be disposed away from the vicinity of the electrode tip 4 , the thickness of the device m 1 in the vicinity of the electrode tip 4 can be made slim . this slimness permits easy removal of the electrode tip 4 fitted in the tight space between the shanks 1 and 2 . moreover , as explained above , the inside diameter d 1 of the pass through hole 22 j in the holding member 20 is dimensioned such that the side portion of the groove portion 22 k opposite to the claw 25 in the inner circumference of the pass through hole 22 can be pressed by the outer circumference of the electrode tip 4 when the claw 25 is disposed in the engagement region and presses the tip 4 . accordingly , since the electrode tip 4 is held in the pass through hole 22 j in the holding member 20 such that the electrode tip 4 is gripped between two points , ( i . e ., the fore end 25 b of the claw 25 and the groove portion 22 k in the inner circumference of the pass through hole 22 j in a manner that the fore end 25 b of the claw is engaged with the electrode tip 4 only in one side ), a stable hold of the electrode tip 4 is possible . furthermore , because the groove portion 22 k is formed in a portion of the inner circumference of the pass through hole 22 j opposite to the claw 25 when the claw 25 is disposed in the engagement region , and because a convex portion 22 l in a periphery of the groove portion 22 k can also be engaged with the electrode tip 4 together with the fore end 25 b of the claw when the electrode tip 4 is held , a further stable hold on the electrode tip 4 is possible . though the device m 1 has a system in which the electrode tip 4 is held by gripping the electrode tip 4 by means of the fore end 25 b of the claw and the inner circumference surface of the pass through hole 22 j in the holding member 20 , a system may also be provided in which the electrode tip 4 is held between the fore end 25 b of the claw and the inner circumference of the pass through hole 27 a in the turning plate 27 without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention . another device m 2 constructed in accordance with the teachings of the invention is shown in fig1 - 13 . in the device m 2 shown in fig1 - 13 , a system is provided in which only the claw 45 holds the electrode tip 4 . the device m 2 is different from the device m 1 in the claw 45 , the holding member 40 for holding the claw 45 , and the turning plate 47 . the upper and lower cases 15 and 16 in the case 14 , the compression rings 18 , the intermediate gear 29 , the brake device 31 , the driving gear 12 , and the body 10 are the same in both device m 1 , m 2 . therefore explanations of those components will be omitted from the following discussion . referring to fig1 - 14 , the turning plate 47 has a substantially disk form . it includes a pass through hole 47 a formed in a central portion . the hole 47 a has an inside diameter which is slightly greater than an outside diameter of the electrode tip 4 . the turning plate 47 also includes a gear portion 47 e which is engaged with the intermediate gear 29 . the turning plate 47 is disposed in the pass through holes 16 a of the upper and the lower cases 15 , 16 , and is secured in up and down directions for rotation between the cylindrical end portions 18 c of the upper and lower compression rings 18 . the center of rotation x of the turning plate 47 is set at the center of the pass through hole 47 a in up and down directions . the turning plate 47 has annular ribs 47 f on top and bottom surfaces for slidably engaging the inner circumferences of the cylindrical portions 18 a of the compression rings 18 . the pass through hole 47 a has three slots 47 b for respectively disposing three claws 45 therein . the slots 47 b are oriented in a radial direction and spaced in equal angles . each of the slots 47 b has an engagement compression surface 47 c for engaging the convex portion 45 c and the side surface 45 d of the claw to rotate the claw 45 until the fore end 45 b of the claw is in an engagement region wherein the fore end 45 b engages with the electrode tip 4 when the turning plate is turned in a regular ( e . g ., clockwise ) direction . as shown in fig1 , the other side surface of the slot 47 is a disengagement compression surface 47 d which rotates the fore end 45 b of the claw to a disengagement region where no interference with the electrode tip 4 occurs by pressing the convex portion 45 e and the side surface 45 f of the claw 45 when the turning plate 47 reverses . the turning plate 47 has these guide holes 47 g of a circular arc form centered on the rotation center x of the turning plate 47 and located between the slots 47 b . these guide holes 47 g guide a rotation of the holding member relative to the turning plate 47 . as shown in fig1 - 14 , each claw 45 has a body 45 a ( e . g ., a substantially rectangular plate ), and shafts ( e . g ., circular columns ) on top and bottom end surfaces of the body 45 a . fore end 45 b of the body 45 a forms a sharp angle . that is , each of the claws 45 in the device m 2 is dimensioned such that the fore end 45 b is projected into the pass through hole 47 a in the turning plate 47 when the claw 45 is rotated about the shafts 45 g ( which are parallel to the rotation center x ). this is accomplished by disposing the upper and lower shafts 45 g approximately midway between an origin side ( convex portion 45 c and 45 e side , see fig1 and 17 ) and the fore end 45 b side . the body 45 a has a height h 2 ( see fig1 ) which is slightly smaller than a height h 3 ( see fig1 ) of the spacer 43 of the holding member 40 . as shown in fig1 and 13 , the holding member 40 of the device m 2 has a center of rotation which is concentric with the turning plate 47 . the holding member 40 includes two sheets of disks 41 , 42 , three pieces of spacers , and six connecting bolts for connecting the above . each of the disks 41 , 42 has an outside diameter which is dimensioned such that the disks 41 , 42 are rotatable in the inner circumference of the ribs 47 f on the top and bottom of the turning plate 47 . each of the disks 41 , 42 also includes a pass through hole 41 a , 42 a which has an inside diameter which is equal to the diameter of the pass through hole 47 a in the turning plate 47 ( i . e ., slightly greater than the outside diameter of the electrode tip 4 ). each of the disks 41 , 42 has a tapered surface 41 b , 42 b at an edge of the pass through hole 41 a , 42 a in a surface facing outside of the disk for facilitating easy insertion of the electrode tips 4 from top and bottom thereof . the disks 41 , 42 also have three holding holes 41 c , 42 c and three fitting holes 41 e , 42 e located around each of the pass through holes 41 a , 42 a opposite each other respectively in concentric and radial direction . the holding holes 41 e , 42 e rotatably hold the claws 45 by receiving the upper and lower shafts 45 g of the claws 45 and act as rotation action surfaces 41 d , 42 d which receive a rotation torque when a portion of an inner circumference of the holding holes 41 c , 42 c is rotated together with the turning plate 47 turning in a regular ( e . g ., clockwise ) direction . that is , the bearing surfaces 41 d , 42 d are surfaces in the inner circumference of the holding holes 41 c , 42 c facing a counterclockwise direction when the rotation center x of the turning plate 47 is taken as the center of rotation . each of the fitting holes 41 e , 42 e has a stepped surface for receiving a head of the connecting bolt 44 . this stepped surface is created by forming an inside diameter of a first inside portion smaller than the inside diameter of a second inside portion of the holes 41 e , 42 e . the disk 41 has a thickness t 2 ( see fig1 ) which is greater than a height h 4 of the rib 47 f on the top surface of the turning plate 47 . as a result , an outer circumference surface projecting above the rib 47 f becomes a braking surface 41 f interacting with the compression piece portion 32 a on the brake arms 32 . the thickness of the disk 42 is equal to a height of the rib 47 f on the bottom side of the turning plate 47 . each of the spacers 43 have a cylindrical form with an outside diameter dimensioned so that the spacer can be inserted in the guide hole 47 g . each spacer 43 has a thread hole 43 a for receiving the connecting bolt 44 in an inner circumference thereof . as already explained , each of the spacers 43 has a height h 3 ( see fig1 ) which is slightly greater than a height h 2 of the body 45 a of the claw 45 , and which is slightly greater than a thickness t 3 of the inner circumference of the ribs 47 f on the turning plate 47 . the process for assembling the fore end portion 13 in the device m 2 will now be explained . under a condition the turning plate 47 and the intermediate gear 29 are disposed between the upper and lower cases 15 , 16 , the compression rings 18 are fitted to the upper and lower cases 15 , 16 with bolts ( not shown ), and the bolts are passed through the connecting holes 15 d , 16 d to connect the upper and lower cases 15 , 16 to each other . then , the claws 45 are disposed in the slots 47 b in the turning plate 47 . at the same time , the spacers 43 are disposed in the guide holes 47 g in the turning plate 47 , and the disks 41 , 42 are disposed in the turning plate 47 from above and below , respectively . then , the fitting holes 41 e , 42 e and the thread holes 43 a in the spacers 43 are matched , and the shafts 45 g are inserted in the holding holes 41 c , 42 c . when the connecting bolts 44 are screwed into the thread holes 43 a through the fitting holes 41 e , 42 e , the disks 41 , 42 and the three spacers 43 are connected to assemble the holding member 40 as well as to dispose the holding member 40 in the turning plate 47 in a fashion to pass through the turning plate 47 . in this instance , because each of the spacers 43 in the holding member 40 has a height h 3 slightly greater than a height h 2 of the body 45 a of each of the claws 45 and a thickness t 3 of an inner circumference of each of the ribs 47 f on the turning plate 47 , each of the claws 45 is rotatably held by the holding member 40 centered on the shafts 45 g . the holding member 40 is secured within the case 14 by the rib 47 f , the guide holes 47 g , and the like such that the holding member 40 can make a relative movement with the turning plate 47 by matching the center of rotation x with the turning plate 47 . the assembly of the fore end 13 is completed by fitting the brake arm 32 to the case 14 with the holding bolt 33 , bringing the compression piece portions 32 a into contact with the braking surfaces 41 f on the disk 41 of the holding member 40 , and locating the compression coil spring 34 between the spring seats 32 b . it is preferable that , after the fore end portion 13 is assembled , the intermediate gear 29 and the driving gear 12 are engaged , and the fore end portion 13 and the body 10 are assembled . as shown in fig1 - 17 , when the device m 2 is employed to remove the electrode tip 4 , the turning plate 47 is placed around the electrode tip 4 such that the electrode tip 4 is inserted in the pass through hole 47 a in the holding member 40 . the driving motor in the body 10 is then driven to turn the turning plate 47 in a counterclockwise direction with reference to the center of rotation x via the driving gear 12 and the intermediate gear 29 . then , as shown in fig1 and 15 , the engagement pressing surface 47 c of the turning plate 47 is brought into contact with the convex portion 45 c and side surface 45 d of each of the claws 45 . each of the claws 45 , therefore , turns in the counterclockwise direction about their shafts 45 g until , as shown in fig1 , each of the claws 25 rotates into the engagement region where the fore end 45 b of each of the claws 45 engages with the outer circumference of the electrode tip 4 to thereby hold the electrode tip 4 in the pass through hole 47 a . under this condition , if the turning plate 27 is rotated further in the regular ( i . e ., counterclockwise ) direction , the fore end 45 b of each of the claws 45 is directed toward a center direction of the electrode tip 4 , making a deeper engagement with the electrode tip 4 with a greater resistance of engagement of the claws 25 . when rotation of the claws 45 become difficult , the turning plate 47 exerts a torque on the rotating action surfaces 41 d , 42 d , ( which are a supporting portion of each of the claws 25 ) so that the holding member 40 is rotated in the regular ( i . e ., counterclockwise ) direction together with the turning plate 47 against a resistance of a rotation braking force generated by the brake arms 32 . as the holding member 40 rotates with each of the claws 25 engaging the electrode tip 4 , the electrode tip 4 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction which is a regular rotating direction of the turning plate 47 . because even a slight rotation of the electrode tip 4 releases the fitting between the tapered shaft 3 of the shank 1 and the electrode tip 4 , if the fore end portion 13 is moved downward together with the body 10 from the fore end side of the shank 1 , the electrode tip 4 can be removed from the shank 1 . after the fore end portion 13 is brought over a collection box ( not shown ), the driving motor in the body 10 is reversed , thereby causing a reverse rotation of the turning plate 27 and the holding member 40 ( i . e ., in a clockwise direction with reference to the rotation center x ). then , as shown in fig1 , the disengagement pressing surfaces 47 d of the turning plate 47 come into contact with the convex portion 45 e and the side surface 45 f of each of the claws 45 , to rotate the claws 45 in a clockwise direction taking the shaft 45 g as a rotation center so that the fore end 45 b of each of the claws 45 releases the electrode tip 4 in the pass through hole 47 a and enters the disengagement region . when the electrode tip 4 is released from the engagement of the fore end 45 b of each of the claws 45 , it is dropped from the pass through hole 47 a in the turning plate 47 into the collection box . after reversing the rotation of the turning plate 47 reduces the engagement resistance of each of the claws 45 , the holding member 40 is no longer rotated because the rotation braking force of the compression piece portions 32 a in the brake arms 32 acts on the braking surfaces 41 f . continued rotation of the turning plate 47 rotates the claws 45 to the disengagement region . the electrode tip 4 on the lower shank 2 can also be collected into the collection box with ease in a manner similar to the electrode tip 4 on the upper shank 1 if the fore end portion 13 is brought around the electrode tip 4 , the turning plate 47 is rotated in a regular direction , the fore end portion is moved to a required position , and the turning plate 47 is reversed . from the foregoing , persons of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the device m 2 can be made slim to permit easy removal of the electrode tip 4 fitted in a tight space between the shanks 1 and 2 . since what is required in the removal of the electrode tip 4 is a simple engagement of the fore end 45 b of the claws 45 with the electrode tip 4 , there is no noise from impact , and occurrence of noise during working is suppressed . moreover , because the height of the brake arms 32 can be restricted to be within the height of the outer circumferences 41 f , and because portions of the braking device 31 other than the brake arms 32 can be disposed away from the vicinity of the electrode tip 4 , a thickness of the portion in the vicinity of the electrode tip 4 in the removing device m 2 can be made , not thick , but slim , to permit easy removal of the electrode tip 4 fitted in the tight space between the shanks 1 and 2 . moreover , in the device m 2 , three claws 45 are provided in an inner circumference of the pass through hole 47 a in the turning plate 47 in radial directions . as a result , since the fore ends 45 b of the claws engage with the electrode tip 4 substantially equally in a circumference of the electrode tip 4 , tilting of the electrode tip 4 is prevented , and deformation of the tapered shaft 3 on the shanks 1 and 2 can also be prevented . though the illustrated device m 2 includes three claws 45 provided on an inner circumference of the pass through hole 47 a in the turning plate 47 in radial directions , persons of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that four or more than four claws may be provided on the inner circumference of the pass through hole 47 a without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention . as a variation of the first device m 1 , only one claw 45 with the fore end 45 b projected slightly further than the claw of the second device m 2 may be provided , so that the outer circumference of the electrode tip 4 presses the inner circumference of the pass through hole 47 opposite to the claw 45 when the fore end of the claw comes into engagement with the electrode tip . further , as a variation of the device m 1 , only two claws 45 of the second device m 2 can be used with no slot 47 b for the rest of the claw 45 formed , so that the outer circumference of the electrode tip 4 presses the inner circumference of the pass through hole 47 when the fore ends of the claws come into engagement with the electrode tip . moreover , with regard to the rotation braking force of the brake arms 32 against the holding members 20 , 40 in the first and second devices m 1 , m 2 , it is required that the holding member 20 , 40 be turned together with the turning plate 27 in a regular direction against the rotation braking force of the brake arms 32 when the fore end 25 b , 45 b of the claw 25 , 45 is deeply engaged with the electrode tip 4 to increase a claw engagement resistance . this leads to difficulty in rotating the claw 25 , 45 such that the rotation torque of the turning plate 27 , 47 acts on the rotation action surfaces 21 d , 22 e , 41 d , 42 d on the supporting portion of the claw 25 , 45 . to do this , it is required that a compression force of the spring 34 be adjusted appropriately such that the rotation braking force of the brake arm 32 is not excessive for turning the turning plate 27 , 47 in a regular direction by the holding member 20 , 40 before the fore end 25 b , 45 b of the claw 25 , 45 is directed to a center direction of the electrode tip 4 ( before the first engagement with the electrode tip 4 ). the disclosed devices for removing an electrode tip brings the turning plate around the electrode tip such that the electrode tip is inserted into the pass through hole in the turning plate , and turns the turning plate in a regular direction . then , the engagement compression surface of the turning plate is brought into contact with the claw to rotate the claw to an engagement region , such that the fore end of the claw is engaged with the outer circumference of the electrode tip , holding the electrode tip within the pass through hole . if the turning plate is rotated in a regular direction further , increased claw engagement resistance is encountered , and the holding member receives a rotating torque from the regular rotating turning plate , ( taking the supporting portion of the claw as a rotation action surface ) sufficient to rotate the holding member in the regular direction against the rotation braking force together with the turning plate . that is , because the holding member rotates together with the claw when the holding member makes the claw engage with the electrode tip to hold the electrode tip in the pass through hole , the electrode tip rotates in a regular direction of the turning plate . even if the electrode tip rotates slightly , the fitting state of the electrode tip to the tapered shaft of the shank is released . accordingly , if the turning plate and the holding member and the like are moved toward a fore end of the shank , the electrode tip can be removed from the shank . after the turning plate and the holding member are disposed at predetermined positions , the turning plate is reversed . then , the disengagement compression surface of the turning plate is brought into contact with the claw , to rotate the claw until the fore end of the claw is disposed in the disengagement region , the hold on the electrode tip in the pass through hole is released , and the electrode tip drops from the pass through hole in the turning plate into a predetermined position . that is , since the reversing of the turning plate is a rotation in a direction in which the engagement resistance of the claw is reduced , the holding member is not rotated on receiving the rotation braking force , but only the turning plate is rotated to rotate the claw ( s ) to the disengagement region . from the foregoing , person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that , in a case when one claw is provided and a dimension of an inner diameter of the pass through hole in the holding member or the turning plate is dimensioned such that an outer circumference of the electrode tip pressed by the claw can be pressed onto a portion of an inner circumference of the pass through hole opposite to the claw , the holding on the electrode tip in the pass through hole in the holding member or turning plate is a two point gripping between the fore end of the claw and the portion of the inner circumference of the pass through hole in contact with the electrode tip . a stable holding on the electrode tip is , therefore , made available . in this instance , if grooves are formed in the portion of the inner circumference of the pass through hole opposite to the claw when the claw is disposed in the engagement region , convex portions at edges of the grooves also can come into engagement with the electrode tip together with the fore end of the claw when the electrode tip is held . a more stable holding on the electrode tip is , therefore , made available . in a case when three or more than three claws are provided on the inner circumference of the pass through hole in radial directions , since the fore ends of the claws preferably make engagement with the electrode tip at substantially equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the outer circumference of the electrode tip , tilting of the electrode tip is prevented , and deformation of the tapered shaft of the shank can , therefore , be prevented to the utmost . it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the disclosed devices for removing an electrode tip of the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention . thus , there is no intention of limiting the scope of this patent to the precise examples disclosed herein . on the contrary , it is intended that the present patent cover all devices falling within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents . | 1 |
referring to fig1 - 3 , a sewing machine a comprises a needle 1 , a thread take - up lever 2 , thread guides 3 , 4 , 5 , a thread feeding device composed of a feeding roller 6 and a presser roller 7 , a thread holding device 12 , a basic tension disc 13 , and a spool 14 . the presser roller 7 is installed at an end of a lever 8 which is supported by a pivot 9 . the other end of lever 8 is engaged with a spring 10 which pushes the roller 7 towards the feeding roller 6 . the feeding roller 6 is driven by a main drive shaft 11 of the sewing machine to synchronize the feeding speed of the thread to the sewing speed . in this invention , the thread feeding cycle is controlled by electric devices which include an encoder 6a attached on the same axis of the feeding roller 6 . the encoder is used to measure the length of thread fed by the roller 6 . thread c , supplied from spool 14 , is guided by a basic tension disc 13 . the thread runs through the thread holding device 12 , and then to the thread feeding device . the basic tension disc 13 provides a small tension to thread c and the thread holding device holds thread c tight enough to stop thread feeding . the friction between presser roller 7 and feeding roller 6 is adjusted to feed thread c when the thread is not held by thread holding device 12 . when thread c is held by the thread holding device , roller 6 slips on thread so that the thread is not fed . according to fig4 the thread holding device 12 is installed as an electromagnetic actuator . when the electromagnetic actuator is operated , the device 12 holds the thread . the thread supplying means are protected by a cover 15 . the operation of this embodiment is summarized as follows . when the sewing machine is operated , the main drive shaft 11 drives the thread feeding roller 6 , and the thread supplied from the spool is fed through tension disc 13 . thread holding device 12 is in an unactuated condition so that the thread is fed to the thread take - up lever 2 . when a predetermined length of thread , which makes one complete stitch , is supplied by the roller 6 , the encoder 6a will signal the thread holding device 12 . upon receiving the signal , the thread holding device is actuated and it holds the thread to stop the thread from being fed . the thread in the needle 1 is given a preferred tension by the thread take - up lever 2 , while the needle 1 completes one full stitch . when one full stitch is completed , the thread holding device 12 is disengaged , and the roller 6 starts feeding the thread again . the thread feeding cycle is repeated while the sewing machine is being operated . fig5 shows another embodiment of the invention . this apparatus has the same means which are given the same numbers as the embodiment explained above , except for the presser roller means . in this embodiment , a presser roller 7 is held by an end of a lever 8 which is supported by a pivot 9 . the other end of the lever 8 is attached to a spring 8a which pulls the presser roller 7 apart from the feeding roller 6 . an electromagnetic actuator 10a is located between the presser roller 7 and the pivot 9 . when the actuator 10a is not operated , the presser roller 7 is pulled apart from the feeding roller 6 by the force of the spring 8a . as a result , the feeding roller does not feed the thread c . when the actuator 10a is operated , a piston pin 10b of the actuator is pulled down , and the pin presses the lever 8 so that the roller 7 is pushed onto the roller 6 . the operation of this embodiment is explained as follows . by starting the sewing machine , the actuator 10a is operated and the thread is pinched between the presser roller 7 and the feeding roller 6 . the feeding roller 6 , which is driven by the main shaft of the machine , feeds the thread c toward the thread take - up lever 2 . when a predetermined length of thread , which makes one complete stitch , is supplied by the roller 6 , the encoder 6a will signal the actuator 10a and the thread holding device 12 . upon receiving the signal , the actuator 10a is deactivated and the presser roller 7 is freed from the feeding roller 6 by the force of the spring 8a . at the same time , the thread holding device 12 is operated to stop the thread feeding . after one full stitch is completed , the same procedures are repeated to supply the thread by a stepping motion . in this embodiment , the presser roller 7 is pulled away from the rotating roller 6 while in the deactivated state , so that the thread is protected from wear damage . fig6 - 8 show an alternate embodiment of the thread holding device . a thread holding device 12 has a base body 16 composed of a cylindrical yoke 17 . a couple of magnets 19 are attached to the inner surface of the cylindrical yoke 17 . a moving coil 23 is composed to a sliding element 21 with a coil 22 . a friction plate 20 is mounted on the moving coil 23 and engaged in a gap 24 between the base body 16 and the magnet 19 . an anti - magnetic material cap 27 is secured to the outer surface of the cylindrical yoke 17 . the cap 27 is located above the friction plate 20 of the moving coil 23 . the gap 24 allows thread c to be guided between the friction plate and the cap . an opening 26 is provided for guiding thread c into the cap 27 . the magnet coil 22 is connected to a wire 29 and to terminals 30 . this thread holding device 12a is used in the same manner as the device described in the former embodiment . the thread c is guided in about a 1 mm gap maintained by the rear surface 28 of the cap 27 and the friction plate 20 . thread c is held tightly between the rear surface 28 and the friction plate 20 when the moving coil 23 is raised when it is energized . the thread c is freed from the holding device when the moving core is de - energized which allows the thread to be again fed by the feeding roller . the moving coil is given a small return force when disengaged to maintain a gap to ease setting the thread . since the present device is a compact mechanism with a small inductance , it provides a quick response and is preferred in a high speed sewing machine . the moving coil in the magnetic gap 24 is driven with the same force that could drive a longer stroke . therefore , the thread holding force is not influenced by the size of the thread and is controlled by changing the electric current . as described above , in this invention the thread is supplied by an ever rotating feed roller , and by holding the thread with the thread holding device after a predetermined length of thread which makes on stitch is supplied . the feed roller continues rotating so that it will slip on the thread . therefore , both high speed and high precise thread feeding can be achieved by a simple mechanism with the pressure roller , the feeding roller , the encoder to measure the thread fed and the thread holding device . | 3 |
referring to fig1 there is shown the cross section of a single wire carrying an alternating current having an instantaneous value i . the &# 34 ; cross &# 34 ; of the conventional dot / cross notation indicates that the current is flowing into the page . as previously stated , the value of the flux density is given by : ## equ2 ## it is well known that this flux density is directed at right angles to a ray having a radius x whose origin coincides with the center of the wire . it follows that the horizontal and vertical flux density components b h and b v at the end of a ray inclined at θ degrees to the horizontal , are respectively given by : for the current direction shown ( into the page ), positive values of b h are directed to the right , while positive values of b v are directed downwards . fig2 a is a schematic diagram showing a cable having three straight wires 1 , 2 , 3 , that are parallel and in close proximity to each other . the cable has a length l a . at a far end of the cable , opposite to the source , wires 1 , 2 , 3 are connected together at junction n while connecting leads a , b , c at a near end , are connected to a 3 - phase source ( not shown ). the wires are therefore connected in star . for convenience , i call this a star cable . the wires carry 3 - phase sinusoidal alternating currents i a , i b , i c , which respectively flow in the wires 1 , 2 , 3 , as shown in the figure . the line currents flowing in connecting leads a , b , c reach peak values of i s3 where subscript s stands for star and subscript 3 stands for 3 - phase source . the currents are considered to be positive when they flow in the direction of the arrows . for example , when i b =+ 17 a , the current i b is actually flowing in the direction of the arrow shown in wire 2 . fig2 b is a cross section view of the star cable , showing the preferred configuration of the three wires , arranged in a single row along a horizontal axis . wires 1 , 2 , 3 are coplanar and the distance between adjacent wires in each row is d . distances d are measured between the centers of the wires . outer wires 1 and 3 are respectively on the left - hand side and right - hand side of inner wire 2 . the crosses in fig2 b indicate the direction of current flow when the respective currents are positive . thus , when i b =+ 17 a , the current in wire 2 is 17 a flowing into the page ( away from the reader ). the flux density surrounding the cable changes from instant to instant but it reaches a maximum during each half cycle . i have discovered that when the wires are configured as shown in fig2 b , the flux density surrounding the cable is maximum when the current in the inner wire 2 is zero . based upon the information given in table 1 , this means that the instantaneous currents in the outer wires 1 , 3 are equal ( in magnitude ) to 0 . 866 i s3 . furthermore , at this instant , the currents in the outer wires flow in opposite directions . thus , as shown in fig3 when current in wire 1 flows into the page , the current in wire 3 flows out of the page ( toward the reader ). one half cycle later , the currents will have the same magnitudes but their respective directions will be the opposite to that shown in fig3 . i have derived an expression for the flux density surrounding the cable at this particular moment of maximum flux density . referring to fig4 consider a ray 4 that lies on the horizontal axis of the star cable and extends to the right from the geometric center g of the three wires . the geometric center coincides with the center of the inner wire . next , consider a ray 5 of length x inclined at an angle θ to the horizontal axis . it turns out that the maximum flux density b at this distance x is given approximately by the expression : ## equ3 ## the horizontal and vertical components of this flux density are found to be respectively : x = radial distance from the geometric center of the three wires , m ! ; i s3 = peak line current of the star cable , a ! ; θ = angle between the horizontal axis of the cable and the ray joining its geometric center to the point of said maximum flux density , °! for the current directions shown in fig4 positive values of b h are directed to the right , while positive values of b v are directed upwards . fig5 is a pictorial representation of eqs . ( 7 ), ( 8 ) and ( 9 ), and shows in greater detail the nature of the flux density pattern surrounding the three - phase star cable when the flux density is maximum . a set of hypothetical rays , such as 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 , centered at geometric center g and spaced at intervals of 22 . 50 , are superposed on the three - wire cable . the flux orientation associated with each ray is shown by a short arrow . thus , for the horizontal ray 4 , directed along the horizontal axis of the cable , the flux density vector 4 &# 39 ; is directed vertically upwards everywhere along the ray . on the other hand , for every point along ray 6 , oriented at 45 ° to the horizontal axis , the flux density vector 6 &# 39 ; is directed horizontally towards the left . the reason is that for this ray , b h = b cos ( 90 °+ 2 × 45 °)= b cos 180 °=- b , while b v = b sin ( 90 °+ 2 × 45 °)= b sin 180 °= 0 . similarly , flux density vector 7 &# 39 ; associated with ray 7 , and flux density vector 8 &# 39 ; associated with ray 8 are respectively directed downwards and to the right . equation ( 7 ) reveals that the flux density along each ray decreases inversely as the square of the distance x from the geometric center g . consequently , the flux density along any ray decreases rapidly with increasing values of x . however , for any given ray the orientation of the flux density vector with respect to the said horizontal axis remains fixed . the magnitude of the flux density at a given point also depends linearly upon the spacing d between adjacent wires ; the closer the spacing the lower the flux density . for a given cable , the spacing is obviously fixed . although eq . ( 7 ) is approximate , i have found that if x is greater than 5 d , the calculated value of b is accurate to better than ± 5 %. for example , if i s3 = 23 a , d = 4 mm , and x = 22 mm , the value of b , to an accuracy of better than ± 5 % is : ## equ4 ## the configuration of the wires and the direction and magnitude of the current flows as shown in fig2 and 4 are essential to obtain the results expressed by eqs . ( 7 ), ( 8 ) and ( 9 ). for example , in fig4 if the wires were arranged in triangular configuration with equal distances between the three wires , the resulting flux density patterns would be different . fig6 reveals the basic elements of the extra - low - voltage heating system covered by this invention . a surface area 9 is heated by means of a plurality of three - phase cables 10 that are connected to a three - phase feeder 11 by means of connections 12 . the feeder is powered by a three - phase stepdown transformer 13 that is connected on its primary side to a 3 - phase supply line 14 by means of circuit - breaker 15 . the secondary line - to - line voltage is 30 v or less , to keep the system in the extra - low - voltage class . as previously described , each heating cable 10 consists of three insulated wires that are in close proximity to each other . the cables develop a thermal power of pc watts per unit length . the value of pc depends upon several factors , such as the feeder voltage , the wire size , the length of cable and the resistivity of the wire material . for a given voltage , wire size and wire material , the cable lengths are set so that the resulting value of pc maintains the temperature of the wires at or below the rated temperature of the cable . the rated temperature is typically less than 90 ° c . the cable runs are spaced at such a distance d r from each other so as to develop the desired thermal power density p d required by the heated surface area . the value of d r is given by : in fig6 each cable makes three contiguous runs , labeled 16 . the voltage between busbars along the length of the feeder 11 is essentially constant and equal to 30 v or less . the feeder current at the transformer terminals is equal to the sum of the currents drawn by the cables . it is clear that the current in the feeder decreases progressively from a maximum at the transformer terminals to zero at the far end of the feeder . consequently , the magnetic flux density surrounding the feeder reaches its greatest value near the transformer . fig7 is another embodiment of the heating system of the present invention wherein a monitoring network is added . in this network , each heating cable contains , in addition to its heating wires , a bare metallic sensing wire or braid 17 , shown dotted . each sensing wire is connected at point 18 to a single insulated conductor 19 that follows the general direction of the feeder and terminates at a monitoring device 20 . this low - power device applies a voltage between the sensing wires and the respective heating wires of the cables . if for any reason the insulation between a sensing wire and the heating wires of a cable should become damaged , a small current will flow , causing the monitoring device to trip circuit breaker 15 . as a result , the heating system will be shut down . the nature of this monitoring device will be explained later in this disclosure . fig8 shows in greater detail the method of connecting the 3 - wire cables to a conventional 3 - phase feeder having three busbars a , b , c . in this figure , the cables have a single run . the three leads a , b , c of each cable are connected to busbars a , b , c . care is taken to make all connections the same . towards this end , the connecting leads a , b , c must be marked ( such as by color coding ), to ensure that the correct leads are connected to the respective busbars . furthermore , one of the flat sides of the cable , parallel to the horizontal axis , must also bear a marking . the reason is that proper lead connections and proper cable configurations are needed to minimize the flux density in regions close to the heated surface . in this 3 - phase heating system , proper cable configuration means that the horizontal axes of the cables are coplanar and lie substantially parallel to the plane of the surface to be heated . proper cable configuration also comprises the proper instantaneous direction of current flow in successive cable runs at the instant when the flux density is maximum . we recall ( fig3 ) that the maximum flux density of each cable occurs when the current in the inner wire is momentarily zero . the currents in the outer wires are then equal in magnitude but flow in opposite directions . fig9 a is a cross section view of a portion of a heated surface showing four representative adjacent cable runs wherein the currents in the inner wires are momentarily zero . in this figure , the magnitudes and directions of the currents flowing in correspondingly - located wires are respectively the same . thus , currents i a1 , i a2 , i a3 , i a4 , flowing in the outer wires on the left - hand side of each run are substantially equal , and flow in the same direction , into the paper . similarly , currents i c1 , i c2 , i c3 , i c4 flowing in the outer wires on the right - hand side of each run are substantially equal and flow in the same direction , out of the paper . for purposes of ready identification , i call this a 3 - phase similar - flow configuration . on the other hand , fig9 b is a cross section view of a portion of yet another heated surface showing four representative adjacent cable runs wherein the currents in the inner wires are again momentarily zero . however , the directions of current flows in correspondingly - located outer wires are alternately opposite . thus , currents i &# 39 ; a1 , i &# 39 ; a2 , i &# 39 ; a3 , i &# 39 ; a4 , flowing respectively in the outer wires on the left - hand side of each run have substantially the same magnitudes , but flow in successively opposite directions , into and out of the paper . similarly , currents i &# 39 ; c1 , i &# 39 ; c2 , i &# 39 ; c3 , i &# 39 ; c4 , flowing respectively in the outer wires on the right - hand side of each run have substantially the same magnitudes , but flow successively in opposite directions , out of and into the paper . for purposes of ready identification , i call this a 3 - phase alternate - flow configuration . alternate - flow and similar - flow configurations have an important impact on the resultant flux density above a heated surface . fig1 shows how two star cables , each comprising four contiguous runs , can be arranged to obtain the 3 - phase similar - flow configuration when the flux density is maximum . the current flowing in the respective inner wire connecting leads b is then zero . the loops at the end of each run are folded as illustrated ; the grey color marking along one of the flat sides of the cable constitutes a visual indication of the proper cable configuration . in contrast , if the loops at the end of each run were twisted instead of folded , an alternate - flow configuration would result . in a plan view , alternate color markings would show up from one cable run to the next . knowing the similar - or alternate - flow configuration , and the spacing d r between cable runs , the flux density at a given point perpendicular to the heated surface area can be calculated . in the case of star cables connected to a 3 - phase source , eqs . ( 7 ), ( 8 ), ( 9 ) can be applied to each run , and the respective horizontal and vertical components of flux density can be summed . consequently , the resultant flux density at the given point can be found . in general , for a given height from the plane of the heated surface , the flux density tends to reach local peaks immediately above the cable runs . to visualize the resultant flux density pattern , it is helpful to examine the simple model of fig1 . it shows the flux density patterns of three adjacent cable runs g 1 , g 2 , g 3 having geometric centers that are also labeled g 1 , g 2 , g 3 . the instant is selected when the flux density is maximum . consequently , the currents in the inner wires are zero and the flux density pattern for each cable is the same as that previously illustrated in fig5 . the currents in correspondingly - located wires have the same magnitudes and directions , and so this is a similar - flow configuration . we want to picture the resultant flux densities due to g 1 , g 2 , g 3 . for heights h immediately above cable g 1 . as regards the flux densities created by cable g 1 , the vertical ray 21 is the only one we have to consider . it is associated with a flux density vector 21 &# 39 ; that acts downwards , as previously seen in fig5 for ray 7 and its associated flux density vector 7 &# 39 ;. hypothetical rays also fan out at 22 . 5 ° intervals from the geometric centers of cables g 2 , g 3 . for distances immediately above cable g 1 , the 22 . 5 ° ray 22 and the 157 . 5 ° ray 23 intersect at point a . also , the 45 ° and 135 ° rays 24 and 25 intersect at point b . consider first rays 22 and 23 that intersect at point a . they are respectively associated with flux density vectors ( such as 22 &# 39 ; and 23 &# 39 ;) that are respectively oriented at 135 ° and 45 ° to the horizontal axis . at point a , their horizontal and vertical components have the same magnitude because their respective distances to the geometric centers g 2 , g 3 are the same . however , the horizontal components act in opposition and therefore cancel each other , while the vertical components both act upwards . consequently , at point a , these upward flux density components due to g 2 and g 3 act in opposition to the downward flux density 21 &# 39 ; produced by g 1 . it follows that the net flux density at point a is less than if cable run g 1 acted alone . next , turning our attention to rays 24 and 25 , they are associated with flux density vectors ( such as vectors 24 &# 39 ; and 25 &# 39 ;) that are horizontal , equal and opposite . consequently , at point b , these opposing flux densities cancel out and so the resultant flux density is equal to that produced by cable g 1 alone . thus , for all points below point b , the flux density is less than that produced by cable g 1 alone . the reason is that any two rays emanating from g 2 and g 3 that intersect along the vertical line below point b are associated with flux densities that have a vertical component that is directed upwards ( thereby opposing the flux density vector 21 &# 39 ;), while the respective horizontal components cancel out . this can be seen by observing the orientation of the flux density vectors displayed in fig5 . consequently , the similar - flow configuration shown in fig1 is advantageous because it tends to reduce the flux density near the heated surface where the flux density tends to be large . note that distance bg 1 corresponds to a height h equal to d r . it should be noted that the flux density above point b is larger than that produced by cable g 1 alone . the reason is that when the rays from g 2 and g 3 are steeper than 45 °, they contain a vertical component that acts downwards , in the same direction as the flux density 21 &# 39 ; produced by cable g 1 . however , this is not a serious drawback because the flux densities at distances exceeding d r are small . it can be seen that if cable run g 1 is surrounded by several additional cable runs on either side , the flux density is reduced still more for heights h less than d r . however , for heights very close to cable g 1 ( say , h = 2d ), the reduction in flux density is relatively small because the distances to surrounding cable runs are comparatively much larger . if cable run g 1 is at the edge of a heated surface ( say the left - hand edge ), the cable runs to the left are absent . the reduction in flux density is then not as great as that , say , in the middle of the heated surface . in conclusion , when the 3 - phase similar - flow configuration is used , the flux density can be substantially less than that due to one cable alone , for heights h less than d r above the plane of the cables . if an alternate - flow configuration were used , the flux densities close to the heating surface would tend to be considerably larger , as demonstrated by reference to example 3 , in the section on examples and test results . fig7 illustrated the essential elements of a monitoring system . fig1 shows one embodiment whereby the bare sensing wires 17 running along the length of each heating cable can be used to detect the integrity of the 3 - phase heating system . the bare wires 17 are connected to a single insulated conductor 19 which follows the main feeder 11 back to the monitoring device 20 . the latter consists of switches s1 and s2 , a lamp l , a diode d , a capacitor c and a dedicated ac source 29 . the heating wires and the bare sensing wire of each cable are contained within a plastic sheath . the sensing wire is therefore in close proximity to the heating wires . consequently , if a cable is damaged , such as may happen if a hole is pierced in a floor , a contact will be established between the bare wire and at least one of the heating wires . in one embodiment of the monitoring device 20 , a 120 v , 60 hz ac source 29 charges a capacitor c to a potential of about 170 v dc by means of a diode d . a lamp l is connected in series with an electronic switch s1 that closes repeatedly at intervals , say , of once per second . if the heating system is intact , the periodic application of 170 v dc between the bare wires and the heating wires will have no effect and the lamp will not light up . but if a fault or short - circuit occurs between a bare wire and any one of the heating wires in the cable , the lamp will blink repeatedly at a rate of once per second , as the capacitor discharges through the lamp into the short circuit . by an auxiliary circuit means ( not shown ), this action will cause circuit breaker 15 on the primary side of the transformer to trip , thus removing power from the defective heating system . because the monitor is powered by a dedicated supply , the lamp will continue to blink , thus alerting the existence of a faulty cable . to locate the fault , the lamp is short - circuited by means of switch s2 , a procedure that greatly increases the capacitor discharge current through the fault . the resulting pulsating magnetic field created around the insulated conductor 19 and around the defective cable , can be detected by a portable magnetic pick - up . by following the path of the pulsating magnetic field , the location of the fault can be determined . it is understood that many other means , utilizing the sensing wire concept , can be devised to monitor a heating system , and to determine the location of a fault . some heating systems are powered by a single - phase source . in such cases , the three - wire star cable normally used in 3 - phase systems can be connected so that the accompanying magnetic field is particularly low . the preferred single - phase connection of a star cable is shown in fig1 a . in this figure , connecting leads a and c of outer wires 1 , 3 are connected to one busbar 30 of a single - phase feeder , while connecting lead b of inner wire 2 is connected to the other busbar 31 . leads a and c are therefore in short - circuit and a single - phase voltage e is applied to the cable . the outer wires 1 , 3 are now effectively connected in parallel , and the said parallel connection is in series with inner wire 2 . the arbitrary positive directions of currents i a i b and i c that flow in the wires are shown in fig1 a . the wires have the same cross section ; consequently , currents i a and i c each have magnitudes that are substantially one - half that of current i b . the currents in all three wires attain their respective peak values at the same time . as a result , the maximum flux density is attained when the line current i b reaches its maximum positive ( or negative ) value . the actual direction and magnitude of the respective currents at one moment of maximum flux density are shown in fig1 b . thus , the currents in outer wires 1 , 3 flow out of the page , while the current in inner wire 2 flows into the page . the peak value of i b is equal to i s1 , where i s1 , is the peak line current drawn by the cable from the single - phase feeder . the subscripts s and 1 in i s1 respectively stand for star cable and 1 - phase source . an expression was derived that gives the flux density surrounding the star cable at this particular moment of peak flux density . referring to fig1 , ray 33 lies on the horizontal axis of the cable , extending to the right from the geometric center g of the three wires . consider now a ray 34 of length x , inclined at an angle θ to the horizontal axis . i have found that the maximum flux density b at this distance x is given by the approximate formula : ## equ5 ## the approximate horizontal and vertical components of this flux density are respectively : i s1 = peak line current drawn by the single - phase star cable a ! θ = angle between the horizontal axis of the cable and the ray joining its geometric center to the point of said maximum flux density 0 ! ; for the current directions shown in fig1 , positive values of b h are directed to the right , parallel to the horizontal axis , while positive values of b v are directed upwards , in quadrature with the horizontal axis . fig1 shows in greater detail the nature of the flux density pattern surrounding the cable . a set of hypothetical rays , centered at g 1 and spaced at intervals of 30 °, are superposed on the three - wire cable . the flux density orientation associated with each ray is shown by a short arrow . consider , for example , ray 35 that is inclined at 30 ° to the horizontal axis . the horizontal component b h associated with this ray is b h = b cos ( 90 °+ 3 × 30 °)= b cos 180 °=- b , directed to the left . on the other hand , the vertical component b v = b sin ( 90 °+ 3 × 30 °)= b sin 180 °= 0 . thus , the flux density vectors at every point along ray 35 are directed horizontally to the left , as indicated by representative flux density vector 35 &# 39 ;. by a similar reasoning , the representative flux density vector 36 &# 39 ; is directed horizontally to the right at every point along vertical ray 36 , because this ray is inclined at 90 ° to the horizontal axis . equation ( 11 ) reveals that the flux density decreases inversely as the cube of the distance from the geometric center g . thus , the flux density decreases very rapidly with increasing x . the magnitude of the flux density also depends upon the fixed spacings d between the wires ; the closer the spacing the lower the flux density . to obtain the results predicted by eqs . ( 11 ), ( 12 ) and ( 13 ) it is essential that the wires ( and the currents they carry ) be configured as described above . when heating a surface area , the cable configuration has an important effect on the resulting flux density . in a single - phase heating system , proper cable configuration means that the horizontal axes of the cables are coplanar and lie substantially parallel to the plane of the surface to be heated . proper cable configuration also comprises the proper instantaneous direction of current flow in successive cable runs at the instant when the flux density is maximum . we recall ( fig1 b ) that the maximum flux density of each cable occurs when the current in the inner wire is instantaneously at its peak . the currents in the outer wires flow in the opposite direction to that in the inner wire and have respectively half its magnitude . fig1 a is a cross section view of a portion of a heated surface , fed by a single - phase source , showing four representative adjacent cable runs wherein the currents in the inner wires are momentarily at their peak . in this figure , as regards cable runs , the magnitudes and directions of the currents flowing in correspondingly - located wires are respectively the same . thus , currents i a1 , i a2 , i a3 , i a4 , flowing in the outer wires on the left - hand side of each run are substantially equal , and flow in the same direction , out of the paper . similarly , currents i c1 , i c2 , i c3 , i c4 , flowing in the outer wires on the right - hand side of each run are substantially equal and flow in the same direction , out of the paper . finally , currents i b1 , i b2 , i b3 , i b4 , flowing in the inner wires of each run are substantially equal , and flow in the same direction , into the paper . for purposes of ready identification , i call this a single - phase similar - flow configuration . on the other hand , fig1 b is a cross section view of a portion of yet another heated surface showing four representative adjacent cable runs wherein the currents in the inner wires are again momentarily maximum . however , as regards the cable runs , the direction of current flows in correspondingly - located wires of successive cable runs are alternately opposite . thus , currents i &# 39 ; a1 , i &# 39 ; a2 , i &# 39 ; a3 , i &# 39 ; a4 , flowing in the outer wires on the left - hand side of each run are substantially equal in magnitude , but flow alternately in opposite directions . similarly , currents i &# 39 ; c1 , i &# 39 ; c2 , i &# 39 ; c3 , i &# 39 ; c4 , flowing in the outer wires on the right - hand side of each run are substantially equal in magnitude , but flow alternately in opposite directions . finally , currents i &# 39 ; b1 , i &# 39 ; b2 , i &# 39 ; b3 , i &# 39 ; b4 , flowing in the inner wires of each run are substantially equal in magnitude , but also flow alternately in opposite directions . for purposes of ready identification , i call this an alternate - flow single - phase configuration . single - phase alternate - flow and similar - flow configurations have an important impact on the resultant flux density above a heated surface . fig1 shows , in cross section , three adjacent cable runs g 1 , g 2 , g 3 , whose geometric centers are also labeled g 1 , g 2 , g 3 . the cable runs are laid out on a flat surface and spaced at a distance d r . the cables are powered by a single - phase source and their flux density patterns are similar to the pattern illustrated in fig1 . in effect , the cables are laid out and configured in such a way that their horizontal axes are coplanar and lie parallel to the plane of the heated surface , as shown in fig1 . furthermore , the cables are arranged so that the magnitudes and directions of current flows in correspondingly - located wires of adjacent cable runs are substantially the same . the cable configuration is therefore of the single - phase similar - flow type . in order to visualize the nature of the resulting magnetic field , we assume that rays , spaced at 300 intervals , fan out from the respective geometric centers g 2 , g 3 . let us examine the resultant flux densities immediately above cable g 1 . we recall that the vertical ray 36 emanating from g 1 is associated with flux density vectors that are directed horizontally to the right , as exemplified by flux density vector 36 &# 39 ;. consider first the rays 37 and 38 , respectively inclined at 60 ° and 120 ° to the horizontal , that intersect at point a . their associated magnetic fields act vertically , but in opposite directions , as illustrated by flux density vectors 37 &# 39 ; and 39 &# 39 ;. at point a , the flux densities are equal in magnitude ( and therefore cancel out ) because the distances ag 2 and ag 3 are the same . consequently , the resultant flux density at point a is that due to cable g 1 alone . the flux density vector at this point is therefore directed to the right . point a is at a height h = d r tan 60 °=√ 3 d r or about 1 . 7 times d r above the horizontal axes of the cables , and perpendicular thereto . next , consider rays 39 and 40 , respectively inclined at 30 ° and 150 ° to the horizontal axis , that intersect at point b . both rays are associated with flux densities 39 &# 39 ; and 40 &# 39 ; that act to the left , in direct opposition to the flux density created by cable g 1 . consequently , the net flux density at point b is less than that created by cable g 1 . it is now seen that the flux density at every point along the line between points a and g 1 is less than that produced by g 1 alone . however , in this simple model of fig1 , it can be shown that the flux densities at every point along ray 36 above point a will be greater than that due to cable g 1 alone . this is not a serious drawback because point a is located at a distance of 1 . 7 d r above the surface , which is so far away from the cables that the flux density is already low . if cable g 1 is surrounded by several additional cable runs on either side , the resulting flux density will be reduced still more in the general region between points a and g 1 . however , for heights very close to g 1 ( say , h = 2d ), the flux - reducing effect of surrounding cable runs is small . it is understood that when several cable runs are involved , a detailed flux density analysis can be made , either by employing eqs . ( 11 ), ( 12 ) and ( 13 ), or by computer simulation . however , the basic factors that come into play are easier to visualize by referring to fig1 . in conclusion , the single - phase similar - flow configuration of fig1 is a preferred embodiment of this invention because it tends to reduce the flux density in the regions near the heated surface , namely those situated at heights h below 1 . 7 d r , perpendicular to the horizontal axes of the cables . conversely , if an alternate - flow configuration is employed , the flux densities tend to be greater than those due to a single cable , in the regions situated at heights h below 1 . 7 dr . this is demonstrated in reference to example 4 in the section entitled examples and test results . the question of cable configuration is particularly important in single - phase heating systems when the star cables each comprise two or more contiguous runs . in effect , it is then impossible to obtain the single - phase similar - flow configuration shown in fig1 . the reason is that adjacent contiguous cable runs inherently produce an alternate - flow configuration . thus , if the flux density close to the heated surface area has to be kept as low as possible , the cables must be restricted to a single run , in order to obtain the desired similar - flow configuration . in the event that a single - run per cable configuration is not feasible , and two or more cable runs per cable must be used , i have found that the resulting maximum flux density b max at heights h less than 1 . 7 d r is no greater than 1 . 5 times the maximum flux density created by one cable alone , at that height . applying this finding to eq . ( 11 ) yields the formula : ## equ6 ## in which h ≦ 1 . 7 d r and i s1 and d have the same significance as before . in addition to low flux densities , the heating cables must meet the requirements listed in the objectives of this invention . thus , they must be robust , operate at temperatures below 90 ° c ., and be as long as possible in order to reduce the number of cables that have to be connected to the feeder . another objective is that the cables should be standardized as to wire size , wire material , and wire configuration so that a particular type of cable may be used in different heating installations . in order to meet these objectives and to evaluate the interaction of the various requirements , we postulate the parameters listed in table 2 . they are common to the two cable applications revealed in this disclosure ( 3 - phase star , single - phase star ). using these parameters , the features of each cable can be analyzed and compared . in making the comparison , we assume that the line - to - line operating voltage e , the thermal power per unit length p c , and the total table 2______________________________________parameter symbol unit______________________________________line - to - line operating voltage e volt v ! of heating system : thermal power density p . sub . d watt per squareof heating system : metro w / m . sup . 2 ! thermal power per unit p . sub . c watt per meterlength of cable : w / m ! length of cable : l meter m ! total cross section of all a square meter m . sup . 2 ! wires in the cableresistivity of wire material : ρ ohm - meter ω . m ! ______________________________________ cross section a of the current - carrying wires are the same for both types of cables . we begin our analysis of the 3 - phase star cable illustrated in fig2 . we reason as follows : ## equ7 ## ( we use the amperage parameter to show with greater clarity the relative magnitudes of the line currents and flux densities ). rms line current = 0 . 333 i 0 peak line current i s3 =√ 2 ( 0 . 333 i 0 )= 0 . 471 o 0 ## equ8 ## by following the same procedure , the features of the star cable can be found when connected to a single - phase system ( fig1 ). the features are listed in table 3 . table 3__________________________________________________________________________type of cable star star__________________________________________________________________________ ( 1 ) source 3 - phase 1 - phase ( 2 ) length of cable ## str1 ## ## str2 ##( 2 ) length of cable l . sub . a l . sub . b ( 3 ) wires per cable 3 3 ( 4 ) wire cross section ## str3 ## ## str4 ##( 5 ) rms line current 0 . 333 i . sub . o 0 . 471 i . sub . o ( 6 ) peak line current 0 . 471 i . sub . o 0 . 666 i . sub . o ( 7 ) peak line current 1 . sub . s3 i . sub . s1 ( 8 ) power per unit length p . sub . c p . sub . c ( 9 ) peak flux density ## str5 ## ## str6 ##( 10 ) peak flux density ## str7 ## ## str8 ## ## str9 ##( 11 ) figure fig2 fig1 __________________________________________________________________________ table 3 , row ( 2 ), reveals that the length of individual cables depends on e , a , p c and ρ , multiplied by a numerical coefficient that depends upon the type of source , i . e . three - phase or single - phase . to ensure robustness , the total cross section a of the three wires should not be too small . typical values for surface heating range from 5 mm 2 to 10 mm 2 . however , for special applications , smaller or larger values can be employed . the voltage e is low , being 30 v or less . consequently , according to the formulas in row ( 2 ), the cable lengths tend to be short , which is a disadvantage . the question now arises as to what values of p c and ρ should be used . in any given surface - heating project requiring a total power p , the total length of all the heating cables is equal to p / pc . in order to minimize the cost , this total length should be as small as possible , which means that p c should be as large as possible . however , the value of p c is limited to a maximum p cmax that depends upon the maximum allowable temperature of the cable as well as the environmental conditions , such as the ambient temperature and the emplacement of the cables . for a given cable having a total wire cross section a there is a corresponding p cmax , as defined above , no matter what conductive material is used for the wires . thus , given the total cross section a and knowing the value of p cmax and recognizing that e has an upper limit of 30 v , it follows from the formulas in table 3 , row ( 2 ), that to obtain the longest possible individual cable , the resistivity ρ of the material should be as low as possible . copper has the lowest resistivity of all practical conducting materials and so it is a logical choice . however , aluminum is also a satisfactory choice . however , having chosen the wire material and the total cross section a , the length of the individual cables can still be tailored to a desired value by using an appropriate value for p c and a voltage e that is 30 v or less . the ability to tailor the individual cable lengths is important because surface - heating systems are preferably composed of runs of equal length , such as shown in fig6 . these findings regarding the appropriate wire material and cable lengths constitute a further aspect of this invention . the following examples and test results illustrate some of the characteristics of the extra - low - voltage heating systems covered by this disclosure . a three - conductor no . 14 awg gauge cable was embedded in a concrete slab and then subjected to snow - melting conditions . it was discovered that a current of 42 a could be circulated through the wires without exceeding the temperature limit of 60 ° c . this test corresponds to a thermal power of 50 watts per meter . as a general rule , our experiments on typical low - voltage systems indicate that p c can range between 20 w / m and 50 w / m depending upon the type of cable , the ambient temperature and the emplacement of the cable . as regards p d , it ranges from 100 w / m 2 ( 10 w / ft 2 ) for room heating to 500 w / m 2 ( 50 w / ft 2 ) for snow melting . as result , the cable spacings d r will typically range from 0 . 1 m ( 4 in ) to 0 . 2 m ( 8 in ). it is required to calculate the length of a 3 - phase star cable composed of three copper wires , no . 14 awg , knowing that the temperature is limited to a maximum of 60 ° c . the line voltage is 30 v and the desired thermal power p c is 25 w / m . the resistivity of copper at 60 ° c . is 20 nω . m and the cross section of the individual wires is 2 . 08 mm 2 . the length can be found by referring to the star cable in the first column , row ( 2 ) of table 3 : ## equ9 ## fig1 a shows the flux distribution above a long , narrow floor that is 84 inches wide and heated by twenty cable runs spaced at 4 inch intervals . the first cable run is located 4 inches from the left - hand edge of the floor and the twentieth cable run is 4 inches from the right hand edge . the heating system has the following specifications : ______________________________________power source 3 - phase , 30 vnumber of cable runs 20type of cable star cablerms line current per cable 40 acable specifications : ( see fig2 b ) d = 5 mmcable configuration similar - flow ( 3 - phase ) spacing d . sub . r between cable runs ( fig6 ): 101 . 6 mm ( 4 inches ) height h above coplanar axes of cables : 100 mm______________________________________ fig1 a shows that at a height h of 100 mm (≈ 4 in ), the flux density is less than 40 mg over most of the width of the floor and rises to about 90 mg at the edges . the flux distribution was obtained by computer simulation , based on eq . ( 1 ). by way of comparison , the peak flux density created by a single cable run at a distance of 100 mm from its geometric center can be calculated by using eq ( 7 ). recognizing that the peak line current is i s3 = 40 √ 2 = 56 . 6 a , it is found that the maximum flux density is : ## equ10 ## this individual - cable flux density is more than double the 40 mg that appears over most of the floor at a height h of 100 mm . consequently , it is evident that the 3 - phase similar - flow configuration , revealed in the disclosure , constitutes an important and beneficial factor in reducing the flux density above a heated floor . note that the height of 100 mm falls within the prescribed range h & lt ; d r , i . e . h & lt ; 101 . 6 mm , wherein the flux density is reduced , as predicted in the disclosure . to show the advantage of using the similar - flow configuration , fig1 b shows the flux density at a height of 100 mm above the plane of the cables when the 3 - phase alternate - flow configuration is employed . the flux density is now close to 90 mg over most of the width of the heated surface area , as compared to the 40 mg level seen in fig1 a . fig1 a shows the flux distribution above the same floor as in example 3 except that the power source is single - phase and the star cables are connected accordingly , as shown in fig1 . all the cables are assumed to have single runs , and are connected to the feeder to produce a single - phase similar - flow configuration . to obtain the same power per unit length p c as in example 3 , the single - phase rms line current is set at ( 0 . 471 / 0 . 333 )× 40 = 57 a . this result is calculated by using the formulas listed in table 3 , row ( 5 ). the current is set to 57 a by tailoring the length of the cable and , if necessary , by adjusting the line voltage e . fig1 a shows that at a height of 100 mm (≈ 4 in ), the maximum flux density is approximately 1 mg over most of the width of the floor and rises to about 2 . 5 mg at the edges . the flux distribution was obtained by computer simulation , based on eq . ( 1 ). again by way of comparison , the peak flux density created by a single cable at a distance x of 100 mm from its geometric center can be calculated by using eq ( 11 ). the peak line current is i s1 = 57 √ 2 = 80 . 6 a , and therefore the peak flux density is : ## equ11 ## this individual - cable flux density is 4 times greater than the 1 mg that appears over most of the floor at a height h of 100 mm . consequently , the single - phase similar - flow configuration , as postulated in the disclosure , is a beneficial factor in reducing the flux density above a heated floor . the height of 100 mm falls within the prescribed range , h & lt ; 1 . 7 d r , i . e . h & lt ; 1 . 7 × 101 . 6 = 173 mm , revealed in the disclosure , wherein the flux density is reduced . if the single - phase heating system has cables comprising two or more contiguous cable runs , the resulting alternate - flow configuration produces the flux density profile shown in fig1 b . note that the flux density is now much higher than in fig1 a , being 5 . 5 mg over most of the surface heating area . however , as predicted by eq . ( 14 ), this flux density is less than b max given by : ## equ12 ## magnetic field produced by single - phase feeder we have seen ( fig1 ) that the magnetic flux density above a surface area heated by a group of single - phase star cables can be quite small . however , this weak field may be overwhelmed by the strong magnetic field surrounding the feeder that supplies power to the cables . fig1 a shows a portion of a heating system wherein a conventional single - phase feeder 32 , delivers power to one of a plurality of star cables distributed along its length . as the current builds up along the length of the feeder , the busbars 30 , 31 may eventually carry peak currents of several hundred amperes at points near the step - down transformer . this creates a problem as far as the magnetic field surrounding the feeder is concerned . the feeder 32 is usually composed of two busbars , traditionally stacked as shown in fig2 , which is a cross section view . a thin strip of insulation 41 separates the respective busbars 30 , 31 , labeled a , b . in this figure , for purposes of illustration , suppose each copper bar is 48 mm ( 2 in ) wide and 12 mm ( 0 . 5 in ) thick , separated by an insulating strip of 3 mm . such a feeder can carry an rms ( root mean square ) current of about 1000 a . when the peak current delivered by the transformer is 1000 a , the feeder produces the approximate peak flux densities shown in table 4 , wherein the values were obtained by computer simulation . distances are measured from the geometric center of the feeder . these flux densities are too high if television screens are located closer than about 40 inches from the transformer end of the feeder . for this reason , a special feeder , producing a lower flux density , is desirable for this low - voltage single - phase heating system . fig2 shows a cross section view of this special feeder , which has three copper bars instead of two . in effect , the current formerly carried by busbar b is now carried by two outer bars b1 , b2 having half the thickness of the original busbar . table 4______________________________________two busbar configurationdistance from feeder flux densitymm inches milligauss______________________________________100 4 3000250 10 480500 20 1201000 40 30______________________________________ the copper bars are stacked in a special way , as shown in fig2 , with central bar a sandwiched between outer bars b1 and b2 . fig2 shows that at one end of the feeder , bars b1 , b2 are connected to terminal y of transformer 13 , and bar a is connected to terminal x . this three - bar configuration produces the flux densities shown in table 5 , when the peak single - phase current delivered by the transformer is again 1000 a . table 5______________________________________three - bar configurationdistance from feeder flux densitymm inches milligauss______________________________________100 4 300250 10 18500 20 2 . 21000 40 0 . 3______________________________________ as compared to table 4 , it is evident that the 3 - bar configuration reduces the flux density to an acceptable value for tv screens that are 10 inches away from the feeder . however , to obtain this result , the rms currents carried by each of the outer bars must be one - half the rms current carried by the central bar . ideally , this condition should be met at every given common point along the length of the feeder , in order to minimize the flux density surrounding the feeder at that point . to approach this ideal condition , fig2 shows how the heating cables are connected to the three - bar feeder 42 . the connecting lead of the inner wire of each cable is connected to the central busbar . the connecting leads of the outer wires on the left - hand side and right - hand side of each cable are respectively connected to busbars b1 and b2 . this ensures substantially equal rms currents in bars b1 , b2 , at any given point along the feeder . furthermore , the special configuration of the star cables ( fig1 a ) ensures that the current in the central bar is substantially twice that in the outer bars . the present invention includes this special single - phase feeder as part of the extra - low - voltage heating system . it is within the ambit of the present invention to cover any obvious modifications of the examples of the preferred embodiment described herein , provided such fall within the scope of the appended claims . | 7 |
the amino group of said aminophenol is di - substituted with an addition product of an isocyanate and a poly ( oxyalkylene ) substituent having a straight or branched polymer chain selected from oxyalkylene oxide , oxyalkylester and glycidol . in one embodiment , at least one mole of the urethane - substituted m - aminophenol is reacted with phthalic anhydride or other aromatic compound having an aldehyde functionality available . a second mole of urethane substituted m - aminophenol may also be provided to form a rhodamine colorant . the invention herein also provides for synthesis of a black , or dark green , xanthene colorant using one mole of n , n - bisurethane - p - aminophenol with one mole of a polymeric or non - polymeric p - aminophenol . this novel intermediate has the advantage being useful in the traditional route of xanthene synthesis , i . e ., the condensation reaction of an aminophenol and phthalic anhydride . in particular , it is highly desirable to provide a method of forming an addition product of an isocyanate with a specific propoxylated aminophenol intermediate of u . s . pat . no . 6 , 040 , 482 . furthermore , the aminophenol intermediate encompassed within this invention thus comprises at most a total of three moles of a constituent selected from the group of oxyalkylene groups having from 3 to 12 carbon atoms , alkoxy alkylester groups having from 3 to 12 carbon atoms , glycidol , and a glycidyl group wherein said constituent is solely bonded to the amine , and the free hydroxyl is reacted with an isocyanate such as octadecyl isocyanate . such a method of producing the addition product of an isocyanate with such a specific oxyalkylenated aminophenol intermediate is also contemplated within this invention as well . the amine constituent may reside in any position relative to the phenol on the benzene ring ( i . e ., p - aminophenol , o - aminophenol , or m - aminophenol ); however , m - aminophenol is preferred . thus , the preferred m - aminophenol intermediate is also contemplated within this invention as is the method of making such a compound , as defined by the figure ( i ) wherein x + y is greater than 0 and less than 4 ; wherein r is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen , halo , formyl , c 1 - c 20 alkoxy , and c 1 - c 20 alkyl ; wherein r ′ is selected from the group consisting of c 1 - c 10 alkoxy , c 1 - c 10 polyoxyalkoxy , c 1 - c 10 alkylester , and c 1 - c 10 alkyl ; and wherein r ″ is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and c 1 - c 4 alkyl groups ; and wherein r ′″ is selected from the group selected from hydrogen , c 1 - c 24 alkyl groups , c 1 - c 24 alkoxy groups , and c 1 - c 24 ester groups . such a method comprises the reaction of at most 3 moles of a compound selected from the group consisting of an alkylene oxide having from 3 to 10 carbon atoms and glycidol with a m - aminophenol compound of the formula ( ii ) wherein r is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen , halo , c 1 - c 20 alkoxy and c 1 - c 20 alkyl at a reaction temperature of from about 120 to about 250 ° f . the invention also covers the actual compound of formula ( i ), above as well . preferably r above ( for both i and ii ) is hydrogen , c 1 - 4 alkoxy , or c 1 - 4 alkyl ; most preferably r ′ is hydrogen . also , preferably r ″ is methyl or ethyl ( most preferably methyl ), and r ″ is preferably h . r ″ is selected from the group consisting of c 1 - c 24 alkyl , preferably r ″ is c 12 - c 24 alkyl , most preferably r ″ is c 18 . it is an advantage of the present invention that the urethane substituted xanthene can be design engineered to obtain desired properties for specific printing platforms and architectures . it is also an advantage of the present invention that the urethane substituted xanthene is very pure , being free of salts and other insoluble contaminants . it is another advantage of the present invention that the urethane substituted xanthene can be used in combination with other phase change ink carrier materials to obtain ink compositions that possess excellent spectral strengths . it is still another advantage of the present invention that the urethane substituted xanthene are substantially transparent . it is yet another advantage of the present invention that the urethane substituted xanthene provide close to true magenta shades with low hue error and grayness . these and other aspects , features and advantages are obtained by the use of urethane substituted xanthenes that are the reaction products of urethane substituted aminophenol with phthalic anhydride that are suitable for use with waxes and / or oils in phase change ink jet inks and offset inks that may be employed in direct or indirect printing applications . it has been found that even though the reaction of isocyanates with oxyalkylenated aminophenol compounds results in the formation of oxyalkylene groups on the phenolic hydroxyl group , the subsequent reaction of the urethane substituted aminophenol with phthalic anhydride proceeds very well producing a xanthene colorant free of phthalates , pure and completely compatible in wax and / or oil systems conforming with the formula ( ii ) wherein x + y is greater than 0 and less than 4 ; wherein r is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen , halo , formyl , c 1 - c 20 alkoxy , and c 1 - c 20 alkyl ; wherein r ′ is selected from the group consisting of c 1 - c 10 alkoxy , c 1 - c 10 polyoxyalkoxy , c 1 - c 10 alkylester , and c 1 - c 10 alkyl ; and wherein r ″ is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and c 1 - c 4 alkyl groups ; and wherein r ′″ is selected from the group selected from hydrogen and c 24 alkyl groups ; or any salts thereof . the standard reactions followed in the past to attach oxyalkylene groups to amino or hydroxyl pendant groups have included reactions with ethylene oxide without any base present . the resultant reactions thus quickly drive the addition of the oxyalkylene groups to the undesired phenolic hydroxyl sites , and ends up preventing the desired reaction with phthalic anhydride to form a xanthene . in the inventive method , the urethane linkage , presumably , breaks in a reversible reaction , thus allowing the reaction with phthalic anhydride to proceed and form the xanthene colorant . this reaction appears to work with any aminophenol compound , although highly preferred is a m - aminophenol base compound with extra pendant groups selected from the group consisting of hydrogen , halo , c 1 - c 20 alkoxy , and c 1 - c 20 alkyl . again , in each instance , the 1 to 3 moles of , for instance , propylene oxide ( per m - aminophenol compound ) when directly reacted with the starting aminophenol reactant at a suitable relatively low temperature , will only attack the amino groups , thereby producing an oxypropyl - substituted aminophenol having at most an average of 1 . 5 monomers ( i . e ., 2 monomers on one site and 1 monomer on the other ) of propylene oxide added per carbon - nitrogen bond of the amino moiety . such an intermediate is represented by formula ( i ), above , and can thus be reacted with at least one other reactant compound to form any number of different colorants . for instance , this intermediate may also be reacted benzaldehyde ( preferably one with carboxylic or sulfonate groups attached , such as benzaldehyde - 2 , 4 - disulfonic acid ), as taught within the barry , jr . patent ., as well as through the reaction of other compounds , such as , as merely an example , o - formyl - benzenesulfonic acid . furthermore , the inventive intermediate will not alternatively form the correlative xanthene dyestuff during the reaction with phthalic anhydride . such a dyestuff is highly regulated and poses potential toxicity problems and thus it is desirable to avoid production of such a compound . furthermore , the dyestuff cannot be modified physically and / or chemically since there are no remaining reactive sites at which electrophilic groups may be attached . the inventive method and the inventive intermediate therefore provide clear distinct advantages over the previously disclosed xanthene compounds production methods . additionally , the inventive intermediate can be reacted with other reactant compounds to form other types of colorants . for example , an oxazine colorant may be formed by nitrosating one mole of the inventive intermediate and subsequently reacting that reactant compound with a second mole of the inventive intermediate . furthermore , other colorants may also be formed , such as coumarins , through the reaction of the inventive intermediate with other reactant compounds such as , without limitation , ethylcyanoacetate and phenylenediamine . as noted above such novel intermediates permit production of colorants made therefrom ( particularly xanthenes ) that are substantially phthalate - free through the initial reaction of the isocyanate constituent with the free hydroxyls during reaction with phthalic anhydride . a low amount of phthalate may be produced on the final colorant product ; however , such an amount is drastically reduced in comparison with the previously followed production methods without isocyanate - capped hydroxyl moieties . thus , the amount of phthalate produced by the inventive method and thus found on the target xanthene colorant is below about five ( 5 ) molar percent in total . such an amount is thus the definition of the term “ substantially phthalate - free ” as well . such inventive substantially phthalate - free colorants may be utilized in any number of coloring procedures , including ink , paint , print , dye , tint , and the like , applications . thus , compositions utilized to provide colorations to various substrates , including , without limitation , cellulose - based substrates ( paper , cotton fabrics , and the like ), magazine - paper substrates , and the like , are preferred surfaces for coloring . other surfaces , substrates , etc ., may be contacted with the inventive colorants as well . most preferably , however , such colorants are to be utilized in ink applications , most notably inkjet , lithographic , and offset ink operations . offset applications are basically newsprint , magazine - print , and like types , of printing procedures . in such operations , it is important to provide long - term stability of the target ink solution solubility of the colorant in the ink compositions and water resistance of the printed image from the ink composition . for inkjet inks , particularly wax - based types , heat stability of the entire ink system is of paramount importance , since the printing process comprises numerous periods of heating and cooling cycles in order for the inks to perform the desired print operation . thus , such inks must be able to retain their color strength upon evaluation of exposure at 150 ° c . for prolonged and / or intermittent periods ( e . g ., 30 minutes or 5 minutes heated , 5 minutes cooled , 5 minutes heated , and so on , as merely examples ). the color difference between an initial print and an oven - aged print is calculated using the following equation : δ e *= (( l * initial − l * aged ) 2 +( a * initial − a * aged ) 2 +( b * initial − b * aged ) 2 ) 1 / 2 wherein δe * represents the difference in color between the initial printed sample and the sample printed with oven aged ink . l *, a *, and b * are the color coordinates ; wherein l * is a measure of the lightness and darkness of the print sample ; a * is a measure of the redness or greenness of the print sample ; and b * is a measure of the yellowness or blueness of the print sample . for a further discussion and explanation of this testing procedure , see billmeyer , f . w ., et al ., principles of color technology , 2nd edition , pp . 62 - 64 and 101 - 04 . thus , the inks must exhibit a minimal change in color over such time ( e . g ., δe * of at most 1 . 5 ). for offset inks , and particularly heat set types , generally , such compositions include alkyds as heat - set inks used primarily as pigment - wetting vehicles ( although they may also improve the stability of the ink , improve the gloss of the ink on the target substrate , and affect water pick - up after contact with the desired surface ). high boiling petroleum distillates are utilized as the diluent / solvent components therein within such heat - set offset ink formulations . other additives commonly found within such offset inks are polyethylene ( slip agent ), organic aluminum compounds ( rheology modifiers ), and low molecular weight micronized hydrocarbon resins ( to increase ink tack ). for lithographic inks ( cold set ), generally , such compositions function through penetration of the ink within the target substrate ( e . g ., paper , for example ). mineral oil or vegetable oils are utilized as carriers within such compositions with small amounts of varnish ( typically gilsonite or hydrocarbon - based resins , as examples ) added to control the lithographic properties of the ink composition , with components such as bentonite , for example , added for rheology control . wax - based inkjet inks are generally solid at room temperature and subsequently heated to a temperature above its melting point and maintained at a temperature above about 150 ° c . wherein the composition must exhibit fluid physical properties required for inkjet printing methods . thus , these inkjet ink composition generally comprise two component types : colorants and vehicles for the colorants . the vehicle often consists of a blend of polymers which function to control the viscosity temperature profile and balance the performance of the ink in the printhead with the performance of the ink on the target substrate surface ( e . g ., again , paper ). such polymers tend to be based upon fatty acids , urethanes , and natural and / or synthetic waxes . without limiting the scope of the invention , the preferred features of the invention are hereinafter set forth . 193 parts of the polyoxyalkylene substituted aminophenol intermediate precursor of formula ( a ) ( from u . s . pat . no . 5 , 250 , 708 ) were charged into a reactor vessel with 500 parts of octadecenyl isocyanate , and 13 . 4 parts of dibutyltindilaurate catalyst . the mixture was heated with stirring to 70 ° c . under a n 2 atmosphere . after 4 . 0 hours at 70 c . an ft - ir spectrum of the product was obtained to insure all isocyanate functionality is consumed . the absence ( disappearance ) of a peak at about 2275 cm − 1 ( nco ) and the appearance ( or increase in magnitude ) of peaks at about 1740 - 1680 cm − 1 and about 1540 - 1530 cm − 1 corresponding to urethane frequencies , thereby confirm the conversion of the isocyanate to the urethane . 193 parts of the polyoxyalkylene substituted aminophenol intermediate precursor of formula ( a ) ( from u . s . pat . no . 5 , 250 , 708 ) were charged into a reactor vessel 168 parts of n - butyl isocyanate , and 13 . 4 parts of dibutyltindilaurate catalyst . the mixture was heated with stirring to 70 ° c . under a n 2 atmosphere . after 4 . 0 hours at 70 c . an ft - ir spectrum of the product was obtained to insure all isocyanate functionality is consumed . the absence ( disappearance ) of a peak at about 2275 cm − 1 ( nco ) and the appearance ( or increase in magnitude ) of peaks at about 1740 - 1680 cm − 1 and about 1540 - 1530 cm − 1 corresponding to urethane frequencies , thereby confirm the conversion of the isocyanate to the urethane . the general methods of making the preferred inventive colorants are as follows : 700 parts of the intermediate produced in example - 1 was charged into a flask containing 399 parts of phthalic anhydride , 41 . 6 parts of 93 % sulfuric acid , and 832 parts of toluene ( solvent ). the reactants were then heated up to 100 ° c . and maintained at a temperature from about 100 to 105 ° c ., until the 340 nm peak , representing the inventive intermediate , in the uv / vis spectrum has disappeared and the color value , measured as absorbance ( 550 nm ) per gramn per liter , representing the target xanthene colorant stops to increase in magnitude ( through measurement by a uv / vis spectrophotometer ). the product was washed with deionized water and filtered and the toluene was removed by the azeatrope with water to yield the urethane substituted xanthene , leaving a compound exhibiting a brilliant magenta hue and represented by formula ( 11 ) wherein r ′″ is octadecenyl , r ″ is methyl , r ′ is hydrogen , x is hso 4 − , and x = y = 1 ( thus x + y = 2 . 20 parts of the xanthene colorant produced in example 3 was mixed with a color stick from xerox for a phaser 850 printer under heat ( 120 - 150 ° c .). the product was allowed to mix well while hot and poured into an aluminum dish . this mixture was subjected to several heating and cooling cycles to determine compatibility through these cycles . the product appeared to be completely compatible with the wax systems throughout the heating / cooling cycles . after contacting with paper , the colorant exhibiting δe * well below 1 . 5 in accordance with the oven aging test described above . 20 parts of the xanthene colorant produced in example 3 was mixed with a 56 parts of heatset varnish lv - 3768 from lawter chemical , and 24 parts of magiesol 47 from magie brothers . the product was completely compatible . the final mixture was used as an ink and drawn down on paper . the image on paper is a brilliant red and indicated that the individual components of the ink were completely compatibility . the ink was stable over a period of at least 6 weeks ( with a resultant δe * well below 1 . 5 as determined by the oven aging test described above ). ( from u . s . pat . no . 5 , 250 , 708 ) were charged into a reactor vessel with 403 parts of phthalic anhydride , 6 parts of 1 - methylimidazole catalyst and 200 parts of toluene ( solvent ). the mixture was heated with stirring to 120 c . for 72 hours until the 340 nm peak , representing the inventive intermediate , in the uv / vis spectrum has disappeared and the color value , measured as absorbance ( 550 nm ) per gram per liter , representing the target xanthene colorant stops to increase in magnitude ( through measurement by a uv / vis spectrophotometer ). once the color value had stopped to increase , the reaction was cooled down to 70 c ., and 500 parts of octadecenyl isocyanate , and 13 . 4 parts of dibutyltindilaurate catalyst were charged to the reaction vessel . the mixture was heated with stirring to 70 ° c . under a n 2 atmosphere . after 4 . 0 hours at 70 c . an ft - ir spectrum of the product was obtained to insure all isocyanate functionality is consumed . the absence ( disappearance ) of a peak at about 2275 cm − 1 ( nco ) and the appearance ( or increase in magnitude of peaks at about 1740 - 1680 cm − 1 and about 1540 - 1530cm − 1 corresponding to urethane frequencies , thereby con finn the conversion of the isocyanate to the urethane . 20 parts of the xanthene colorant produced in example 6 was mixed with a color stick from xerox for a phaser 850 printer under heat ( 120 - 150 c .). the product was allowed to mix well while hot and poured into an aluminum dish . this mixture was subjected to several heating and cooling cycles to determine compatibility through these cycles . the product appeared to show inhomogeneity and precipitation was visible over a period of time through the heating / cooling cycles ( with a resultant δe * well above 1 . 5 after oven aging ). 20 parts of the xanthene colorant produced in example 6 was mixed with a 56 parts of heatset varnish lv - 3768 from lawter chemical , and 24 parts of magiesol 47 from magie brothers . the product was not completely compatible . the final mixture was used as an ink and drawn down on paper . the image on paper is a brilliant red but indicated an inhomogeneous mixture with particle precipitation ( with a resultant δe * well above 1 . 5 after oven aging ). there are , of course , many alternate embodiments and modifications of the present invention which are intended to be included within the spirit and scope of the following claims . | 2 |
in its preferred embodiment , the draining means according to the invention is in the form of a mobile trolley constituted by a not shown chassis equipped with casters . this chassis supports the different functional elements , which will now be described in conjunction with the single drawing . the functional elements of the draining means comprise a reservoir 10 for receiving the liquid to be drained . this reservoir 10 makes it possible to store in its lower part a liquid volume preferably corresponding to the volume contained in several equipments to be drained . it is advantageously in the form of a vertically aligned reservoir . the functional elements of the draining means also include at least one suction line 12 . this line is a flexible line or pipe , whereof one end is connected to the reservoir 10 , in the top of its lower part used for storing the liquid . the other end of the suction line 12 is connected by an appropriate , tight adapter 14 , to an outlet connection of the hydraulic equipment c to be drained . the suction line 12 is equipped with a pressure gauge 13 making it possible to check the vacuum applied to the equipment to be drained . in order to permit the draining of an equipment remote from the draining means . e . g . due to the fact that the latter cannot be brought into the immediate vicinity of the equipment , the suction line 12 is advantageously a very long line of e . g . 10 m . this long line is then placed on a not shown reel installed on the chassis of the draining means . it should also be noted that the draining means according to the invention can be used for simultaneously draining several hydraulic equipments . for this purpose it can be equipped with several suction lines 12 separately connected to the reservoir 10 or , preferably , a single line terminated by a multiple connection used for the fitting of several lines connected to different circuits by appropriate adapters 14 . moreover , the draining means can be equipped with a set of adapters permitting the use thereof on all existing connection types on equipments to be drained . the reservoir 10 has an upper dome , into the centre of which issues a passage 18 connecting the inner volume of the reservoir 10 to a venturi 20 . at its opposite end , the venturi 20 issues to the outside through a filter 22 . the venturi 20 makes it possible to create a vacuum in the reservoir 10 and in the hydraulic equipments c to be drained , by means of the suction line 12 . this vacuum ensures the transfer into the reservoir 10 of the liquid initially contained in the hydraulic equipments c , as well as the drying of said circuits . the control of the venturi 20 , making it possible to create the aforementioned vacuum , is ensured by the compressed air . the compressed air is supplied by an external , not shown , compressed air source generally formed by a compressed air system available on the draining site . however , other external sources can be used , such as compressed air cylinders . to make it possible to pass the compressed air from the aforementioned , external source to the venturi 20 , the draining means according to the invention has a compressed air line 24 . a first end of said line 24 is permanently connected to a control orifice of the venturi 20 and its opposite end is provided with a connector 25 permitting its connection to the aforementioned , compressed air source . the compressed air line 24 is a flexible line or pipe , preferably of considerable lengths e . g . 10 m , so as to permit the connection of the draining means to a compressed air source remote from the latter . the line 24 is then fitted to a not shown reel supported by the chassis of the draining means . in the flow direction of the compressed air in the compressed air line 24 , the latter has in order a stop valve 26 , a pressure gauge 28 , a regulator 30 and a second stop valve 32 . these different members are accessible from the control station of the draining means equipping the chassis of the latter . the hitherto described functional elements make it possible to drain and dry one or more hydraulic equipments c , in open circuit form into the reservoir 10 . however , they are inoperative for draining hydraulic equipments equipped with members such as a calibrated valve 15 determining the flow direction of the liquid in said equipments . in order to be able to drain such equipments , the draining means according to the invention also has at least one opening line 34 , whereof a first end is connected to the compressed air line 24 between the stop valve 26 and the pressure gauge 28 and whereof the opposite and is connected to at least one inlet connection of the hydraulic equipment c having such a valve by means of an adapter 16 . in the flow direction of the compressed air in said opening line 34 are successively provided a stop valve 36 , a pressure gauge 38 , a regulator 40 and a pressure limiting valve 42 . the stop valve 36 and pressure gauge 38 are accessible from the control station of the draining means . however , the regulator 40 and pressure limiting valve 42 are set in the factory , so that the opening of the valve 36 has the effect of injecting into the hydraulic equipment c in question a pressure with a value adequate for bringing about the opening of the valve or valves of said equipments . however , the value of the pressure applied to the equipments c by said opening line 34 remains inadequate for allowing the pressure in the outlet connection or connections of the equipments to exceed atmospheric pressure . a vaporization of the liquid outside said equipments by the outlet connections is consequently impossible , even in the case where one of the connections is not connected to the reservoir 10 as a result of a manipulating error on the part of the operator . therefore , the security , safety and protection of the environment are maintained in all cases . the draining means , whose functional elements are illustrated in the single drawing , is advantageously equipped with complimentary means making it possible to prevent any liquid escape outside the reservoir 10 . these means firstly comprise a liquid - air separator 44 located in the upper part of the reservoir 10 above the connection of the suction line 12 . this separator can in particular be constituted by horizontal baffles in involute of a circle and vertical baffles optionally provided with filtering elements . it makes it possible to trap the liquid particles optionally entrained to the outside by air sucked in by the venturi 20 . another safety equipment comprises a sealing means 46 , such as a float placed in the duct 18 connecting the top of the reservoir 10 to the venturi 20 . this sealing means 46 is normally spaced from the venturi 20 , so as to keep the passage 18 in the open position . however , if the level of the liquid in the reservoir 10 accidentally increases in such a way that said liquid reaches the sealing means 46 , the latter floats to the surface of the liquid and seals the inlet of the venturi 20 . this prevents any escape of liquid to the outside . the filter 22 placed at the outlet of the venturi 20 constitutes a third device making it possible to trap any liquid particles still present in the air expelled by the venturi 20 . in view of the fact that the number of equipments c liable to be simultaneously and / or successively drained into the reservoir 10 is limited , it is desirable to be able to periodically drain the latter into an external tank r provided for this purpose . the draining means illustrated in the drawing is designed in such a way that the draining of the reservoir 10 into the tank r takes place under the sate safety conditions as the draining of the hydraulic equipments c into the reservoir 10 . thus , the functional elements of the draining means illustrated in the drawing also comprise a preferably flexible , draining line 48 , whose one end is connected to the bottom of the reservoir 10 . the opposite end of the line 48 is provided with a connection 50 for tight connection to the tank r . this connection 50 is normally closed and opens automatically when the connection is made . moreover , the draining means has a flexible , compressed air branch line 52 , whereof a first end is connected to the compressed air line 24 , between the regulator 30 and the stop valve 32 . the opposite end of the line 52 is connected to a second venturi 54 , which is fitted by a connection 56 to the tank r . the compressed air branch line 52 has a stop valve 60 . under the effect of the compressed air admitted by the line 52 , the second venturi 54 creates a vacuum in the tank r . the liquid contained in the reservoir 10 can consequently be transferred into the tank r without any risk of spraying to the outside . a filter 58 is placed at the outlet of the second venturi 54 to trap any liquid particles possibly present in the air expelled to the outside . the above description shows that the draining means according to the invention makes it possible to drain and dry hydraulic equipments and in particular circuits containing corrosive or dangerous liquids , without creating pollution and whilst guaranteeing the safety of operators . in addition , these results can be obtained on hydraulic equipments with no preferred flow direction and on circuits equipped with calibrated members such as valves , which impose a flow direction . the draining means according to the invention uses for the energy source the compressed air from an external source . thus , it has no motor , mechanism or moving part which can be corroded by the drained liquid . the draining means is advantageously equipped with means making it possible to drain the reservoir 10 to another tank in safety , as well as ancillary devices preventing the overflowing of the reservoir 10 and the ejection of liquid to the outside in any form . in practice , the operator connects the reservoir 10 to at least one equipment c to be drained by the suction line or lines 12 and , if necessary , the opening line or lines 34 . he also connects the venturi 20 to an external compressed air source by means of the compress air line 24 . after opening the valves 26 , 32 and optionally 36 , the compressed air is injected into the venturi 20 and , at a limited pressure level , into the hydraulic equipments equipped with valves . a vacuum of approximately 60 mbars is then created in the reservoir 10 for a compressed air supply pressure of the venturi 20 of between 4 . 5 and 5 . 5 bars . under the effect of the thus created vacuum in the reservoir , the liquid contained in the hydraulic equipments c is sucked into the reservoir and the equipments are dried . the opening of the valves of the hydraulic equipments is ensured by the low pressure injected by the opening line 34 . in practice , this pressure is set in the factory to e . g . approximately 1 bar . after the hydraulic equipments connected to the reservoir have been drained , the adaptor or adaptors 16 are disconnected therefrom and the sane operation can be performed on other hydraulic equipments . when the liquid level in the reservoir 10 reaches a certain level , it is drained into the tank r by connecting to the latter the draining line 48 , as well as the branch compressed air line 52 equipped with the venturi 54 . the opening of the stop valve 60 equipping the line 52 has the effect of creating in the tank r a vacuum due to the action of the venturi 54 . under the action of this vacuum , the reservoir 10 is drained into the tank r by the line 48 . this operation is performed in complete safety , in the same way as the draining of the hydraulic equipments into the reservoir 10 . | 8 |
the following description shows exemplary embodiments for carrying out the invention . this description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention and should not be taken in a limiting sense . the scope of the invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims . fig1 a and fig1 b depict a portable electronic device 100 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure , which is equipped with a camera module ( numbered 102 in the block diagram of fig1 b ) and has a shutter button 104 , a control circuit ( numbered 106 in the block diagram of fig1 b ) and a wireless communication module ( numbered 108 in the block diagram of fig1 b ). a display screen 110 is assembled atop the shutter button 104 . the control circuit 106 operates the camera module 102 and the shutter button 104 for a camera live preview on the display screen 110 . during the camera live preview , the camera module 102 takes a picture ( e . g ., one image ) in accordance with a half press shorter than a threshold time on the shutter button 104 , and starts taking a video ( e . g ., a series of images ) in accordance with a half press longer than the threshold time on the shutter button 104 . the wireless communication module 108 is operated by the control circuit 106 to publish a picture or a video captured by the camera module 102 online . for example , the user may use the portable electronic device 100 to capture a picture or a video and share the captured picture or video online by any online social networking service , such as facebook , twitter , instagram and so on . in addition to being pressed halfway for image capture , the shutter button 104 is in a mechanical structure that is further mechanically operated by the user for menu selection . the selection between the different pictures or videos captured by the camera module 102 is performed by mechanically operating the shutter button 104 . the shutter button 104 is further mechanically operated for an online social network selection to publish a selected picture or a selected video to a selected online social networking platform . in another exemplary embodiment , menu icons may be alternatively displayed on the display screen 110 by mechanically operating the shutter button 104 for menu selection . the shutter button 104 may support being pressed in multiple stages . fig2 shows that the shutter button 104 may be switched between the multiple stages including a normal state 202 , a half depression state 204 , a full depression state 206 , a protruding control knob state 208 , and a half - pressed protruding state 210 . fig3 is a flowchart depicting how the user switches the shutter button 104 between the different states 202 to 210 to take a picture or a video and publish the captured picture or video to an online social networking platform . in step s 302 , the shutter button 104 is in the normal state 202 and the display screen 110 is operated to display the camera live preview . in step s 304 , the shutter button 104 is pressed halfway to the half depression state 204 for image capture , e . g ., taking a picture by a short half press or taking a video in accordance with a long half press . the video capture may start in accordance with one long half press and stop in accordance with another long half press . in step s 306 , the shutter button 104 is fully pressed to the full depression state 206 to mechanically pop up to the protruding control knob state 208 as a protruding control knob . in step s 308 , the shutter button 104 in the protruding control knob state 208 is turned by the user for picture / video selection . in step s 310 , the shutter button 104 is pressed to the half - pressed protruding state 210 to confirm the picture / video selection . in step s 312 , the shutter button 104 pops up back to the protruding control knob state 208 to be turned by the user for online social network selection . in step s 314 , the shutter button 104 is pressed to the half - pressed protruding state 210 to confirm the online social network selection and thereby the selected picture or the selected video is published to a selected online social networking platform . in another exemplary embodiment , the display screen 110 is a touch panel . when the shutter button 104 is in the protruding control knob state 208 , the pictures / videos / menu icons alternatively displayed on the display screen 110 is switched by sensing a touching or a turning of the user on the touch panel . fig4 a and fig4 b show that the shutter button 104 is pressed halfway to switch the shutter button 104 to the half depression state 204 for image capture . fig5 a and fig5 b show that the shutter button 104 is pressed deeper ( in comparison with the half depression state 204 ) to switch the shutter button 104 to the full depression state 206 for a counterforce to bounce the shutter button 104 . fig6 a , fig6 b and fig6 c show that the shutter button 104 pops up to the protruding control knob state 208 as a protruding control knob . as shown in fig6 b , the captured picture may be displayed on the display screen 110 of the shutter button 104 . fig6 c shows that the user may turn the shutter button 104 ( as a protruding control knob ) to switch the display screen 110 to display the pictures captured before . fig7 a and fig7 b show that the protruding control knob is pressed halfway to switch the shutter button 104 to the half - pressed protruding state 210 and then the protruding control knob state 208 pops up to the protruding control knob state 208 again and a selection is thereby confirmed . fig8 a shows that after a picture or a video is selected and the shutter button 104 is switched back to the protruding control knob state 208 , an online social network icon may be displayed on the display screen 110 of the shutter button 104 . fig8 b shows that the user may turn the shutter button 104 ( as a protruding control knob ) to switch the display screen 110 to display another social networking icon for selection . to confirm the online social network selection , the user may perform the half press depicted in fig7 a and fig7 b again . fig9 shows another shutter button 900 comprising a control dial 904 around a display screen 902 . the shutter button 900 is not operated as a protruding control knob . instead , the display screen 902 is switched between showing the different pictures captured by the camera module 102 or switched between showing the different videos captured by the camera module 102 or switched between showing different menu icons ( e . g ., icons of different online social network services ) by turning the control dial 902 . the shutter button 900 has a mechanical part supporting the display screen 902 , and the mechanical motion of the control dial 904 is independent from the mechanical motion of the mechanical part . the picture or video selection or the online social network selection is confirmed by a half press on the mechanical part . the half press on the mechanical part for the picture or video or online social network selection is shorter than a threshold time . as for a half press on the mechanical part longer than the threshold time , the camera module 102 and the shutter button 900 are operated for the camera live preview on the display screen 902 again . fig1 shows a shutter button 1000 in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the disclosure . according to the lateral view in fig1 , the shutter button 1000 comprises a display screen 1002 and a control dial 1004 around the display screen 1002 . the mechanical motion of the control dial 1004 is independent from the mechanical motion of the mechanical part supporting the display screen 1002 . the control dial 1004 supports recognition of a press on the control dial 1004 in area a 1 . the control dial 1004 sinks in the area a 1 with the press on the control dial 1004 in the area a 1 . the picture or video selection or the online social network selection is confirmed by a press on the control dial 1004 in the area a 1 . furthermore , when the control dial 1004 is pressed in area a 2 , the camera module 102 and the shutter button 1000 may be operated for the camera live preview on the display screen 1002 again . fig1 is a flowchart depicting how the user switches the shutter button 900 between the different states ( including the normal state 202 and the half depression state 204 ) to take a picture or a video and publish the captured picture or video to an online social networking platform . in step s 1102 , the shutter button 904 is in the normal state 202 and the display screen 902 is operated to display the camera live preview . in step s 1104 , the shutter button 900 is pressed halfway to the half depression state 204 for image capture ( e . g ., taking a picture by a short half press or taking a video in accordance with a long half press ). in step s 1106 , the shutter button 902 pops up to the normal state 202 and the control dial 904 is turned by the user to switch the display screen 902 between showing the different pictures or videos for picture / video selection . in step s 1108 , the shutter button 900 is pressed to the half depression state 204 to confirm the picture / video selection . in step s 1110 , the shutter 900 pops up to the normal state 202 and the control dial 904 is turned by the user to switch the display screen 902 between showing the icons of the different online social networking services . in step s 1112 , the shutter button 900 is pressed to the half depression state 204 to confirm the online social network selection and thereby the selected picture or the selected video is published to a selected online social networking platform . as for the shutter buffer 1000 , the picture / video selection and the online social network selection is confirmed by a press on the control dial 1104 in the area a 1 rather than a half - press on the display screen ( described in steps s 1108 and s 1112 ). the invention further involves control methods for a portable electronic device equipped with a camera module . any technique using the aforementioned concept to capture image ( s ) and publish the captured image ( s ) online is within the scope of the invention . while the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments , it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments . on the contrary , it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements ( as would be apparent to those skilled in the art ). therefore , the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements . | 7 |
the articulator includes an upper frame 2 which has a horizontal branch and is also comprised of two spaced apart wings 31 ( fig2 ) that are spaced away from the rear end ( right in fig1 ) portion of the central , horizontal branch and extend parallel to it . the articulator also comprises a lower frame 1 . the lower frame 1 also has a horizontal branch and has two upright members 32 each ending in an articulator pin 11 having a bulbous end portion , and these end portions enter into the respective slots 34 of the articulator wings 31 above . the wings 31 and their slots 34 are inclined upwardly with respect to the horizontal upper branch of frame 2 , are widely spaced and are connected to the main body of the upper branch by arms 36 ( fig2 ). the upward inclination of the wings 31 can vary up around 60 °. the upright members or branches 32 of the lower frame 1 are connected to the horizontal branch of the lower frame by arms similar to arms 36 . in the front ( left in fig1 ) portion of lower horizontal branch 1 , an incisal tray 38 is provided . it has an inclination of about 30 ° as shown . the inclination can vary at an angle between about 5 ° and 60 °. the horizontal branches of the upper and lower frames 2 and 1 are horizontal , parallel and vertically spaced apart . the vertically spaced horizontal branches of the upper and lower frames 2 and 1 have respective lateral holes 42 , three on each side of the upper horizontal branch of frame 2 and two on each side of the lower horizontal branch of frame 1 ( fig1 ). the upper holes 42 hold retaining pins 3 ( fig1 and 2 ) and the longer portion of the connecting member 17 . the lower holes 42 hold only retaining pins 3 . perpendicular to these holes and coincidental therewith , the holding screws 14 for the retaining pins 3 and the holding and adjusting screw 14 for the connecting member 17 are provided . the parallelism between the horizontal branches of frames 1 and 2 of the articulator is maintained , in the rear part , by the articulator pins 11 positioned within the articulator slots 34 and , in the front part , by the incisal pin 9 resting on the incisal tray 38 , the pins forming a tripod . each pin 9 , which is adjusted and held in place in a hole in frame 2 by the holding and adjusting screw 13 , is stabilized with the aid of the stabilizing tapered member 2a . there are three feet 44 of the articulator positioned beneath the lower horizontal frame 1 . they are of such height as to allow free operation of the holding screws 14 of the retaining pins 3 of the lower frame 1 . the slots 34 in the articulator wings 3 are each comprised of a ceiling 48 and four surrounding walls which form the slots 34 . the internal walls 52 of slots 34 , included for merely aesthetic reasons , can be dispensed with , with no impairment of the motion of the articulator while at the same time maintaining the required angularities that any articulator must have . the motions of the articulator pins 11 are directed with the aid of the ceilings 48 and the outer walls 54 of the slots 34 . the outer walls 54 of slots 34 guide the movements of projection and retroprojection of the upper branch of the articulator on the articulator pins 11 and maintain that movement perfectly aligned by avoiding side movements of the upper piece , which are undesirable during the projection and retroprojection . such side movements take place when , resting in one of the angles formed by the walls of the slot , a first articulator pin 11 pivots on its axis while the second articulator pin 11 on the opposite side moves frontward ( to the left ), downward and inward resting simply on the ceiling 48 of the articulator slot 34 and undergoing no side friction . that condition makes the above described movement much smoother than heretofore . the ceilings 48 and the walls of slots 34 , together with the incisal pin 9 and the articular pins 11 when they are in their places , determine the initial position of the articulator in use . the articulator wings 31 are positioned such that the outward arms 36 that connect the spaced apart articulator wings 31 to the horizontal branch 1 of the upper frame are located in the front ( left in fig1 ), lower part and not in the rear , higher part of the articulator wings 31 . the positioning of the arms 36 to the front and lower part of the articular wings 31 changes the center of gravity of the upper frame to a lower , more central location , which provides stability to the articulator . the retaining pins 3 ( fig1 and 12 ) hold the plaster and feature three outstanding operating characteristics . a . as the holes 42 that hold the retaining pins are parallel to each other , such pins , when connected in pairs , higher or lower pairs , or even pairs of higher and lower pins in conjunction , are easily removable when pulled sideways . b . they have retaining means for holding the plaster , which enable removal of the pins in pairs . c . they are further provided with a stop , which with the aid of the holding screws of the retaining pins 14 , are maintained in their correct positions . on that account , on being removed , the pins can later be put back exactly in their old positions and only in such positions . the long and the short incisal pins 8 or 9 are provided with a respective mark line in the form of slot 8a or 9a in their upper parts . when that slot is aligned with the upper part of the stabilizing tapered member 2a or the upper part is used as a reference , it establishes the parallelism of the horizontal frames 1 and 2 of the articulator when the articulator pins 10 or 11 are positioned within the articular slots 34 ( fig1 ). the setting screw 13 for pins 8 or 9 is the same as those used for the articulator pins 10 , 11 . the connecting member 17 ( fig1 ) comprises a steel wire bent into an &# 34 ; l &# 34 ;. its length has been designed so as to provide better support for the fingers when making the movements with the connecting member , which makes things handier for the operation and also in removing the plaster . as its name indicates , it is the member for the connection of the articulator with the special moulder 16 . its elongated portion fits into the central and lateral hole 42 of the horizontal branch of the upper frame 1 of the articulator and the shorter portion fits into the special moulder 16 , when positioned . the connecting member 17 has two movements , one like that of a pendulum and the other sideways . details of the moulder 16 can be found in prior u . s pat . no . 4 , 330 , 275 . the universal articulator of the invention enables a prosthodontist to work with many cases in the same period of time by using the retaining pins , which are exchangeable , when the apparatus is set as a partial articulator ( fig1 ) and by using the dental plates 4 , also exchangeable , when the apparatus is set as a total articulator ( fig3 ). this makes it possible to exchange models . the prosthodontist would have the number of retaining pins 3 or dental plates 4 he needs , e . g . as extra accessories . an articulator must reproduce the relative position of the upper and lower teeth of the patient with the highest fidelity . thus , it is essential that the universal articulator have perfect assembly with the face - bow , which is a special prosthodontics apparatus . in order to make the face - bow fitting possible , two lateral pins 5 are added to the articulator wings of the upper frame 2 and an allete brace 6 is located over the incisal pin stabilization cone or tapered member 2a and is screwed through its hole ( fig1 ). the allete brace and the screw are considered integral parts of the exchangeable set . for technical reasons , a total denture model needs a larger distance between the upper 2 and lower 1 frames . to permit this , the different length articulator pins 10 , 11 and the different length incisal pins 8 , 9 have been made respectively exchangeable . therefore , when the longest incisal pin 8 and articulator 10 pin are put into place , the vertical distance between the frames 1 , 2 becomes larger . correspondingly , when the shortest incisal pin 9 and articulator pin 11 are put into place , the distance between frames 1 and 2 becomes shorter . the pins are selected such that the frames 1 , 2 must always be kept parallel . in order to provide a suitable holding system for the articulator pins 10 , 11 , two new 25 mm deep holes 1a are drilled downwardly through the two lateral vertical bars of the vertical branch 32 of the lower frame 1 . these holes 1a also act as stopping points for the articulator pins 10 , 11 . an orthogonal screw 13 setting system was also added to the posterior portion of the vertical bars , in order to hold the articulator pins 10 , 11 in place . the one short incisal pin 9 and the two short articulator pins 11 are used together for partial works , and these three pins must be exchangeable , respectively , for the one longer incisal pin 8 and the two longer articulator pins 10 to work with total denture models . this practice will keep the frames 2 , 1 parallel . the partial models are attached to the frames 1 , 2 with plaster by means of the retaining pins 3 , which are proper when the universal articulator is mounted for partial works ( fig1 ). orthogonally oriented small screws 14 fix the retaining pins 3 to the upper 2 and lower 1 frames . the total models are attached to the frames with plaster by means of the dental plates 4 ( fig3 and 4 ), which are the proper fittings for the total denture model assembly . in fig4 the cooperating plates above and below , at the upper and lower frames , are seen . the two plates are opposite to and face toward each other , and are of the same peripheral shape and would overlie each other . the retaining pins 3 and the dental plates 4 are designed for better stabilizing the setting of the plaster . the dental plates 4 shown in fig7 include the groove forming retention bars 4b extending across the plates for enabling a better and stabilized setting for attaching plaster and include the disassembling holes 4a which enable a better setting and a faster and more secure total plaster model disassembly , with the use of any kind of instrument ( a screwdriver , for instance ) inserted through the disassembling holes 4a . to the upper frame 2 and to the lower frame 1 , two respective crossbars 2b , 1b are added , each one provided with a hole , enabling a faster and correct fixation of the dental plates 4 . the proper screw 12 is useful for fixation . the lower crossbar 1b also enables the fitting of a mounting tray 15 . the mounting tray 15 has a horizontal plain plate , with two thin locating grooves 15b for centralizing the upper total denture model during its setting . the tray 15 may be used as a substitute for the face - bow , once it enables a relative positioning of the model . for a better assembly to the lower frame 1 , a special setting board 15 ( fig1 and 11 ) has been designed using the mounting elements 15a . it uses the same screw 12 that is used for the dental plates 4 . although the present invention has been described in connection with a plurality of preferred embodiments thereof , many other variations and modifications will now become apparent to those skilled in the art . it is preferred , therefore , that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein , but only by the appended claims . | 0 |
reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention , examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings . a touch screen assembly according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings . fig3 is a plan view of an exemplary signal connection structure between an extension and controller connection part according to the present invention . in fig3 , a plurality of connection pads 22 of a touch controller 23 may be formed on a pcb substrate having the touch controller 23 contained therein , and an anisotropic conductive film ( acf ) 25 may be formed on an upper surface of the connection pads 22 . in addition , an extension 16 may be provided to be connected to a touch panel , which may be similar to the touch panel 9 ( of fig2 ), and may be formed on the acf 25 . accordingly , a plurality of signal lines 18 formed on the extension 16 may be connected to the connection pads 22 . thus , the signal lines 18 of a connection part 17 of the extension 16 may be aligned to correspond to the connection pads 22 . the acf 25 may include plastic material ( s ) coated with metal material ( s ). alternatively , the acf 25 may include a film upon which conductive particles , such as metal particles , are scattered , thereby simultaneously providing electric signal connection and adhesion . fig4 is a perspective view of an exemplary anisotropic conductive adhesive according to the present invention . in fig4 , conductive particles 30 , such as metal particles , may be scattered in an adhesive film 31 formed of thermoplastic or thermosetting resin ( s ), thereby forming the acf 25 . then , although not shown , a first conductive terminal may be formed on a front surface of the acf 25 and a second conductive terminal may be formed on a rear surface of the acf 25 . accordingly , pressure may be applied to the acf 25 so that the first conductive terminal is electrically connected to the second conductive terminal by the conductive particles 30 . next , as shown in fig3 , the acf 25 may be positioned between the extension 16 of the touch panel 9 ( in fig2 ) and the connection pads 22 of the touch controller 23 to electrically interconnect the extension 16 and the connection pads 22 . thus , current may flow between the extension 16 and the connection pads 22 . fig5 is a cross sectional view of an exemplary extension and controller connection part according to the present invention . in fig5 , the extension 16 may be formed to bond to the connection pads 22 of the touch controller 23 . since the acf 25 may be inserted between the extension 16 of the touch panel 9 ( in fig2 ) and the connection pads 22 of the touch controller 23 ( in fig3 ), then the signal lines 18 of the extension 16 ( in fig3 ) may be aligned to correspond to the connection pads 22 . next , pressure and heat may be applied to the extension 16 and controller connection pads 22 , so that an adhesive 31 of the acf 25 melts . accordingly , the scattered conductive particles 30 of the acf 25 may be pressed between each signal line 18 of the extension 16 and each connection pad 22 . thus , the conductive particles 30 may be in electrical and physical contact with the signal lines 18 and the connection pads 22 , thereby ensuring sufficient electrical conduction . in addition , the adhesive 31 may be electrically charged between adjacent ones of the signal lines 18 , except at portions where the conductive particles 30 are present . accordingly , the conductive particles 30 may be separately positioned , thereby obtaining high electrical insulating characteristics . accordingly , adhesive reliability of the acf 25 may be significantly affected by the performance of the conductive particles 30 and the adhesive 31 . since the acf 25 may provide electrical interconnect between the plurality of signal lines 18 and the connection pads 22 , accurate positioning of the plurality of signal lines 18 with respect to the connection pads 22 may be necessary . for example , if the plurality of signal lines 18 are not accurately positioned with respect to the connection pads 22 , interconnection between the touch panel 9 ( in fig2 ) and the touch controller 23 ( in fig3 ) may not be properly made . accordingly , the touch controller 23 ( in fig3 ) may be mounted on a pcb that may include the connection pads 22 . in fig3 , the connection pads 22 may be formed in the touch controller 23 to correspond to the signal lines 18 of the extension 16 . accordingly , when the touch controller 23 is provided at a rear portion of an lcm , the touch controller 23 and the connection pads 22 may be mounted on a source or gate pcb at the rear of the lcm . in addition , a fixing guide 50 may be provided for fixing the location of the extension 16 to provide correct signal connection between each connection pad 22 and each signal line 18 of the extension 16 . the fixing guide 50 may be formed in a shape of “ u ” so that the connection part 17 of the extension 16 may be fixed by the fixing guide 50 . however , the fixing guide 50 may not be limited to a u - shape , and may have variable lengths and thicknesses . for example , the fixing guide 50 may be formed to have a first thickness corresponding to a total thickness of the acf 25 and a second thickness corresponding to a thickness of the extension 16 . in fig3 , the connection part 17 of the extension 16 that opposes the touch controller 23 may be formed to electrically contact the signal lines 18 using the acf 25 . accordingly , the connection part 17 of the extension 16 may have signal lines 18 that extend from an upper surface to a lower surface for surrounding the connection part 17 of the extension 16 . alternatively , the signal lines 18 may be formed only along the surface that opposes a connection part of the touch controller 23 . alternatively , the acf 25 may be electrically connected between the signal lines 18 of the extension 16 to the connection pads 22 of the touch controller 23 using a permanent connection , such as solder . fig6 a is a plan view of an exemplary connection structure between an extension of a touch panel and a controller according to the present invention , fig6 b is an enlarged view of “ a ” of fig6 a according to the present invention , and fig6 c is a cross sectional view along i - i ′ of fig6 a according to the present invention . in fig6 a , 6 b , and 6 c , the extension 16 may include end portions 16 b that may be divided into a plurality of finger portions 19 that may correspond to a plurality of signal lines 18 , and a main portion 16 a . although four end portions 16 b are shown , any number of end portions 16 b may be provided that correspond to the type of resistive - type touch panel to be used . accordingly , the main portion 16 a may include the signal lines 18 connected to electrodes 11 and 12 of the touch panel 9 along an upper or lower surface thereof . the main portion 16 a may include insulating and flexible material ( s ) to provide easy connection of the signal lines 18 . for example , the extension may include epoxy or bakelite resin ( s ) and the end portions 16 b may be made to be relatively thin , thereby improving flexibility of the end portions 16 b . in addition , an end portion of the main portion 16 a may be formed having a relatively larger width as compared to a total width of the end portions 16 b , thereby providing a stable connection to a connection part 15 of the touch panel 9 . moreover , the end portions 16 b may be spaced apart from each other , thereby accommodating for soldering at the touch controller 23 ( in fig2 ). fig7 a is a cross sectional view along ii - ii ′ of fig6 b according to the present invention , and fig7 b is a cross sectional view along iii - iii ′ of fig6 b according to the present invention . in fig7 a , the signal lines 18 may extend along an upper surface of the main portion 16 a . in fig7 b , the signal lines 18 may extend along upper and lower surfaces of the end portion 16 b . accordingly , contact areas of the signal lines 18 may increase , thereby preventing electric disconnection between the touch panel 9 ( in fig6 a ) and the touch controller 23 ( in fig2 ). fig8 a is a plan view of an exemplary connection structure between an extension and controller according to the present invention . in fig8 a , connection pads 22 may be provided for a touch controller 23 for signal transmission on a printer circuit board 28 , wherein the connection pads 22 may be positioned to correspond to the signal lines 18 of the extension 16 . accordingly , the connection pad 22 may be formed having rectangular plate shapes of conductive material ( s ). alternatively , the connection pads may have different geometries to accommodate corresponding numbers of the signal lines 18 . for example , the connection pads 22 may be formed having opposing triangular shapes , circular shapes , and polygonal shapes . in addition , the connection pads 22 may have a hole to which the end portions 16 b may be inserted . in fig8 a , the connection pads 22 may be electrically connected to the touch controller 23 using wires 24 . alternatively , conductive lines may be provided to electrically interconnect the connection pads 22 and the touch controller 23 . in addition , the connection pads 22 may be formed to correspond to the signal lines 18 , wherein the signal lines 18 may be aligned along a lateral center line of the connection pads 22 . however , signal lines 18 corresponding to outer ones of the connection pads 22 may be offset from the lateral center line of the connection pads 22 . alternatively , the connection pads 22 may not be provided such that the end portions 16 b may be electrically connected to a signal connection terminal ( not shown ) of the touch controller 23 using solder . fig8 b is a cross sectional view along iv - iv ′ of fig8 a according to the present invention . in fig8 b , each signal line 18 may have a first signal line portion that extends along the upper surface of the end portion 16 b , and a second signal line portion that extends along the lower surface of the end portion 16 b . accordingly , the second signal line portion of the signal line 18 may be electrically connected to each connection pad 22 of the touch controller 23 using solder 26 on the printed circuit board 28 . accordingly , the electric signal connection between each connection pad 22 of the touch controller 23 and each signal line 18 of the extension 16 of the touch panel 9 may be stabilized thereby obtaining a device having a thin profile and light weight . fig9 is a plan view of an exemplary touch controller according to the present invention . the touch controller of fig9 may incorporate one of the exemplary connection structures of fig3 and 6 a - 6 c . in fig9 , a touch panel ( not shown ) may be mounted at a front of an lcm 10 , and signal connections between an extension 16 and a touch controller 23 may be provided at region “ a ” at a rear of the lcm 10 . accordingly , the extension 16 from the touch panel may be connected to a connection part of the touch controller 23 integrated with the rear of the lcm 10 using an acf 25 ( in fig3 and 5 ) or by soldering . in addition , the interconnection of the extension 16 and the touch controller 23 may be performed using a method similar to a process for bonding data driver ics 42 onto a data driver area 40 and gate driver ics 43 onto a gate driver area 41 . thus , the adhesion process may be performed using a manually - or automatically - operated system . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in touch panel system of the present invention . thus , it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents . | 6 |
the preferred embodiment of the present invention and its advantages are best understood by referring to fig1 - 4 of the drawings , like numerals being used for like and corresponding parts of the various drawings . fig2 illustrates a perspective view of a microstrip configuration in accordance with the present invention and designated generally at 18 . in addition to aspects discussed below , microstrip configuration 18 also includes the same components as configuration 10 of fig1 . thus , without restating the detail set forth above , configuration 18 includes a substrate 20 supporting a microstrip conductor 22 and a ground plane 24 . substrate 20 also supports individual strip ground conductors 26 and 28 along each side of , and substantially parallel to , microstrip conductor 22 . ground conductors 26 and 28 typically have the same dimensions as microstrip conductor 22 . moreover , a distance on the order of 0 . 010 to 0 . 125 inches exists between each side of microstrip conductor 22 and the respective ground conductor 26 and 28 . each of ground conductors 26 and 28 includes a series of conductive contact pads . for purposes of illustration , these contact pads are labeled in sequence using sequential alphabetic characters in combination with the associated ground conductor . thus , contact pads 26a through 26z are connected to ground conductor 26 , while contact pads 28a through 28z are connected to ground conductor 28 . the specific number of contact pads , as well as the spacing between successive contact pads , may be chosen by a person skilled in the art according to the principles taught herein . moreover , as readily apparent below , each of the contact pads provides an electrical contact for connecting a device in electrical communication with a corresponding ground conductor . thus , alternative shapes and sizes which also provide this function may be substituted by a person having skill in the art . in the preferred embodiment , however , each of the contact pads is formed concurrently with the formation of the corresponding ground conductor . each contact pad is preferably rectangular in shape having dimensions on the order of 0 . 040 by 0 . 060 inches . moreover , each rectangular pad is connected to the corresponding ground conductor by a conductive extension on the order 0 . 020 inches in width and 0 . 025 inches in length . it should also be noted that ground conductors 26 and 28 are in electrical contact with ground plane 24 through couplers 30 and 32 , respectively . in fig2 couplers 30 and 32 are shown in phantom . such an illustration represents that there are actually a series of couplers spaced at periodic distances beneath strip ground conductors 26 and 28 . moreover , in the preferred embodiment , there is one - to - one correspondence for each contact pad 26a through 26z , and 28a through 28z , and a coupler connecting it to ground plane 24 . couplers 30 and 32 ( as well as the other couplers which are not visible ) are formed using known fabrication techniques . for example , a cylindrical hole may be formed through the respective strip ground conductor , substrate 20 and ground plane 24 . typically , the hole is on the order of 0 . 012 inches in diameter . thereafter , a conductive material is formed along the circumference of the hole , thereby providing a tubular conductive path between the respective strip ground conductor and ground plane 24 . it should be noted that alternative couplers and / or methods of fabrication could be chosen by a person skilled in the art . for example , rivets , or alternative conductive structures , could be used to provide an electrical contact from ground plane 24 to the upper surface of substrate 20 . configuration 18 also includes a low impedance device 34a connected between contact pads 26a and 28a . in the preferred embodiment , low impedance device 34a is a component which is compatible with an automated assembly machine as described below . moreover , low impedance device 34a preferably has a resistance less than 0 . 05 ohms . under the present invention , the addition of low impedance device 34a causes a complete circumferential enclosure around microstrip conductor 22 . specifically , as appreciated from fig2 such an enclosure is created by the combination of low impedance device 34a , couplers 30 and 32 , and ground plane 24 . it should also be noted that because of the low impedance of device 34a ( e . g ., less than 0 . 05 ohms ), the amount of voltage across it is minimal . thus , low impedance device 34a approximates a ground potential overlying microstrip 22 . consequently , this ground , along with the ground potential around the other bounding devices ( i . e ., ground plane 24 and couplers 30 and 32 ), provides a shielding effect around microstrip conductor 22 . thus , any field created by a signal passing through microstrip conductor 22 is shielded in the vicinity of low impedance device 34a . moreover , any field created by devices proximate low impedance device 34a is shielded from microstrip conductor 22 . it should also be noted that it is preferable to maximize the distance between the top surface of microstrip conductor 22 and the resistive element of low impedance device 34a ( while maintaining the least possible impedance ). in the preferred embodiment , this space is on the order of 0 . 010 to 0 . 030 inches . by increasing this distance , interference to microstrip conductor 22 caused by low impedance device 34a is minimized . in view of the above , it is believed that a device having a low impedance other than a low - value resistor may also prove beneficial in accordance with the present invention . for example , as known in the art , the impedance of a capacitor decreases with increased capacitance . thus , one skilled in the art may identify a large value capacitor with adequate physical configuration to also perform satisfactorily under the present invention . fig2 further illustrates an additional low impedance device 34b connected between contact pads 26b and 28b . low impedance device 34b is preferably the same type of device as low impedance device 34a . low impedance device 34b is affixed to configuration 18 at a predetermined spacing from low impedance device 34a . in the preferred embodiment , this spacing is less than or equal to one - eighth of the wavelength of the signal to be shielded . thus , if the signal carried by microstrip conductor 22 has a shorter wavelength than any other proximate signal , then the spacing between the low impedance devices is determined based on this wavelength . alternatively , if a potentially interfering signal generated proximate microstrip conductor 22 has a shorter wavelength , then that shorter wavelength is preferably used to determine the spacing between the low impedance devices . as discussed in connection with fig3 below , it should also be noted that a number of additional low resistance impedance devices could be connected in the same manner as devices 34a and 34b , thereby providing an extended shielding effect along the length of microstrip conductor 22 . in the preferred embodiment , configuration 18 is included in a structure , such as a computer board , which supports circuitry assembled at least in part by an automated assembly machine . as known in the art , such machines are operable to quickly select from a plurality of machine - compatible components , and place the selected component on a circuit board or the like . because of these advantages , low impedance devices 34a and 34b ( as well as additional ones if used ) are preferably components which are compatible with such an automated assembly machine . as a result , such a machine may perform placement of low impedance devices 34a and 34b very quickly and with accurate precision on the board . as an example , one popular automated assembly machine is a surface mount technology (&# 34 ; smt &# 34 ;) machine known in the art . as known in the smt art , a solder paste is deposited where subsequent electrical components are to be affixed to a board . thereafter , the smt machine selects a single component from an array of assembly - compatible components . for example , components attached to reels of adhesive are often accessible to the smt machine . the machine removes the selected component from its respective reel , and places it on the circuit board . the smt machine can approach component placement times on the order of 25000 parts per hour , and with tolerances on the order of 0 . 006 inch . thus , in accordance with the above , one skilled in the art may readily appreciate that a number of low impedance resistors may be affixed in place with precise accuracy and in an extremely quick fashion . after the component ( as well as other components ) is so placed , the board is subjected to a heating process which causes the solder paste to flow and adhere the components in place . when using an smt machine , low impedance devices 34a and 34b are preferably so - called &# 34 ; zero ohm resistors &# 34 ;. fig2 a illustrates a perspective view of such a device designated generally at 36 . device 36 is known in the art , and may be obtained as part number rm73b2bt000j from koa speer located in bradford , pa . device 36 is typically on the order of 0 . 126 inches in length , 0 . 063 inches in width and 0 . 022 inches in height . device 36 has conductive terminations 38 and 40 at its opposing ends . terminations 38 and 40 are separated by an insulating substrate 42 , typically made of alumina . substrate 42 further supports a resistive element 44 encased in a protective coating ( not specifically designated ). thus , returning to fig2 it may be appreciated that the structure of low impedance device 34a ( and 34b ), including its cantilever - shaped terminations and its insulating substrate , provides for a fixed distance between the top surface of microstrip conductor 22 and the resistive element at the top of each low impedance device . as stated above , this distance reduces any effect the device could have on the electric field associated with microstrip conductor 22 . fig3 further illustrates the concept discussed above in connection with fig2 . specifically , fig3 illustrates a top view of microstrip configuration 18 of fig2 with a plurality of low impedance devices 34a through 34z . the use of designations &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; through &# 34 ; z &# 34 ; is intended to illustrate that any number of low impedance devices may be included in accordance with the present invention . moreover , as appreciated from the perspective of fig3 the placement of low impedance devices 34a through 34z in a side - by - side manner can approximate an almost continuous shield over microstrip conductor 22 . indeed , as automated assembly machine technology advances , such placement may permit devices 34a through 34z to align in contact with one another . thus , such advantages may further the overall shielding effect of the devices . note also that fig3 illustrates , in phantom , couplers 30a through 30z , and 32a through 32z . as stated in connection with fig2 these couplers provide a connection between their respective ground strip conductor and the underlying ground plane . moreover , as stated for the preferred embodiment , one coupler is provided for each respective conductive contact pad . fig4 illustrates a top view of an alternative configuration designated generally at 46 . configuration 46 is similar to configuration 18 of fig3 in that both include a number of side - by - side low impedance devices 42a through 42z shielding an underlying microstrip conductor 22 . the embodiment of fig4 however , eliminates ground conductors 26 and 28 shown in fig2 and 3 . again , the ending terminations of each low impedance device overlie respective conductive contact pads ( not visible in the perspective of fig4 ). rather than connecting to strip ground conductors , however , each underlying contact pad is connected to a corresponding coupler pad designated 48a through 48z along one side of configuration 46 , and 50a through 50z along the other . coupler pads 48a through 48z make electrical contact to underlying couplers 30a through 30z , and coupler pads 50a through 50z make similar electrical contact to underlying couplers 32a through 32z . thus , according to configuration 46 , each low impedance device , in combination with its contact pads , coupler pads and the ground plane , provides a shield around microstrip conductor 22 in accordance with the present invention . these shields , however , are not joined by strip ground conductors as shown in fig2 and 3 . note further that a person skilled in the art could provide alternative couplers and contacts for connecting a low impedance device in a circumferential fashion around a microstrip conductor as taught by the inventive concepts discussed herein . from the above , it may be appreciated that the present invention provides an enhanced electromagnetically shielded microstrip circuit and method of fabrication . moreover , the embodiments and advantages discussed herein demonstrate that , while the present invention has been described in detail , various substitutions , modifications or alterations could be made to it by a person skilled in the art . for example , while an smt machine was discussed as the preferable mode of automated assembly , the present invention is also workable with known &# 34 ; through - hole &# 34 ; technology . in this technology , a semiconductor package having low impedance values between opposing pins could be constructed to overlie a microstrip conductor , thereby providing many of the benefits described above . other examples of variations of the present invention have been set forth above . in addition , various exemplary dimensions are set forth herein which could be altered by a person having skill in the art . thus , each of these alternatives , as well as others readily apparent to one skilled in the art , are intended within the inventive scope as defined by the following claims . | 7 |
the following examples are given to illustrate the present invention , without being a limitation thereof . in these examples , all parts and percentages given are by weight , unless otherwise indicated . 3 . 9 parts of p - amino - acetanilide were dissolved in 50 parts of h 2 o and 6 . 5 parts by volume of concentrated hcl ( 36 %). the amine in solution was diazotized according to conventional procedures at 0 °- 2 ° c . by dropping a solution of 1 . 8 parts of nano 2 in 30 parts of h 2 o into the solution . the resulting diazonium salt solution was poured at 0 °- 5 ° c . into a solution consisting of 4 . 32 parts of p - hydroxy - phenyl - propionic acid in 50 parts of h 2 o and 6 . 35 parts by volume of a 40 % solution of naoh containing 1 . 8 parts of na 2 co 3 . at the conclusion of the reaction , a solution of hcl ( d = 1 . 16 ) was added thereto until the ph reached 3 . 5 . the product was then filtered and washed with h 2 o . by crystallization from a water - alcohol mixture , 5 . 3 parts of a dye having the following structure : ## str2 ## were obtained in the form of an orange - yellow powder . this material dyes polyamide fibers in an intense and pure yellow shade which exhibits excellent fastness to light , and in particular to wet treatments . 5 . 3 parts of 1 - amino - 4 - benzoyl - amino - benzene were dispersed in 200 parts of h 2 o and 6 . 25 parts by volume of concentrated hcl ( 36 %). the amine in solution was diazotized according to conventional procedures at 0 °- 5 ° c . by dropping a solution of 1 . 73 parts of nano 2 in 30 parts of h 2 o into the solution . the resulting diazonium salt solution was poured at 0 °- 5 ° c . into a solution made up of 4 . 5 parts of 4 - hydroxy - 3 - methyl - phenyl - propionic acid in 150 parts of h 2 o and 6 . 0 parts by volume of a 40 % naoh solution containing 1 . 7 parts of na 2 co 3 . on completion of the reaction , hcl ( d = 1 . 16 ) was added thereto until the ph value reached 3 . 5 , after which it was filtered and washed with h 2 o . the dye which was obtained in the form of a yellow powder having the structure : ## str3 ## dyes polyamide fibers yellow , the levelling power of the dye being good and the general fastness excellent . by operating substantially in accordance with the same procedures as are described in example 1 , the dyes reported in the following table were prepared . table__________________________________________________________________________ dyeing shade onexamplediazo component coupling compound nylon__________________________________________________________________________ ## str4 ## ## str5 ## yellow4 ## str6 ## ## str7 ## yellow5 ## str8 ## ## str9 ## yellow6 ## str10 ## ## str11 ## yellow7 ## str12 ## ## str13 ## yellow8 ## str14 ## ## str15 ## yellow__________________________________________________________________________ 0 . 5 part of the dye obtained in example 1 was suitably microground in a ball mill and accurately dispersed in water . the resulting dispersion was added to a dyeing bath containing 1 g / l of a surfactant of the non - ionogenic type ( for example oxyethylate castor oil , type emulson el ), as well as small amounts of ammonium salts ( ammonium sulphate and ammonia ) so as to attain a ph value of 8 - 8 . 5 . the dyeing of 100 parts of a polyamide fabric was started at 70 ° c ., the temperature being gradually raised to boiling . dyeing was continued at the boiling point for 30 - 40 minutes , after which acetic acid was gradually added until a final ph value of 5 - 5 . 5 was reached , and which caused a good exhaustion of the dyeing bath to occur . the dyed material was repeatedly rinsed with water and dried with hot air to finally obtain a dyeing exhibiting a bright yellow shade , excellent levelling power and very good fastness to light and wet treatments . variations and modifications can , of course , be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention . | 3 |
referring first to fig1 a , 1b , 1c , 1d , 1e , and 1f , the first displayed embodiment 10 includes a handle 20 . the handle 20 can be made of a strong material such as steel . the distal gripping portion 70 of the handle may be cylindrical and may include a wrap or cover 72 of foam , for example . handle proximal top side 34 and proximal bottom side 40 are adjacent and perpendicular to proximal front side 32 and proximal back side 36 . handle proximal end side 38 is adjacent and perpendicular to proximal top , bottom , front , and back sides 34 , 40 , 32 , 36 . handle connector left side 52 is adjacent and perpendicular to handle proximal back side 36 . connector right side 56 is adjacent to perpendicular to proximal front side 32 . the distal gripping portion 70 may be parallel to the proximal top , bottom , front , and back sides 34 , 40 , 32 , 36 . the gripping portion 70 may connect to the remainder of the handle at a relative sharp angle as shown at 76 in fig1 a , for example , or may connect at a gentle curve 78 as shown in fig1 e and 1f . referring now to fig2 a , 2b , 2c , 2d , 2e , and 2f , the displayed first embodiment also includes a bracket 120 . in the displayed first embodiment , the bracket 120 has holes 128 for using screws or other fasteners to affix the bracket 120 to wall studs , for example . the bracket 120 might be cast as one piece , or can be made of three or more parts that are , for example , welded together . as shown in fig2 d , in this first embodiment the bracket 120 includes a face plate 122 , a first extension 124 , and a second extension 126 . the back side ( not shown ) of the first extension 124 is affixed to the front side 130 of the face plate 122 , and the back side 138 of the second extension is affixed to the front side 144 of the first extension 124 . first extension lower top side 134 is partially located between second extension back side 138 and face plate front side 130 . first extension lower top side 134 is almost exactly the same width as handle proximal bottom side 40 , such that the proximal front side 32 and proximal back side 40 of the handle 20 may fit snugly against second extension back side 138 and face plate front side 130 , respectively , as shown in fig3 a . first extension upper right side 140 is spaced apart from second extension left side 132 so that handle left connector side 52 , right connector side 56 , and bottom connector side 58 fit snugly against first extension upper right side 140 , second extension left side 132 and first extension lower top side 134 , respectively . in any of the embodiments , some of the adjacent parts and sides in the handle ( e . g ., 20 ) and / or bracket ( e . g ., 120 ) might not be at perfect right angles or perfectly parallel but instead have slight deviations . for example , the handle might be designed such that when the proximal end of the handle is perfectly horizontal , the distal end terminates at a slight upward slope , so that when downward pressure is applied to the distal end during use the distal end will remain at least parallel with the floor . or , to create the same effect , the first and second extension in the first embodiment might be rotated slightly clockwise on the face plate . as another example of the elements not being at perfect right angles , the top of the second extension 126 might lean slightly outward from the face plate 122 and slope down in toward the face plate so that the proximal portion of the handle 20 can fit easily into the bracket 120 yet have the proximal front and back sides 32 , 36 fit substantially snugly against the second extension back face 138 and face plate front side 130 once the handle has been completely inserted and the proximal bottom side 40 is resting against the first extension lower top side 134 . fig3 a and 4b display handle 20 inserted into bracket 120 for use . in this first embodiment , it is assumed that bracket 120 has been affixed to a wall , as shown in fig4 a and 4b , by , for example , fastening the bracket 120 to wall studs with screws through the bracket apertures 128 . bracket 120 is positioned such that when handle 20 is inserted , handle grip 70 is located so that a person ascending the stairs 11 , and who can no longer use the hand rail 12 at the last step ( s ), may then hold on to the handle 120 while stepping on to the landing 13 , as shown in fig4 b . of course , a similar device 10 could be positioned at the bottom of the stairs 11 such that the gripping portion 70 of the handle would likewise be an essential extension of the handrail , reachable and usable to a user descending the stairs onto the lower floor . as shown in fig4 a , when handle 20 is not in use it may be removed from bracket 120 and be hung easily on two screws 14 or other wall protrusions . handle 20 may also be carried with the user for use in another bracket 120 . turning now to fig3 a , 3b , 3c , 3d , 3e , and 3f , it is shown how handle 20 becomes safely immobilized once the proximal and connector portions are inserted downward into the bracket 120 . as shown in fig3 b , the inserted handle cannot be substantially rotated in the directions r 1 and r 2 , and cannot be moved horizontally in the directions l 1 and l 2 , because handle proximal front side 32 and back side 36 are positioned flat against second extension back side 138 and face plate front side 130 , respectively . as shown in fig3 d , the handle cannot be substantially rotated in the directions r 3 and r 4 , and cannot be moved horizontally in the directions l 3 and l 4 , because handle connector left side 52 and handle connector right side 56 are positioned flat against first extension upper right side 140 and second extension left side 132 , respectively . as shown in fig3 e , the handle cannot be substantially rotated in directions r 5 and r 6 because handle proximal front side 32 and back side 36 are positioned flat against second extension back side 138 and face plate front side 130 , respectively . the handle cannot be moved downward in the direction l 6 because proximal bottom side 40 is resting flat against first extension lower top side 134 . finally , the handle will not ordinarily move upward l 5 because gravity is holding the handle in place . however , the handle may be removed from the bracket with relative ease by moving the handle straight upward in the direction of l 5 . an easily reversible version of bracket 120 is embodied in cuboid - shaped bracket embodiment 220 , as shown in fig5 a - f , and as shown used in conjunction with handle 20 in fig6 a - 6f . bracket 220 may be made from a single piece of material , for example , aluminum . top face 222 includes a first channel 224 that extends from front face 226 to back face 228 , and the first channel walls are at right angles to the first channel floor . top face 222 also includes a second channel 230 that extends from right face 232 to at least first channel 224 , and the second channel walls are at substantially right angles to the second channel floor . second channel is equidistant from said front face 226 and said back face 228 . in this embodiment , first and second channels 224 , 230 are perpendicular to one another . the width of first channel 224 is substantially equal to the width of the connector portion of handle 20 , i . e ., the distance between handle connector left side 52 and handle connector right side 56 . the width of second channel 230 is substantially equal to the width of the distal portion of handle 20 , i . e ., the distance between handle proximal front side 32 and proximal back side 36 . in this embodiment , the proximal end 38 of handle extends beyond bracket right face 232 , but this is not required in all embodiments . in this embodiment , the depth of channels 224 , 230 are substantially equal to , but greater than , the height of handle proximal and distal portions , i . e ., the distance between proximal top side 34 and proximal bottom side 40 , which in these embodiments is the same as the distance between connector top side 54 and connector bottom side 58 . bracket 220 includes four holes 234 that extend from front face 226 to back face 228 and are generally parallel with first channel 224 . the holes may be countersunk on both front face 226 and back face 228 . fig7 a and 7b display the second embodiment 210 being used in the same way that first embodiment 10 is shown in fig4 a and 4b . second embodiment bracket 220 is reversible and may be fastened to a wall with the “ back face ” 228 facing outward , thereby causing the handle distal end 74 in this display to point rightward when handle 20 is properly inserted in bracket 220 . | 8 |
the present invention is directed to compounds of formula ( i ), ( ii ) and ( iii ) are as herein defined . the compounds of the present invention are modulators of an estrogen receptor , useful for the treatment and prevention of disorders associated with estrogen depletion , including , but not limited to hot flashes , vaginal dryness , osteopenia , osteoporosis , hyperlipidemia , loss of cognitive function , degenerative brain diseases , cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases ); for the treatment of hormone sensitive cancers and hyperplasia ( in tissues including breast , endometrium , and cervix in women and prostate in men ); for the treatment and prevention of endometriosis , uterine fibroids , and osteoarthritis ; and as contraceptive agents either alone or in combination with a progestogen or progestogen antagonist . in an embodiment of the present invention is a single bond . in another embodiment of the present invention is a double bond . in an embodiment of the present invention r 1a is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl . preferably r 1a is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and methyl . in an embodiment of the present invention r 1 is selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl , hydroxy substituted lower alkyl , lower alkenyl , hydroxy substituted lower alkenyl , lower alkoxy - lower alkyl , lower alkoxy - carbonyl , lower alkyl - carbonyl , phenyl - carbonyl , lower alkyl - carbonyl - lower alkyl , nr a r b - carbonyl and nr a r b - lower alkoxy - lower alkyl . in another embodiment of the present invention r 1 is selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl , hydroxy substituted lower alkyl , hydroxy substituted lower alkenyl , lower alkoxy - lower alkyl , lower alkoxy - carbonyl , lower alkyl - carbonyl - lower alkyl and nr a r b - lower alkoxy - lower alkyl and nr a r b - carbonyl . preferably , r 1 is selected from the group consisting of methyl , hydroxymethyl , 1 - hydroxy - propyn - 2 - yl , 1 - hydroxy - n - propyl , methoxymethyl , methoxycarbonyl , methylcarbonylmethyl , dimethylamino - ethoxy - methyl , morpholinyl - ethoxy - methyl , morpholinylcarbonyl and diethylaminocarbonyl . in an embodiment of the present invention , r a and r b are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl ; alternatively r a and r b are taken together with the n atom to which they are bound to form a five to six membered heteroaryl or a five to six membered heterocycloalkyl group . preferably , r a and r b are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and methyl or are taken together with the nitrogen atom to which they are bound to form morpholinyl . in an embodiment of the present invention , r 2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen , carboxy , lower alkyl , hydroxy substituted lower alkyl , lower alkenyl , hydroxy substituted lower alkenyl , lower alkoxy - lower alkyl , lower alkoxy - carbonyl , lower alkyl - carbonyl , phenyl - carbonyl , lower alkyl - carbonyl - lower alkyl , nr a r b - carbonyl and nr a r b - lower alkoxy - lower alkyl . in another embodiment of the present invention , r 2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen , carboxy , lower alkyl , hydroxy substituted lower alkyl , lower alkyl - carbonyl , lower alkoxy - lower alkyl , lower alkyl - carbonyl - lower alkyl and nr a r b - lower alkoxy - lower alkyl . preferably , r 2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen , carboxy , methyl , hydroxymethyl , methoxycarbonyl , methoxymethyl , methylcarbonylmethyl and dimethylamino - ethoxy - methyl . in an embodiment of the present invention r 1 and r 2 are taken together with the atom to which they are bound to form a saturated ring structure of the formula ; in another embodiment of the present invention r 1 and r 2 are taken together with the atom to which they are bound to form a heteroatom containing saturated ring structure of the formula preferably , r 1 and r 2 are taken together with the atom to which they are bound to form a ring structure selected from the group consisting of 3 - hydroxy - 3 - ethynyl - cyclopentyl , 3 - hydroxy - cyclopentyl , 3 - oxo - cyclopentyl , 3 - hydroxy - cyclohexyl , 3 - oxo - cyclohexyl , 3 - oxo - cyclooctyl and dihydro - fur - 4 - yl ; wherein the r 1 + r 2 ring is bound to the core structure through the 1 , 2 - positions , numbering clockwise . in an embodiment of the present invention r c and r d are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen , hydroxy , lower alkyl , lower alkynyl and lower alkoxy ; alternatively r c and r d are taken together with the carbon atom to which they are bound to form an oxo group . in another embodiment of the present invention , r c and r d are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen , hydroxy and lower alkynyl ; alternatively r c and r d are taken together with the carbon atom to which they are bound to form an oxo group . in an embodiment of the present invention , r 3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl . preferably , r 3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and ethyl . is selected from the group consisting of aryl and heteroaryl ; wherein the heteroaryl group is bound to the core structure through a carbon atom ; and wherein the aryl or heteroaryl group is optionally substituted with one to two substitutents independently selected from hydroxy , lower alkoxy , aralkyl , aralkyloxy or nr a r b - lower alkoxy . in another embodiment of the present invention , is selected from the group consisting of aryl ; wherein the aryl group is optionally substituted with a substituent selected from hydroxy , lower alkoxy and aralkyloxy . preferably , is selected from the group consisting of phenyl , 4 - hydroxyphenyl , 4 - methoxyphenyl and 4 - benzyloxy - phenyl . is aryl ; wherein the aryl group is optionally substituted with a substituent selected from hydroxy or lower alkoxy . preferably is selected from the group consisting of phenyl , 4 - hydroxyphenyl and 4 - methoxyphenyl . is selected from the group consisting of aryl and heteroaryl ; wherein the heteroaryl group is bound to the core structure through a carbon atom ; and wherein the aryl or heteroaryl group is optionally substituted with one to two substitutents independently selected from hydroxy , lower alkoxy , aralkyl , aralkyloxy or nr a r b - lower alkoxy . in another embodiment of the present invention , is selected from the group consisting of aryl ; wherein the aryl group is optionally substituted with one to two substituents independently selected from hydroxy , lower alkoxy , aralkyl and nr a r b - lower alkoxy . preferably , is selected from the group consisting of phenyl , 4 - hydroxyphenyl , 4 - methoxyphenyl , 4 - dimethylaminoethoxy - phenyl , 4 - hydroxy - 3 - benzyl - phenyl and 4 -( piperidinyl - ethoxy )- phenyl . is aryl ; wherein the aryl is optionally substituted with a substituent selected from lower alkoxy . preferably , in an embodiment of the present invention , x is selected from the group consisting c ( o ) and ch 2 . preferably , x is c ( o ). in an embodiment of the present invention , r 4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl . in another embodiment of the present invention , r 4 is selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl . preferably , r 4 is ethyl . in an embodiment of the present invention , r 5 is selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl . preferably , r 5 is methyl . in an embodiment of the present invention , r 6 is selected from the group consisting of -( benzyl )- q -( lower alkyl )- nr a r b . in another embodiment of the present invention , r 6 is selected from the group consisting of -( benzyl )- o -( lower alkyl )- nr a r b . preferably , r 6 is selected from the group consisting of 4 -( dimethylamino - ethoxy )- benzyl , 4 -( morpholinyl - ethoxy )- benzyl , 4 -( piperidinyl - ethoxy )- benzyl and 4 -( pyrrolidinyl - ethoxy )- benzyl . in an embodiment of the present invention , q is selected from the group consisting of o and s . preferably , q is o . in an embodiment of the present invention , r a and r b are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl ; alternatively r a and r b are taken together with the n atom to which they are bound to form a five to six membered heteroaryl or a five to six membered heterocycloalkyl group . in another embodiment of the present invention , wherein r a and r b are each independently selected from lower alkyl ; alternatively r a and r b are taken together with the n atom to which they are bound to form a five to six membered heteroaryl or five to six membered heterocycloalkyl group . preferably , r a and r b are each methyl or are taken together with the n atom to which they are bound to form a morpholinyl , piperidinyl or pyrrolidinyl group . is selected from the group consisting of aryl , aralkyl and heteroaryl ; wherein the heteroaryl group is bound to the core structure through a carbon atom ; and wherein the aryl , aralkyl or heteroaryl group is optionally substituted with one to two substitutents independently selected from halogen , hydroxy , alkoxy , aralkyloxy or nr a r b - alkoxy . in another embodiment of the present invention , is selected from the group consisting of aryl and heteroaryl ; wherein the heteroaryl group is bound to the core structure through a carbon atom ; and wherein the aryl or heteroaryl group is optionally substituted with a substituent selected from halogen , hydroxy or lower alkoxy . preferably , is selected from the group consisting of 4 - fluorophenyl , 4 - hydroxyphenyl , 4 - methoxyphenyl and 5 - indolyl . in an embodiment of the present invention is a compound selected from the group consisting of 3 -( 4 - benzyloxy - benzyl )- 2 - methyl - 4 - oxo - cyclohex - 2 - enecarboxylic acid ethyl ester and 4 -{ 4 - hydroxymethyl - 5 - methyl - 6 -[ 4 -( 2 - piperidin - 1 - yl - ethoxy )- benzyl ]- cyclohex - 1 - enyl }- phenol . in yet another embodiment of the present invention is a compound of formula ( i ) selected from group as listed in table 1 . in yet another embodiment of the present invention is a compound of formula ( i ) selected from group as listed in table 2 . in yet another embodiment of the present invention is a compound of formula ( i ) selected from group as listed in table 3 . in an embodiment of the present invention is a compound of formula ( ii ) selected from group as listed in table 4 . in another embodiment of the present invention is a compound of formula ( iii ) selected from group as listed in table 5 . representative compounds of the present invention are as listed in tables 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 and 5 . unless otherwise noted , in the tables below , in the column headed with the symbol the notation 2 shall indicate a double bond , whereas the notation 1 , shall indicate a single bond . 1 methyl hydroxy - h h 4 - hydroxy 4 - hydroxy - phenyl methyl phenyl 2 h dimethyl - hydroxy h 4 - hydroxy phenyl amino - methyl phenyl ethoxy - methyl 3 methyl hydroxy - h h 4 - hydroxy 4 - dimethylamino - methyl phenyl ethyloxy - phenyl 4 h hydroxy - methyl ethyl 4 - hydroxy 4 - methoxy - phenyl methyl phenyl 5 h methoxy - hydroxy 4 - phenyl methyl methyl benzyloxy phenyl 6 methyl hydroxy - h h 4 - hydroxy 4 - dimethylamino - methyl phenyl ethyloxy - phenyl 7 methyl hydroxy - h h 4 - hydroxy 4 - hydroxy - phenyl methyl phenyl (**) indicates that in the substituent group wherein r 1 and r 2 are taken together with the carbon atoms to which they are bound to form a ring structure , the relative stereochemistry between the carbon atoms numbered 2 and 3 is cis . (##) indicates that in the substituent group wherein r 1 and r 2 are taken together with the carbon atoms to which they are bound to form a ring structure , the relative stereochemistry between the carbon atoms numbered 2 and 3 is trans . as used herein , the term “ alkyl ” whether used alone or as part of a substituent group , include straight and branched chains , preferably , a chain containing one to eight carbon atoms . for example , alkyl radicals include , but are not limited to methyl , ethyl , propyl , isopropyl , butyl , isobutyl , sec - butyl , t - butyl , pentyl and the like . unless otherwise noted , “ lower ” when used with alkyl means a carbon chain composition of 1 - 4 carbon atoms . as used herein , unless otherwise noted , the term “ alkenyl ” whether used alone or as part of a substituent group , shall include straight and branched chains containing at least one unsaturated double bond . for example , vinyl , propenyl or allyl , butenyl , buten - 2 - yl , buten - 3 - yl , 2 - methyl - buten - 2 - yl , and the like . preferably , the alkenyl group containing two to eight carbon atoms . unless otherwise noted , “ lower ” when used with alkenyl means a carbon chain composition of 2 - 4 carbon atoms . as used herein , unless otherwise noted , the term “ alkynyl ” whether used alone or as part of a substituent group , shall include straight and branched chains containing at least one unsaturated triple bond . for example , ethynyl , propynyl , butyn - 2 - yl , and the like . preferably , the alkynyl group containing two to eight carbon atoms . unless otherwise noted , “ lower ” when used with alkynyl means a carbon chain composition of 2 - 4 carbon atoms . as used herein , unless otherwise noted , “ alkoxy ” shall denote an oxygen ether radical of the above described straight or branched chain alkyl groups . for example , methoxy , ethoxy , n - propoxy , sec - butoxy , t - butoxy , n - hexyloxy and the like . unless otherwise noted , “ lower ” when used with alkoxy means an alkoxy group comprising 1 - 4 carbon atoms . as used herein , unless otherwise noted , “ aryl ” shall refer to unsubstituted carbocylic aromatic groups such as phenyl , naphthyl , and the like . as used herein , unless otherwise noted , “ aralkyl ” shall mean any lower alkyl group substituted with an aryl group such as phenyl , naphthyl and the like . for example , benzyl , phenylethyl , phenylpropyl , naphthylmethyl , and the like . as used herein , unless otherwise noted , the term “ aralkyloxy ” shall mean an aralkyl - o — group , wherein the aralkyl is as defined above and wherein the aralkyloxy group is bound through the o atom . suitable examples include , but are not limited to benzyloxy , phenyl - ethoxy , and the like . as used herein , unless otherwise noted , the term “ cycloalkyl ” shall mean any stable 3 - 8 membered monocyclic , saturated ring system , for example cyclopropyl , cyclobutyl , cyclopentyl , cyclohexyl , cycloheptyl and cyclooctyl . as used herein , unless otherwise noted , “ heteroaryl ” shall denote any five or six membered monocyclic aromatic ring structure containing at least one heteroatom selected from the group consisting of o , n and s , optionally containing one to three additional heteroatoms independently selected from the group consisting of o , n and s ; or a nine or ten membered bicyclic aromatic ring structure containing at least one heteroatom selected from the group consisting of o , n and s , optionally containing one to four additional heteroatoms independently selected from the group consisting of o , n and s . the heteroaryl group may be attached at any heteroatom or carbon atom of the ring such that the result is a stable structure . examples of suitable heteroaryl groups include , but are not limited to , pyrrolyl , furyl , thienyl , oxazolyl , imidazolyl , purazolyl , isoxazolyl , isothiazolyl , triazolyl , thiadiazolyl , pyridyl , pyridazinyl , pyrimidinyl , pyrazinyl , pyranyl , furazanyl , indolizinyl , indolyl , isoindolinyl , indazolyl , benzofuryl , benzothienyl , benzimidazolyl , benzthiazolyl , purinyl , quinolizinyl , quinolinyl , isoquinolinyl , isothiazolyl , cinnolinyl , phthalazinyl , quinazolinyl , quinoxalinyl , naphthyridinyl , pteridinyl , and the like . as used herein , the term “ heterocycloalkyl ” shall denote any five to seven membered monocyclic , saturated or partially unsaturated ring structure containing at least one heteroatom selected from the group consisting of o , n and s , optionally containing one to three additional heteroatoms independently selected from the group consisting of o , n and s ; or a nine to ten membered saturated , partially unsaturated or partially aromatic bicyclic ring system containing at least one heteroatom selected from the group consisting of o , n and s , optionally containing one to four additional heteroatoms independently selected from the group consisting of o , n and s . the heterocycloalkyl group may be attached at any heteroatom or carbon atom of the ring such that the result is a stable structure . examples of suitable heteroaryl groups include , but are not limited to , pyrrolinyl , pyrrolidinyl , dioxalanyl , imidazolinyl , imidazolidinyl , pyrazolinyl , pyrazolidinyl , piperidinyl , dioxanyl , morpholinyl , dithianyl , thiomorpholinyl , piperazinyl , trithianyl , indolinyl , chromenyl , 3 , 4 - methylenedioxyphenyl , 2 , 3 - dihydrobenzofuryl , dihydrofuryl , and the like . preferred heterocycloalkyl groups include dihydrofuryl , morpholinyl , piperidinyl , and pyrrolidinyl . when a particular group is “ substituted ” ( e . g ., ph , aryl , heteroaryl , heteroaryl ), that group may have one or more substituents , preferably from one to five substituents , more preferably from one to three substituents , most preferably from one to two substituents , independently selected from the list of substituents . with reference to substituents , the term “ independently ” means that when more than one of such substituents is possible , such substituents may be the same or different from each other . unless otherwise noted , when naming the substituent group wherein r 1 and r 2 are taken together with the carbon atoms to which they are bound to form a ring structure , said substituent group — the rightmost ring structure of the bicyclic structure of compounds of formula ( iaa ) or ( iab ) shall be named such that the bridging carbon atoms are numbered 1 and 2 and any r c and / or r d substituents are bound at the carbon atom numbered 3 . remaining carbon and / or oxygen atoms within the substituent group wherein r 1 and r 2 are taken together with the carbon atoms to which they are bound to form a ring structure , will be numbered in order , counting clockwise . under standard nomenclature used throughout this disclosure , the terminal portion of the designated side chain is described first , followed by the adjacent functionality toward the point of attachment . thus , for example , a “ phenylc 1 - c 6 alkylaminocarbonylc 1 - c 6 alkyl ” substituent refers to a group of the formula abbreviations used in the specification , particularly the schemes and examples , are as follows : bu 3 snh = tributyl tin hydride dcm = dichloromethane dibal - h = diisobutyl aluminum hydride dipea = di - isopropylethylamine dmem = dulbecco &# 39 ; s modified eagle medium ( gibco ) dmf = n , n - dimethylformamide dmso = dimethylsulfoxide dtt = dithiothreitol et 2 o = diethyl ether etoh = ethanol hepes = 4 -( 2 - hydroxyethyl )- 1 - piperizine ethane sulfonic acid hplc = high pressure liquid chromatography khmds = potassium bis ( trimethylsilyl ) amide kotbu = potassium t - butoxide lah = lithium aluminum hydride lda = lithium diisopropylamide lhmds = lithium bis ( trimethylsilyl ) amide meoh = methanol nbuli = n - butyl lithium nmr = nuclear magnetic resonance pbs = phosphate buffered saline pd ( dppf ) cl 2 = dichloro [ 1 , 1 ′- bis ( diphenyl - phosphino )- ferrocene ] palladium ( ii ) pd 2 cl 2 ( pph 3 ) 2 = palladium bis ( triphenylphosphine ) chloride pd ( pph 3 ) 4 = tetrakistriphenylphosphine palladium ( 0 ) tbs = t - butyldimethylsilane tbscl = t - butyldimethylchlorosilane tbuoh = t - butanol tea = triethylamine thf = tetrahydrofuran tips = triisopropylsilane correct ??? tlc = thin layer chromatography tmscl = trimethylsilyl chloride tscl = tosyl chloride the term “ subject ” as used herein , refers to an animal , preferably a mammal , most preferably a human , who has been the object of treatment , observation or experiment . the term “ therapeutically effective amount ” as used herein , means that amount of active compound or pharmaceutical agent that elicits the biological or medicinal response in a tissue system , animal or human that is being sought by a researcher , veterinarian , medical doctor or other clinician , which includes alleviation of the symptoms of the disease or disorder being treated . wherein the present invention directed to co - therapy comprising administration of one or more compound ( s ) of formula ( i ), compound ( s ) of formula ( ii ) and / or compound ( s ) of formula ( iii ) and a progestogen or progestogen antagonist , “ therapeutically effective amount ” shall mean that amount of the combination of agents taken together so that the combined effect elicits the desired biological or medicinal response . for example , the therapeutically effective amount of co - therapy comprising administration of a compound of formula ( i ) and progestogen would be the amount of the compound of formula ( i ) and the amount of the progestogen that when taken together or sequentially have a combined effect that is therapeutically effective . further , it will be recognized by one skilled in the art that in the case of co - therapy with a therapeutically effective amount , as in the example above , the amount of the compound of formula ( i ) and / or the amount of the progestogen or progestogen antagonist individually may or may not be therapeutically effective . as used herein , the term “ co - therapy ” shall mean treatment of a subject in need thereof by administering one or more compounds of formula ( i ), compounds of formula ( ii ) and / or compounds of formula ( iii ) with a progestogen or progestogen antagonist , wherein the compound ( s ) of formula ( i ), compound ( s ) of formula ( ii ), or compound ( s ) of formula ( iii ) and the progestogen or progestogen antagonist are administered by any suitable means , simultaneously , sequentially , separately or in a single pharmaceutical formulation . where the compound ( s ) of formula ( i ), compound ( s ) of formula ( ii ), compound ( s ) of formula ( iii ) and the progestogen or progestogen antagonist are administered in separate dosage forms , the number of dosages administered per day for each compound may be the same or different . the compound ( s ) of formula ( i ), compound ( s ) of formula ( ii ), compound ( s ) of formula ( iii ) and the progestogen or progestogen antagonist may be administered via the same or different routes of administration . examples of suitable methods of administration include , but are not limited to , oral , intravenous ( iv ), intramuscular ( im ), subcutaneous ( sc ), transdermal , and rectal . compounds may also be administered directly to the nervous system including , but not limited to , intracerebral , intraventricular , intracerebroventricular , intrathecal , intracisternal , intraspinal and / or peri - spinal routes of administration by delivery via intracranial or intravertebral needles and / or catheters with or without pump devices . the compound ( s ) of formula i , compound ( s ) of formula ( ii ), compound ( s ) of formula ( iii ) and the progestogen or progestogen antagonist may be administered according to simultaneous or alternating regimens , at the same or different times during the course of the therapy , concurrently in divided or single forms . as used herein , the term “ composition ” is intended to encompass a product comprising the specified ingredients in the specified amounts , as well as any product which results , directly or indirectly , from combinations of the specified ingredients in the specified amounts . as used herein , the term “ disease or disorder modulated by an estrogen receptor ” shall mean any disease or disorder which is mediated by the estrogen α , any disease or disorder which is mediated by the estrogen β receptor or any disease or disorder which is mediated by both the estrogen α and estrogen β receptors . for example , hot flashes , vaginal dryness , osteopenia , osteoporosis , hyperlipidemia , loss of cognitive function , a degenerative brain disorder , cardiovascular disease , cerebrovascular disease breast cancer , endometrial cancer , cervical cancer , prostate cancer , benign prostatic hyperplasia ( bph ), endometriosis , uterine fibroids , osteoarthritis and contraception . as used herein , the term “ degenerative brain disease ” shall include cognitive disorder , dementia , regardless of underlying cause and alzheimer &# 39 ; s disease . as used herein , the term “ cardiovascular disease ” shall include elevated blood lipid levels , coronary arthrosclerosis and coronary heart disease . as used herein , the term “ cerebrovascular disease ” shall include abnormal regional cerebral blood flow and ischemic brain damage . compounds of formula ( i ) wherein r 1 and r 2 are not taken together with the atoms to which they are bound to form a ring structure and wherein r1 is selected from the group consisting of hydroxy - methyl and nr a r b - alkoxy - methyl may be prepared according to the process outlined in scheme 1 . accordingly , a suitably substituted compound of formula ( iv ), a known compound or compound prepared by known methods is reacted with a suitably substituted compound of formula ( v ), wherein y is hydrogen , lower alkyl ( such as methyl , ethyl ) or lower alkoxy ( such as methoxy , ethoxy ), a known compound or compound prepared by known methods , in the presence of a lewis acid such as bf 3 . etherate , tin tetrachloride , titanium tetrachloride , magnesium bromide , and the like , preferably at a temperature in the range of about − 78 to about 0 ° c ., in an organic solvent such as methylene chloride , chloroform , acetonitrile , toluene , and the like , to yield the corresponding compound of formula ( vi ). the compound of formula ( vi ) is reduced by reacting with a suitable reducing agents such as lah , bh 3 , lithium borohydride , sodium borohydride , dibal - h , and the like , to yield the corresponding compound of formula ( ia ). the compound of formula ( ia ) is optionally further reacted with a suitably substituted compound of formula ( vii ), a known compound or compound prepared by known methods , in the presence of a strong base such as nah , lihmds , nahmds , n - butyl lithium , and the like , in an organic solvent such as thf , dioxane , and the like , to yield the corresponding compound of formula ( ib ). compounds of formula ( i ) wherein r 1 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl , hydroxy substituted alkyl , alkenyl , hydroxy substituted alkenyl , alkynyl , hydroxy substituted alkynyl , alkoxyalkyl , alkoxy - carbonyl , alkyl - carbonyl , aryl - carbonyl , heteroaryl - carbonyl , heterocycloalkyl - carbonyl , alkyl - carbonyl - alkyl , nr a r b - carbonyl , nr a r b - alkoxy - alkyl may be prepared by reacting a suitably substituted compound of formula ( vi ) wherein y is h or a lower alkyl by reacting the compound of formula ( vi ) wherein y is h or lower alkyl with a suitably substituted nucleophile , a known compound or compound prepared by known methods , in an organic solvent such as thf , dioxane , and the like . one skilled in the art will recognize that compounds of formula ( i ) wherein r 3 is alkyl may be similarly according to the process described in scheme 1 above , by substituting a suitably substituted compound of formula ( iva ) compounds of formula ( i ) wherein r 3 is alkyl may be optionally may be prepared according to the process outlined in scheme 2 . accordingly , a suitably substituted compound of formula ( xx ), a known compound or compound prepared by known methods , is reduced with a suitable reducing agent such as hydrogen gas , in the presence of a catalyst such as pd on carbon , in an organic solvent such as ethyl acetate , methanol , ethanol , isopropyl alcohol , and the like , to yield the corresponding compound of formula ( xxi ). the compound of formula ( xxi ) is reacted with a reducing agent such as lah , dibal - h , borane or source of borane , and the like , in an organic solvent such as thf , dioxane , and the like , to yield the corresponding compound of formula ( xxii ). one skilled in the art will recognize that the reduction of the double bond , carbonyl and ester groups on the compound of formula ( xx ) may alternatively be completed in any order and / or in one or more steps , according to known methods other than those described herein , to yield the corresponding compound of formula ( xxii ). the compound of formula ( xxii ) is reacted with a suitable protecting group reagent , according to known methods , to yield the corresponding compound of formula ( xxiii ), wherein pg 2 is the corresponding protecting group such as tbs , tips , and the like . for example , the compound of formula ( xxii ) may be reacted with tbsci in the presence of a base such as tea , dipea , pyridine , and the like , to yield the corresponding compound of formula ( xxiii ), wherein pg 2 is tbs . the compound of formula ( xxiii ) is oxidized according to known methods , to yield the corresponding compound of formula ( xxiv ). for example , the compound of formula ( xxiii ) may be subjected to swern oxidation by reacting with ( cocl ) 2 in dmso in the presence of tea , to yield the corresponding compound of formula ( xxiv ). the compound of formula ( xxiv ) is reacted suitably substituted compound of formula ( xxv ), a known compound or compound prepared by known methods , wherein w 1 is br or cl , in an anhydrous organic solvent such as thf , dioxane , and the like , to yield the corresponding compound of formula ( xxvi ). the compound of formula ( xxvi ) is subjected to dehydration by reacting with an acid such as trifluoroacetic acid , p - toluenesulfonic acid , and the like , to yield the corresponding compound of formula ( xxvii ). the compound of formula ( xxvii ) is reacted in a two step process , first with borane or a source of borane such as bh 3 . s ( ch3 ) 2 , catecol borane , 9 - bbn , and the like , in an organic solvent such as thf , dioxane , diethyl ether , and the like ; and then reacted with peroxide in the presence of a base such as naoh , lioh , koh , and the like , in an organic solvent such as thf / water mixture , ethanol , methanol , and the like , to yield the corresponding compound of formula ( xxvi ii ). the compound of formula ( xxviii ) is oxidized according to known methods , to yield the corresponding compound of formula ( xxix ). for example , the compound of formula ( xxviii ) may be subjected to swern oxidation by reacting with ( cocl ) 2 in dmso in the presence of tea , to yield the corresponding compound of formula ( xxix ). the compound of formula ( xxix ) is reacted with a suitably substituted compound of formula ( xxx ), a known compound or compound prepared by known methods , wherein w 2 is br or cl , in an anhydrous organic solvent such as thf , dioxane , and the like , to yield the corresponding compound of formula ( xxxi ). the compound of formula ( xxxi ) is subjected to dehydration by reacting with an acid such as trifluoroacetic acid , p - toluenesulfonic acid , and the like , to yield a mixture of the compound of formula ( xxxii ) and the compound of formula ( ie ). preferably , the mixture of the compound of formula ( xxxii ) and the compound of formula ( ie ) is separated , according to known methods , to isolate the compound of formula ( ie ). compounds of formula ( i ) wherein r 1 and r 2 are taken together with the atoms to which they are bound to form a five to eight membered saturated ring structure , wherein the saturated ring structure does not contain a heteroatom selected from o , n or s , may be prepared according to the process outlined in scheme 3 . accordingly , a suitably substituted compound of formula ( iv ), a known compound or compound prepared by known methods , is reacted with a suitably substituted compound of formula ( viii ), wherein the n is an integer from 1 to 4 a known compound or compound prepared by known methods , in the presence of a lewis acid such as bf . etherate , tin tetrachloride , titanium tetrachloride , magnesium bromide , and the like , preferably at a temperature in the range of about − 78 to about 0 ° c ., in an organic solvent such as methylene chloride , chloroform , acetonitrile , toluene , and the like , to yield the corresponding compound of formula ( ic ). one skilled in the art will recognize that the carbonyl on the compound of formula ( ic ) may be optionally , further reacted with a suitably substituted nucleophile . for example , the compound of formula ( ic ) may be reacted with with a vinyl magnesium chloride or with vinyl magnesium bromide , to yield the corresponding compound of formula ( id ) compounds of formula ( i ) wherein r 1 and r 2 are taken together with the atoms to which they are bound to a group of the formula may be prepared according to the process outlined in scheme 4 . accordingly , a suitably substituted compound of formula ( ix ), a known compound or compound prepared by known methods , is reacted according to known methods ( or example the compound of formula ( ix ) is reacted with mesityl chloride or tosyl chloride , in the presence of a base such as tea , dipea & lt ; pyridine , and the like ), to yield the corresponding compound of formula ( x ), wherein l 2 is a suitable leaving group such as mesyl , tosyl , and the like . the compound of formula ( x ) is subjected to ring closure by reacting with a base such as k 2 co 3 , naoh , naoch 3 , and the like , to yield the corresponding compound of formula ( xi ). one skilled in the art will recognize that compounds of formula ( i ) wherein is a single bond may be prepared by reducing the corresponding compound of formula ( i ) wherein is a double bond , by known methods , for example by reacting with hydrogen gas , in the presence of a catalyst such as 10 % palladium on carbon , platinum , and the like , wherein the hydrogen gas is added at a pressure in the range of about 5 to about 50 psi , preferably about 30 psi , in an organic solvent such as ethanol , ethyl acetate , and the like . compounds of formula ( iii ) wherein r 4 is hydrogen and is a double bond may be prepared according to the process outlined in scheme 5 . accordingly , a suitably substituted compound of formula ( l ) ( wherein the c 1 - 4 alkyl is preferably ethyl ) is reacted with a suitably substituted compound of formula ( li ), a known compound or compound prepared by known methods is reacted with a suitably substituted compound of formula ( v ), wherein x is chloro , iodo or bromo , a known compound or compound prepared by known methods , in the presence of a base such as potassium - t - butoxide , sodium ethoxide , sodium t - butoxide and the like , in an organic solvent such as t - butanol , ethanol , and the like , to yield the corresponding compound of formula ( iiia ). one skilled in the art will recognize that the compound of formula ( iiia ) may further optionally be reduced by known methods , for example with hydrogen gas , in the presence of a catalyst such as 10 % palladium on carbon , platinum , and the like , wherein the hydrogen gas is added at a pressure in the range of about 5 to about 50 psi , preferably about 30 psi , in an organic solvent such as ethanol , ethyl acetate , and the like , to yield the corresponding compound of formula ( iiib ) one skilled in the art will further recognize that the compound of formula ( iiia ) or the compound of formula ( iiib ) may be optionally further reacted , according to known methods ( for example with a strong base such as naoh , lioh , and the like , in a solvent mixture such as thf / water , ethanol / water , and the like ) to convert the ester portion ( i . e . the — c ( o )— o —( c 1 - 4 alkyl ) portion ) to the corresponding carboxy group ( i . e . — c ( o ) oh group ). compounds of formula ( ii ) may be prepared according to the process outlined in scheme 6 . accordingly , a suitably substituted compound of formula ( iiic ), wherein r 4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl , a compound prepared according to any of the processes described above , is reacted with a suitable activating reagent , such as triflic anhydride , n - phenyltrifluoromethane sulfonamide , n , n - bis ( trifluoromethylsulfonyl ) amino - 5 - chloro - pyridine , and the like , in the presence of a base such as lhmds , khmds , lda , and the like , in an aprotic solvent such as thf , diethyl ether , 1 , 4 - dioxane , and the like , to yield the corresponding compound of formula ( liii ), wherein ag1 is the corresponding activating group to the activating reagent . ( for example , when the activating reagent is triflic anhydride , oag 1 is triflate ). the compound of formula ( liii ) is reacted with a suitably substituted boronic acid , a compound of formula ( liv ), a known compound or compound prepared by known methods , or with a suitably substituted trialkyl tin , a compound of formula ( lv ), a known compound or compound prepared by known methods , in the presence of a catalyst such as pd ( pph 3 ) 4 , pd ( pph 3 ) 2 cl 2 , pd ( dppf ) cl 2 , and the like , in the presence of a base such as k 3 po 4 , tea , dipea , and the like , in an organic solvent such as 1 , 4 - dioxane , thf , dmf , toluene , and the like , to yield the corresponding compound of formula ( ii ). the following examples are set forth to aid in the understanding of the invention , and are not intended and should not be construed to limit in any way the invention set forth in the claims which follow thereafter . a solution of vinyl triflate ( 70 mg , 0 . 1309 mmol ) and k 3 po 4 ( 42 mg , 0 . 1946 mmol ) in 1 , 4 - dioxane ( 2 ml ) was degassed by bubbling ar ( g ) through the solution for 15 minutes . to the degassed solution was then added 4 - hydroxyphenyl boronic acid ( 20 mg , 0 . 1440 mmol ) and pd ( pph 3 ) 4 ( 4 mg , 3 . 27 × 10 − 3 mmol ) and the reaction mixture was heated at 80 ° c . for 16 hours . the reaction mixture was then concentrated and purified by preparatory tlc using 5 % meoh / ch 2 cl 2 to elute , to yield the title compound as a foam . 4 - benzyloxy iodobenzene ( 193 g , 0 . 625 mol ), ethynyl - trimethyl - silane ( 75 g , 0 . 76 mol ), cui ( 2 g , 10 . 5 mmol ) and pd ( pph 3 ) 2 cl 2 ( 1 g , 1 . 0 mmol ) were added to diethylamine ( 880 ml ) at 0 ° c . the reaction mixture was warmed to 25 ° c . and then stirred for 6 h . the reaction mixture was concentrated and partitioned in h 2 o / ethyl acetate ( 100 ml / 100 ml ). the reaction mixture was further extracted with ethyl acetate ( 300 ml × 2 ). the combined organic layers were washed by water ( 300 ml ), dried over mgso 4 and concentrated in vacuo . the crude product was dissolved in methanol ( 400 ml ) and was stirred with koh ( 28 g , 0 . 5 mol ) for 1 h at 25 ° c . concentration and purification by silica gel column chromatograph ( 5 % ethyl acetate / hexane ) yielded 4 - benzyloxy phenyl acetylene as liquid . to a suspended solution of nai ( 70 g , 0 . 46 mol ) and 4 - benzyloxy phenyl acetylene ( 40 g , 0 . 0956 mol ) was added h 2 o ( 26 ml ). the reaction mixture was then cooled to 0 ° c . tmsci ( 60 ml , 0 . 475 mol ) was added slowly to maintain the temperature at 0 ° c . the reaction mixture was then stirred for another 3 h at 0 ° c . the reaction mixture was quenched by adding saturated aqueous nahco 3 ( 200 ml ), followed by dilution with ethyl acetate ( 600 ml ). the combined organic layers were washed by nahco 3 solution , dried over na 2 so 4 , and purification on sio 2 ( 2 % ˜ 5 % ethyl acetate / hexane ) to yield 1 - benzyloxy - 4 -( 1 - iodo - vinyl )- benzene . 1 - benzyloxy - 4 -( 1 - iodo - vinyl )- benzene ( 12 . 0 g , 0 . 035 mol ), vinyl tributyl tin ( 16 . 0 ml , 0 . 056 mol ) and pdcl 2 ( ch 3 cn ) 2 ( 150 mg , 0 . 0579 mmol ) were dissolved in dmf ( 300 ml ). the reaction mixture was stirred at 25 ° c . for 16 h , then partitioned between ethyl acetate ( 800 ml ) and h 2 o ( 400 ml ). the organic layer was washed by brine , concentrated and purified on sio 2 ( 15 % ethyl acetate / hexane ) to yield 1 - benzyloxy - 4 -( 1 - methylene - allyl )- benzene . 1 - benzyloxy - 4 -( 1 - methylene - allyl )- benzene ( 0 . 40 g , 1 . 694 mmol ) and 2 - methyl - propenal ( 0 . 355 ml ) in dcm ( 10 ml ) was cooled to − 10 ° c . bf 3 . och 2 ch 3 ( 0 . 322 ml , 1 . 778 mmol ) was added and the reaction mixture stirred for 3 h . the mixture was then quenched by aqueous saturated nahco 3 solution . after extraction with ethyl acetate ( 2 × 100 ml ), the reaction mixture was dried over mgso 4 and purified on sio 2 to yield 4 -( 4 - benzyloxy - phenyl )- 1 - methyl - cyclohex - 3 - ene carbaldehyde . to a cooled solution of 4 -( 4 - benzyloxy - phenyl )- 1 - methyl - cyclohex - 3 - ene carbaldehyde ( 0 . 41 g , 1 . 33 mmol ) in thf ( 10 . 0 ml ) was added to lah ( 0 . 100 g , 2 . 70 mmol ) and the reaction mixture stirred at 0 ° c . for 3 h . the reaction mixture was then quenched by methanol followed by aqueous hcl ( 1 n , 2 ml ) until all of the black / brown precipitate was dissolved . the resulting mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate ( 2 × 30 ml ). the combined organic layers were washed with brine , dried over mgso 4 and purified by sio 2 ( 50 % ethyl acetate / hexane ) to yield [ 4 -( 4 - benzyloxy - phenyl )- 1 - methyl - cyclohex - 3 - enyl ]- methanol as a liquid . to a solution of [ 4 -( 4 - benzyloxy - phenyl )- 1 - methyl - cyclohex - 3 - enyl ]- methanol ( 102 mg , 0 . 331 mmol ) in dcm ( 5 . 0 ml ) at − 78 ° c . was added bcl 3 ( 1 . 0 m in hexanes , 0 . 5 ml ). the reaction mixture was then stirred at − 78 ° c . for 3 h . the mixture was then quenched with aqueous saturated nahco 3 ( 30 ml ), extracted with ethyl acetate ( 60 ml ), dried over mgso 4 and purified by sio 2 ( 50 ˜ 70 % ethyl acetate / hexanes ) to yield 4 -( 4 - hydroxymethyl - 4 - methyl - cyclohex - 1 - enyl )- phenol as a liquid . 1 - benzyloxy - 4 - ethynyl - benzene ( 70 g , 0 . 3365 mol ), bu 3 snh ( 59 ml , 0 . 3365 mol ) and ph ( pp 3 ) 2 cl 2 ( 120 mg , 0 . 1718 mmol ) were stirred in thf ( 500 ml ) at 25 ° c . for 16 h and then refluxed for 1 h . the resulting solution was concentrated and then purified on sio 2 ( 2 % ˜ 5 % ethyl acetate / hexane ) to yield tributyl -[ 1 -( 4 - benzyloxy - phenyl )- vinyl ]- stannane . to a cooled solution of tributyl -[ 1 -( 4 - benzyloxy - phenyl )- vinyl ]- stannane ( 26 . 2 g , 52 . 6 mmol ) in dmf ( 180 ml ) at 0 ° c . was added cucl ( 8 . 6 g , 87 . 7 mmol ) and cucl 2 ( 1 . 00 g , 8 . 13 mmol ), which was then stirred at 25 ° c . for 2 h . the reaction mixture was then diluted with ethyl acetate ( 500 ml ) and washed with brine ( 3 × 300 ml ). the reaction mixture was then dried over mgso 4 and purified by sio 2 ( 20 % ethyl acetate / hexane ) to yield 2 , 3 - di ( 4 - benzyloxy - phenyl )- 1 , 3 - butadiene . to a solution of 2 , 3 - di ( 4 - benzyloxy - phenyl )- 1 , 3 - butadiene ( 1 . 2 g , 2 . 8 mmol ) and 2 - methyl - propenal ( 0 . 602 g , 8 . 4 mmol ) in dcm ( 10 . 5 ml ) was added bf 3 . och 2 ch 3 ( 0 . 596 ml , 4 . 2 mmol ) at − 10 ° c . after 3 h at − 10 ° c ., the reaction mixture was quenched with saturated aqueous nahco 3 ( 10 ml ). the reaction mixture was then extracted with ethyl acetate ( 2 10 ml ), dried over mgso 4 and purified by sio 2 twice ( 15 % ethyl acetate / hexane ) to yield 1 - methyl - 3 , 4 - di ( 4 - benzyloxy - phenyl )- cyclohex - 3 - ene carbaldehyde . to a solution of 1 - methyl - 3 , 4 - di ( 4 - benzyloxy - phenyl )- cyclohex - 3 - ene carbaldehyde ( 200 mg , 0 . 409 mmol ) in meoh ( 10 . 0 ml ) at − 10 ° c . was added nabh 4 ( 100 mg , excess ). the reaction mixture was stirred 30 min and then quenched with 51 % hcl solution ( 5 ml ), extracted with ethyl acetate ( 50 ml ) and dried over mgso 4 . the reaction mixture was then concentrated and purified on sio 2 ( 50 % ethyl acetate / hexane ) to yield ( 1 - methyl - 3 , 4 - di ( 4 - benzyloxy - phenyl )- cyclohex - 3 - enyl )- methanol . to a solution of ( 1 - methyl - 3 , 4 - di ( 4 - benzyloxy - phenyl )- cyclohex - 3 - enyl )- methanol ( 150 mg , 0 . 306 mmol ) in dcm ( 5 . 0 ml ) at − 10 ° c . was added ticl 4 ( 0 . 102 ml , 3 . 0 eq .) and the reaction mixture stirred at − 10 ° c . for 3 h . the reaction mixture was then diluted with ethyl acetate ( 20 ml and h 2 o ( 10 ml ). the organic layer was separated , dried over mgso 4 , and purified by sio 2 ( 50 ˜ 100 % ethyl acetate / hexane ) to yield a lower tlc spot of ( 1 - methyl - 3 , 4 - di ( 4 - hydroxy - phenyl )- cyclohex - 3 - enyl )- methanol . to a solution of ( 1 - methyl - 3 , 4 - di ( 4 - hydroxy - phenyl )- cyclohex - 3 - enyl )- methanol ( 30 mg , 1 eq .) in dmf ( 1 ml ) was added nah ( 10 mg , 1 eq . ), and the reaction mixture was then stirred for 2 h at 25 ° c . to the reaction mixture was then added ( 2 - chloro - ethyl )- dimethyl - amine ( 12 mg , 1 eq ) and the mixture stirred for 16 hours . the reaction mixture was then partitioned between h 2 o / ethyl acetate ( 5 ml / 5 ml ). the organic layer was separated , dried over mgso 4 , concentrated and purified hplc ( 20 % ˜ 80 % ch 3 cn / h 2 o with 0 . 1 % tfa ) to yield 4 -{ 2 -[ 4 -( 2 - dimethylamino - ethoxy )- phenyl ]- 4 - hydroxymethyl - 4 - methyl - cyclohex - 1 - enyl }- phenol . to 2 - ethyl - 4 - hydroxymethyl - 3 - methyl - cyclohexanol ( 30 g , 0 . 174 mol ) in dmf ( 300 ml ) was added tbsci ( 26 . 01 g , 1 . 0 eq .) and imidazole ( 17 . 7 g , 1 . 5 eq .). the reaction mixture was stirred at 25 ° c . for 2 h . the reaction mixture was then partitioned between h 2 o ( 300 ml ) and diethyl ether ( 600 ml ). the organic layer was washed by brine ( 2 × 300 ml ), dried over mgso 4 and purified on sio 2 ( 5 % ˜ 30 % ethyl acetate / hexane ) to yield 4 -( tert - butyl - dimethyl - silanyloxymethyl )- 2 - ethyl - 3 - methyl - cyclohexanol . to a solution of oxalyl chloride in dcm ( 400 ml ) at − 78 ° c . was added dmso ( 15 . 6 ml , 3 . 0 eq .) and the mixture was stirred for 30 min . to the mixture was then added 4 -( tert - butyl - dimethyl - silanyloxymethyl )- 2 - ethyl - 3 - methyl - cyclohexanol ( 21 . 1 g , 73 . 7 mmol ) and the reaction mixture was stirred for 3 h at − 78 ° c . et 3 n ( 30 . 7 ml ) was added at − 78 ° c . and the mixture warmed to 25 ° c . over 2 h . the reaction mixture was then diluted with h 2 o ( 400 ml ). the organic layer was dried over mgso 4 and then concentrated to yield 2 - ethyl - 3 - methyl - 4 - trimethylsilanyloxymethyl - cyclohexanone . 1 - benzyloxy - 4 - iodo - benzene ( 5 . 70 g , 18 . 37 mmol ) was dissolved in anhydrous thf ( 36 ml ) at − 10 ° c . isopropyl magnesium chloride ( 1 . 0 m , 18 . 37 ml ) was added and the mixture was stirred for 3 h . a solution of 2 - ethyl - 3 - methyl - 4 - trimethylsilanyloxymethyl - cyclohexanone ( 12 . 0 g in 50 ml thf ) was added slowly over 30 min by syringe pump . the reaction mixture was stirred for 30 min at 25 ° c . and then refluxed for 30 min . the reaction mixture was then cooled to 25 ° c ., hcl ( 1 . 0 n , 80 ml ) was added slowly , followed by addition of ethyl acetate ( 100 ml ). the organic layer was washed with h 2 o ( 100 ml ), dried over mgso 4 and purified on sio 2 ( 10 ˜ 15 % ethyl acetate / hexane ) to yield 1 -( 4 - benzyloxy - phenyl )- 2 - ethyl - 4 - hydroxymethyl - 3 - methyl - cyclohexanol . to 1 -( 4 - benzyloxy - phenyl )- 2 - ethyl - 4 - hydroxymethyl - 3 - methyl - cyclohexanol ( 7 . 8 g , 0 . 0166 mol ) was added ptsa ( 1 . 8 g , 1 eq .) in dcm ( 100 ml ). the reaction mixture was refluxed for 8 h . dcm ( 200 ml ) was added and the mixture was washed with aqueous saturated nahco 3 ( 3 × 300 ml ). the organic layer was separated , dried over mgso 4 and purified on sio 2 ( 50 % ethyl acetate / hexane ) twice to yield [ 4 -( 4 - benzyloxy - phenyl )- 5 - ethyl - 6 - methyl - cyclohex - 3 - enyl ]- methanol . to the solution of [ 4 -( 4 - benzyloxy - phenyl )- 5 - ethyl - 6 - methyl - cyclohex - 3 - enyl ]- methanol ( 3 . 1 g , 6 . 8 mmol ) in thf ( 50 ml ) was added bh 3 . s ( ch 3 ) 2 solution ( 1 . 0 m in thf , 10 . 3 ml , 1 . 5 eq .) at 0 ° c . the reaction mixture was refluxed for 4 h and then cooled to 0 ° c . naoh ( 20 % aqueous , 30 ml ) and h 2 o 2 ( 50 % in h 2 o , 21 ml ) were added at 0 ° c . the reaction mixture was then stirred at 0 ˜ 25 ° c . for 4 h . the reaction mixture was then diluted with ethyl acetate / h 2 o ( 400 ml / 200 ml ). the organic layer was separated , dried over mgso 4 and purified on sio 2 ( 50 ˜ 100 % ethyl acetate / hexane ) to yield 2 -( 4 - benzyloxy - phenyl )- 3 - ethyl - 5 - hydroxymethyl - 4 - methyl - cyclohexanol . to the solution of 2 -( 4 - benzyloxy - phenyl )- 3 - ethyl - 5 - hydroxymethyl - 4 - methyl - cyclohexanol ( 2 . 31 g ) in dmf ( 20 ml ) was added imidazole ( 1 . 17 g , 1 . 5 eq .) and tbsci ( 1 . 4 g , 1 . 5 eq .) at 0 ° c . and the mixture was stirred at 25 ° c . for 3 h . the reaction mixture was then diluted with water / ether ( 200 / 300 ml ). the organic layer was washed by brine ( 3 × 200 ) and purified sio 2 ( 10 % ethyl acetate / hexane ) to yield 2 -( 4 - benzyloxy - phenyl )- 5 -( tert - butyl - dimethyl - silanyloxymethyl )- 3 - ethyl - 4 - methyl - cyclohexanol . to a solution of 2 -( 4 - benzyloxy - phenyl )- 5 -( tert - butyl - dimethyl - silanyloxymethyl )- 3 - ethyl - 4 - methyl - cyclohexanol in dcm ( 100 ml ) was added nahco 3 ( 1 . 0 g ) to make a suspension . dess - martin periodate ( 3 . 2 g , 1 . 0 eq .) was added at 0 ° c . the reaction mixture was stirred at 25 ° c . for 3 h and was then filtered and purified on sio 2 ( 20 % ethyl acetate / hexane ) to yield 3 - ethyl - 4 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - phenoxy - phenyl )- 5 - trimethylsilanyloxymethyl - cyclohexanone . to a solution of 3 - ethyl - 4 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - phenoxy - phenyl )- 5 - trimethylsilanyloxymethyl - cyclohexanone ( 1 . 8 g , 3 . 8 mmol ) in thf ( 10 ml ) at − 10 ° c . was added grinard reagent ( 1 . 0 m , 7 . 5 ml ). the reaction mixture was stirred at 25 ° c . for 1 h and then refluxed for 30 min . the reaction mixture was then cooled and diluted with aqueous saturated nh 4 cl ( 100 ml ) and ethyl acetate ( 100 ml ). the organic layer was separated , dried over mgso 4 and purified on sio 2 ( 100 % ethyl acetate ) to yield crude product 3 - ethyl - 1 -( 4 - methoxy - phenyl )- 4 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - phenoxy - phenyl )- 5 - trimethylsilanyloxymethyl - cyclohexanol . nmr showed s : r product ratio or 2 : 1 . further purification provide pure 3 - ethyl - 1 -( 4 - methoxy - phenyl )- 4 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - phenoxy - phenyl )- 5 - trimethylsilanyloxymethyl - cyclohexanol . to a solution of 3 - ethyl - 1 -( 4 - methoxy - phenyl )- 4 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - phenoxy - phenyl )- 5 - trimethylsilanyloxymethyl - cyclohexanol ( 400 mg ) in chcl 3 ( 8 . 0 ml ) was added ptsa ( 400 mg ) and the reaction mixture was refluxed for 8 h . the reaction mixture was diluted with ch 3 cl ( 50 ml ) and was washed with aqueous saturated nahco 3 ( 10 ml ). the organic layer was dried and purified on sio 2 ( 50 % ethyl acetate / hexane ) to yield a mixture of 4 -[ 6 - ethyl - 4 - hydroxymethyl - 2 -( 4 - methoxy - phenyl )- 5 - methyl - cyclohex - 1 - enyl ]- phenol and 4 -[ 6 - ethyl - 4 - hydroxymethyl - 2 -( 4 - methoxy - phenyl )- 5 - methyl - cyclohex - 2 - enyl ]- phenol as a very close two spots as determined by tlc . to the above mixture of 4 -[ 6 - ethyl - 4 - hydroxymethyl - 2 -( 4 - methoxy - phenyl )- 5 - methyl - cyclohex - 1 - enyl ]- phenol and 4 -[ 6 - ethyl - 4 - hydroxymethyl - 2 -( 4 - methoxy - phenyl )- 5 - methyl - cyclohex - 2 - enyl ]- phenol ( 380 mg ) in dcm ( 10 ml ) at − 10 ° c . was added ticl 4 ( 0 . 180 ml ) and the mixture was stirred for 3 h at − 10 ° c . the reaction mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate / h 2 o ( 200 / 100 ml ). the organic layer was dried and purified on sio 2 to yield two products 4 -[ 6 - ethyl - 4 - hydroxymethyl - 2 -( 4 - methoxy - phenyl )- 5 - methyl - cyclohex - 1 - enyl ]- phenol and 4 -[ 2 - ethyl - 4 - hydroxymethyl - 6 -( 4 - methoxy - phenyl )- 3 - methyl - cyclohexyl ]- phenol . to iodide ( 66 mg , 0 . 2 mmol ) in thf ( 1 ml ) at − 78 c was added nbuli ( 2 . 5 m in hexanes , 0 . 080 ml , 0 . 2 mmol ) and the reaction mixture stirred for 10 min . to the reaction mixture was then added dropwise , tbs ( 3 - ethyl - 4 - methyl - 2 -( 4 - phenoxy - phenyl )- 5 - trimethylsilanyloxymethyl - cyclohexanone ) in thf ( 1 ml ). the reaction mixture was then quenched with aqueous saturated nh 4 cl ( 2 ml ) and diluted with diethyl ether ( 5 ml ). the organic layer was washed with brine twice , dried and concentrated to yield crude 2 -( 4 - benzyloxy - phenyl )- 3 - ethyl - 4 - methyl - 1 -[ 4 -( 2 - piperidin - 1 - yl - ethoxy )- phenyl ]- 5 - trimethylsilanyloxy methyl - cyclohexanol which was used without further purification . to a solution of 2 -( 4 - benzyloxy - phenyl )- 3 - ethyl - 4 - methyl - 1 -[ 4 -( 2 - piperidin - 1 - yl - ethoxy )- phenyl ]- 5 - trimethylsilanyloxy methyl - cyclohexanol in dcm ( 1 ml ) was added ticl 4 ( 0 . 033 ml , 3 eq .) and the mixture stirred until reaction was done . the reaction mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate ( 10 ml ), and washed with 5 % nahco 3 aqueous solution , then brine . the crude product s was purified on hplc to yield 4 -{ 6 - ethyl - 4 - hydroxymethyl - 5 - methyl - 2 -[ 4 -( 2 - piperidin - 1 - yl - ethoxy )- phenyl ]- cyclohex - 1 - enyl }- phenol . to the solution of 4 - methoxy - phenyl - acetylene ( 10 g , 0 . 075 mol ) and 4 - iodo - anisole ( 17 . 65 g , 1 . 0 eq .) in diethylamine ( 150 ml ) was added pd ( pph 3 ) 2 cl 2 ( 2 . 65 g , 0 . 05 eq .) and the reaction mixture was stirred for 30 min at 0 ° c . to the reaction mixture was then added cui ( 1 . 43 g , 0 . 1 eq .) and the mixture was stirred at 6 h at 0 ˜ 25 ° c . the reaction mixture was then concentrated and partitioned between ethyl acetate / h 2 o ( 200 / 600 ml ). the organic layer was separated , dried and purified on sio 2 ( 1 ˜ 5 % ethyl acetate / hexane ) to yield 1 , 2 - di ( 4 - methoxy - phenyl )- acetylene . sodium hydride ( 1 . 53 g , 2 . 2 eq .) was added to dmso ( 150 ml ) and then heated to 75 ° c . till the solution became clear . the reaction mixture was cooled to 0 ° c . 1 , 2 - di ( 4 - methoxy - phenyl )- acetylene . ( 7 . 0 g , 1 eq .) was then added and the reaction mixture was then heated to 90 ° c . for 12 h . the reaction mixture was then poured into crushed ice and extracted by diethyl ether ( 500 ml ). the organic layer was washed with brine , dried and purified on sio 2 to yield 2 , 3 - di ( 4 - methoxyphenyl )- 1 , 3 - butadiene as 80 % pure by nmr . to the solution of 2 , 3 - di ( 4 - methoxyphenyl )- 1 , 3 - butadiene ( 2 . 1 g ) in toluene ( 30 ml ) was added maleic anhydride ( 3 . 8 g , 5 . 0 eq .) and the reaction mixture refluxed for 6 h . the reaction mixture was then diluted with ethyl acetate ( 500 ml ) and was washed with water ( 3 × 200 ml ). the organic layer was dried and concentrated to yield 5 , 6 - bis -( 4 - methoxy - phenyl )- 3a , 4 , 7 , 7a - tetrahydro - isobenzofuran - 1 , 3 - dione . to the cooled solution of 5 , 6 - bis -( 4 - methoxy - phenyl )- 3a , 4 , 7 , 7a - tetrahydro - isobenzofuran - 1 , 3 - dione ( 2 . 95 g ) in thf ( 30 ml ) at 0 ° c . was added lah ( 1 . 0 m in thf , 20 ml ) and the reaction mixture was stirred at 25 ° c . for 16 . the reaction mixture was then quenched with methanol ( 20 ml ) and aqueous hcl ( 10 %, 30 ml ) and then extracted with diethyl ether ( 2 × 300 ml ). the organic layer was dried and concentrated to yield [ 6 - hydroxymethyl - 3 , 4 - bis -( 4 - methoxy - phenyl )- cyclohex - 3 - enyl ]- methanol . a mixture of 2 , 3 - diphenyl - 1 , 3 - butadiene ( 2 . 772 g , 13 . 44 mmol ) and cyclopent - 2 - enone ( 1 eq .) was refluxed in toluene ( 26 ml ) for 48 h . the reaction mixture was then concentrated and purified on sio 2 ( 20 % ethyl acetate / hexane ) to yield 5 , 6 - diphenyl - 2 , 3 , 3a , 4 , 7 , 7a - hexahydro - inden - 1 - one . to a solution of 5 , 6 - bis -( 4 - methoxy - phenyl )- 2 , 3 , 3a , 4 , 7 , 7a - hexahydro - inden - 1 - one ( 50 . 0 mg , 0 . 143 mmol ) in thf ( 5 . 0 ml ) at − 10 ° c . was added lah ( 36 mg , 0 . 91 mml ) and the reaction mixture was stirred at − 10 ° c . for 1 h . the reaction mixture was then quenched with methanol ( 2 ml ) and aqueous hcl ( 1 n , 2 ml ), extracted with ethyl acetate ( 3 × 10 ml ). the combined organic layers were dried and purified on sio 2 to yield a mixture of 5 , 6 - bis -( 4 - methoxy - phenyl )- 2 , 3 , 3a , 4 , 7 , 7a - hexahydro - 1h - inden - 1s - ol and 5 , 6 - bis -( 4 - methoxy - phenyl )- 2 , 3 , 3a , 4 , 7 , 7a - hexahydro - 1h - inden - 1r - ol . a mixture of 2 , 3 - diphenyl - 1 , 3 - butadiene ( 2 . 772 g , 13 . 44 mmol ) and cyclohex - 2 - enone ( 1 eq .) was refluxed in toluene ( 26 ml ) for 48 h . the reaction mixture was then concentrated and purified on sio 2 ( 20 % ethyl acetate / hexane ) to yield 6 , 7 - diphenyl - 3 , 4 , 4a , 5 , 8 , 8a - hexahydro - 2h - naphthalen - 1 - one ( 6 - hydroxymethyl - 3 , 4 - diphenyl - cyclohex - 3 - enyl )- methanol was prepared according to the procedure described in example 6 ( step 3 ) above , with substitution of 2 , 3 - diphenyl - 1 , 3 - butadiene for the 2 , 3 - di ( 4 - methoxyphenyl )- 1 , 3 - butadiene . to the cooled solution of 6 - hydroxymethyl - 3 , 4 - diphenyl - cyclohex - 3 - enyl )- methanol ( 100 mg , 0340 mmol ) in thf ( 3 . 5 ml ) at − 78 ° c ., was added nbuli ( 2 . 5 m , 0 . 136 ml ). the reaction mixture was stirred at − 10 ° c . for 10 min . to the reaction mixture was added tscl ( 77 mg , 1 . 2 eq .) and the mixture stirred at − 10 ° c . to 25 ° c . for 3 h . the reaction mixture was quenched with aqueous saturated nahco 3 ( 10 ml ) and was extracted with ethyl acetate ( 3 × 10 ml ). the combined organic layers were dried and purified on sio 2 ( 10 ˜ 50 % ethyl acetate / hexane ) to yield 6 - hydroxymethyl - 3 , 4 - diphenyl - cyclohex - 3 - enyl )- methanol . to a solution of 6 - hydroxymethyl - 3 , 4 - diphenyl - cyclohex - 3 - enyl )- methanol ( 89 mg , 0 . 189 mmol ) in thf ( 10 ml ) was added lah ( 1 . 0 m in thf , 5 ml ) at − 10 ° c . ( ice / acetone ) and the reaction mixture stirred at 25 ° c . for 12 h . the reaction mixture was then quenched by meoh ( 10 ml ) and then stirred for 10 min . to the reaction mixture was then added aqueous hcl ( 10 %, 10 ml ). the reaction mixture was then extracted with diethyl ether ( 300 ml ). the organic layer was washed with brine , dried and purified to yield 6 - hydroxymethyl - 3 , 4 - diphenyl - cyclohex - 3 - enyl )- methanol and 5 , 6 - diphenyl - 1 , 3 , 3a , 4 , 7 , 7a - hexahydro - isobenzofuran as a by product . to the solution of kotbu ( 1 . 0 m in tbuoh , 10 . 7 ml ) at 25 cc was added hagemann &# 39 ; s ester ( 1 . 0 ml , 5 . 324 mmol ). the mixture was stirred for 10 min at 25 ° c . and then to the mixture was added 1 -[ 2 -( 4 - chloromethyl - phenoxy ) ethyl ] piperidine hydrochloride ( 1 . 54 g , 5 . 324 mmol ). the mixture was refluxed for 3 h . the tbuoh was distilled off , then the reaction mixture was diluted with water and diethyl ether . the layers were separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with diethyl ether . the organic extracts were acidified with 1 n hcl ( 100 ml ). the layers were separated and the diethyl ether layer was discarded . the aqueous layer was then basicified to ph 11 with 10 % naoh ( aq ) and extracted with diethyl ether to yield 2 - methyl - 4 - oxo - 3 -[ 4 -( 2 - piperidin - 1 - yl - ethoxy )- benzyl ]- cyclohex - 2 - enecarboxylic acid ethyl ester as dark amber oil . a solution of 2 - methyl - 4 - oxo - 3 -[ 4 -( 2 - piperidin - 1 - yl - ethoxy )- benzyl ]- cyclohex - 2 - enecarboxylic acid ethyl ester ( 612 . 0 mg , 1 . 534 mmol ) in etoh ( 100 ml ) was reacted with 10 % pd / c ( 25 mg ) under h 2 ( g ) ( 25 psi ) for 21 h at 25 ° c . the reaction mixture was then filtered and concentrated to yield 4 - ethylperoxymethyl - 3 - methyl - 2 -[ 4 -( 2 - piperidin - 1 - yl - ethoxy )- benzyl ]- cycloxe - 2 - enone . to a solution of khmds ( 0 . 5 m in toluene ), 5 . 9 ml ) in thf ( 20 ml ) at − 78 ° c . was added 4 - ethylperoxymethyl - 3 - methyl - 2 -[ 4 -( 2 - piperidin - 1 - yl - ethoxy )- benzyl ]- cycloxe - 2 - enone ( 0 . 985 mg , 2 . 453 mmol ) in thf ( 3 ml ) and the reaction mixture stirred at − 78 ° c . for 1 h . to the reaction mixture was then added 2 -[ n , n - bis ( trifluoro - methyl - sulfonyl ) amino ]- 5 - chloropyridine in thf ( 2 ml ) and the mixture was stirred at − 78 ° c . for 1 . 5 h . the reaction mixture was then quenched with water , extracted with et 2 o , dried and purified on silica gel ( 2 % meoh / ch 2 cl 2 ) followed by a preparative tlc ( 5 % meoh / dcm ) to yield 6 - methyl - 5 -[ 4 -( 2 - piperidin - 1 - yl - ethoxy )- benzyl ]- 4 - trifluoromethanesulfonyloxy - cyclohex - 3 - enecarboxylic acid ethyl ester as white foam solid . into a mixture of trifluoro - methanesulfonic acid 4 - ethylperoxymethyl - 5 - methyl - 6 -[ 4 -( 2 - piperidin - 1 - yl - ethoxy )- benzyl ]- cyclohexa - 1 , 5 - dienyl ester ( 118 . 5 mg , 0 . 2219 mmol ), pd ( pph 3 ) 4 ( 6 . 4 mg , 0 . 025 eq .) and k 3 po 4 ( 70 . 7 mg , 1 . 5 eq .) in 1 , 4 - dioxane ( 5 ml ) was bubbled n 2 for 10 min . to the reaction mixture was then added 4 - methoxy benzene boronic acid ( 37 . 1 mg , 0 . 2441 mmol ). the resulting mixture was heated to 8 ° c . for 16 h , filtered through a plug of silica gel , concentrated and purified on preparative tlc ( 10 % meoh / dcm ) to yield 4 -( 4 - methoxy - phenyl )- 6 - methyl - 5 -[ 4 -( 2 - piperidin - 1 - yl - ethoxy )- benzyl ]- cyclohex - 3 - enecarboxylic acid ethyl ester as light yellow oil . 4 -{ 4 - ethylperoxymethyl - 5 - methyl - 6 -[ 4 -( 2 - piperidin - 1 - yl - ethoxy )- benzyl ]- cyclohexa - 1 , 5 - dienyl }- phenol was similarly prepared according to the procedure described above with substitution of 4 - hydroxy benzene boronic acid for the 4 - methoxy benzene boronic acid in step 4 . 1 -( 2 -{ 4 -[ 3 - ethylperoxymethyl - 6 -( 4 - fluoro - phenyl )- 2 - methyl - cyclohexa - 1 , 5 - dienylmethyl ]- phenoxy }- ethyl )- piperidine was similarly prepared according to the procedure described above with substitution of 4 - fluorobenzene boronic acid for the 4 - methoxy benzene boronic acid in step 4 . 5 -( 4 -{ 4 - ethylperoxymethyl - 5 - methyl - 6 -[ 4 -( 2 - piperidin - 1 - yl - ethoxy )- benzyl ]- cyclohexa - 1 , 5 - dienyl }- phenyl )- 1h - indole was similarly prepared according to the procedure described above with substitution of 5 - indolyl boronic acid for the 4 - methoxy benzene boronic acid in step 4 . 4 -( 4 - hydroxy - phenyl )- 6 - methyl - 5 -[ 4 -( 2 - piperidin - 1 - yl - ethoxy )- benzyl ]- cyclohex - 3 - enecarboxylic acid ethyl ester ( 38 . 4 mg , 0 . 0803 mmol , 1 . 0 eq .) in dcm ( 2 ml ) at 0 ° c . was added dibal ( 1 . 5 m in toluene , 0 . 215 ml ) and was stirred at 0 ° c . for 10 min , then at 25 ° c . for 30 min . the reaction mixture was quenched at 0 ° c . with brine , extracted with dcm , dried over mgso 4 , then purified on sio 2 ( 15 % meoh / dcm ) to yield 4 -[ 4 - hydroxymethyl - 5 - methyl - 6 -[ 4 -( 2 - piperidin - 1 - yl - ethoxy )- benzyl ]- cyclohex - 3 - enyl ]- phenol as yellowish foam . this assay monitors binding of radio - labeled estrogen to the estrogen receptor . it is performed on a biomek 2000 ( beckman ). plates are read in a scintillation counter ( packard topcount ), with decreased counts an indication of binding of a compound to the receptor . the assay was run according to the procedure described by allan , et al ., anal . biochem . ( 1999 ), 275 ( 2 ), 243 - 247 . on day one , 100 μl of estrogen screening buffer ( esb , panvera ) containing 5 mm dithiothreitol ( dtt , panvera ), 0 . 5 μg mouse anti - estrogen receptor monoclonal antibody ( sra - 1010 , stressgen ) and 50 ng purified human estrogen receptor α ( panvera ) were added to each well of a 96 well flashplate plus plate crosslinked with goat anti - mouse antibodies ( nen life sciences ). the plate was sealed and incubated at 4 ° c . overnight . on day two , each well was washed three times with 200 μl pbs , ph 7 . 2 , at room temperature . to each well was then added 98 μl radio - labeled estrogen ( 0 . 5 nm , which equals 6 nci for a 120 ci / mmol batch , amersham ), diluted in esb and 5 mm dithiothreitol ( dtt ). to individual wells were then added 2 . 5 μl test compound diluted in 30 % ( v / v ) dimethyl sulfoxide / 50 mm hepes , ph 7 . 5 . the wells were mixed three times by aspiration , the plate sealed and incubated at room temperature for one hour . the wells were then counted for 1 min in a topcount scintillation counter ( packard ). this assay monitors binding of a fluorescent analog of estrogen ( fluormone es2 , panvera ) to the estrogen receptor . plates are read in a fluorometer that can be set to polarization mode . a decrease in fluorescence relative to vehicle control is an indication of binding of a compound to the receptor . it is crucial to avoid introduction of air bubbles into the reaction in each well of the 96 well plate throughout this procedure . ( bubbles on the surface of the reaction disrupt light flow , affecting the polarization reading .) however , it is also crucial to effectively mix the reaction components upon addition to the well . on ice , a 2 × standard mixture of assay buffer ( panvera ), 10 nm dtt and 40 nm es2 was prepared . on ice , a 2 × reaction mixture of assay buffer ( panvera ), and 20 nm her - β ( panvera ) and 40 nm es2 was also prepared . dilutions of test compound were prepared in 30 % ( v / v ) dimethyl sulfoxide / 50 mm hepes , ph 7 . 5 . at this point , the dilutions were 40 × the final required concentration . the standard mixture at 50 μl was then added to each well . the reaction mixture at 48 μl was added to all wells . the compound dilution at 2 . 5 μl was added to the appropriate wells . the reaction mixtures were mixed using a manual pipette , a roll of aluminum foil adhesive cover was placed on the plate and the plate incubated at room temperature for 1 hour . each well on the plate was then read in an ljl analyst with an excitation wavelength of 265 nm and an emission wavelength of 538 . representative compound of the present invention were tested according to the procedure described above for binding to the estrogen receptor α and estrogen receptor β , with results as listed in table 6 . briefly , mcf - 7 cells ( from dr . c . jordan , northwestern university ) were maintained in rpmi 1640 phenol red free medium ( gibco ) in 10 % fbs ( hyclone ), supplemented with bovine insulin and non - essential amino acid ( sigma ). the cells were initially treated with 4 - hydroxytamoxifen ( 10 − 8 m ) and let stand at 37 ° c . for 24 hours . following this incubation with tamoxifen , the cells were treated with compounds at various concentrations . compounds to be tested in the agonist mode were added to the culture media at varying concentrations . compounds to be treated in the antagonist mode were prepared similarly , and 10 nm 17β - estradiol was also added to the culture media . the cells were incubated for 24 hours at 37 ° c . following this incubation , 0 . 1 μci of 14 c - thymidine ( 56 mci / mmol , amersham ) was added to the culture media and the cells were incubated for an additional 24 hours at 37 ° c . the cells were then washed twice with hank &# 39 ; s buffered salt solution ( hbss ) ( gibco ) and counted with a scintillation counter . the increase in the 14 c - thymidine in the compound treated cells relative to the vehicle control cells were reported as percent increase in cell proliferation . this assay was run according to the procedure described by albert et al ., cancer res , ( 9910 ), 50 ( 11 ), 330 - 6 - 10 , with minor modification . ishikawa cells ( from atcc ) were maintained in dmem / f12 ( 1 : 1 ) phenol red free medium ( gibco ) supplemented with 10 % calf serum ( hyclone ). 24 hours prior to testing , the medium was changed to dmem / f12 ( 1 : 1 ) phenol red free containing 2 % calf serum . compounds to be tested in the agonist mode were added to the culture media at varying concentrations . compounds to be treated in the antagonist mode were prepared similarly , and 10 nm 17β - estradiol was also added to the culture media . the cells were then incubated at 37 ° c . for 3 days . on the fourth day , the media was remove , 1 volume of 1 × dilution buffer ( clontech ) was added to the well followed by addition of 1 volume of assay buffer ( clontech ). the cells were then incubated at room temperature for 5 minutes . 1 volume of freshly prepared chemiluminescence buffer ( 1 volume of chemiluminescent substrate ( cspd ) in 19 volume chemiluminescent enhancer with final concentration of cspd at 1 . 25 mm ; sigma chemical co .) was added . the cells were incubated at room temperature for 10 minutes and then quantified on a luminometer . the increase of chemiluminescence over vehicle control was used to calculate the increase in alkaline phosphatase activity . representative compound of the present invention were tested according to the procedure described in examples 14 and 15 above , with results as listed in table . 7 . as a specific embodiment of an oral composition , 100 mg of the compound # 43 , is formulated with sufficient finely divided lactose to provide a total amount of 580 to 590 mg to fill a size 0 hard gel capsule . while the foregoing specification teaches the principles of the present invention , with examples provided for the purpose of illustration , it will be understood that the practice of the invention encompasses all of the usual variations , adaptations and / or modifications as come within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents . | 2 |
referring now to the drawings , a section of the passenger compartment of an automobile is shown generally as 100 in fig1 . a driver of a vehicle 101 sits on a seat 102 behind a steering wheel 103 which contains an airbag assembly 104 . five transmitter and / or receiver assemblies 110 , 111 , 112 , 113 and 114 are positioned at various places in the passenger compartment to determine the location of the head , chest and torso of the driver relative to the airbag . usually , in any given implementation , only one or two of the transmitters and receivers would be used depending on their mounting locations as described below . fig1 illustrates several of the possible locations of such devices . for example , transmitter and receiver 110 emits ultrasonic acoustical waves which bounce off the chest of the driver and return . periodically a burst of ultrasonic waves at about 50 kilohertz is emitted by the transmitter / receiver and then the echo , or reflected signal , is detected by the same or different device . an associated electronic circuit measures the time between the transmission and the reception of the ultrasonic waves and thereby determines the distance from the transmitter / receiver to the driver based on the velocity of sound . this information is then sent to the crash sensor and diagnostic circuitry which determines if the driver is close enough to the airbag that a deployment might , by itself , cause injury to the driver . in such a case the circuit disables the airbag system and thereby prevents its deployment . in an alternate case , the sensor algorithm assesses the probability that a crash requiring an airbag is in process and waits until that probability exceeds an amount that is dependent on the position of the occupant . thus , for example , the sensor might decide to deploy the airbag based on a need probability assessment of 50 %, if the decision must be made immediately for an - occupant approaching the airbag , but might wait until the probability rises to 95 % for a more distant occupant . although a driver system has been illustrated , the passenger system would be identical . in another implementation , the sensor algorithm may determine the rate that gas is generated to affect the rate that the airbag is inflated . in all of these cases the position of the occupant is used to affect the deployment of the airbag either as to whether or not it should be deployed at all , the time of deployment or as to the rate of inflation . the ultrasonic transmitter / receiver 110 is similar to that used on modern auto - focus cameras such as manufactured by the polaroid corporation . other camera auto - focusing systems use different technologies , which are also applicable here , to achieve the same distance to object determination . one camera system manufactured by fuji of japan , for example , uses a stereoscopic system which could also be used to determine the position of a vehicle occupant providing there is sufficient light available . in the case of insufficient light , a source of infrared light can be added to illuminate the driver . in a related implementation , a source of infrared light is reflected off of the windshield and illuminates the vehicle occupant . an infrared receiver 114 is located attached to the rear view mirror 105 , as shown in fig1 . alternately , the infrared could be sent by the device 114 and received by a receiver elsewhere . since any of the devices shown in fig1 and 3 could be either transmitters or receivers or both , for simplicity , only the transmitted and not the reflected wave fronts are illustrated . in the above described system a lens within receptor 114 captures the reflected infrared light from the head or chest of the driver and displays it onto a charge coupled device ( ccd ) array . one type of ccd is that used in television cameras to convert an image into an electrical signal . for the purposes herein a ccd will be used to include all devices which are capable of converting light frequencies , including infrared , into electrical signals . the ccd is scanned and the focal point of the lens is altered , under control of an appropriate circuit , until the sharpest image of the driver &# 39 ; s head or chest results and the distance is then known from the focusing circuitry . the precision of this measurement is enhanced if two receptors are used which can either project images onto a single ccd or on separate ccd &# 39 ; s . in the first case , one of the lenses could be moved to bring the two images into coincidence while in the other case the displacement of the images needed for coincidence would be determined mathematically . naturally , other systems could be used to keep track of the different images such as the use of filters creating different infrared frequencies for the different receptors and again using the same ccd array . in addition to greater precision in determining the location of the occupant , the separation of the two receptors can also be used to minimize the effects of hands , arms or other extremities which might be very close to the airbag . in this case , where the receptors are mounted high on the dashboard on either side of the steering wheel , an arm , for example , would show up as a thin object but much closer to the airbag than the larger body parts and , therefore , easily distinguished and eliminated , permitting the sensors to determine the distance to the occupant &# 39 ; s chest . this is one example of the use of pattern recognition . an optical infrared transmitter and receiver assembly is shown generally at 112 in fig1 and is mounted onto the instrument panel facing the windshield . although not shown in this view , reference 112 consists of three devices , one transmitter and two receivers , one on each side of the transmitter . in this case the windshield is used to reflect the illumination light , and also the light reflected back by the driver , in a manner similar to the “ heads - up ” display which is now being offered on several automobile models . the “ heads - up ” display , of course , is currently used only to display information to the driver and is not used to reflect light from the driver to a receiver . in this case the distance to the driver is determined stereoscopically through the use of the two receivers . in its most elementary sense , this system can be used to measure the distance of the driver to the airbag module . in more sophisticated applications , the position of the driver , and particularly of the drivers head , can be monitored over time and any behavior , such as a drooping head , indicative of the driver falling asleep or of being incapacitated by drugs , alcohol or illness can be detected and appropriate action taken . other forms of radiation including visual light , radar and microwaves as well as high frequency ultra sound could also be used by those skilled in the art . particular mention should be made of the use of radar since inexpensive single axis antennas are now readily available . a scanning radar beam is used in this implementation and the reflected signal is received by a single axis phase array antenna to generate an image of the occupant for input into the appropriate pattern detection circuitry . the word circuitry as used herein includes , in addition to normal electronic circuits , a microprocessor and appropriate software . electromagnetic or ultrasonic energy can be transmitted in three modes in determining the position of an occupant . in most of the cases disclosed above , it is assumed that the energy will be transmitted in a broad diverging beam which interacts with a substantial portion of the occupant . this method has the disadvantage that it will reflect first off the nearest object and , especially if that object is close to the transmitter , it may mask the true position of the occupant . this can be partially overcome through the use of the second mode which uses a narrow beam . in this case , several narrow beams are used . these beams are aimed in different directions toward the occupant from a position sufficiently away from the occupant that interference is unlikely . a single receptor could be used providing the beams are either cycled on at different times or are of different frequencies . another approach is to use a single beam emanating from a location which has an unimpeded view of the occupant such as the windshield header . if two spaced apart ccd array receivers are used , the angle of the reflected beam can be determined and the location of the occupant can be calculated . the third mode is to use a single beam in a manner so that it scans back and forth or up and down , or in some other pattern , across the occupant . in this manner , an image of the occupant can be obtained using a single receptor and pattern recognition software can be used to locate the head or chest of the occupant . the beam approach is most applicable to electromagnetic energy but high frequency ultra sound can also be formed into a narrow beam . the windshield header as used herein includes the space above the front windshield including the first few inches of the roof . a similar effect to modifying the wave transmission mode can also be obtained by varying the characteristics of the receptors . through appropriate lenses or reflectors , receptors can be made to be most sensitive to radiation emitted from a particular direction . in this manner a single broad beam transmitter can be used coupled with an array of focused receivers to obtain a rough image of the occupant . each of these methods of transmission or reception could be used , for example , at any of the preferred mounting locations shown in fig1 . another preferred location of a transmitter / receiver for use with airbags is shown at 111 in fig1 . in this case the device is attached to the steering wheel and gives an accurate determination of the distance of the driver &# 39 ; s chest from the airbag module . this implementation would generally be used with another device such as 110 at another location . alternate mountings for the transmitter / receiver include various locations on the instrument panel on either side of the steering column such as 113 in fig1 . also , although some of the devices herein illustrated assume that for the ultrasonic system the same device would be used for both transmitting and receiving waves , there are advantages in separating these functions . since there is a time lag required for the system to stabilize after transmitting a pulse before it can receive a pulse , close measurements are enhanced , for example , by using separate transmitters and receivers . in addition , if the ultrasonic transmitter and receiver are separated , the transmitter can transmit continuously providing the transmitted signal is modulated in such a manner that the received signal can be compared with the transmitted signal to determine the time it took for the waves to reach and reflect off of the occupant . many methods exist for this modulation including varying the frequency or amplitude of the waves or by pulse modulation or coding . in all cases , the logic circuit which controls the sensor and receiver must be able to determine when the signal which was most recently received was transmitted . in this manner , even though the time that it takes for the signal to travel from the transmitter to the receiver , via reflection off of the occupant , may be several milliseconds , information as to the position of the occupant is received continuously which permits an accurate , although delayed , determination of the occupant &# 39 ; s velocity from successive position measurements . conventional ultrasonic distance measuring devices must wait for the signal to travel to the occupant and return before a new signal is sent . this greatly limits the frequency at which position data can be obtained to the formula where the frequency is equal to the velocity of sound divided by two times the distance to the occupant . for example , if the velocity of sound is taken at about 1000 feet per second , occupant position data for an occupant located one foot from the transmitter can only be obtained every 2 milliseconds which corresponds to a frequency of 500 cycles per second . this slow frequency that data can be collected seriously degrades the accuracy of the velocity calculation . the reflection of ultrasonic waves from the clothes of an occupant , for example , can cause noise or scatter in the position measurement and lead to significant inaccuracies in a given measurement . when many measurements are taken more rapidly , as in the technique described here , these inaccuracies can be averaged and a significant improvement in the accuracy of the velocity calculation results . the determination of the velocity of the occupant need not be derived from successive distance measurements . a potentially more accurate method is to make use of the doppler effect where the frequency of the reflected waves differs from the transmitted waves by an amount which is proportional to the occupant &# 39 ; s velocity . in a preferred embodiment of the present invention , a single ultrasonic transmitter and a separate receiver are used to measure the position of the occupant , by the travel time of a known signal , and the velocity , by the frequency shift of that signal . although the doppler effect has been used to determine whether an occupant has fallen asleep as disclosed in the u . s . patent to king referenced above , it has not heretofore been used in conjunction with a position measuring device to determine whether an occupant is likely to become out of position and thus in danger of being injured by a deploying airbag . this combination is particularly advantageous since both measurements can be accurately and efficiently determined using a single transmitter and receiver pair resulting in a low cost system . another preferred embodiment of this invention makes use of radio waves and a voltage controlled oscillator ( vco ). in this implementation , the frequency of the oscillator is controlled through the use of a phase detector which adjusts the oscillator frequency so that exactly one half wave occupies the distance from the transmitter to the receiver via reflection off of the occupant . the adjusted frequency is thus inversely proportional to the distance from the transmitter to the occupant . alternately , an fm phase discriminator can be used as known to those skilled in the art . these systems could be used in any of the locations illustrated in fig1 . it was suggested in the u . s . patent to mattes et al . discussed above , that a passive infrared system could be used to determine the position of an occupant relative to an airbag . passive infrared measures the infrared radiation emitted by the occupant and compares it to the background . as such , unless it is coupled with a pattern recognition system , it can best be used to determine that an occupant is moving toward the airbag since the amount of infrared radiation would then be increasing . therefore , it could be used to estimate the velocity of the occupant but not his / her position relative to the airbag , since the absolute amount of such radiation will depend on the occupant &# 39 ; s size , temperature and clothes as well as on his position . when passive infrared is used in conjunction with another distance measuring system , such as the ultrasonic system described above , the combination would be capable of determining both the position and velocity of the occupant relative to the airbag . such a combination would be economical since only the simplest circuits would be required . in one implementation , for example , a group of waves from an ultrasonic transmitter could be sent to an occupant and the reflected group received by a receiver . the distance to the occupant would be proportional to the time between the transmitted and received groups of waves and the velocity determined from the passive infrared system . this system could be used in any of the locations illustrated in fig1 as well as others not illustrated . passive infrared could also be used effectively in conjunction with a pattern recognition system . in this case , the passive infrared radiation emitted from an occupant can be focused onto a ccd array and analyzed with appropriate pattern recognition circuitry , or software , to determine the position of the occupant . such a system could be mounted at any of the preferred mounting locations shown in fig1 as well as others not illustrated . a transmitter / receiver 215 shown mounted on the cover of the airbag module is shown in fig2 . the transmitter / receiver 215 is attached to various electronic circuitry , not shown , by means of wire cable 212 . when an airbag deploys , the cover 220 begins moving toward the driver . if the driver is in close proximity to this cover during the early stages of deployment , the driver can be seriously injured or even killed . it is important , therefore , to sense the proximity of the driver to the cover and if he or she gets too close , to disable deployment of the airbag . an accurate method of obtaining this information would be to place the distance measuring device onto the airbag cover as is shown in fig2 . appropriate electronic circuitry can be used to not only determine the actual distance of the driver from the cover but also his velocity as discussed above . in this manner , a determination can be made as to where the driver is likely to be at the time of deployment of the airbag . this information can be used most importantly to prevent deployment but also to modify the rate of airbag deployment . in fig2 for one implementation , ultrasonic waves are transmitted by a transmitter / receiver 215 toward the chest 222 of the driver . the reflected waves are then received by the same transmitter / receiver 215 . one problem of the system using a sensor 111 in fig1 or sensor 215 as shown in fig2 is that a driver may have inadvertently placed his hand over the transmitter / receiver 111 or 215 , thus defeating the operation of the device . a second confirming transmitter / receiver 110 is therefore placed at some other convenient position such as on the roof or headliner of the passenger compartment as shown in fig3 . this transmitter / receiver operates in a manner similar to 111 and 215 . a more complicated and sophisticated system is shown conceptually in fig4 where transmitter / receiver assembly 112 is illustrated . in this case , as described briefly above , an infrared transmitter and a pair of optical receivers are used to capture the reflection of the passenger . when this system is used to monitor the driver as shown in fig4 with appropriate circuitry and a microprocessor , the behavior of the driver can be monitored . using this system , not only can the position and velocity of the driver be determined and used in conjunction with an airbag system , but it is also possible to determine whether the driver is falling asleep or exhibiting other potentially dangerous behavior by comparing portions of his / her image over time . in this case the speed of the vehicle can be reduced or the vehicle even stopped if this action is considered appropriate . this implementation has the highest probability of an unimpeded view of the driver since he / she must have a clear view through the windshield in order to operate the motor vehicle . as discussed above , a primary object of this invention is to provide information as to the location of the driver , or other vehicle occupant , relative to the airbag , to appropriate circuitry which will process this information and make a decision as to whether to prevent deployment of the airbag in a situation where it would otherwise be deployed , or otherwise affect the time of deployment . one method of determining the position of the driver as discussed above is to actually measure his or her position either using microwaves , optics or acoustics . an alternate approach , which is preferably used to confirm the measurements made by the systems described above , is to use information about the position of the seat and the seatbelt spool out to determine the likely location of the driver relative to the airbag . to accomplish this the length of belt material which has been pulled out of the seatbelt retractor can be measured using conventional shaft encoder technology using either magnetic or optical systems . an example of an optical encoder is illustrated generally as 501 in fig5 . it consists of an encoder disk 502 and a receptor 503 which sends a signal to appropriate circuitry every time a line on the encoder disk passes by the receptor . in a similar manner , the position of the seat can be determined through either a linear encoder or a potentiometer as illustrated in fig6 . in this case , a potentiometer 601 is positioned along the seat track 602 and a sliding brush assembly 603 is used with appropriate circuitry to determine the fore and aft location of the seat 610 . naturally , for those seats which permit the seat back angle to be adjusted , a similar measuring system would be used to determine the angle of the seat back . in this manner the position of the seat relative to the airbag module can be determined . this information can be used in conjunction with the seatbelt spool out sensor to confirm the approximate position of the chest of the driver relative to the airbag . for most cases the seatbelt spool out sensor would be sufficient to give a good confirming indication of the position of the occupant &# 39 ; s chest regardless of the position of the seat and seat back . this is because the seatbelt is usually attached to the vehicle at least at one end . in some cases , especially where the seat back angle can be adjusted , separate retractors would be used for the lap and shoulder portions of the seatbelt and the belt would not be permitted to slip through the “ d - ring ”. the length of belt spooled out from the shoulder belt retractor then becomes a very good confirming measure of the position of the occupant &# 39 ; s chest . the occupant position sensor in any of its various forms can be integrated into the airbag system circuitry as shown schematically in fig7 . in this example , the occupant position sensors are used as an input to a smart electronic sensor and diagnostic system . the electronic sensor determines whether the airbag should be deployed based on the vehicle acceleration crash pulse , or crush zone mounted crash sensors , and the occupant position sensor determines whether the occupant is too close to the airbag and therefore that the deployment should not take place . a particular implementation of an occupant position sensor having a range of from 0 to 2 meters ( corresponding to an occupant position of from 0 to 1 meter since the signal must travel both to and from the occupant ) using infrared is illustrated in the block diagram schematic of fig8 . the operation is as follows . a 48 mhz signal , f 1 , is generated by a crystal oscillator 801 and fed into a frequency tripler 802 which produces an output signal at 1 . 44 mhz . the 1 . 44 mhz signal is then fed into an infrared diode driver 803 which drives the infrared diode 804 causing it to emit infrared light modulated at 144 mhz and a reference phase angle of zero degrees . the infrared diode 804 is directed at the vehicle occupant . a second signal f 2 having a frequency of 48 . 05 mhz , which is slightly greater than f 1 , is also fed into a frequency tripler 806 to create a frequency of 144 . 15 mhz . this signal is then fed into a mixer 807 which combines it with the 144 mhz signal from frequency tripler 802 . the combined signal from the mixer 807 is then fed to filter 808 which removes all signals except for the difference , or beat frequency , between 3 times f 1 and 3 times f 2 , of 150 khz . the infrared signal which is reflected from the occupant is received by receiver 809 and fed into pre - amplifier 811 . this signal has the same modulation frequency , 144 mhz , as the transmitted signal but now is out of phase with the transmitted signal by an angle x due to the path that the signal took from the transmitter to the occupant and back to the receiver . the output from pre - amplifier 811 is fed to a second mixer 812 along with the 144 . 15 mhz signal from the frequency tripler 806 . the output from mixer 812 is then amplified by the automatic gain amplifier 813 and fed into filter 814 . the filter 814 eliminates all frequencies except for the 150 khz difference , or beat , frequency in a similar manner as was done by filter 808 . the resulting 150 khz frequency , however , now has a phase angle x relative to the signal from filter 808 . both 150 khz signals are now fed into a phase detector 815 which determines the magnitude of the phase angle x . it can be shown mathematically that , with the above values , the distance from the transmitting diode to the occupant is x / 345 . 6 where x is measured in degrees and the distance in meters . the applications described herein have been illustrated using the driver of the vehicle . naturally the same systems of determining the position of the occupant relative to the airbag apply to the passenger , sometimes requiring minor modifications . it is likely that the sensor required triggering time based on the position of the occupant will be different for the driver than for the passenger . current systems are based primarily on the driver with the result that the probability of injury to the passenger is necessarily increased either by deploying the airbag too late or by failing to deploy the airbag when the position of the driver would not warrant it but the passenger &# 39 ; s position would . with the use of occupant position sensors for both the passenger and driver , the airbag system can be individually optimized for each occupant and result in further significant injury reduction . in particular , either the driver or passenger system can be disabled if either the driver or passenger is out of position . there is almost always a driver present in vehicles that are involved in accidents where an airbag is needed . only about 30 % of these vehicles , however , have a passenger . if the passenger is not present , there is usually no need to deploy the passenger side airbag . the occupant position sensor , when used for the passenger side with proper pattern recognition circuitry , can also ascertain whether or not the seat is occupied , and if not , can disable the deployment of the passenger side airbag and thereby save the cost of its replacement . a sophisticated pattern recognition system could even distinguish between an occupant and a bag of groceries , for example . finally , there has been much written about the out of position child who is standing or otherwise positioned adjacent to the airbag , perhaps due to pre - crash braking . naturally , the occupant position sensor described herein can prevent the deployment of the airbag in this situation . there has thus been shown and described an occupant position sensor which fulfills all the objects and advantages sought after . many changes , modifications , variations and other uses and applications of the subject invention will , however , become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering this specification and the accompanying drawings which disclose the preferred embodiments thereof . all such changes , modifications , variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by the following claims . | 1 |
referring now to fig1 there is seen a cooling system 10 having a cryogenic container 12 and a supply tank 14 . the container 12 is supplied with cryogenic cooling fluid 16 , such as liquid nitrogen , from the supply tank 14 by way of a supply line 18 . an electronic device , such as an ic chip 20 , is housed in the container 12 and submerged in the cryogenic fluid in order to maintain the ic chip at a very low temperature . as heat is removed from the ic chip in order to maintain it at the desired low temperature , vapors from the cooling fluid are formed within the container 12 and are released from the container through a vent 22 . in order to maintain cryogenic fluid in the container 12 at a sufficient level , a level controller 26 is provided . the controller 26 controls the amount of fluid that is provided by the supply line 18 from tank 14 . because of the continuous evaporation of the cooling fluid 16 during the cooling of the ic chip 20 , the controller 26 dynamically and continually controls the level of the cooling fluid , in a manner that will described below . fig2 shows the fluid level controller 26 in greater detail . the controller includes an aluminum frame 30 having a base that forms the body 34 of a ball valve 36 . the body of valve 36 has a horizontal bore forming a large diameter chamber 40 , a valve seat 42 and a smaller diameter chamber 44 . a barbed brass connector 46 is inserted into one end of the large diameter chamber 40 , with a spring 48 trapped in the central bore of the connector 46 so as to urge or bias a valve ball 50 into sealing relationship with the valve seat 42 . a valve stem or pin 52 is supported for sliding movement within a bore 54 that is coaxial with the chambers 40 and 44 and formed in the valve body at the end opposite the barbed connector 46 . one end of the barbed connector 46 is connected to the line 18 from the supply tank 14 ( fig1 ) with the barbs on the connector 46 securing the line 18 . that end of the connector 46 serves as a valve inlet 60 of the valve 36 . a valve outlet 62 is formed in the valve body 34 , communicating with the small diameter chamber 44 . the valve outlet 62 also serves as the inlet to the container 12 for cryogenic fluid provided to the container 12 through the valve 36 from the supply tank 14 . the upper portion of the frame 30 has two collars 70 formed therein for loosely supporting a thermal expansion member or cylinder 72 . the interior of the cylinder 72 has a heating element 74 , which is connected to a suitable source of electrical energy by a pair of wires 76 . the cylinder 72 is designed to be submerged in the cryogenic fluid 16 ( fig1 ) and thus it is sealed to prevent the fluid 16 from entering the interior of the cylinder and making direct contact with the heating element 74 . a lever 80 is pivotally supported on the frame 30 by a pin 82 . the lever 80 has a perpendicular extension 84 near one end 86 of the lever . for reasons which will become apparent , the pin 82 is positioned close to the end 86 of the lever ( the end nearest the extension 84 and the cylinder 72 ) so that a relatively small lateral movement of the lever 80 at the end 86 will result in a much greater ( and opposite ) lateral movement of the lever at its opposite end 88 . the operation of the controller 26 will now be described with reference to fig2 and 3 . in fig2 the controller is illustrated in the condition where the cylinder 72 is above the level ( represented by the line 89 ) of the cryogenic fluid 16 and the valve 36 is open to permit the flow of fluid from the supply line 18 into the container 12 . in such condition , the heating element 74 heats the cylinder 72 and the cylinder expands . the longitudinal expansion of the cylinder 72 causes the end of the cylinder 72 closest to the lever 80 to move to the left , as viewed in fig2 causing the lever 80 to pivot counterclockwise in the direction of arrow 90 . the action of the lever 80 causes the pin 52 to move ball valve 50 away from the valve seat 42 , thereby opening the valve 36 and permitting cryogenic fluid to enter the container 12 . the loose fit of the cylinder 72 in the collars 70 permits the expansion of the cylinder without undue circumferential stresses on the cylinder . as cryogenic fluid enters the container 12 , the fluid rises to the level illustrated by the line 89 in fig3 where the cylinder 72 is submerged in the fluid . the cylinder 72 is cooled by the cryogenic fluid and contracts . the lever 80 pivots clockwise in the direction of arrow 92 ( under the influence of the spring 48 ), permitting the valve ball 50 to move to the left and rest against the valve seat 42 . the valve 36 is thus closed and the flow of fluid from the supply line 18 into the container stops . the heating element 74 contributes to the responsiveness of the controller 26 to changes in the level of the cryogenic fluid . when the level of the fluid is below the cylinder 72 , the heating element quickly heats the cylinder 72 and increases the amount of expansion of the cylinder . the very low temperature of the fluid , however , quickly dissipates the heat generated by the heating element 74 when the level of the fluid rises to the cylinder . it should be noted that although the operation of the controller 26 has been described as involving two separate conditions , i . e ., the first condition when the fluid level is below the cylinder 72 and the second condition when the fluid level is above the cylinder , in actual practice the operation of the controller and , in particular , the operation of the valve 36 is continuous and variable . as the level of the fluid falls below the cylinder 72 , the valve opens more , and as the fluid level rises after contacting the cylinder , the valve increasingly closes until it is fully closed as illustrated in fig3 . in most circumstances , depending upon the evaporation rate of the cryogenic fluid , the valve 36 will normally operate between the two conditions shown in fig2 and 3 , and will seldom be either fully open or fully closed . an important aspect of the present invention is the cylinder 72 and the material from which it is manufactured . it is desired that the cylinder 72 expand when the cylinder is not in contact with the cryogenic fluid ( the condition of the cylinder 72 illustrated in fig2 ), and thus the material most suited would be one with a relatively high thermal coefficient of expansion which will expand sufficiently to cause the level 80 to move in the direction of angular arrow 90 and open the valve 36 . one material with the desired characteristics would be polytetrafluoroethylene ( sold under the trademark teflon ). such material not only has the desired high coefficient of thermal expansion , but also does not become brittle when subjected to a very low temperature , as would be the case when the cylinder 72 is submerged in the cryogenic fluid 16 . however , other thermosetting plastics , such as polyamine , would have somewhat similar characteristics . the most important characteristic is the coefficient of thermal expansion , which should be relatively high ( greater than approximately 0 . 03 for the coefficient of linear thermal expansion ). even though the expansion of the cylinder 72 is needed in order to open the valve 36 , it should be appreciated that the actual longitudinal displacement of the cylinder to the left as viewed in fig2 is relatively slight . the location of the pivot point for the lever 80 ( as determined by the location of pin 82 ) will result in a greater displacement of the end 88 of the lever and the resulting displacement of the valve ball 50 in order to open the valve 36 . it can thus be seen that there has been provided by the present invention a fluid controller that is particularly well suited for a cryogenic container , that is simple in design and is inexpensive to manufacture . although the presently preferred embodiment of the invention has been described , it will be understood that various changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims . | 8 |
in the following detailed description , numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of claimed subject matter . however , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that claimed subject matter may be practiced without these specific . in other instances , methods , apparatuses , or systems that would be known by one of ordinary skill have not been described in detail so as not to obscure claimed subject matter . reference throughout this specification to “ one embodiment ” or an embodiment ” may mean that a particular feature , structure , or characteristic described in connection with a particularly embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of claimed subject matter . thus , appearances of the phrase “ in one embodiment ” or “ an embodiment ” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily intended to refer to the same embodiment or to any one particular embodiment described . furthermore , it is to be understood that particular features , structures , or characteristics described may be combined in various ways in one or more embodiments . in general , of course , these and other issues may vary with the particular context of usage . therefore , the particular context of the description or the usage of these terms may provide helpful guidance regarding inferences to be drawn for that context . likewise , the terms , “ and ”, “ and / or ,” and “ or ” as used herein may include a variety of meanings that also is expected to depend at least in part upon the context in which such terms are used . typically , “ or ” as well as “ and / or ” if used to associate a list , such as a , b or c , is intended to mean a , b , and c , here used in the inclusive sense , as well as a , b or c , here used in the exclusive sense . in addition , the term “ one or more ” as used herein may be used to describe any feature , structure , or characteristic in the singular or may be used to describe some combination of features , structures , or characteristics . though , it should be noted that this is merely an illustrative example and claimed subject matter is not limited to this example . as used to describe such embodiments , terms “ above ”, “ below ”, “ upper ”, “ lower ”, and “ side ” describe positions relative to an optical axis of such a compact imaging module . in particular , “ above ” and “ below ” refer to positions along an optical axis , wherein “ above ” refers to one side of an element and “ below ” refers to an opposite side of the element . relative to such an “ above ” and “ below ”, “ side ” refers to a side of an element that is displaced from an optical axis , such as the periphery of a lens , for example . further , it is under stood that such terms do not necessarily refer to a direction defined by gravity or any other particular orientation . instead , such terms are merely used to identify one portion versus another portion . accordingly , “ upper ” and “ lower ” may be equivalently interchanged with “ top ” and “ bottom ”, “ first ” and “ second ”, “ right ” and “ left ”, and so on . it should be understood that the present application is not limited to the preferred embodiments described hereinabove and , needless to say , a variety of modifications or variations may be made without departing from the scope of the protection defined herein . it should be noted that throughout the specification and claims herein , when one element is said to be “ coupled ” or “ connected ” to another , this does not necessarily mean that one element is fastened , secured , or otherwise attached to another element . instead , the term “ coupled ” or “ connected ” means that one element is either connected directly or indirectly to another element or is in mechanical or electrical communication with another element . fig1 ( a )- 1 ( c ) are different views a lens driving apparatus according to an embodiment . the lens driving apparatus 10 may include a casing 12 , a lens holder 14 , a hall sensor or hall element 16 , a coil 18 , one or more magnets 20 mounted on a magnet holder 22 , a plurality of guiding shafts 24 , a plurality of electrodes 26 , and a base or a support 28 . the base 28 can be a stationary or fixed rigid body to support various components of the lens driving apparatus 10 . there may be a hollow portion 30 at the center of the base 28 . some mechanical features , namely slots or grooves 32 , may be formed on the base 28 to receive the electrodes 26 . a fpcb ( flexible printed circuit board ) electrode 34 may also be provided . some electrodes 26 ( or all ) may be lying in these slots 32 and connect to some ( or all ) guiding shafts 24 . electric connection may be made via soldering ( or apply conductive adhesive ) the electrodes 26 to the guiding shafts 24 , or other conductive components which are electrically connected to the shafts 24 . in other embodiments , electrodes 26 may be allocated at other places rather than on the base 28 . certainly , the electrical connection method will also be subject to change accordingly . there may be four relatively smaller guiding holes 40 formed at four corners of the base 28 surrounding the hollow portion 30 . four guiding shafts 24 may be inserted into these guiding holes 40 and can be firmly fixed within these guiding holes 40 . it may not be necessary to use four guiding shafts 24 in the lens driving apparatus application . normally , one guiding shaft may already be enough for guiding the lens holder 14 to move along the optical axis or shaft axis direction . however , in order to avoid tilting or rotating of the lens holder 14 around the shaft axis , a second shaft or a third shaft can be applied to the lens driving apparatus 10 . in fig1 , four shafts 24 are just purely for the symmetric arrangement of the shafts 24 on the rectangular base 28 . needless to say , using 1 , 2 , or 3 shafts or even more shafts in the implementation does not depart from the scope of the protection defined herein . all shafts 24 can be aligned parallel to each other and the optical axis x , which is substantially perpendicular to the top surface of the base 28 . the shaft material can be conductive or non - conductive . in the case of conductive shaft , it can be used to conduct electric current to the coil 18 as described in the following description . needless to say , the present apparatus should not be limited to the circular guiding shaft . in other embodiments , other types of guiding members or guiding mechanisms may be applied . therefore , the term “ guiding shaft ” should be also understood as an alternative term to the guiding mechanism . the hall sensor 16 , which acts as a position encoder , can be installed on a top surface of the lens holder 14 to reflect the change of the position of the lens holder 14 . in this implementation , the hall sensor 16 may be mounted horizontally . however , mounting the hall sensor 16 vertically can also be acceptable . in another embodiment , the hall sensor 16 can be mounted on the side wall or peripheral area of the lens holder 14 . in some other embodiments , the hall sensor 16 is replaced by a position encoder or a sensor which can send out a signal to reflect the change of the position of the lens holder . fig2 ( a )- 2 ( d ) are different views of the magnets 20 and magnet holder 22 . similar to the base 28 , there may be a hollow portion 30 ′ at the center of the magnet holder 22 . there may also be smaller guiding holes 40 ′ at the corners of the holder 22 surrounding the hollow portion 30 ′. these guiding holes 40 ′ can also be used for receiving the guiding shafts 24 . in other embodiments , these guiding holes 40 ′ can be allocated at a corner area 48 as shown by the phantom line in fig2 a . needless to say , the position of all guiding holes must be well aligned with the other respective guiding holes on the other components of the lens driving apparatus 10 . magnets 20 can be allocated on the peripheral areas of the magnet holder 22 around the hollow portion 30 ′. the magnetization directions of the magnets 20 may be substantially arranged in the same plane parallel with the top / bottom surface of the magnet holder 22 , which is perpendicular to the optical axis x . the magnetization directions of the magnets 20 may also be arranged in the way of pointing inwards or outwards all together as shown by the arrows in fig2 ( b ) and fig2 ( c ) . fig2 ( d ) shows another embodiment of the magnets 20 and respective magnet holder 22 . for such magnet structure , a ring - shaped coil should be used and the coil holder should have respective change to hold the ring - shaped coil 18 . in this embodiment , magnets 20 ′ and magnet holder 22 may be firmly attached to the base 28 with all the guiding holes and hollow portions well aligned respectively . each magnet 20 ′ may be in the shape of an arc . in another embodiment ( fig3 ( a ) ), the magnet holder 22 and the base 28 may be integrated into a single unit with all the necessary features . slots 52 for receiving the magnets 20 may be formed . in another embodiment ( fig3 ( b ) ), the magnet holder 22 may also contain at least a yoke 50 which can be used to confine the magnetic field or flux to improve the electromagnetic force . slots 52 for receiving the magnets 20 can be formed by the yoke ( s ) 50 . the yoke 50 may be made of a magnetic conductive material . in another embodiment , the casing can serve as a yoke . fig4 ( a )- 4 ( d ) are different views of an embodiment of the lens holder 14 . the lens holder 14 may include a rectangular portion 60 and a tubular portion 62 . the tubular portion 62 of the lens holder 14 may sit inside the hollow portion 30 ′ of the magnet holder 22 and / or the hollow portion 30 of the base 28 . when the lens holder 14 is driven to move , the tubular portion 62 can move freely along the optical axis x inside the hollow portions 30 , 30 ′ of the magnet holder 22 and the base 28 . similarly , there may be four small guiding holes 40 ″ for mating precisely with the guiding shafts 24 . needless to say , the locations of the four guiding holes 40 ″ on the lens holder 14 must align with the other guiding holes 40 , 40 ′ on the other parts respectively . there may be a smaller rectangular portion 64 locating between the tubular portion 62 and rectangular portion 60 . a rectangular coil 18 can be attached firmly to the peripheral area of this smaller rectangular portion 64 . in some embodiments , the shaped of the coil 18 can be circular or in the shape of a ring . according to one embodiment ( fig4 ( c )- 4 ( d ) ), smaller guiding holes 40 ″′ on the smaller rectangular portion 64 may be designed to have a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the guiding shafts 24 . a conductive ring 66 can thus be inserted into and firmly fixed inside the smaller guiding holes 40 ′ as shown in fig5 ( a ) . the conductive ring 66 may be designed to have an inner diameter matched with the guiding shaft 24 so that the guiding shaft 24 can smoothly slide inside the conductive ring 66 without too much friction ( fig5 ( b ) ). a portion of the lens holder 14 between an inner sidewall of the guiding hole 40 ′ and an outer sidewall of the lens holder 14 can be cut out so that a portion of an outer sidewall of the conductive ring 66 can be exposed to facilitate soldering connection of the conductive ring 66 to the coil 18 which may be mounted around the outer sidewall of the lens holder 14 . in the illustrated embodiment , a portion ( e . g . a quarter ) of the smaller guiding holes 40 ″′ on the smaller rectangular portion 64 may be cut away so that a portion ( e . g . a quarter ) of the conductive ring 66 can be exposed to the outside world . the wire leads of the coil 18 can be soldered on this exposed portion of the conductive ring 66 so as to make electrical connection to the electrode 26 through the guiding shafts 24 . the conductive ring 66 may be cylindrical in shape . in some other embodiments , the conductive ring 66 ′ may be in the shape of a cylinder having outwardly extending flange formed at one end thereof as shown in fig5 ( c ) , and the conductive ring 66 ″ may be in the shape of a donut as shown in fig5 ( d ) . beside the conductive ring 66 , in another embodiment ( fig6 ( a )- 6 ( b ) ) one or more resilient conductive electrodes 70 can be installed on the lens holder 14 . this resilient electrode or brush 70 can act like an electrical brush in a traditional rotary motor . it can tightly contact the guiding shaft 24 by resilient force . fig6 ( b ) shows the position of the resilient brush 70 before the shaft 24 is inserted into the guiding hole 40 ″. the dotted line shows the position of the deformed or bent resilient brush 70 after the shaft 24 is inserted into the guiding hole 40 ″. in the present embodiment , one end of the resilient brush 70 can be installed on a wall of the tubular portion 62 perpendicular to the lens holder 14 . it is understood that the resilient brush 70 can be installed on any portion of the lens holder 14 as long as the resilient brush 70 can tightly contact the guiding shaft 24 . fig7 is a cross sectional view of the lens driving apparatus 10 to explain the working mechanism of the apparatus . the magnetization directions of the magnets 20 can be all parallel with a plane y that is perpendicular to the optical axis x or the lens holder moving direction or the optical axis direction . the coil 18 can be directly put on top of the magnets 20 between the n and s poles as shown in the figure . therefore , the magnetic flux passing through the coil 18 can be substantially perpendicular to the coil 18 or the current direction . according to the right - hand rule , the electromagnetic force generated on such situation can be pointing up or down with respect to the current direction . the electromagnetic force can be directly transferred to the lens holder 14 as the coil 18 can be firmly fixed on the lens holder 14 . the lens holder 14 can then move up or down according to the current direction . the moving direction of the lens holder 14 can be precisely controlled by the guiding shafts 24 or guiding mechanism . during the movement of the lens holder 14 , the hall sensor 16 will sense a variation of the magnetic field , thus changing the output signal . this signal can therefore reflect the lens holder position after a careful and precise calibration . therefore , to drive a lens or the lens holder 14 to the expected position , one can apply the current to the coil 18 and monitor the output signal of the hall sensor 16 . once the signal of hall sensor 16 indicates the arrival of the lens holder 14 to the expected position , the electric current will be stopped . certainly , the real implementation of the electric current control will be more complicated . once the electric current stops , the lens holder 14 will immediately stop at the place where it is because of the friction generated by the physical contact between the lens holder 14 and shafts 24 . friction is the main cause of holding the lens holder 14 at the position without current . if the friction is too large , the current needed ( or electric power needed ) to drive the lens holder 14 will be too large . if the friction is too small , it cannot resist the weight of the lens holder 14 and thus the lens cannot stay at the position where it should be . fig8 ( a )- 8 ( d ) show some perspective views of various implementation of the lens holder 14 . fig8 ( a ), ( b ) and ( c ) are trying to cut out unnecessary portion of the lens holder 14 , 14 ′ and 14 ″ to reduce the weight thereof . smaller or lighter lens holder 14 will help to reduce the electric current or power needed to drive a lens holder 14 . it will also help to save material cost as less material is needed . fig8 ( b ) shows an implementation which tries to reduce the contact area of the lens holder 14 ′ and shafts 24 while without losing guiding preciseness . fig8 ( d ) shows another implementation of the lens holder 14 ″′. connection rings 80 may be introduced into the lens holder 14 ″′ and inserted into guiding holes 82 . these connection rings 80 can be firmly fixed on the lens holder 14 ′ and their inner diameters perfectly match with the guiding shafts 24 or guiding mechanism . the connection rings 80 can be made of low - friction material , which has a low friction coefficient . the connection ring 80 can be coated with a low - friction layer to reduce the friction between the lens holder 14 ′ and guiding shaft 24 or guiding mechanism . certainly , selection of the connection ring material or low - friction coating material should match with guiding shaft materials or guiding mechanism materials , which can be conductive or non - conductive materials . furthermore , the connection ring material can be a low - friction and conductive material . moreover , in some embodiments , lubricants are applied to the contact surface or contact point of the guiding features to reduce the friction . fig9 ( a ) and 9 ( b ) are perspective views of various guiding mechanisms . fig9 ( a ) shows a v - groove type guiding mechanism which includes a v - shaped elongated projection 90 slidable along a v - shaped groove 92 . fig9 ( b ) shows a dovetail groove type guiding mechanism which includes a dovetail - shaped elongated projection 94 slidable along a dovetail - shaped groove 96 . it is understood that four guiding mechanisms are not necessary . the point is that at least one guiding mechanism can be used to guide the lens holder 14 movement direction . the fixed part of the guiding mechanism can be installed firmly on the base 28 , the magnet holder 22 , or an integrated base and magnet holder unit , or the like . the moving part of the guiding mechanism can be installed or attached firmly to the lens holder 14 . to reduce the friction , ball bearing can be installed onto the fixed part or moving part of the guiding mechanism . although the guiding mechanisms shown in fig9 are all integrated with the lens holder 14 to form a complete single unit , the guiding features can be an external part attached to the lens holder 14 . in all cases , the guiding mechanism can be composed of material different from that of the lens holder 14 . the guiding mechanism can be coated with a layer of low - friction material . the guiding mechanism can also use conductive material for electrical connection or coated with a conductive layer . lubricants can also be applied to the guiding mechanism to reduce the friction and thus to reduce the electrical current needed to drive the lens driving apparatus . although it is not shown in the figures , it is understood that there are many other types of grooves that can be used as guiding mechanism , such as arc shape , rectangular shape , cylindrical shape , any other male - female mating parts , or the like . in some embodiments , the hall sensor 16 or position encoder may be mounted on the fixed portion of the lens driving apparatus 10 . in such embodiment , the magnets 20 can be mounted on the lens holder . fig1 is a perspective view of a lens driving apparatus according to another embodiment . the lens driving apparatus 110 may include a base 112 , a coil 114 , four guiding shafts 116 , a lens holder 118 having a plurality of magnets 120 , and a hall sensor 122 mounted on the base 112 . the base 112 can be a rigid body providing solid mechanical support to the other components of the lens driving apparatus 110 . there may be a hollow portion at the center of the base 112 . the coil 114 can be firmly attached to the base 112 . in some other embodiments , the portion of the base 112 holding the coil 114 can be separated from the base 112 and forms an individual component , namely a coil holder . such separated coil holder design is particularly good for panelization of the individual component and batch processing . the four guiding shafts 116 may be rigidly installed on the base 112 . it is not necessary to use four guiding shafts 116 in the lens driving apparatus application . normally , one guiding shaft is already enough for guiding the lens holder 118 to move along the shaft &# 39 ; s axis direction . however , in order to avoid tilting or rotating of the lens holder 118 around the shaft axis , a second shaft or a third shaft can be applied to the lens driving apparatus 110 . in fig1 , four shafts 116 are just purely for the symmetric arrangement of the shafts 116 on the rectangular base 112 . it is understood that using 1 , 2 , or 3 shafts or even more shafts in the implementation does not depart from the scope of the protection defined herein . all shafts can be aligned parallel to each other and the optical axis , which is substantially perpendicular to the top surface of the base 112 . it is understood that the present application should not be limited to circular guiding shaft . in other embodiments , other types of guiding mechanisms can be applied . therefore , the term “ guiding shaft ” should be also understood as an alternative term to the guiding mechanism . the magnets 120 can be firmly attached to the lens holder 118 . in some other embodiments , the portion of the lens holder 118 holding the magnets 120 can be separated from the base 112 and forms an individual component , namely a magnet holder . such separated magnet holder design is particularly good for panelization of the individual component and batch processing . the magnetization of the magnet can be the same as described in fig2 . all the descriptions describing lens holder and magnet holder in the previous embodiment can all apply to the lens holder of this embodiment . for example , the lens holder 118 can also contain a tubular portion extending from the magnet holder portion . this tubular portion may also be moving into the hollow portion of the base 112 during lens holder movement . the hall sensor 122 may be installed on the top surface of the base 112 . in this implementation , the hall sensor 122 can be mounted horizontally . however , mounting the hall sensor 122 vertically is also acceptable . in another embodiment , the hall sensor 122 can be mounted on the side wall or peripheral area of the lens holder 118 . there are many other places where the hall sensor 122 can be installed . in one embodiment , the hall sensor 122 can be installed on the bottom surface of the base 112 . the bottom surface is actually the outer face of the lens driving apparatus 110 . such design is particularly good for improving the lens driving apparatus quality and consistency . since the hall sensor 122 is a semiconductor device , its performance or parameters is varying from piece to piece . if the hall sensor 122 is installed inside the lens driving apparatus 110 , it is difficult to change the hall sensor 122 if the hall sensor 122 fails , is poor , or is out of order . normally such replacement will damage the other portion of the lens driving apparatus 110 and create a lot of material waste or lost . on the contrary , if the hall sensor 122 can be installed on the outer surface of the lens driving apparatus 110 , a low quality hall sensor can be easily replaced by a good one without damaging the other portion of the lens driving apparatus . the lens driving apparatus of the present application can be incorporated into any image - capturing electronic devices such as cameras , video recorders , and mobile phones , etc . while there has been illustrated and described what are presently considered to be example embodiments , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various other modifications may be made , and equivalents may be substituted , without departing from the central concept described herein . additionally , many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation to the teachings of claimed subject matter without departing from the central concept described herein . therefore , it is intended that claimed subject matter not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed , but that such claimed subject matter may also include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims , and equivalents thereof . | 6 |
hereinafter , examples of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applicable is described in more detail with reference to the appended drawings . the measurement , material , and shape of the structural components of the image forming apparatus in the following embodiments of the present invention , and the positional relationship among the structural components , are not intended to limit the present invention in scope . that is , the present invention is also applicable to image forming apparatuses different from the image forming apparatuses in the following embodiments of the present invention , in terms of the measurement , material , and shape of the structural components of the image forming apparatus , the positional relationship among them , and also , in the settings . first , the image forming apparatus in this embodiment of the present invention is described about its overall structure and operation . fig1 is a schematic sectional view of the image forming apparatus 100 in this embodiment , and shows the general structure of the apparatus . the image forming apparatus 100 is a color image forming apparatus of the so - called tandem type , and employs an intermediary transferring member . in this embodiment , the image forming apparatus 100 has a sheet feeding station 30 , and four image formation stations 307 , more specifically , image formation stations 307 y , 307 m , 307 c and 307 k for forming yellow ( y ), magenta ( m ), cyan ( c ) and black ( b ) toner images , which correspond to the number of developers which are different in color . each image formation station 307 has an electrophotographic photosensitive member 50 ( 50 y , 50 m , 50 c or 50 k ) ( which hereafter will be referred to simply as “ photosensitive drum 50 ”), as an image bearing member , which is in the form of a drum . it has also laser - based exposing device 51 ( 51 y , 51 m , 51 c or 51 k ). further , it has : a charge roller 52 ( 52 y , 52 m , 52 c or 52 k , which is developing means ); a development roller 53 ( 53 y , 53 m , 53 c or 53 k , which is developing means ); etc . the image forming apparatus 100 has also an intermediary transferring member 40 , primary transfer roller 54 y , 54 m , 54 c and 54 k ( as primary transferring means ), and a secondary transfer station 60 . the secondary transfer station 60 is provided with a secondary transfer roller 60 a , which forms a secondary transferring portion t 2 between itself and intermediary transferring member 40 . the intermediary transferring member 40 is an endless belt , and is suspended and kept tensioned by a driving roller 42 , a tension roller 42 , and an auxiliary roller 43 ( which is rotated by movement of belt 40 ), and is circularly movable in the direction indicated by an arrow mark . further , the image forming apparatus 100 is provided with a cleaning means 44 for removing the toner remaining on the intermediary transferring member 40 after the secondary transfer . image formation signals are transmitted to the image formation stations 307 from a host computer , directly or through a network to which the host computer is connected , or transmitted to the image formation stations 307 ( as the image forming means ), from the control panel of the apparatus through a printer controller . in image formation station 307 ( 307 y , 307 m , 307 c or 307 k ), dc bias ( as charging bias ) is applied to the charge roller 52 ( 52 y , 52 m , 52 c or 52 k ) to uniformly charge the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 50 ( 50 y , 50 m , 50 c or 50 k , respectively ). then , the uniformly charged portion of the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 50 ( 50 y , 50 m , 50 c or 50 k ) is exposed to a beam of laser light emitted by the laser - based exposing devices 51 ( 51 y , 51 m , 51 c or 51 k ) while being modulated with the image formation signals . consequently , an electrostatic latent image is formed on the peripheral surface of each photosensitive drum 50 . the electrostatic latent image is developed into a visible image , that is , an image formed of toner ( developer ) by the application of dc bias to the development rollers 53 y , 53 m , 53 c or 53 k . then , dc bias as the primary transfer bias is applied between the intermediary transferring member 40 and photosensitive drum 50 through the primary transfer roller 54 ( 54 y , 54 m , 54 c or 54 k ), transferring ( primary transfer ) thereby the toner images , different in color , formed , one for one , on the photosensitive drums 50 y , 50 m , 50 c and 50 k , onto the intermediary transferring member 40 . in this embodiment , the process speed , that is , the moving speed of the intermediary transferring member 40 , is 240 mm / sec . the toner used by this image forming apparatus is negative in electrical polarity . thus , the primary transfer bias is positive dc bias . a sheet p of recording medium is fed into the apparatus main assembly by a feed roller 31 . then , it is conveyed by a pair of feeding / retarding rollers 32 and a pair of conveyance rollers 33 , to a pair of registration rollers 34 , which is remaining stationary . as the sheet p strikes the pair of the registration rollers 34 , it corrects itself in attitude . then , it is conveyed , with preset timing , to the secondary transfer station 60 , in which the toner images on the intermediary transferring member 40 are transferred onto the sheet p . while the toner images are transferred onto the sheet p ( secondary transfer ), positive dc bias , which causes a preset amount of transfer current to flow , is applied to the secondary transfer roller 60 a . the amount by which the positive dc current is applied is adjusted according to the environment in which the image forming apparatus 100 is being used and the operational mode in which the apparatus is operated . during the sheet intervals which occur in a continuous printing job , and at the end of a job , however , negative dc bias is applied to the secondary transfer roller 60 a . this application of the negative dc voltage is for electrically preventing the toner on the intermediary transferring member 40 from transferring onto the secondary transfer roller 60 a while there is no sheet p of recording medium in the secondary transfer portion t 2 , that is , while the intermediary transferring member 40 is in contact with the secondary transfer roller 60 a in the secondary transfer portion t 2 . after the secondary transfer , the toner remaining on the intermediary transferring member 40 is removed by the cleaning means 44 . them , the sheet p of recording medium is conveyed to the fixing device 61 by the secondary transfer roller 60 a of the secondary transfer station 60 and the intermediary transferring member 40 . in the fixing device 61 , the toner images on the sheet p are fixed to the sheet p while the sheet p is conveyed through the fixing device 61 , remaining pinched between the fixation roller 62 and pressure roller 63 of the fixing device 61 . after being conveyed through the fixing device 61 , the sheet p is conveyed further by a pair of discharge rollers 64 for the fixing device 61 , and then , is discharged by a pair of discharge rollers 65 into a delivery tray 66 in a manner to be layered in the delivery tray 66 . if a two - sided print command is given by the printer controller , the sheet p is reversed in its conveyance direction by the pair of discharge rollers 65 , so that it is conveyed for the second time , to the pair of registration rollers 34 , which is kept stationary , through a sheet conveyance passage for the two - sided printing ( which is at right end of apparatus in fig1 ). since the image forming apparatus 100 is used in various environments , it is equipped with various sensors for ensuring that the image forming apparatus 100 outputs satisfactory prints regardless of the environment in which it is operated . the typical sensors are a media sensor 88 , a temperature / humidity sensor 89 , and a density / color sensor 90 ( 90 a , 90 b ) ( which hereafter will be referred to as “ density sensor ”). the media sensor 88 is positioned upstream of the pair of registration rollers 34 , and detects such information as the degree of brightness of the sheet p of recording medium , degree of roughness ( flatness ) of the sheet p , and the like , while the sheet p is temporarily kept stationary by the registration rollers 34 . then , the media sensor 88 sends the information ( degree of flatness , etc .) to the control section ( which hereafter will be referred to as “ cpu ”) of the image forming apparatus 100 . based on this information , the cpu determines the type of the sheet p , and selects the optimal printing mode for the sheet p . the temperature / humidity sensor 89 is positioned next to the inward surface of the left wall of the apparatus main assembly ( as seen from front side of apparatus main assembly ), and monitors the internal and ambient temperature and humidity of the image forming apparatus 100 . generally speaking , an electrophotographic image forming apparatus is sensitive to temperature and humidity . therefore , the condition under which an electrophotographic image forming apparatus is operated , for example , the settings for the charge bias and transfer bias , are adjusted each time temperature / humidity information is sent to the cpu . the density sensor 90 is an optical sensor for detecting color difference and image density . the image forming apparatus 100 is provided with two density sensors 90 , which are aligned in the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the sheet p of recording medium conveyed by the intermediary transferring member 40 . next , the structure of the control system of the image forming apparatus in this embodiment is described . fig2 is a block diagram of the control system of the image forming apparatus in this embodiment . the printer controller 302 is enabled to communicate with the host computer 301 or control panel 303 , and also , with the engine control section 304 . the printer controller 302 receives a normal print command and information about the image to be formed , from the host computer 301 or control panel 303 . then , it converts the image information into bit data by analyzing the information , and sends , per print ( image ), a print reservation command , a print start command , and video signals , to the engine control section 304 , through the video interface 305 . first , the printer controller 302 sends a print reservation command to the engine control section 304 in response to the print command from the host computer 301 . next , as the image forming apparatus 100 becomes ready for printing , the printer controller 302 sends a print start command to the engine control section 304 . as the engine control section 304 receives the print start command from the printer controller 302 , it starts a printing operation . more concretely , the cpu 306 controls the engine control section 304 to make the image forming apparatus 100 carry out the printing operation for printing the chosen image , based on the information it received from the printer controller 302 through the video interface 305 . further , the cpu 306 plays the role of controlling the above described various sensors . for example , the cpu 306 plays the role of the toner patch forming means which forms the toner patch ( sheet interval patch ) to be detected by the density sensor 90 to adjust the image formation station ( image forming apparatus ) in the toner patch density level , by controlling the image formation station 307 and density control section 308 . here , a term “ sheet interval ” means the portion of the intermediary transferring member 40 , which is between the portion of the intermediary transferring member 40 , which comes into contact with the first of the two consecutively conveyed sheets of recording medium , in the secondary transfer station , and the portion of the intermediary transferring member 40 , which comes into contact with the second sheet of recording medium . that is , it means the portion of the intermediary transferring member 40 , which corresponds to the sheet interval . further , the cpu 306 looks up and renews the contents of a ram 309 or a rom 310 during an image forming operation or a density adjusting operation . the ram 309 stores the results of the detection by the density sensor 90 , for example , and the rom 310 stores the values of the settings for the image formation station 307 for each printing mode . & lt ; structure of density sensor as means for detecting density level of sheet interval patch & gt ; next , referring to fig3 , the density sensor 90 , which is the means for detecting the density level of the sheet interval patch , that is , a toner patch formed on the sheet interval portion of the intermediary transferring member 40 in order to adjust the image forming apparatus in image density during a continuous image forming operation ( in which multiple sheets of recording medium are continuously conveyed ), is described in detail about its structure . the density sensor 90 is positioned so that it directly faces the intermediary transferring member 40 and the sheet interval patch 94 . the light emitting element 91 in this embodiment , which is for illuminating the sheet interval patch , is an infrared light emitting diode sir - 34st3f ( product of rohm co ., ltd .). light sensing elements 92 a and 92 b , which are sensitive to infrared light , are photo - transistors rpt - 37pb3f ( product of rohm co ., ltd .) the light emitting element 91 is positioned so that the beam of infrared light it projects hits the surface of the intermediary transferring member 40 , at an angle of 45 ° relative to the direction perpendicular to the surface of the intermediary transferring member 40 . the light sensing element 92 a is positioned so that it will be straight above the center line of the sheet interval patch 94 on the intermediary transferring member 40 in terms of the widthwise direction of the intermediary transferring member 40 , whereas the light sensing element 92 b is positioned so that the angle between the direction perpendicular to the surface of the intermediary transferring member 40 and the line connecting the centerline of the intermediary transferring member 40 and the light sensing element 92 b becomes − 45 °. the light sensing elements 92 a and 92 b catch the portion of the beam of light , which was regularly reflected by the surface of the intermediary transferring member 40 , and the portion of the beam of light , which was regularly reflected by the surface of the sheet interval patch 94 on the intermediary transferring member 40 , and also , the portion of the beam of light , which was irregularly reflected by the surface of the intermediary transferring member 40 , and the portion of the beam of light , which was irregularly reflected by the surface of the sheet interval patch 94 on the intermediary transferring member 40 . by detecting both the intensity of the regularly reflected portion of the beam of light , and the intensity of the irregularly reflected portion of the beam of light , it is possible to detect the density of the sheet interval patch 94 across a wide range density , from the high level of density to the low level of density . fig4 is a drawing of the sheet interval patches 94 on the portion of the intermediary transferring member 40 , which is between the n - th sheet of recording medium and the ( n + 1 )- th sheet of recording medium . referring to fig4 , the sheet interval patches 94 are formed on the intermediary transferring member 40 by the above described toner patch forming means . more specifically , the cpu 306 controls the toner patch forming means so that the toner patch forming means forms the sheet interval patches 94 on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 50 , which each image formation station has , based on the information about each toner patch , with such timing that the sheet interval patches 94 will be transferred onto the portion ( sheet interval portion ) of the intermediary transferring member 40 , which corresponds to the sheet interval between the ( n − 1 )- th sheet and n - th sheet in a continuous printing job . each sheet interval patch 94 is formed so that the beam of infrared light emitted by the density sensor 94 hits the center of the sheet interval patch 94 . more specifically , four sheet interval patches 94 are formed for yellow , magenta , cyan , and black colors , one for one , so that the beam of infrared light emitted by the density sensor 90 a hits the center of the yellow sheet interval patch ( t - y ) and the center of the magenta sheet interval patch ( t - m ), whereas the beam of infrared light emitted by the density sensor 90 b hits the center of the cyan sheet interval patch ( t - c ) and the center of the black sheet interval patch ( t - k ). the positioning of the sheet interval patches 94 in terms of the recording medium conveyance direction is as follows . referring to fig4 , a referential code pd stands for the distance between the ( n − 1 )- th sheet of recording medium and the n - th sheet . a referential code a stands for the distance between the ( n − 1 )- th sheet and the sheet interval patch 94 ( t - y ), that is , the upstream sheet interval patch of the two sheet interval patches 94 ( t - y ) and 94 ( t - m ) aligned in the recording medium conveyance direction , and a code b stands for the distance between the upstream sheet interval patch 94 ( t - y ) and downstream sheet interval path ( t - m ), and also , for the distance between the upstream sheet interval patch 94 ( t - c ) and downstream 94 ( t - k ). further , a referential code c stands for the distance between the downstream sheet interval patch 94 ( t - m ) and the n - th sheet , and also , for the distance between the downstream sheet interval patch 94 ( t - k ) and the n - th sheet . the four sheet interval patches 94 are formed ( positioned ) so that the distances a , b , and c become the same in value ( a = b = c ). in terms of the direction perpendicular to the recording medium conveyance direction , the four sheet interval patches 94 are formed so that they will be within the path pw of the narrowest sheet of recording medium conveyable through the image forming apparatus 100 , for the reason that the density sensors 90 ( 90 a , 90 b ) double as color deviation correction sensors , and therefore , even when the narrowest sheet of recording medium ( which has width of pw ) conveyable through the image forming apparatus 100 is conveyed , the density sensors 90 have to properly function for color deviation correction . & lt ; soiling of back surface of sheet of recording medium by toner of sheet interval patch & gt ; in the case of the image forming apparatus 100 in this embodiment , the sheet interval pd is 55 mm , which is less than the length 75 . 4 of the circumference of the secondary transfer roller 60 a . therefore , if the peripheral surface of the secondary transfer roller 60 a is soiled by the sheet interval patches 94 , it is possible that the n - th sheet of recording medium , on which an image is formed immediately after the soiling of the secondary transfer roller 60 a , is soiled on its back side . also in the case of the image forming apparatus 100 in this embodiment , negative dc bias , which is − 50 v ( opposite in polarity from bias applied during normal operation ) is applied to the secondary transfer roller 60 a while the sheet interval portion pd of the intermediary transferring member 40 is conveyed through the secondary transfer portion t 2 . thus , the amount by which the toner on the intermediary transferring member 40 transfers onto the secondary transfer roller 60 a while the intermediary transferring member 40 is pressed upon the secondary transfer roller 60 a without the presence of a sheet of recording medium between itself and secondary transfer roller 60 a , is reduced by the electrostatic repulsion of the toner from the intermediary transferring member 40 . however , it is impossible to repel the entirety of the toner particles as they are physically transferred onto the secondary transfer roller 60 a . therefore , the image forming apparatus 100 in this embodiment forms such a sheet interval patch that makes the image forming apparatus 100 output a print , the back surface soiling of which attributable to the transfer of the toner from the secondary transfer roller 60 a is as inconspicuous as possible . further , after the completion of each printing job , the image forming apparatus 100 is idled ( second transfer roller 60 a is rotated ) in order to remove the toner on the secondary transfer roller 60 a by causing the toner to transfer back onto the intermediary transferring member 40 . that is , in the secondary transfer roller cleaning process to be carried out while the image forming apparatus 100 is idled after the completion of each printing job , the toner particles on the secondary transfer roller 60 a are made to transfer back onto the intermediary transferring member 40 regardless of their polarity , that is , whether the toner particles are normally charged or reversely charged . more concretely , the negative and positive dc biases are alternately applied for the length of time equivalent to one full rotations of the secondary transfer roller 60 a , while reducing the bias in absolute value , until each of the positive and negative dc voltage is applied for the length of time equivalent to three full rotations of the secondary transfer roller 60 a ; the secondary transfer roller 60 a is rotated a total of six full turns , while changing the voltage in polarity for every full turn . when the image forming apparatus 100 was operated in the environment which was normal in temperature and humidity , − 3300 v , + 1200 v , − 2100 v , + 800 v , − 330 v and + 300 v of dc voltages were sequentially applied as dc bias to the secondary transfer roller 60 a . next , the structure of the sheet interval patch 94 , which is the primary feature of the present invention that characterizes the present invention . fig5 is a schematic drawing of the sheet interval patch 94 to be formed on the intermediary transferring member 40 used by the image forming apparatus 100 in this embodiment . it shows the structure of the sheet interval patch 94 . the direction indicated by an arrow mark y is the same as the direction in which a sheet p of recording medium is conveyed . the area of the sheet interval patch 94 , which is designated by a referential code ti is the area ( density detection area ) necessary for the density sensors 90 to precisely detect the density of the sheet interval patches 94 . in the case of the image forming apparatus 100 in this embodiment , this area ti is square and is 10 mm × 10 mm in size . the density sensors 90 samples multiple times the outputs in the density detection area ti , and the cpu 306 samples multiple times the output of the density sensors 90 , which correspond in position to the density detection area ti , and averages the outputs . this procedure compensates for the nonuniformity , in density , of the sheet interval patch 94 , and also , the random noises attributable to the density sensors 90 themselves , and therefore , makes it possible for the density of the sheet interval patches 94 to be detected at a higher level of accuracy . further , each sheet interval patch 94 is provided with four rectangular portions to 1 and four quadrant portions to 2 . each rectangular portion to 1 is an extension of the density detection area ti by such a distance that will be described later . each quadrant portion to 2 is in the form of a fan , the apex of which coincides with one of the four corners of the density detection area ti , and its radius is equal to the width w of the rectangular portion to 1 . these areas , that is , the peripheral portions to of the sheet interval patch 94 , are formed in such a manner that their density linearly reduces , with the reflection density of the inward most side , that is , the portion next to the density detection area ti , being equal to the reflection density o . d . of the density detection area ti ( which hereafter will be referred to as “ o . d . ti ”). more concretely , the sheet interval patch 94 is formed so that its peripheral portions to linearly reduce in reflection density from the o . d . ti , which is equal to the reflection density of the density detection area ti , to zero , in proportion to the distance w from the edge of the density detection area ti . the reason why the sheet interval patch 94 was formed as described above is that human eyesight is such that the more gradual the changes in the difference in brightness between the center of an object and the peripheral portion of the object , the less it is likely to recognize the difference in density . further , in the case of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus , while an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 50 is developed into a visible image with the use of toner , toner tends to collect to the trailing end portion of the electrostatic latent image . this collection of toner , that is , the increase in density , which occurs across the downstream end portion of the latent image , contaminates the secondary transfer roller 60 a . thus , from the standpoint of preventing this type of contamination of the secondary transfer roller 60 a , forming the sheet interval patch 94 so that the peripheral portions to of the sheet interval patch 94 gradually reduce in density is thought to be effective in making the soiling of the back surface of a sheet of recording medium as inconspicuous as possible . next , referring to fig6 and 7 , the results of the experiments carried out to test these theories are described . in the experiments , sheet interval patches 94 , which are different in the o . d . ti and the width w of the peripheral portions to were formed on the intermediary transferring member 40 . shown in fig7 are the results of the experiment in which the sheet interval patches 94 described above were compared in terms of the level of back surface soiling of a sheet of recording medium ( which hereafter will be referred to simply as “ back surface soiling ”) after one full turn of the secondary transfer roller 60 a after a given portion of the secondary transfer roller 60 a moved past ( came into contact with ) the intermediary transferring member 40 . fig6 shows the examples of sheet interval patches 94 used in the comparative experiments . as will be evident from the images of the sheet interval patches 94 , the greater the width w of the peripheral portions to of the sheet interval patch 94 , the less ( weaker ) the contrast in density between the sheet interval patches 94 and the portions of a sheet of recording medium , which surround the sheet interval patch 94 . incidentally , the values of the o . d . ti given in fig7 are density values of the center portion t 1 of the sheet interval patch 94 obtained when the these patches were normally transferred onto a sheet of recording medium ( paper ). they are not the density of the soiled portion of the back surface of a sheet of recording medium conveyed immediately after the soiling of the secondary transfer roller 60 a . the sheets of recording medium ( paper ) used as the recording medium were sheets of copy / laser printer paper cs814 of size a4 ( product of canon co ., ltd . ), and the device used to measure the sheet interval patches 94 in density was a density measuring device rd - 918 ( product of x - rite co ., ltd .). further , regarding the vertical axis of the graph in fig7 , which presents visual ranking of the back surface soiling , a level 3 is the highest permissible level of back surface soiling , and a level 0 correspond to the case in which the back surface soiling is virtually undetectable . if two sheet interval patches 94 are the same in density , the one , the peripheral portions of which are greater in width w results in the less conspicuous back surface soiling . on the other hand , if two sheet interval patches 94 are the same in the width w of their peripheral portions to , the one which is lower in density is better in terms of the back surface soiling . if it is seen from a different angle , in the case of a sheet interval patch 94 , the rectangular portions ( to ) are conventional ( w = 0 ), when the reflection density o . d . ti of the sheet interval patch 94 is greater than 0 . 3 , the back surface soiling exceeds the limit . in comparison , if the sheet interval patch 94 is formed so that width w becomes five ( w = 5 ), a sheet interval patch , the o . d . ti of which is as high as 0 . 7 , can be keep within the permissible range in terms of the back surface soiling . thus , it can be said that when the o . d . ti is 0 . 3 , the image forming apparatus 100 is so good in print quality that the back surface soiling is virtually impossible to detect . that is , the sheet interval patch 94 can be widened in the density range , and therefore , the cpu is afforded more latitude when it controls the image forming apparatus 100 in density during sheet intervals . further , it becomes possible to make the multiple sheet interval portions of the intermediary transferring member 40 different in the density / tone pattern of the sheet interval patch 94 , making it possible to adjust the apparatus at multiple tone levels . therefore , it becomes possible to make more stable the image forming apparatus 100 in terms of the overall density / tone . in the case of the image forming apparatus 100 in this embodiment , the sheet interval patch 94 for black , yellow , magenta , and cyan colors were 0 . 5 in o . d . ti ( o . d . ti = 0 . 5 ) and 5 in the width w ( w = 5 ). the reflection density is the value of dr in the following mathematical equation , in which i0 stands for the amount of light projected upon the reflective surface , and i stands for the amount by which the light is reflected by the reflective surface : normally , reflection density is obtained by measuring the amount by which a beam of light projected upon a reflective surface at an angle of 45 ° is reflected in the direction of the normal line of the reflective surface . more concretely , the values obtained by measuring the reflection density of the sheet interval patch 94 with the use of a reflection density measuring device rd - 918 ( product of rite co ., ltd .) in particular , in each embodiment , the reflection density of the image on the first of the consecutively conveyed two sheets of recording medium after the formation of the sheet interval patch 94 , is the value obtained by measuring in reflection density the image after the transfer of the image onto the first sheet of paper , but before the fixation of the image to the sheet . in the following description of the embodiments of the present invention , it is stated as if the cpu 306 determines the amount of the refection density . however , there is a specific relationship between the above described reflection density dr and the amount i by which the light is reflected . thus , the image forming apparatus 100 may be structured so that the cpu 306 directly determines the amount i by which the light is reflected . further , the information about this amount of reflected light is equivalent to the information about the density of the sheet interval patch 94 . & lt ; means for adjusting image forming apparatus in density during sheet intervals & gt ; next , referring to the flowchart in fig8 , the method used by the above described cpu 306 , which functions as the means for adjusting the image forming apparatus 100 in image density during sheet intervals , in order to successively adjust in density the image forming apparatus 100 by detecting the density of the sheet interval patches 94 formed on the sheet interval portions of the intermediary transferring member 40 , is described . in step 1 - 1 , as soon as the cpu 306 starts a printing job , it finds out whether or not the remaining number of prints to be outputted for the printing job is no less than four , for the following reason : the image forming apparatus 100 in this embodiment is structured , because of the restrictions in terms of the structure and positioning of its components , so that it is adjusted in density during sheet intervals only when the remaining number of prints to be outputted is no less than a preset value . more concretely , for example , in the case of a printing job in which sheets of paper of size a4 are conveyed in the portrait mode , the image forming apparatus 100 is adjusted in density only when the remaining number of prints is no less than four , for the following reason . that is , at the point in time when the density of the sheet interval patch 94 formed in the interval between the first and second of two sheets of recording medium which are being consecutively conveyed , is detected , the image for the third print will have begun to be formed on the photosensitive drum 50 y , or the most upstream drum 50 . therefore , the print which will be affected by the information about the density adjustment is the fourth print or the prints thereafter . in such a case , however , the color deviation / density control section 308 predicts density changes which might occur to the second and third images ( prints ), based on the outputs of the temperature / humidity sensor 89 , and the information about the cumulative usage of each of the photosensitive drums 50 y , 50 m , 50 c and 50 k , in order to keep the image forming apparatus 100 stable in density . next , a case in which the remaining number of prints is no less than four is described . in such a case , the cpu forms sheet interval patches 94 with the use of the toner patch forming means . more concretely , the data of the sheet interval patches 94 shown in fig5 and 6 are stored in advance in the rom 310 . thus , the cpu 306 reads the data of the sheet interval patch 94 , which is in the rom 310 , and makes the image formation stations 307 sequentially form sheet interval patches 94 based on the sheet interval patch data , with preset timings , in step 1 - 2 . in step 1 - 3 , the density o . d . of each of the sheet interval patches 94 , different in color , is detected by the density sensors 90 . then in step 1 - 4 , the amount of difference between the detected density o . d . of each sheet interval patches 94 and the idealistic ( theoretical ) densities for each sheet interval patch 94 , which is based on the data for the sheet interval patch 94 prepared in advance , is calculated . then , in step 1 - 5 , the amount by which the image formation setting is to be adjusted for the fourth print and thereafter is determined . in the case of the image forming apparatus 100 in this embodiment , the so - called proportional control , that is , such control that compensates all at once for the entirety amount of difference between the idealistic ( theoretical ) density and actually measured density of the sheet interval patch 94 , is not carried out . instead , the proportion / integration control , which is for gradually reducing the difference , is used to determine the amount by which the image formation settings are to be adjusted . the examples of the image formation conditions ( settings ) to be adjusted are the contents of the table which are stored in the ram 309 and show the relationship between the image data and the amount by which laser light is to be emitted by the laser scanner , for each color . however , the image formation condition ( settings ) may be charge bias setting , development bias setting , etc ., instead of those mentioned above . here , the table which shows the amount by which laser light is to be emitted by the laser scanner is for showing the relationship between the image data and the level of intensity at which laser light is to be emitted , or the length of time the laser light is to be emitted by the laser scanner . needless to say , it is sometimes referred to as an image - density conversion table , or y - table . then , in step 1 - 6 , images are formed based on the adjusted image formation condition ( settings ). then , the cpu 306 returns to step 1 - 1 , in which it finds out whether the remaining number of prints to be outputted is no less than four , and the above described operational sequence is repeated until the remaining number of prints to be outputted becomes no more than four . as the number of the remaining prints to be outputted becomes no more than four , the cpu 306 checks , in step 1 - 7 , whether the image forming apparatus 100 is still forming an image ( images ). if the apparatus is still forming an image ( images ), the cpu 306 returns to step 1 - 1 . if the apparatus is not forming an image ( images ), the cpu determines that the printing job has ended . that is , in this embodiment , when the image forming apparatus 100 is adjusted in image density , by detecting the density of each sheet interval patch 94 during sheet intervals , the sheet interval patches 94 are formed in such a manner that the density of the peripheral portions to of each sheet interval patch 94 gradually reduces from its inward edge toward its outward edge . therefore , the image forming apparatus in this embodiment is significantly less in terms of the conspicuousness of the back surface soiling than any image forming apparatus in accordance with the prior art , while remaining as excellent in productivity and stable in image density than any image forming apparatus in accordance with the prior art . in this embodiment , the smallest value in which the number of the remaining prints to be outputted in a printing job has to be four in order for the information about the density adjustment to be reflected in the ongoing printing operation . this number , however , is affected by the structural factors , such as the distance from the most upstream image formation station , that is , the yellow image forming station , to the density sensors 90 , the length of time it takes for the cpu 306 to switch among various processes , and the like , and the size of the sheet of recording medium on which an image is formed . in other words , this embodiment is not intended to limit the present invention in terms of these factors . further , in this embodiment , the image forming apparatus 100 is adjusted in density while the sheet interval portion pd of the intermediary transferring member 40 is moving through the secondary transfer station , in a continuous image forming operation . however , this embodiment is not intended to limit the present invention in terms of the timing with which the image forming apparatus 100 is to be adjusted in density . that is , the present invention is also applicable to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus which forms the sheet interval patch 94 ( which characterizes the present invention ), regardless of the recording medium sheet count . further , the present invention is applicable to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus structured so that in a case where the length of time between two consecutive print jobs is short , the apparatus is adjusted in density based on the results of the detection of the sheet interval patch 94 in the first printing job . further , in this embodiment , the sheet interval patch 94 was formed so that the density of each of its peripheral portions to is highest at the inward edge and linearly reduces toward the outward edge . however , the sheet interval patch 94 may be formed so that the density of its peripheral portions to is highest at the inward edge , and reduces in trigonometric or multidimensional curvature toward the outward edge . further , each of the corner portions to 2 shown in fig5 was in the form of a quadrant . however , this embodiment is not intended to limit the present invention in terms of the shape of the corner portion to 2 of the sheet interval patch 94 . for example , the corner portion to 2 may be in the form of a triangle . also in this embodiment , four sheet interval patches 94 ( 94 ( t - y ), 94 ( t - m ), 94 ( t - c ) and 94 ( t - k )) which correspond to four primary colors , one for one , are formed on the sheet interval portion pd of the intermediary transferring member 40 as shown in fig4 . however , this embodiment is not intended to limit the present invention . that is , in a case where an electrophotographic image forming apparatus tends to relatively quickly change in density , and therefore , needs to be adjusted realtime in density , it is necessary to adjust the apparatus in density with the use the fixed toner patch with relatively high frequency as in this embodiment . however , in the case where an image forming apparatus which tends to slowly change ( deviate ) in density , and the apparatus is wanted to remain stable in density / toner characteristic , it is recommendable to adjust the apparatus in the following manner . that is , an image forming apparatus may be adjusted in image density , based on image tone , by forming sheet interval patches different in tone , in each sheet interval portion of the intermediary transferring member 40 . further , there are cases in which an image forming apparatus slowly changes in image density , in long term , while frequently and cyclically changing in short term . in such cases , all that is necessary is to use the average value in tone of the multiple sheet interval patches which are formed one for one in multiple sheet interval portions of the intermediary transferring member 40 , so that the short and cyclical components can be ignored . further , if the standpoint of reducing the amount by which toner is consumed during the normal image forming operation is taken into consideration , in addition to the above described factors , it is also effective to change the sheet interval patch 94 in the width w of its peripheral portions to according to the density of the sheet interval patch 94 in use , based on the results of the experiments given in fig7 . more concretely , in this embodiment , if the sheet interval patch 94 in use is 0 . 5 in density ( o . d . ti = 0 . 5 ), the sheet interval patch 94 was formed so that the width w becomes 5 ( w = 5 ). however , when the sheet interval patch 94 is formed so that it is less in density , it may be formed so that its peripheral portions to are less in width w . for example , when the sheet interval patch 94 is formed so that the density o . d . ti of the center portion of the sheet interval patch 94 become 0 . 3 ( o . d . ti = 3 ), its peripheral portions to also will be no more than 0 . 3 in density . therefore , it may be formed so that its peripheral portions to , which will be at the level 1 in terms of permissibility in terms of back surface soiling , will become 3 mm in the width w ( w = 3 ). further , in a case where the sheet interval patch 94 formed on the portion of the intermediary transferring member 40 , which is between the consecutively conveyed two sheets of recording medium , does not overlap with the second sheet , it is unnecessary to form the sheet interval patch 94 so that it will have the peripheral portions to . by operating the image forming apparatus as described above , it is possible to reduce the apparatus in toner consumption , which keeping it as excellent in productivity and stable in density as any image forming apparatus in accordance with the prior art . next , referring to fig9 , the image forming apparatus in the second embodiment of the present invention is described . the image forming apparatus in this embodiment is an improved version of the image forming apparatus in the first embodiment . that is , it is less in toner consumption than the apparatus in the first embodiment , while remaining just as excellent in productivity and stable in density as the apparatus in the first embodiment . the image forming apparatus in this embodiment is less in toner consumption because of the manner in which it forms the peripheral portions to of the sheet interval patch 94 . most of the hardware portions of the image forming apparatus in this embodiment are the same as the counterparts of the image forming apparatus in the first embodiment , and therefore , are not going to be described here . that is , the image forming apparatus in this embodiment is operated following virtually the same flowchart as the flowchart , in the first embodiment , of the operation for adjusting the image forming apparatus in density by forming the sheet interval patch 94 on the sheet interval portion of the intermediary transferring member 40 , and detecting the density of the sheet interval patch 94 . that is , the only difference between the first and second embodiment is the data for the sheet interval patch 94 stored in the rom 310 , and therefore , only the difference is described in detail . in the case of the image forming apparatus in this embodiment , it is afforded more latitude in terms of the adjustment of its density during sheet intervals , by making the sheet interval patches 94 for four primary colors different in the structure of the peripheral portions to , based on the fact that the smaller the amount of the difference in color between the color of a sheet p of recording medium ( paper ) and that of the sheet interval patch 94 , the less conspicuous the back surface soiling the sheet p . fig9 is a graph that shows the results of experiments in which the sheet interval patches 94 were kept the same in the density ( o . d . ti ) of the density detection area ti of the sheet interval patches 94 for all colors , that is , cyan ( c ), magenta ( m ), yellow ( y ) and black ( k ) colors , but , they were made different in the density ( o . d . to ) of the peripheral portions to , based on the color . it shows the relationship between the visual ranking of the back surface soiling , and the width w of the peripheral portions to of the sheet interval patch 94 , for cyan ( c ), magenta ( m ), yellow ( y ) and black ( k ) colors . the back surface soiling was visually ranked immediately after a full rotation of the secondary transfer roller 60 a . the explanation of fig9 is the same as that of fig7 which concerns the first embodiment , and therefore , is not going to be given here . as will be evident from the graph , the visual ranking of the back surface soiling is affected by the color of the sheet interval patch 94 . that is , the visual ranking of the sheet interval patches 94 made of the cyan ( c ), yellow ( y ), magenta ( m ) and black ( k ) toners , corresponds to the order in which they are listed ; the yellow sheet interval path 94 is lowest in visual ranking , and the black sheet interval patch 94 is highest in visual ranking . as for the color difference δe94 ( cie1994 chrominance formula : color difference evaluation , cie technical report , 116 .) between the sheets of recording paper ( copier / laser printer paper cs814 : product of canon , co ., ltd .) and the center portion of the sheet interval patch 94 , are given in table 1 . that is , there is a correlation between the conspicuousness of the back surface soiling and color . that is , it can be said that the smaller the color difference ( chrominance ) between a sheet of recording medium ( paper ) and the sheet interval patch 94 , the less conspicuous the back surface soiling , affording more latitude when adjusting the image forming apparatus in image density . the image forming apparatus uses the sheet interval patch 94 which is characterized as described above . it uses a sheet interval patch 94 such as those shown in table 2 . the density o . d . ti of the density detection area ti of the sheet interval patch 94 and the width w of the peripheral portions to of the sheet interval patch 94 are the same in amount as those mentioned in the description of the first embodiment , and given in fig5 . the data of each of the sheet interval patches 94 which are different in color ( yellow , magenta , cyan and black ) and size , and are set in specifications in advance according to table 2 are stored in the rom 310 . thus , the cpu forms sheet interval patches 94 by controlling the image formation stations 307 , based on the sheet interval patch data stored in the rom 310 , as in the first embodiment . in the case of a printing job which is large in print count , it is possible that a sheet interval patch 94 will be formed on a portion of the intermediary transferring member 40 , across which a sheet interval patch 94 was present ( formed and removed ). in this embodiment , therefore , the image forming apparatus is designed to form the sheet interval patches 94 in such a manner that the four sheet interval patches 94 , different in color , are positioned so that the yellow and magenta sheet interval patches 94 align in the recording medium conveyance direction , and the cyan and black sheet interval patches 94 align in the recording medium conveyance direction , that is , so that the paired sheet intervals patches 94 are smallest in the color difference between the recording medium and sheet interval patch 94 , as shown in fig4 . that is , the order in which the four sheet interval patches 94 are formed by the image formation stations 307 in step 1 - 2 described with reference to fig8 , is set so that the yellow and magenta sheet interval patches 94 align in the recording medium conveyance direction , and the cyan and black sheet interval patches 94 align in the recording medium conveyance direction . in the case where the four sheet interval patches 94 are different in density , they are formed so that the color difference between the recording medium and sheet interval patch 94 will become smallest , in consideration of the fact that the chromaticity is affected by density . as described above , in this embodiment , when the image forming apparatus is adjusted in density during sheet intervals , by detecting the density of the sheet interval patches 94 it forms on the sheet interval portion of the intermediary transferring member 40 , it forms the four sheet interval patches 94 , different in color , so that the sheet interval patches 94 become different in the width w of their peripheral portions to . thus , the image forming apparatus is significantly less in the amount of the toner used for the formation of the peripheral portions to of each sheet interval patch 94 , than the image forming apparatus in the first embodiment , while remaining as excellent in productivity and stable in image density as the image forming apparatus in the first embodiment . next , referring to fig1 and 11 , the third embodiment of the present invention is described . the image forming apparatus in this embodiment is an improved version of the one in the second embodiment . not only is it less in toner consumption than the one in the first embodiment while remaining as excellent in productivity and stable in image density as the one in the first embodiment , but also , it remain as excellent as the one in the first embodiment , even if recording medium is switched in type . the structure of the image forming apparatus in this embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment , and therefore , is not described here . this embodiment is different from the first and second embodiments in that in the case of the image forming apparatus in this embodiment , the cpu 306 shown in fig2 is enabled to predict the color difference between a sheet p of recording medium and the sheet interval patch 94 to be formed , based on the information ( recording medium type ) obtained by the media sensor 88 , and form the sheet interval patch 94 so that the sheet interval patch 94 reflects the information obtained by the media sensor 88 . & lt ; means for adjusting image forming apparatus in image density during sheet intervals & gt ; next , referring to the flowchart in fig1 , the operation for adjusting the image forming apparatus in image density while the sheet interval portion pd of a sheet p of recording medium is in the secondary transfer station 60 is described . in step 3 - 1 , the media sensor 88 ( color difference obtaining means ) detects the brightness ( prior to secondary transfer ) of the sheet p while the sheet p is temporarily kept stationary by the pair of registration rollers 34 , as soon as a printing job is started . here , the “ brightness ” is information that indicates the brightness ( reflectivity ) of the sheet p ( medium onto which image is transferred ). needless to say , therefore , the information may be substituted by any parameter similar to the brightness . then , in step 3 - 2 , the cpu 306 predicts by computation based on the brightness of the sheet p obtained by the media sensor 88 , the chrominance between the sheet p and the sheet interval patch 94 which is to be formed on the next sheet interval portion pd of the intermediary transferring member 40 , and sets how the peripheral portions to of the next sheet interval patch 94 is to be formed . fig1 is a drawing for describing the relationship between the brightness of a sheet p of recording medium , and the color difference between the sheet p and sheet interval patch 94 . there is a correlation between the brightness of the sheet p detected by the media sensor 88 , and the color difference between the sheet p and sheet interval patch 94 . in the case of the image forming apparatus in this embodiment , therefore , the value ( which hereafter will be referred to as “ referential value ”) of the standard ( referential ) recording medium detected by the media sensor 88 is stored in the rom 310 , and each time a sheet p of recording medium is fed into the main assembly of the image forming apparatus , its brightness detected by the media sensor 88 is compared to the referential value . more concretely , the range in which the output of the media sensor 88 will be when the amount of color difference , which corresponds to one visual ranking , with reference to the back surface soiling of a sheet of standard recording medium , is stored in the rom 310 , and the hatched area in fig1 , the center of which corresponds to the referential value , is compared to the value detected by the media sensor 88 . in the second embodiment , the sheet interval patch 94 pattern , which corresponds to the visual ranking 2 in fig9 , was used as the design for the sheet interval patch 94 . in comparison , in this embodiment , when the recording medium to be used for a print job is such a medium that will make the color difference between itself and sheet interval patch 94 large , and therefore , makes the back surface soiling more conspicuous , the sheet interval patch 94 is switched in design from the one which corresponds to the visual ranking 2 to the one which corresponds to the visual ranking 1 , that is , it is raised by one step in visual ranking . on the other hand , when the recording medium to be used for a printing job is such recording medium that reduces the color difference between itself and sheet interval patch 94 , and therefore , makes the back surface soiling less conspicuous , the sheet interval patch 94 is switched in design from the one which corresponds to the visual ranking 3 , that is , the one which is one ranking lower than the standard one . more concretely , the sheet interval patches 94 are formed as shown in table 3 . the steps which follows the step 3 - 2 are the same as step 1 - 1 - step 1 - 7 described in the description of the first embodiment , and therefore , are not going to described here . as described above , in this embodiment , when forming the sheet interval patch 94 to adjust the image forming apparatus in image density , based on the detected density of the sheet interval patch 94 formed on the sheet interval portion of the intermediary transferring member 40 , the density for the density detection area ti of the sheet interval patch 94 , the density for the peripheral portions to of the sheet interval patch 94 , and the dimension of the peripheral portions to of the sheet interval patch 94 , are set according to the recording medium type . therefore , the image forming apparatus in this embodiment is less in toner consumption than that in the second embodiment , while remaining as excellent in productivity and stable in image density as those in the first and second embodiments . the second embodiment is not intended to limit the present invention in structure . that is , the present invention is also applicable to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus , the color difference detecting means of which is a color sensor capable of detecting the density or chromaticity of the color patch on a sheet of recording medium after the fixation of the color patch . in the case of such an image forming apparatus , a sheet p of recording medium and sheet interval patch 94 are detected in chromaticity , that is , the color difference is actually measured in stead of being predicted , and the sheet interval patch 94 is formed so that it reflects the actual color difference between a sheet of recording medium and the fixed sheet interval patch 94 on the sheet . next , the fourth embodiment of the present invention is described . the image forming apparatus in this embodiment is an improved version of the image forming apparatus in the third embodiment . this embodiment is the same as the second and third embodiments in terms of the structure of the image forming apparatus , and also , in terms of the flowchart for the operational sequence for adjusting the image forming apparatus in image density during sheet intervals . therefore , these aspects of this embodiment are not going to be described here . the difference of this embodiment from the second and third embodiments is that the cpu 306 shown in fig2 forms the sheet interval patches 94 in such a manner that the sheet interval patches 94 reflect not only the information obtained by the media sensor 88 , but also , the information obtained by the temperature / humidity sensor 89 and the information stored in the ram 309 about the cumulative length of usage of the photosensitive drums 50 y , 50 m , 50 c and 50 k . that is , in this embodiment , the cpu is enabled to form the sheet interval patches 94 in such a manner that the sheet interval patches 94 reflect not only the recording medium color , but also , the length of usage of each photosensitive drum 50 . in comparison to the image forming apparatuses in the second and third embodiment , which paid attention to only the predictable color difference between the recording medium and the sheet interval patch 94 to be formed , the image forming apparatus in this embodiment pays attention to the efficiency with which each sheet interval patch 94 is transferred onto the secondary transfer roller 60 a ( secondary transfer ), and / or the efficiency with which the toner on the secondary transfer roller 60 a ( toner having soiled secondary transfer roller 60 a ) is transferred ( retransfer ) onto the back surface of the n - th sheet of recording medium . more concretely , it is primarily the electrical field in the secondary transfer unit t 2 that makes the toner of the sheet interval patch 94 on the intermediary transferring member 40 transfer onto the secondary transfer roller 60 a when the sheet interval patch 94 is in the secondary transfer station 60 . then , as the secondary transfer roller 60 a rotates a full turn , and therefore , the toner from the sheet interval patch 94 reaches the back surface of the n - th sheet of recording medium , the toner from the sheet interval patch 94 is transferred onto the back surface of the n - th sheet in the same manner as an ordinary image is transferred onto a sheet p of recording medium ( secondary transfer ). therefore , there is the sheet p between the secondary transfer roller 60 a and intermediary transferring member 40 . therefore , it has to be taken into consideration that the toner in the sheet interval patch 94 is transferred not only by the electric field , but also , through the physical contact between the secondary transfer roller 60 a and the sheet p . in the case of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus , the toner in its developing device deteriorates in the characteristic related to electric charge . normally , this deterioration is related to the history of the usage of the apparatus ( cumulative length of usage / state of deterioration / ratio of cumulative length of usage to service life ). more specifically , it is thought that when the apparatus is in use , the toner in the developing device is damaged by the high temperature in the apparatus , and agglomerates , and / or the external additive to the toner , which enables toner particles to become electrically charged , is buried into the toner particles by the unnecessary amount of friction among the toner particles . thus , it sometimes occurs that the efficiency with which the toner of the sheet interval patch 94 is transferred onto the secondary transfer roller 60 a , and the efficiency with which the toner on the secondary transfer roller 60 a is transferred onto the back surface of the n - th sheet of recording medium , change depending on the history of the usage of the image forming apparatus , as well as the method used to control the secondary transfer station 60 . in consideration of these issues described above , the image forming apparatus may be designed so that the sheet interval patch 94 is formed in such a manner that the density of the density detection area ti of the sheet interval patch 94 , density of the peripheral portions to of the sheet interval patch 94 , and width w of the peripheral portions to of the sheet interval patch 94 reflect the information about the history of the usage of each of the photosensitive drums 50 y , 50 m , 50 c and 50 k , which is stored in the ram , in addition to the information about the ambient temperature and humidity obtained by the temperature / humidity sensor 88 , and the color of recoding medium . more concretely , when an electrostatic image forming apparatus is operated in an environment which is high in temperature and humidity , toner tends to absorb moisture , and therefore , deteriorate in terms of its ability to become electrically charged . thus , in an environment which is high in temperature and humidity , toner tends to easily transfer than in the normal environment , even if the transfer electric field is kept the same in strength , making it highly possible for the back surface of a sheet of recording medium to be soiled with toner . thus , in this embodiment , when the apparatus is operated in an environment which is high in temperature and humidity , such sheet interval patch 94 that is lower in the toner density of its density detection area ti and peripheral portions to , or greater in the width w of its peripheral portions to , is formed . as for the toner transfer from the secondary transfer roller 60 a onto a sheet p of recording medium , which is caused by the physical contact between the secondary transfer roller 60 a and the sheet p , it has a strong correlation to the surface roughness of the sheet p . thus , the image forming apparatus may be designed so that the density o . d . ti of the detection area ti of the sheet interval patch 94 , the density o . d . to of the peripheral portions to of the sheet interval patch 94 , and the width w of the peripheral portions to of the sheet interval patch 94 reflect the information about the surface roughness of the sheet p . more concretely , when a sheet of recording medium , such as a sheet of paper , the surface of which is rough , is used as recording medium , the data for the sheet interval patch 94 is modified so that the sheet interval patch 94 becomes lower in the density o . d . ti of its density detection area ti and the density o . d . to of its peripheral portions to is formed , or becomes greater in the width w of its peripheral portions to . that is , the sheet interval patch 94 may be formed so that the density o . d . ti of its density detection area ti , the density o . d . to of its peripheral portions to , and the width w of its peripheral portions to reflect the efficiency with which the sheet interval patch 94 is transferred onto the secondary transfer roller 60 a , the efficiency with which the toner on the secondary transfer roller 60 a is transferred onto the back surface of the n - th sheet of recording medium , which are predicted based on the history of the usage of the image forming apparatus , the environment in which the apparatus is being used , and the information about the recording medium being used for the ongoing printing job . by forming the sheet interval patch 94 as described above , it is possible to make the apparatus significantly smaller in toner consumption than the apparatuses in the preceding embodiments , while keeping the apparatus as excellent in productive and stable in image density as the apparatuses in the preceding embodiments . in the first to fourth embodiments of the present invention , the image forming apparatus of the so - called tandem type . however , the present invention is also applicable to an image forming apparatus different in structure and image forming method from those in the preceding embodiments , as long as they use an intermediary transfer member . for example , the present invention is also applicable to an image forming apparatus of the so - called four - pass image forming method . further , in the preceding embodiments , the intermediary transfer member was in the form of an endless belt . however , the present invention is also applicable to an image forming apparatus which uses an intermediary transfer member which is in the form of a drum . while the invention has been described with reference to the structures disclosed herein , it is not confined to the details set forth , and this application is intended to cover such modifications or changes as may come within the purposes of the improvements or the scope of the following claims . this application claims priority from japanese patent application no . 261017 / 2011 filed nov . 29 , 2011 , which is hereby incorporated by reference . | 6 |
certain terminology is used herein for convenience only and is not to be taken as a limitation on the present invention . in the drawings , the same reference letters are employed for designating the same elements throughout the several figures . this patent application includes a computer program appendix having a file named appendix401 - 13u2 . txt , created on oct . 11 , 2010 , and having a size of 127 , 319 bytes . the appendix is incorporated by reference into the present patent application . the appendix includes the contents of the appendices a , b , c and e referred to below . content : any textual , visual , and audio materials or the combination thereof , including animated images , video clips , executable files , or digital assets targeted for presentation . content repository : a database of file structure which contains the syndicatable asset . syndicated asset : any content which is available to an authenticated receiver . authenticated receiver : a receiver of content that is authorized to retrieve and present that content . domain : the name which appears in the url between the “ www ” and the end of the three letter extension ( e . g ., . com , . net , . org ). example : www . regiononline . com , the domain is regiononline . com . referring to fig1 , the following steps are performed : 1 . a request is made from a web appliance to a url , which contains a web page that has embedded the syndication code . 2 . the web page , while rendering other data present on the page , such as navigation , headers and footers , and other assets not related to the syndicated content , returns javascript which tests the appliance for the site url requested . the javascript effectively functions as a dynamic content retrieval agent . 3 . this information is then used to authenticate the content presence on the site as valid , and then to retrieve from the syndication database those assets for display , and render those syndicated assets through the appliance . the present invention introduces the notion of web real estate and the apportionment of content sections to a particular web page . a visually unified site is substantially divided into sub - sites , or content sections , that are independently maintained by section managers or through syndicated content offerings . as a direct and targeted information management delivery tool , the present invention is useful to the large corporation , a community site , or any site which enables the sharing of targeted information . any content or information rich site will find this present invention very helpful . the present invention may be used to complement web pages created in ms frontpage , or any number of content management tools . the present invention does not perform visual layout , and may be considered a post - design tool . the present invention may be used with any number of programming languages such as cold fusion , asp , c ++, java , visual basic or perl . the present invention may serve as an extension to the web page , or an add - on component to any number of content management tools . the present invention may be used on any site that renders html , and is intended to be programming language neutral , through the use of javascript , servlets , and java features . in one preferred embodiment of the present invention as described herein , the user communicates through a browser with the necessary web site via an electronic network , such as the internet . however , the scope of the invention includes other types of user interfaces and electronic networks that are capable of performing the desired functions . the present invention is described in the context of a commercially available software product called active data syndicator ™, available from active data exchange , inc ., bethlehem , pa . fig2 is a self - explanatory database schema for one preferred embodiment of the present invention , and fig3 is a self - explanatory authentication schema for one preferred embodiment of the present invention . fig4 is an administrative entry screen for beginning the process . fig5 is a user interface display that allows for the selection from an existing syndication or the creation of a new syndication . referring to fig6 , if the administrator chooses the “ go get it ” button from the fig5 display , then a listing of the syndication offers are presented . the “ clickable ” first field allows for the modification of that offering . fig7 and 8 are user interface displays a for a “ new setup .” the administrator completes the fields shown in these displays . fig9 is a user interface display that allows for the viewing of the necessary syndication code for placement into the html of the subscriber / receiver web site . fig1 a shows the actual code for placement on the subscriber / receiver html page for the fictitious client attorney at law . this code allows for the one time insertion of the code for presentation of information , news , events , or other digital assets on an ongoing basis . fig1 b shows the same code , modified to present the latest asset , as well as the creation of several hypertext links for viewable archives of older digital assets . in this case , there is the ability to present for viewing up to 10 viewable archives from the database . fig1 and 12 show additional administrative functions for the deletion of a subscriber . fig1 a and 13b show the list of subscribers / receivers for overall administrative purposes . appendix a is the syndication source code for the embodiment of the present invention shown in fig2 - 13b . appendix b is the servlet package source code for the embodiment of the present invention shown in fig2 - 13b . all web sites do not use the same syndication code . subtle differences in the code are “ keyed ” to the receiving domain . it is through this “ key ” that the integrity of the business relationship and the placement of the digital asset are preserved . the process includes a security module that looks at the browser url of the appliance to determine which url ( domain ) it is calling . if the domain does not match an existing client url ( coupled with the content authorized for use ), a message is returned to the appliance , which states that the content is unavailable . to set up a web site page for syndication , a few parameters must be understood and defined : 1 . the receiving url , as authentication or validation of the receiver / subscriber is performed to the domain level . 2 . the asset section to be syndicated . this refers to a content section in a content management system . one instant example would be to syndicate “ what &# 39 ; s news ” from a company or organization . this section of the site is a hypothetical region where all information regarding press releases and latest organizational information is to be found . in this installation , the site only needs to be set up with the html snippet one time . content changes occur dynamically . 3 . the number of displayed archives the receiver would like to be able to view . this is a title listing of previously syndicated content for this section . 4 . the database location of the digital asset . 5 . the organizational name ( for administrative purposes ). 6 . the start and end time for the syndication . this is important if the syndicated asset is time dependant or whether or not the subscription to the syndicated digital asset is on a monthly or other time dependent basis . through these parameters , metrics can be derived which display , from the syndication - offered standpoint , several management reports useful in understanding the offerings and their use . metrics include : 1 . number of times a digital asset is accessed by a subscriber ( useful in fee per use models as well as for tracking relative worth of the asset ). 2 . places where the digital asset can be viewed / authorized domains . 3 . listing of the offerings available for release through the syndication model . 4 . through an oblique methodology , a measure of the physical overhead of the device housing that content . as discussed above , the present invention is platform independent and program neutral . it functions equally as well on operating systems written in microsoft , as it does from that of red hat linux . furthermore , the database from which it pulls its content may either be ms sql , informix , sybase or oracle , as it uses command phrases which are non - vendor specific ( ansi sql ). the hardware , however , must be of sufficient strength to power databases that conceivably will receive hundreds of thousands of requests per second . fig2 , described above , illustrates one preferred database schema for the present invention . the implementation of this business process and its underlying software is hardware independent , providing that the following applications / services are available : an application server running a servlet engine such as allaire &# 39 ; s jrun or tomcat , and a web server such as internet information server ( iis ) from microsoft or an apache web server should the operating system of the server be redhat linux or unix . the database server should have a strong relational database such as ms sql , oracle , or sybase , overtop of the appropriate operating system . the location of the servers used in the present invention can be anywhere within the infrastructure of the existing client network . one suitable scheme is to locate the servers behind a redundant firewall . the invention environment provides for all system hardware requisite to the invention work . it includes an application / web server that controls the look of web pages , serves content for the web pages , and provides the environment for the administration of those tasks . the standard operating system for this invention is linux . however , a client may choose windows nt or unix as an alternate operating system ( os ). coupled with the os , a web server needs to be chosen . in the example of red hat linux , one suitable choice would be apache . however , a windows nt environment would most likely use iis . since the present invention is a java - based application , a servlet engine needs to be incorporated into the server operation . one suitable configuration to support the invention includes the following elements : microsoft sql server 6 . 5 with service pack 6a [ windows nt only ] microsoft sql server 6 . 5 , 7 . 0 : sprinta jdbc 2 . 0 driver version 2000 [ type 4 ] 1 . linux application server with nt os running the database server application / web server : red hat linux version 6 . 2 with an apache web server . database server microsoft nt 4 . 0 with service package 6a and ms sql version 7 as the database . application / web server : red hat linux version 6 . 2 with an apache web server . database server red hat linux version 6 . 2 with oracle 8i as the database . application / web server : microsoft nt 4 . 0 with service package 6a and iis version 4 with full options as the web server . database server microsoft nt 4 . 0 with service package 6a and ms sql version 7 as the database . the database server becomes more critical as database size increases over time . it is feasible for an installation to use a different os for the application server than that of the database server . different database engines serve data at different rates ( some faster than others ) and some networks operate with corporate standards which mandate the use of certain configurations , to standardize application environments for ease of maintenance . for those reasons , the publishing database was developed platform independent . it is functionally transparent whether or not it is installed over oracle , sybase , ms sql or informix . the present invention may be installed as part of a related product from active data exchange , inc ., called active data publisher ™/ web server , or it may be a functionally independent device . the setup of the environment of the present invention is the same as the application / web server environment . case one : large organization with multiple web sites ( public and private ) a large organization has multiple web sites to manage , both public ( visible to all ) and private ( internal and departmental in nature ). the sites are repositories for a wide variety of information specific to their department of corporate division . there are , however , many assets which are frequently reproduced and shared among those sites . if a directive from senior management needs to be presented on each of the sites , conventional content management tools would require the html editors to re - post the directive on each and every site . this repetitive process creates organizational inefficiencies . using the present invention , an html snippet is placed on the page in the place where information bulletins will be seen . ( see fig1 a and 10b which illustrate an html snippet .) every time a new information bulletin is released , the web page is automatically updated , without technology intervention . furthermore , the bulletin is created in the native environment frequently used by the author or their assistant , and posted once through an intuitive , easy to use interface module which converts the document to html , enters the data into the syndication database , and prepares it for view on the site . a manufacturer manages information streams from raw materials suppliers ( upstream providers ) to distributors ( end users ). the management objective is to assure that the end user receives the completed goods at a fair price in a timely manner , and that the raw materials suppliers notify the manufacturer of delays in shipments , which , in turn , affect product availability . if one believes that the main differentiation between suppliers of similar materials is their ability to enhance communications with clients and vendors , and that issue singularly is what is going to set apart one from another , then the implementation of the tools provided by the present invention is the linchpin in corporate success . in this example , it is helpful from a supply management role to understand the needs of the client and the ability for the vendor to supply product to create the materials for the client . subscribing to the notion of apportioned web real estate , and having particular areas designated for information relevant to those in the supply chain , a new communications modality is created called a digital information network that is linking the supplier and the end user in such a fashion as to be able to enhance the decision process , increase productivity , and enhance the digital economy . the second preferred embodiment may be used with active data syndicator v . 3 . fig1 is a self - explanatory database schema for the second preferred embodiment . fig1 shows only the portion of the database schema that relates to the present invention . fig1 a and 15b , taken together , are self - explanatory overall schema for the second preferred embodiment . fig1 is a schematic block diagram of the second preferred embodiment . appendix c is the combined syndication and servlet package source code for the embodiment of the present invention shown in fig1 - 16 . fig1 shows an overview of the second preferred embodiment . the basic elements include web pages located at a plurality of different urls , a viewing browser , an application web server that hosts the syndication product , and a content repository . each of these elements may be interconnected by any suitable communication medium , such as the internet . the process operates as follows : 1 . a user at the viewing browser requests a web page from a particular web site . the requested web page contains html elements , as well as at least one snippet of javascript associated with the syndicated digital asset . alternatively , the requested web page does not have to reside on a web site . the requested web page may also be a simple html file stored on the hard drive of a user &# 39 ; s local computer in cases where an authenticating url is not required . 2 . the snippet of javascript is received by the browser . 3 . when the javascript is received , it is not immediately used by the browser on the part of the web page on which it resides . instead , the “ src ” attribute of the javascript tag is used to make a call to a java servlet . more specifically , the javascript forms an http ( or https ) request that includes a uri ( e . g ., a url ) of the requested web page as obtained from the browser , and a unique identifier contained within the javascript . in one preferred embodiment , the unique identifier is a combination of a subscriber identifier ( sub id ) and a content identifier ( content id ). in effect , the http request is saying that uri [ xyz ] is requesting content [ 123 ], and is asking if it is okay to deliver it . the http request is sent to an application web server that is designated by an address located within the javascript . 4 . at the application web server , the syndication product receives the uri and the unique identifier , 5 . the syndication product then looks in an authentication table to determine if there is a matching uri and unique identifier . if so , then the unique identifier is parsed to obtain the sub id and content id . the sub id is used to check the current account status of the subscriber , and the content id is used to locate the content in the content repository . 6 . assuming that a match is found in the authentication table , the subscriber id is properly authorized , and the content is located in the content repository , then the content is retrieved from the content repository and sent by the syndication product to the browser for insertion at the appropriate location during the rendering of the web page . to facilitate this process , the syndication product contains content filtering and parsing methods ( called “ parsecontent ” and “ swapstrings ” in the example source code ) which are used to prepare the content so that it can be rendered appropriately in the web page via a javascript “ document . write ” statement . if no match is found in the authentication table , and / or if the subscriber id is not properly authorized , then a message is returned indicating that requested content cannot be received . alternatively , no message is returned and the user merely does not receive the requested content . if the content is a text article , the web page may have a blank portion where the requested content would have appeared . if the content is multimedia - oriented , such as an audio file , then such content is not experienced . 7 . the syndication content manager updates its records to reflect the activity . the manager may track content retrievals and charge subscriber accounts ( if any exist ) for such content retrievals . the content manager may remove an entry from the authentication table based upon expiration dates , number of retrievals , or any other suitable factor . the process described above preferably occurs seamlessly in near real - time . thus , the user is not aware that content ( which is typically only a portion of the web page , but could be the entire content of the web page ) is being requested and delivered from a remote content repository during the rendering of the web page . the term “ web application ” as used herein refers to dynamic html web site content which varies depending upon user input , includes one or more interactive forms , involves the use of a web server programming / scripting language ( e . g ., java , perl , cold fusion , active server pages , etc . ), and may also make use of a backend database server for data storage . some common examples of web applications include guestbooks , forums and shopping carts . web applications typically execute on the same server as the hosting web server . this arrangement can place significant strain on the web server , especially when a large number of users are simultaneously requesting service and / or many web sites and applications are running concurrently on the same server . ( this situation often occurs with isp &# 39 ; s .) the present invention leverages the javascript capabilities of the user &# 39 ; s browser to execute the web application at a remote server independent of the subscriber &# 39 ; s hosting web server , thereby reducing the potential load on the subscriber &# 39 ; s web server and greatly simplifying the process by which a web application can be incorporated into a subscribing web site . that is , simply include the javascript snippet of the application using the present invention &# 39 ; s syndication methodology in the html on the subscriber &# 39 ; s web site . no further programming is then needed on the subscriber &# 39 ; s web server . the user &# 39 ; s browser effectively invokes the remote web application that runs and makes the subscriber &# 39 ; s web page dynamic . the present invention may be used for flat ( static ) sites and flat sites having one or more dynamic sections , as well as for fully dynamic sites . the present invention is further advantageous because the traffic for creating the web pages uses port 80 ( for http traffic ) and port 443 ( for https traffic ), and thereby can pass through most server firewalls . active data randomizer , available from active data exchange , inc ., bethlehem , pa ., is an example of a simple web application which incorporates the syndication methodology of the present invention . randomizer produces two syndicated assets from two different javascript snippets . fig1 shows the first javascript snippet which renders in the browser as an administrator area ( see fig1 ) for the subscribing web site administrator to use in the configuration and entry of groups of html blurbs . fig1 shows the second javascript snippet which is generated from the administrative area and renders in the browser as a randomly selected html blurb from a group of html blurbs specified during the generation of the snippet . appendix d is a user guide for this embodiment , and appendix e shows sample source code for this embodiment . active data randomizer gives users the power to keep a website fresh and inviting to visitors . this convenient , easy - to - use tool facilitates the collecting , grouping , modifying and removal of messages , either graphic or text , that are displayed within a page each a time it is loaded , reloaded or refreshed by the viewer . this user guide is an overview of how active data randomizer works and what it does . for a complete demonstration , contact your active data exchange representative . a practical tool , active data randomizer gives users the power to keep their website viewers attentive to the screen by changing a specific part of a page message each time a viewer refreshes or returns to a previously viewed screen . an easy to use tool that requires no additional hardware or installation , active data randomizer is platform independent and facilitates the grouping and presenting of graphic or text messages on a website page . the active data randomizer allows for direct , targeted message updates , without the complexities of publishing completely new pages or documents , from any location with internet access , at any time . short , catchy visuals and text can be displayed on a page with little effort on the part of the client after setup is complete . the random display of messages keeps your page continually altering and fresh to viewers as they browse through a site . using active data randomizer to rotate images or messages will decrease the static look and feel of a web page . the active data randomizer is accessible through a universal resource locator , url . open your internet browser and enter this url into the proper area : you will be taken to the main screen for active data randomizer ( fig2 a ). the main screen for the active data randomizer has links to each and every functionality offered by this time - saving tool . once you have accessed the active data randomizer tool , you will see all the site configuration options and functions that are usable for screen refresh messages . click on any of the bulleted items to access that functionality . you will arrive at this window when add a new site configuration is chosen from the site configuration screen ( fig2 b ). from here you are able to set up a new location to display active data randomizer messages or return to the menu . 3 . enter the url to locate the site and the page where you want your dynamic blurbs to be displayed . the new site is automatically configured , and you will be returned to the administration screen . note — the success of your new site set - up is confirmed and expressed by the red text in the upper portion of the screen . you will arrive at this window when add a new group is chosen from the site configuration screen ( fig2 c ). from here you are able to set up a new group of active data randomizer blurbs or return to the menu . 1 . enter a group name for your first collection of different blurbs that will be used for a specific location . these are the dynamic blurbs that will be rotated sequentially every time a viewer returns to that page and it is reloaded , or when the viewer selects the refresh icon . the blurbs you want to set up are virtually limitless and can be graphic or textual based . the sample group name in this case is 02blurb test . 2 . click submit group . 3 . you will be returned to the main menu . a confirmation that your group has been created is shown in red text . it repeats the group name and the site name that it has been added to ( fig2 d ). 4 . to continue click on add a new html blurb , located in the lower group of bulleted items . you will arrive at this window when add a new html blurb is chosen from the new group confirmation screen . from here you are able to set up a new location to display active data randomizer messages or return to the menu ( fig2 e ). 1 . from the add a new randomizer screen , select the group name from the pull down menu you want this new html blurb added to . 2 . enter or copy and paste the html code for the picture or text or both that you want to show in the refreshed window . this information is retrieved from your original document &# 39 ; s source code from whatever html editor program you are using . 3 . click on submit blurb . a confirmation screen will show that the blurb has been added . you are still able to modify or delete your blurb in the future if necessary . any action you take at this step will be confirmed within the next window in red text ( fig2 f ). 1 . click on [ copy ] and randomizer will automatically duplicate your last html blurb . 2 . either insert new html text or alter your html text , as in the case of changing the image only , you can just update the name of the source image , without having to re - enter all new html . 3 . select the submit blurb button after each entry to save the changes . each entry will be confirmed and added to your list of html blurbs . 4 . repeat this process until you have added all your html blurbs . 1 . select generate blurb code from the lower level bulleted options . 2 . active data blurb admin will automatically write the java script needed to instruct your site to sequentially rotate the html sources . this java will include all the necessary instructions to refresh the image in the window each time it is reloaded or manually refreshed ( fig2 g ). 3 . highlight and copy this java script . 4 . return to your primary source document using your html editing program and select the html source view ( fig2 h ). 5 . paste the active data randomizer java script you have copied into your original source document for the web page . note — make sure you are within the proper location on your web page . paste the script in the exact position where you want the message to be displayed on the page . 6 . exit ( or close ) your html editing program and return to the active data randomizer administration screen . 7 . click the return to menu button . from the main active data randomizer administration window , you may view your group of messages . active data randomizer presents both the html and a visual of the output ( fig2 i ). 1 . choose the view , modify , delete html blurb to view and confirm your message or messages . 2 . a preview image of the actual image that will be shown on a viewer &# 39 ; s screen . select go back to menu to pretest the messages . it is best to always pretest the site to make sure your messages are being presented properly . 1 . open any separate browser window and point to the page you want to check . 2 . choose refresh to view the new message in the group you have been assigned to that page . continue to choose refresh or move to another page and return to the original page to verify that your messages have been changed . at times it is normal for active data randomizer to repeat a message or image . 3 . exit users may exit active data randomizer administration by simply leaving or closing your browser window . active data exchange is a leader in syndication software solutions that empower companies to get the right content to the right place at the right time . active data exchange helps create highly effective information delivery chains with partners , customers , vendors , distributors , investors , and other target groups and affects commerce with communications tools better than existing email technologies . the company is active in several industry standards committees including the information and content exchange authoring group and the w3c xml protocol standards committee . clients include crown , cork and seal , mainstreet networks , turner construction , penn mutual life insurance , desales and lehigh university . the present invention may be implemented with any combination of hardware and software . if implemented as a computer - implemented apparatus , the present invention is implemented using means for performing all of the steps and functions described above . the present invention can be included in an article of manufacture ( e . g ., one or more computer program products ) having , for instance , computer useable media ( non - transitory computer storage media encoded with computer - executable instructions ). the media has embodied therein , for instance , computer readable program code means for providing and facilitating the mechanisms of the present invention . the article of manufacture can be included as part of a computer system or sold separately . it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof . it is understood , therefore , that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed , but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims . | 6 |
referring now to fig1 of the drawings , the numeral 10 identifies a response curve for a servo drive device under the control of circuits in the prior art . in this curve , the horizontal axis has a time scale measured in seconds , and the vertical axis is indicative of the position of the servo device . assuming that after 1 / 60th of a second , a computer emits a signal indicative of a new position for a servo device ( not shown ) to move . a line 11 is indicative of such a signal , which is sustained at this new level for another 1 / 60th of a second , and then , a second signal is emitted , similar to the first . the servo device begins to move , as indicated by a line 10 , and after the second signal from the computer , the movement is repeated by the servo device . in this manner of movement , a servo device proceeds as indicated by the curve 10 . in contrast , fig2 of the drawings shows a servo response curve for a servo device controlled by a circuit in accordance with the invention . by the time the computer has emitted its first signal , indicated by the point 12 in fig2 the circuit of the invention has already calculated a predetermined number of intermediate points , indicated by these small stepped line 13 . therefore , a circuit in accordance with the present invention will provide a fast response , smooth , high accuracy , signal to control a servo device . a projector , that is moved by a servo device under the control of a circuit constructed in accordance with the invention , is used to project a high resolution image upon a screen which is viewed by a pilot trainee in a flight simulator . the location of the high resolution image is determined by the pilot &# 39 ; s line - of - sight and is followed by the pilot &# 39 ; s eye as he scans a lower resolution scene projected by a set of wide angle lens . the technical advances in present day visual projection capabilities in flight simulators has created a real need for a fast response position servo for the type of eye motion called a &# 34 ; saccade &# 34 ;. during a saccade , the eye accelerates and then decelerates in order to move from one position to another . frequently , accelerations as high as 75 , 000 degrees per square second and velocities as high as 1500 degrees per second have been measured in time periods less than 100 milliseconds from start to stop . in some instances , a servo device must achieve accelerations and velocities three times higher than those of the human eye in order to follow the eye movement to achieve the realism demanded by present day simulator technology . during a saccade , however , the required rates are less due to a pilot &# 39 ; s perception . a pilot &# 39 ; s visual perception is markedly reduced during a saccade , with normal perception not returning completely until on the order of 100 milliseconds after the saccade . therefore , the servo device is not required to follow the eye movement exactly during a saccade , but only to get the projected image at the eye position before normal perception returns , giving the servo device another 100 milliseconds to get to the final position . it has been determined experimentally that a stepped type of motion equal to or less than one - third arc - minutes is not preceived by the human eye as steps but as a smooth motion . further requirements for a servo device as used in projection systems in present day flight simulators is compounded because several servo devices are required to act together to move an image across a screen , and when a pilot tracts a moving image across the screen , all of the servo devices must move in unison so that the projected image does not move erraticly . since different servo devices are driving different types of load , this requirement indicates that a high degree of control is required from each servo control circuit . the position commands are provided by a computer at a rate of 60 times per second . with the capability of the human eye to track an object moving at a velocity of up to 200 degrees per second , a 60 times per second update results in step sizes that can be seen . to cause a visual scene to move smoothly , thereby enhancing realism , the servo control circuit of the invention generates smaller steps in order to fill in between each 60 cycle step from the computer . this is shown in fig2 of the drawings . with a given &# 34 ; desired velocity &# 34 ; and assumming a zero &# 34 ; position error &# 34 ;, the output of the servo control circuit of the present invention would be just the desired velocity signal . however , with an error , the output of the servo control circuit is the velocity required to correct the position error plus the desired velocity . this relationship can be expressed as follows : referring now to fig3 of the drawings in order to illustrate the circuit arrangement constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention , a digital computer 14 furnishes both velocity and position data to a velocity circuit 15 and to a position circuit 16 , respectively . also , a load &# 34 ; initiate &# 34 ; connection 17 furnishes a signal at least every 1 / 60th of a second in order to initiate a timing action to be described now . by means of a connection 17a , the &# 34 ; initiate &# 34 ; signal also resets a high frequency clock circuit 18 in order to obtain the intermediate &# 34 ; position command &# 34 ; signals to fill in between those from the computer . the high frequency clock signals generated by the circuit 18 , which are in the order 5000 hertz , are connected to the &# 34 ; position &# 34 ; signal generator 19 by a cable 20 in order to control the series of intermediate pulses 13 , fig2 intermediate of the computer - generated &# 34 ; position &# 34 ; command signals . the high frequency clock circuit 18 , therefore , is reset by each of these computer - generated &# 34 ; position &# 34 ; command signals connected over the line 17a . the &# 34 ; position &# 34 ; signal generator 19 , therefore , generates a signal output indicative of the new position to which the servo device is to move and is connected to a &# 34 ; compare &# 34 ; circuit 21 over a connection 22 . the &# 34 ; compare &# 34 ; circuit 21 has a second input terminal 23 over which a signal is received from feedback circuit 24 in order to determine the actual position of the servo device each instant of time , and is well known in the art . the feedback circuit 24 , in other words , monitors actual movement of the servo device . by comparing the new position signal over the input line 22 with the actual position signal of the servo device over the line 23 , the &# 34 ; compare &# 34 ; circuit 21 then develops a &# 34 ; position error &# 34 ; signal which is connected directly to a read - only - memory circuit 25 over an input connection 26 . the read - only - memory circuit 25 contains a velocity table of drive signal information which is selected by the &# 34 ; position error &# 34 ; signal from its smallest position error other than zero to the largest position error signal . however , a zero position error always is represented by a zero in the velocity table . from time to time during the operation of the circuit of the present invention , it has been found desirable to calibrate the gain of the read - only - memory circuit 25 in order to obtain the highest possible response without any overshoot of movement of the servo device . therefore , this calibration is accomplished by increasing the gain of each of the permissible circuit component in this circuit until the overshoot occurs and , then , slightly decreasing the gain until the overshoot disappears . an adder circuit 27 has two input connections 28 and 29 . the input connection 28 receives the output of the read - only - memory circuit 25 , which is a correction velocity as determined by the &# 34 ; position error &# 34 ; signal which it receives over the input connection 26 . the other input connection 29 to the adder circuit 27 is the desired velocity signal directly from the computer 14 . by this arrangement , a velocity drive signal is connected to its output terminal 30 even when the correction velocity is zero and there is a desired velocity from the computer 14 . the velocity drive signal at the output terminal 30 of the adder circuit 27 is connected directly to a digital - to - analog circuit 31 which converts the digital form of the signal to a suitable analog drive signal in order to drive the servo device over a connection 32 . although the invention has been disclosed using specifically identified circuit components , it may be practiced also by using the logic elements in a digital computer along with proper programs . the separate clock circuit 18 providing a different higher frequency of clock signals may be provided also from a computer , as may the other functions described . any number of possible combinations of computer logic and hardware are possible without deviating from the true spirit and scope of the present invention which is defined by the appended claims . | 6 |
the inventors herein in conjunction with others have previously developed optically pumped ingap / inalgap sqw vcsels employing alas / al 0 . 5 ga 0 . 5 as dbr &# 39 ; s at red wavelengths . development of electrically - injected visible vcsels employing inalgap - based active region material has been complicated by several critical materials and device design issues . the bandgap in the in 0 . 5 ( al 0 . 7 ga 0 . 3 ) 0 . 5 p confining layers (≅ 2 . 31 - 2 . 34 ev ) commonly used is the ingap / inalgap sqw active region is significantly larger than those in either of the dbr layers [ e g ( alas )≅ 2 . 17 ev , e g ( al 0 . 5 ga 0 . 5 as )≅ 2 . 04 ev ], complicating efficient carrier injection into the active region because of reduced charge carrier confinement and increased carrier leakage . this bandgap difference is an extreme variation from normal practice in laser diode design . this &# 34 ; total confinement &# 34 ; value ( the energy difference between the bandgap of the active quantum well layers and the average bandgap of the cladding / dbr ) in typical ir edge - emitting laser diodes is 650 - 900 mev , in ir ( 850 and 980 nm ) vscels it is about 600 mev , and in algainp visible edge - emitting laser diodes it is about 400 - 500 mev . in contrast , the &# 34 ; total confinement &# 34 ; for the devices of this invention is about 200 - 250 mev . this aggravates the carrier confinement deficiencies for the vscel structure noted above . in addition , inalgap - based visible ( edge - emitting ) laser diodes generally suffer from poor temperature characteristics and high threshold current densities relative to gaas / algaas lasers due to reduced confinement potentials , increased carrier leakage currents , much lower characteristic temperature t 0 ( the lower the t 0 , the more the temperature sensitivity of the device ), and higher thermal resistivity . compounding these issues , vcsels are subject to significant heating due to high resistance associated with charge carrier transport in the dbrs and high current densities in the gain region . this background indicates that achieving visible output from an electrically injected vscel diode is a very difficult task . to overcome these obstacles , study was begun into the optical cavity design for the vscel structure by first characterizing edge - emitting laser diodes with algaas dbr cladding layers that simulate the injection conditions present in a vscel . by optimizing carrier injection efficiency through the addition of inalp phase - matching spacer layers , room temperature electrically - injected lasing was achieved in inalgap - based visible vcsel diodes over the wavelength range 639 - 661 nm . the inalgap system emits light over the range 720 - 550 nm , covering the deep red to green range of the visible spectrum , and the scope of this invention should not be limited to a specific wavelength . these devices were grown using low - pressure metalorganic vapor - phase epitaxy ( movpe ) techniques as reported by the inventors and others in r . p . schneider , jr ., r . p . bryan , j . a . lott and e . d . jones , &# 34 ; movpe growth of inalgap - based visible vertical - cavity surface emitting lasers &# 34 ;, j . cryst . growth 124 , 763 ( 1992 ). this reference is incorporated by reference in its entirety . it should be appreciated that the following specific description is for the first , non - optimized devices to produce the electrically injected laser output at a visible wavelength . further refinements to the processing sequence are underway and will result in better devices . the invention should not be considered as limited by this specific example . the true scope of the invention is to be found in the claims . the following description refers to fig1 . the dbrs 12 and 14 are composed of alternating quarter wave ( λ / 4 ) layers of alas and al 0 . 5 ga 0 . 5 as , with 10 nm - thick al 0 . 75 ga 0 . 25 as barrier - reduction layers inserted between to improve carrier transport . the convention for this quarter wave thickness is actually λ / 4n , where λ is the wavelength of the light measured in a vacuum and n is the refractive index of the material at that wavelength . the ( p ) dbr 12 is doped to 4 × 10 18 cm - 3 using c , while the ( p +) gaas cap is doped to 6 - 8 × 10 19 cm - 3 . the ( p ) inalp , 23 in fig2 is doped to 6 - 8 × 10 17 cm - 3 using mg , while the bottom ( n ) dbr 14 and ( n ) inalp , 22 in fig2 are doped to 2 × 10 18 cm - 3 using si . those skilled in the art will realize that other material combinations such as inalp / inalgap and dielectrics such as nb 2 o 5 / sio 2 , znse / caf 2 , or sio 2 / zro 2 could be used as the dbr layers . as a specific example , the dbrs could be composed of inalp / in ( al y ga 1 - y ) p where y is approximately 0 . 2 and doped with mg ( 6 - 8 × 10 17 ) and si ( 2 × 10 18 ). gain - guided broad - area ( 50 × 250 - 1000 μm ) edge - emitting laser diodes were fabricated with a patterned ti / au p - contact metallization and a full back surface geau / ni / au n - contact metallization . the p - metal stripe was used as an etch mask , and the algaas dbr cladding was removed by a wet etchant . this improves current injection and optical confinement . the cleaved facets were uncoated , and the devices were tested without heat - sinking on a probe stage . the non - optimized visible vcsel test devices were fabricated by etching away the p - dbr to the top of the optical cavity using a bcl 3 plasma etch . an annular p - metal contact defines aperture sizes of 10 - 20 μm , shown as 16 in fig1 with a 5 μm - wide contact ring , 18 . fig2 shows the calculated charge - neutral real - space energy band diagram for the active region 20 , in 0 . 5 al 0 . 5 p spacer layers , 22 and 23 , and several dbr pairs , 24 and 25 . the diagram for the left side energy levels labelled vb is for the valence band , while the right side diagram labelled cb is for the conduction band . the active region 20 is 2λ thick . the precise thickness will vary with wavelength : about 390 nm at λ = 650 nm and about 400 nm at λ = 670 nm . it is composed of 10 nm thick in 0 . 56 ga 0 . 44 p strained quantum wells surrounded by lattice - matched in 0 . 5 ( al y ga 1 - y ) 0 . 5 p barriers , step - graded from y = 0 . 4 to y = 0 . 7 in a separate - confinement heterostructure ( sch ). for the edge - emitting lasers , only a single sqw was used , while for the vcsels 3 sqws were employed , separated by 10 nm thick in 0 . 5 ( al 0 . 4 ga 0 . 6 ) 0 . 5 p barriers . the remainder of the 2λ active region is in 0 . 5 ( al 0 . 7 ga 0 . 5 ) 0 . 5 p , terminating on the in 0 . 5 al 0 . 5 p spacer layers 22 and 23 . the inventors have fabricated broad - area gain - guided edge - emitting visible laser diodes incorporating 2λ active regions with 1 μm - thick in 0 . 5 al 0 . 5 p cladding and measured pulsed , room - temperature threshold current densities of j th ≈ 170 - 400 a / cm 2 with differential quantum efficiencies of η = 0 . 3 - 0 . 4 per facet at wavelengths of λ = 660 - 670 nm . these values are among the best reported for this wavelength range , offering assurance of high quality material and heterostructure design . however , current injection for vcsels is through the alas / al 0 . 5 ga 0 . 5 as dbrs and across the algaas / inalgap interfaces . efforts at achieving electrically - injected lasing in vcsel diode structures employing the 2λ active region described above , sandwiched between alas / al 0 . 5 ga 0 . 5 as dbrs , without the in 0 . 5 al 0 . 5 p spacer layers 22 , have been unsuccessful to date . to improve injection into the vcsel active region , the inventors first fabricated edge - emitting laser diodes , with cladding composed of alas / al 0 . 5 ga 0 . 5 as dbrs identical to those used in the vcsels , and in 0 . 5 al 0 . 5 p spacers inserted between the cladding and the 2λ active region . several devices were grown with increasing in 0 . 5 al 0 . 5 p spacer thickness , as shown in table 1 below . table 1______________________________________inalp spacer # of dbr pairs inthickness p - clad j . sub . th ( a / cm . sup . 2 ) ______________________________________1λ ( 210 nm ) 8 11402λ ( 420 nm ) 8 6403λ ( 630 nm ) 8 4703λ ( 630 ) 36 4801 μm 0 330______________________________________ in table 1 the threshold current density is observed to decrease markedly with increasing in 0 . 5 al 0 . 5 p spacer thickness , to ≈ 460 a / cm 2 for the device with 3λ of in 0 . 5 al 0 . 5 p spacer on each side of the cavity . other thicknesses could be used , but the thickness of the phase matching spacer layers must be some multiple of λ / 4 , and the total thickness of the cavity must be a multiple of λ / 2 . because the average refractive index of the alas / al 0 . 5 ga 0 . 5 as dbrs (≈ 3 . 29 at λ = 670 nm ) is similar to the refractive index of the inalp spacer layers ( about 3 . 32 at λ = 670 nm ), the dramatic improvement in the performance of the edge - emitting lasers with increasing in 0 . 5 al 0 . 5 p cladding thickness cannot be attributed solely to improved optical confinement . instead , the reduction in lasing threshold seems to be due to improved carrier injection efficiency . indeed , the average bandgap of the alas / al 0 . 5 ga 0 . 5 as dbr cladding is ≈ 0 . 23 ev smaller than that of the in 0 . 5 al 0 . 5 p . by displacing these lower - bandgap regions from the active region of the device , their influence on carrier leakage is reduced . the use of p - in 0 . 5 al 0 . 5 p cladding is expected to lead to reduced electron leakage current in visible edge - emitting laser diodes by offering increased electron confinement , and excellent results have been obtained with this approach . in addition , recent photoluminescence excitation ( ple ) spectroscopy studies of ingap / inalgap lattice - matched and strained quantum wells have suggested a relatively small valence band offset , and calculations based on these results indicate that hole leakage may be comparable to electron leakage in inalgap heterostructures . thus the improved hole confinement afforded by the inalp shown in fig2 may also play a critical role . in addition , the relatively thick spacer provides a region in which the high energy (&# 34 ; hot &# 34 ;) injected carriers may thermalize to lower energy . this should reduce leakage in the form of carrier overshoot . reduction in carrier leakage currents should in turn lead to increased characteristic temperature t 0 , which is particularly critical to vcsels because of the tendency for heating in the very small gain region . finally , it should be noted that there may be some advantage in moving the cavity - dbr interfaces further from the active region . this is because the transition from as to p in the movpe process is a difficult one , with uncertain heterointerface characteristics . other materials are candidates for the spacer layers . for example , pure alas could be used . although its bandgap is lower than inalp , its thermal properties are better . visible vertical - cavity surface - emitting lasers were grown with the extended cavity described above , as shown in fig1 and 2 . referring to fig2 the active region 20 is 2λ thick , and the thickness of the in 0 . 5 al 0 . 5 p optical phase - matching spacer layers 22 is 3λ on each side , for a total optical cavity thickness of 8λ shown as 10 in fig1 . the bottom high - reflectivity si - doped n - dbr is composed of 551 / 2 pairs , 24 in fig2 and 14 in fig1 while the lower - reflectivity output coupler consists of an identical 36 - pair c - doped p - dbr , 25 in fig2 and 12 in fig1 . a top ( n +) gaas layer is used to improve the ohmic contact to the top electrode . the same doping values that were used in the edge - emitting laser study were used for the vscels . the measured reflectance spectra for the structure is shown in fig3 . a fabry - perot resonance is observed in the center of the mirror bandpass , at λ = 649nm . the wafers were grown without rotation , so there is a nearly linear grade in the layer thicknesses of about 7 %, from front ( thickest ) to back ( thinnest ). this thickness variation corresponds directly to a variation in the wavelength position of the dbr and the fabry - perot resonance , while the wavelength of the quantum well transition changes little ( about 7 . 5 nm ) over the same region . devices were tested over the wavelength range 630 - 680 nm . electrically - injected lasing was achieved over the wavelength range 635 - 663 nm , with peak pulsed power output of 3 . 4 mw at 650 nm measured on devices with 20 μm diameter emitting apertures , 16 in fig1 . possible output wavelengths using these particular materials should range from about 560 nm to about 720 nm . lasing threshold current at this wavelength was 30 ma , with a voltage at threshold of 2 . 7 v . the resistance measured for the devices is in the range of 14 - 19 ω depending on the device size . the low device resistance is attributed to small energy band offsets , high dbr doping , and the large number of dbr pairs . many devices continue to lase with a duty cycle of 40 % at a repetition rate of 1 mhz . a lasing spectrum is shown in fig5 along with a light - current ( l - i ) characteristic , given in fig4 . the short lasing wavelength is consistent with an n = 2 lasing transition ( n ≈ 650 nm ) rather than n = 1 ( 80 ≈ 670 nm ). population of the n = 2 subband is probably enhanced due to heating in the active region , though further work is necessary to confirm this hypothesis . cavity losses increase the gain threshold , and contributions at the n = 2 quantum well transistion are required for lasing . substantial improvements in device performance are anticipated with more sophisticated process development . the as - fabricated devices could be improved for better lateral current confinement by having a deeper etch past the top dbr layers into and through the optical cavity or by using ion implantation for current confinement . the region at the interface between the top of the optical cavity and the base of the upper dbr stack would be implanted except for a central region directly below and extending radially outward 1 - 5 μm from the aperture in the top electrode so as to channel and concentrate the charge carriers from the upper electrode into this central region for increased efficiency . the present structure has more heating and current spreading than a more optimized structure would have . | 7 |
in fig1 walker 10 includes a series of legs 11 - 14 integral with and / or secured to crossbar 15 . turned side extensions of the crossbar 15 are provided with handles 16 and 17 for convenient patient use . a brace 18 may be employed for purposes of stability , which brace 18 is secured by attachments 19 &# 39 ; to forward ones of the legs 11 and 14 . the lower extensions of the legs are each provided with foot sleeves 20 , see also fig2 such foot sleeves having a series of apertures 21 . the lower extensions 22 of each of the legs may be provided with a spring , shown in schematic form at 23 , for pressing outwardly the detent button 24 secured thereto . aperture 25 is provided for such detent button in the lower portion 22 of the leg . plural apertures 21 are provided the foot sleeve 20 so that a convenient height adjustment can be made for each of the legs , this to accommodate patient comfort . a plastic or other type of cap 27 , of conventional design , may be employed for disposition over the lower end of the foot sleeve 20 . a sponge - like safety pad 28 is provided . its general configuration , preferably , is that of a cylinder having an internal bore , even though the cylinder may be tapered or assume another type of outward configuration as may be desired . the purpose for the inclusion of sponge - like pad 28 is to deter injury to the patient &# 39 ; s toes , should he / she tend to shuffle forwardly and bump the lower extremities of the legs of a walker with the toes . sufficient give will be supplied the sponge - like character of the foot pads so that toe injury is avoided . as to the legs themselves , the upper portions may be made integral with , or simply fastened to , the crossbar structure 15 as by means of attachments 19a &# 39 ;. patient tray 29 includes , first of all , a tray member 30 , having a bottom 31 and a series of sides 32 35 . sides 32 and 34 have interior recesses 36 and 37 which form respective , upwardly facing support shoulders 38 and 39 . these support shoulders support the lower peripheral edge 40 of apertured plate 41 . plate 41 has a series of apertures b - f , for receiving various types of containers , dinnerware and the like such as cups , plates , and so on . one type of plate may include slight depressions , forming a plate well and also a cup well , for fitting into apertures b and c , the plate being designated by the phantom line g . cup h , container i , and other types of containers may be employed for simply fitting into the apertures of the plate 41 . the various dinnerware items , receptacles and containers having bottoms which rest upon the bottom 31 of the tray member . one special feature of the invention now immediately appears . with the apertured plate 41 installed , the composite tray is suitable for containing and supporting a variety of dinnerware items and accessories . again , the plate is supported by upwardly facing recessed shoulders 38 and 39 in fig6 . with the utensils removed , the plate 41 can itself be removed to expose the well area of the tray member 30 , so that the same can be used to contain and support books , papers , pencils , and other personal items . accordingly , the composite tray may serve a dual function , depending upon whether or not one leaves the apertured plate 41 in place , as shown in fig6 or whether one removes the same . of special importance is the inclusion of a pair of upstanding arms 42 . each of the arms is rigidly affixed by attachments 43 &# 39 ; to the opposite sides 33 and 35 of tray member 30 . as a convenience for certain types of walkers , the upstanding arms 42 may have respective dog leg configurements and be provided with upper portions 543 , having upper apertures 44 . these upper apertures receive the hook retainer ends 45 of an articulative , elongate respective link 46 . link 46 have upper portions comprising rings 47 each of which is secured by a plastic tie 48 to crossbar 15 . the plastic ties loosely connect the upper ring - like ends of each link 46 so that there is some play and freedom of movement that is , or can be , involved . it is important that the upstanding arms 42 be fixed and not pivoted to tray member 30 . this is for the purpose of precluding effects such as tipping , should the composite centers of gravity of the receptacles and other food , as may be disposed on the tray , not be over the center - line of the tray , passing through lower portions of the arms . it is likewise important that an articulative connection be presented and be of elongate character , as shown by articulative links 46 , whereby jarring or other abrupt movements can have but little effect relative to the nominal , horizontal disposition of the composite tray . an important feature of the invention is shown in fig4 wherein a representative leg 11 is shown to be provided with a lock mechansim 49 that is easily hand - manipulated . the same comprises a plate mount 50 , having suitable attachments 51 &# 39 ; for mounting the plate mount to leg 11 . pivoted or otherwise secured by portion 51 is sleeve 52 , the latter being provided with a detent pin 53 , having graspable knob 54 . the pin 53 also may include a peripheral slot 55 accommodating the positioning of a c - ring retainer 56 . aperture 57 is provided in a respective side 33 of tray 30 . a similar locking mechanism , as shown in fig4 will also be provided the opposite side of tray member 30 relative to leg 14 . the walker is adjustable as to height , by virtue of the structure shown in fig2 . importantly , the protective sponge - like footpads 28 protect the patient &# 39 ; s toes against unwanted jarring and injury . the composite patient tray 29 can be easily connected and disconnected to the walker by means of the quick - connect elongate links or engagement members at 46 ; the latter will generally be permanently secured by plastic ties 48 to crossbar 15 of the walker structure . accordingly , the entire tray may be removed or installed very quickly , as may be desired . importantly , the tray itself has a number of unique , important features . one is that the tray is comprised of two principal members , the tray member and the removable apertured plate . when the plate is installed then the same is useful for supporting dinnerware and other items against inadvertent movement . when the plate is removed , the inner well of tray member 30 is useful for carrying personal items such as books , papers , and other patient items . importantly , the mutually opposite upstanding arms 42 , affixed to opposite sides 33 and 35 of tray member 30 , have rigid connection with such tray member so that there is no pivoting action between the lower portions of the arms 42 themselves and the opposite sides of such tray member . the upper extremities of these upstanding arms have respective apertures essentially planar for suitable connection to the quick - connect structures 46 , comprising the opposite articulative links . the incorporation of such links reduce large , swinging movements and enables a more direct gravity - assist , this that jarring is not translated into pronounced tipping of the composite tray . the loose connection of the ties 48 , with the articulative links , allows for flexibility so that jarring and other movements of the walker will not be translated into tipping of the tray and spilling of its contents . thus , by way of example , when the patient grasps the handles 16 and 17 and moves the walker with its tray forwardly , then with the locks or detents at 49 being in unlocked position , the tray is free to maintain its horizontal position , essentially undistributed therein , even though the walker is moving and overall configuration of the walker is tipped or tilted . thus , the locks , as at 49 , will be disengaged during intentional movements of the walker . when a particular position is reached , and the patient desires to sit down , for example , then he may do so , push the pins 53 inwardly in the manner shown in fig4 and totally stabilize the composite tray construction relative to the now stationary walker . this so there is both ease and comfort in using the tray for a variety of purposes . when the patient desires to move , he merely unlocks the pins 53 from apertures 57 in fig4 so that now the tray is free , essentially , from any effects of movement or tilting of the walker itself . fig7 and 8 illustrate the releasable incorporation of the tray structure , as above described , to bed tray and wheelchair structures , respectively . in fig7 the bed tray frame 58 include inverted u - shaped leg members 59 and a crossbar 60 , having depending opposite extremities 61 and 62 . again , the plastic or other ties 48 connect to the quick - connect elongate links 46 as before explained . the composite tray 29 is suspended therefrom by means of connection of the links 46 to the corresponding upstanding arms 42 . since the upper arms are not provided directly to , and proximate the axis of crossbar 60 , then any jarring movements and energies associated therewith are quickly dampened so that the tray returns to its desired , horizontal position . in fig8 wheelchair 63 has upstanding adjustable risers 64 and 65 , with inwardly turned ends 66 and 67 . these ends are provided with caps 68 and 69 , as well as with the previously described ties 48 . again , the latter are employed to suspend the links 46 and the upstanding arms 42 . movements , and even sudden jarring , of the wheelchair will not effect the horizontal disposition of the composite tray ; furthermore , should the tray itself be jarred , energies resulting therefrom are quickly dampened by virtue of the elongate links and their respective articulative connections to and between support ends 66 and 67 forming , in effect , a composite crossbar structure to support the arms and tray . accordingly , in all of the embodiments , ample and unique provision is made in keeping the tray essentially horizontal , notwithstanding intermittent movements of intention or inadvertence relative to the basic structure . to accommodate left - handed persons , the plate 41 can simply be lifted and then reversed end - for - end to assume an inverted position . this invention has been described in its presently contemplated best mode , and it is clear that it is susceptible to numerous modifications , modes and embodiments within the ability of those skilled in the art and without the excerise of the inventive faculty . accordingly , the scope of this invention is defined by the scope of the following claims . | 8 |
one embodiment of the present nasal / sinus wash compositions comprises a salt and a ph buffer , wherein when mixed with water the composition may provide an isotonic saline solution of ph below about 7 . 0 . in some cases the ph of the solution may be less than about 7 . 0 , 6 . 9 , 6 . 8 , 6 . 7 , 6 . 6 , or 6 . 5 and greater than about 6 . 4 , 6 . 5 , 6 . 6 , 6 . 7 , 6 . 8 , or 6 . 9 . preferably , the ph of the nasal wash solution may be about 6 . 7 . in some embodiments , the salts may comprise sodium chloride , sodium bicarbonate , and sodium ascorbate , and the buffer may further comprise sodium bicarbonate , sodium ascorbate , or both . in various embodiments , the composition is intended to be mixed with water prior to use . the water used may be generally body temperature , that is around 97 degrees fahrenheit or room temperature , that is between about 65 and about 85 degrees fahrenheit . body temperature may be about 37 ° c . and room temperature may be about 23 ° c . in some cases , the solution may be used at about 37 ° c . in some cases , the solution temperature may be greater than about 25 ° c ., 30 ° c ., 34 ° c ., 35 ° c ., 36 ° c ., 37 ° c ., 38 ° c ., or 39 ° c ., and lower than about 40 ° c ., 39 ° c ., 38 ° c ., 37 ° c ., 36 ° c ., 35 ° c ., 34 ° c ., 33 ° c ., 32 ° c ., 31 ° c ., 30 ° c ., or 29 ° c . the composition may be provided in liquid or dry form , such as a powder or granular form . the composition may further be provided in bulk to allow a user to measure out the desired amount of composition , or the composition may be provided in individually - packaged , pre - measured amounts or doses . the water used to make the isotonic wash solution may be treated , for example , by distillation , de - ionization , filtration , or a combination thereof . the water is sterile and may be from a bottled source or may be obtained from a home tap . in some cases , the water may be sterilized by boiling prior to mixing with a solution . in these cases , the solution may be cooled prior to use . hypertonic , and hypotonic solutions are also possible by mixing the composition with less or more than the appropriate volume of water , or by adding more or less composition to the appropriate volume of water , or a combination thereof . various embodiments of the present composition may include additives . additives may be , for example , moisturizers , flavorants , oils , herbs , and medicaments . these additives may aid in the treatment of a sinus condition , inhibit or prevent bacterial growth , or increase the pleasurability of the experience . additives , may also aid in changing the sinus environment by , for example , increasing mucus production , thinning mucus , changing the ph of the mucus , stimulating transport of the mucus from the nasal and sinus cavities , or shrinking the nasal mucosal epithelium . methods of using the present composition in the treatment of sinus or nasal conditions are also provided . for example , hypertonic solutions may be used to treat sinusitis in a patient in need of such treatment . in various embodiments , the described composition may be used to control , reduce , or inhibit the growth or the number of a variety of organisms . in some embodiments the organism may be selected from one or more strain of staphylococcus and haemophilus . in some embodiment the one or more organisms may be selected from staphylococcus epidermidis , staphylococcus aureus , staphylococcus pneumoniae , and haemophilus influenzae . growth is controlled , reduced , or inhibited where , when the organism is grown in the presence of the composition , a culture of the organism has progressively fewer viable organisms over time . for example , successively removed aliquots of a culture of organisms grown , at appropriate conditions ( shaking , temperature , humidity , etc ), in a solution of the presently described composition will contain fewer cfus ( colony forming units , or single cells ) over time . in one embodiment , a dry formulation may be 80 % to 88 % sodium chloride , 9 % to 20 % sodium ascorbate , and 0 % to 2 % sodium bicarbonate by weight . in some embodiments , the sodium ascorbate concentration may be greater than about 8 %, 9 %, 10 %, 11 %, 12 %, 13 %, 14 %, 15 %, 16 %, 17 %, 18 %, 19 %, or 20 %, and less than about 21 %, 20 %, 19 %, 18 %, 17 %, 16 %, 15 %, 14 %, 13 %, 12 %, 11 %, 10 %, or 9 % by weight . in some cases , the sodium chloride concentration may be greater than about 75 %, 76 %, 77 %, 78 %, 79 %, 80 %, 81 %, 82 %, 83 %, 84 %, 85 %, 86 %, 87 %, 88 %, 89 %, or 90 %, and less than about 91 %, 90 %, 89 %, 88 %, 87 %, 86 %, 85 %, 84 %, 83 %, 82 %, 81 %, 80 %, 79 %, 78 %, 77 %, or 76 % by weight . in some case , the sodium bicarbonate concentration may be greater than about 0 %, 0 . 1 %, 0 . 2 %, 0 . 3 %, 0 . 4 %, 0 . 5 %, 0 . 6 %, 0 . 7 %, 0 . 8 %, 0 . 9 %, 1 . 0 %, 1 . 1 %, 1 . 2 %, 1 . 3 %, 1 . 4 %, 1 . 5 %, 1 . 6 %, 1 . 7 %, 1 . 8 %, 1 . 9 %, 2 . 0 %, or 2 . 1 % and less than about 2 . 2 %, 2 . 1 %, 2 . 0 %, 1 . 9 %, 1 . 8 %, 1 . 7 %, 1 . 6 %, 1 . 5 %, 1 . 4 %, 1 . 3 %, 1 . 2 %, 1 . 1 %, 1 . 0 %, 0 . 9 %, 0 . 8 %, 0 . 7 %, 0 . 6 %, 0 . 5 %, 0 . 4 %, 0 . 3 %, 0 . 2 %, or 0 . 1 % by weight . for embodiments with additives , the additives will generally account for less than 0 . 5 % of the total weight of the formulation . in some cases , 1 gram of composition may comprise between 0 . 790 and 0 . 890 grams of sodium chloride , between 0 . 07 and 0 . 21 grams of sodium ascorbate , and 0 . 000 and 0 . 030 grams of sodium bicarbonate . in various embodiments , 1 gram of the composition may comprise greater than about 0 . 800 , 0 . 805 , 0 . 810 , 0 . 815 , 0 . 820 , 0 . 825 , 0 . 830 , 0 . 835 , 0 . 840 , 0 . 845 , 0 . 850 , 0 . 855 , 0 . 860 , 0 . 865 , 0 . 870 , or 0 . 875 and less than about 0 . 880 , 0 . 875 , 0 . 870 , 0 . 865 , 0 . 860 , 0 . 855 , 0 . 850 , 0 . 845 , 0 . 840 , 0 . 835 , 0 . 830 , 0 . 825 , 0 . 820 , 0 . 815 , 0 . 810 , or 0 . 805 grams of sodium chloride ; and greater than about 0 . 090 , 0 . 095 , 0 . 100 , 0 . 105 , 0 . 110 , 0 . 115 , 0 . 120 , 0 . 125 , 0 . 130 , 0 . 135 , 0 . 140 , 0 . 145 , 0 . 150 , 0 . 155 , 0 . 160 , 0 . 165 , 0 . 170 , 0 . 175 , 0 . 180 , 0 . 185 , 0 . 190 , or 0 . 195 and less than about 0 . 205 , 0 . 200 , 0 . 195 , 0 . 190 , 0 . 185 , 0 . 180 , 0 . 175 , 0 . 170 , 0 . 165 , 0 . 160 , 0 . 155 , 0 . 150 , 0 . 145 , 0 . 140 , 0 . 135 , 0 . 130 , 0 . 125 , 0 . 120 , 0 . 115 , 0 . 100 , or 0 . 095 grams of sodium ascorbate ; and greater than about 0 . 000 , 0 . 005 , 0 . 010 , or 0 . 015 and less than about 0 . 020 , 0 . 015 , 0 . 010 , or 0 . 005 grams of sodium bicarbonate . in some cases , 1 gram of the composition may comprise greater than about 0 . 000 , 0 . 005 , 0 . 010 , 0 . 015 , 0 . 020 , 0 . 025 , 0 . 030 , 0 . 035 , 0 . 040 , or 0 . 045 and less than about 0 . 050 , 0 . 045 , 0 . 040 , 0 . 035 , 0 . 030 , 0 . 025 , 0 . 020 , 0 . 015 , 0 . 010 , or 0 . 050 grams of an additive . in various embodiments other buffers may be used to achieve the desired results . for example , in some embodiments sodium phosphate dibasic , na 2 hpo 4 , may be mixed with sodium phosphate monobasic , nah 2 po 4 , to prepare a composition that when mixed with water may result in a ph around 6 . 7 . in other embodiments , sodium phosphate monobasic and / or dibasic may be mixed with sodium bicarbonate and / or sodium ascorbate to create a composition that may result in a solution of the desired ph . in some embodiments of the current composition , the dry formulation may be provided in individually packaged , pre - measured doses of between about 2 and about 3 grams , and when dissolved in about 230 to about 250 milliliters of water , an isotonic solution with ph 6 . 7 may be created . in some cases , the weight of one milliliter of water is about 1 gram . in various embodiments the ratio of composition to water in grams to moles is about 1 : 100 . in some cases , the ratio may be between about 1 : 80 to 1 : 120 . in some cases the ratio may be greater than about 1 : 80 , 1 : 85 , 1 : 90 , 1 : 91 , 1 : 92 , 1 : 93 , 1 : 94 , 1 : 95 , 1 : 96 , 1 : 97 , 1 : 98 , 1 : 99 , 1 : 100 , 1 : 101 , 1 : 102 , 1 : 103 , 1 : 104 , 1 : 105 , 1 : 106 , 1 : 107 , 1 : 108 , 1 : 109 , 1 : 110 , 1 : 111 , 1 : 112 , 1 : 113 , 1 : 114 , 1 : 115 , 1 : 116 , 1 : 117 , 1 : 118 , 1 : 119 , 1 : 120 , 1 : 125 , and 1 : 130 and less than about 1 : 130 , 1 : 125 , 1 : 120 , 1 : 119 , 1 : 118 , 1 : 117 , 1 : 116 , 1 : 115 , 1 : 114 , 1 : 113 , 1 : 112 , 1 : 111 , 1 : 110 , 1 : 109 , 1 : 108 , 1 : 107 , 1 : 106 , 1 : 105 , 1 : 104 , 1 : 103 , 1 : 102 , 1 : 101 , 1 : 100 , 1 : 99 , 1 : 98 , 1 : 97 , 1 : 96 , 1 : 95 , 1 : 94 , 1 : 93 , 1 : 92 , 1 : 91 , 1 : 90 , and 1 : 85 . in various embodiments , the solution may be approximately body temperature , that is about 97 degrees fahrenheit . in other embodiments the solution may be generally room temperature , that is between about 65 degrees and about 85 degrees fahrenheit . in other embodiments the solution may be selected by the user to maximize individual needs and comfort . a pre - measured amount may be referred to as a dose . the appropriate amount of water for creating an isotonic solution from a pre - measured dose may vary depending on the application , sinus condition , method of delivery , and or preferences of the user or patient . a specific dose may be designed to be dissolved in , mixed with , or added to a specific volume of water in order to produce an isotonic solution . when a hypertonic or hypotonic solution is desired , either less or more water than specified will be used respectively . for example , a 2 gram dose of the current composition may call for a 200 ml volume of water , while two doses of the composition in the same volume of water may provide a hypertonic solution . alternatively , a 100 ml solution containing 2 grams of the current composition may also be hypertonic . in addition to pre - measured , individually packaged dose amounts of the current composition , the composition may also be provided in bulk , for example , a container that holds many , unpackaged doses . when a bulk composition is provided , the user may have greater freedom to measure out a desired dose . in some embodiments , the bulk composition may be provided with a measuring device such as a dropper for liquid bulk compositions , or a spoon or scoop for dry formulations . additives may be included in the current formulation . additives may help to treat a condition , reduce congestion , or relieve or lessen inflammation . additives may further treat a sinus condition , or inhibit or prevent bacterial growth . additives may also aid in increasing the pleasurability of the experience . additives may include , for example , flavorings , oils , herbal extracts , medicaments , and moisturizers . additives may be from natural extracts , or may be synthetic , or a combination of both . flavorings and additives may include , for example , aloe , eucalyptus oil , and menthol . additives may also include pharmaceutical , medical , or nutritional compositions such as , for example , antibiotics and steroids . nasal and sinus conditions that may be treated by the current formulation include , for example , sinusitis , chronic sinusitis , dryness , atrophic rhinitis , inflammation , catarrh , rhinitis , allergic rhinitis , common cold , and postnasal drip . in some embodiments , the nasal wash may be used to treat a condition that is not manifested in the nasal or sinus cavities , for example , cough , sore throat , or stuffy ears . the current composition may provide for an isotonic solution . an isotonic solution may have a solute concentration that is the same or similar to the solute concentration as a mammalian cell or a bodily fluid , for example blood . an isotonic solution may be a solution that does not promote the net movement of water . in physiological systems , for example , an isotonic solution may not cause a net movement of water into or out of a cell . a hypertonic solution may cause a net movement of water out of a cell , while a hypotonic solution may cause a net movement into a cell . tonicity is affected by the amount of solutes in a solution , especially solutes that cannot easily cross a cell membrane . generally , in biological systems , tonicity is mostly affected by the salt concentration of the solution , but other molecules and compounds may also contribute to tonicity . a salt is an ionic compound composed of cations and anions , which may dissociate in water to produce separate positively and negatively charged ions . the tendency of a salt to dissociate is a function of the salt &# 39 ; s dissociation constant . dissociation constants reflect the strength of the interaction between the positively and negatively charged ions , and the tendency of the ions to dissociate in solution . the salt of the current composition may be sodium chloride . an isotonic solution of sodium chloride may be approximately 0 . 9 % sodium chloride , or 0 . 9 g ( grams ) nacl in 100 ml of h 2 o . 100 ml of water may weigh about 100 g . in other embodiments the solution may be between 1 . 0 and 0 . 8 % sodium chloride . 0 . 9 % sodium chloride solutions are generally isotonic with most mammalian cells , but solutions with less or more than 0 . 9 % sodium chloride may also be isotonic . in some embodiments the salt solution may contain additional chloride salts such as potassium chloride , magnesium chloride , calcium chloride , and combinations thereof . in further embodiments , non - chloride salts may also be present . in still further embodiments the formulation may include phosphate , sulfate , or carbonate salts . embodiments comprised of salts in addition to , or other than , nacl may be greater than or less than a 0 . 9 % solution . compositions that further include additives that may alter the tonicity of the nasal wash solution may comprise a reduced amount of salt or buffer or both . ph is a measure of the acidity or basicity of a solution and is written as a log of the hydrogen ions in solution . acidic solutions have a ph less than 7 , while basic solutions have a ph above 7 . a ph of 7 . 0 is said to be neutral . pure water has a ph of about 7 . 0 . the ph of blood may be slightly basic , about 7 . 4 . ph may be measured electrically or by the use of color changing solutions or compounds . in some cases a colormetric solution may be added dropwise to a test solution , or a test solution may be applied to various papers containing a colormetric compound / solution ( test strips ). ph may also be assayed electronically by ph meter and comparison to solutions of known ph . ph values may vary +/− 0 . 1 . thus , a ph of 7 . 6 may include a range from about 7 . 5 to about 7 . 7 . ph buffers may aid in maintaining the ph of a solution at a pre - determined range even when the amount of hydrogen atoms change . hydrogen ion concentrations may change in a solution due to introduction of an acid or a base , or the hydrogen ion concentrations may increase or decrease in response to changes in temperature . in biological systems , sodium bicarbonate may help keep the ph of a given solution near a physiological reading of 7 . 4 . sodium bicarbonate may also help to resist rapid ph changes in an acidic direction . the present formulation may include sodium carbonate and sodium ascorbate . sodium carbonate has the molecular formula nahco 3 , and a molecular weight of approximately 84 g / mole . sodium ascorbate has the chemical formula , c 6 h 7 nao 6 , and a molecular weight of approximately 198 g / mole . sodium ascorbate may produce an acidic solution , which may aid in inhibiting bacterial growth . further , sodium ascorbate may react with hydrochloric acid , to create ascorbic acid . in various embodiments the composition may include other buffers to achieve the desired results . for example , in some embodiments sodium phosphate dibasic , na 2 hpo 4 , may be mixed with sodium phosphate monobasic , nah 2 po 4 , to prepare a composition that , when mixed with water , may result in a ph around 6 . 7 . in other embodiments , sodium phosphate monobasic and / or dibasic may be mixed with sodium bicarbonate and / or sodium ascorbate to create a composition that may result in a solution of the desired ph . in some embodiments the dose may be an individually packaged amount of the composition . in other embodiments the dose may be designated by volume and measured with a device such as a measuring spoon , dropper , or cup . in further embodiments the dose may also be designated by a specific volume or weight , as in a specified number of milliliters or grams . doses are intended to be added to a specified volume of water to produce a generally isotonic composition . in embodiments where the formulation is provided in bulk , the formulation may include a device for measuring the appropriate amount of composition for a specified volume of water . in other embodiments , the formulation may be provided in liquid form to be diluted by a specified factor , such as for example , a 10 ×, 20 ×, 50 ×, or 100 × solutions . as described above , varying the amount of formulation added to the appropriate volume of water will create other than an isotonic solution . in some embodiments , the composition may be provided as a solution . in some embodiments , the composition may be provided as a solution for use as a nasal spray . nasal sprays or mists may help to treat nasal conditions , for example , dryness . nasal sprays may generally introduce less volume of a solution into the nasal and sinus cavities than a wash or lavage application . as used herein , the terms nasal and sinus are interchangeable , as in nasal cavity and sinus cavity . these terms are used herein to refer to both the nasal cavity and the paranasal sinus cavities that communicate with the nasal cavity . it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that variations and alternative embodiments may be made given the foregoing description . such variations and alternative embodiments are accordingly considered within the scope of the present invention . four solutions were tested for their ability to support growth of s . epidermidis . the solutions were : solution a , 1 packet of the present formulation dissolved in 240 ml sterile dh 2 o ; solution b , 1 packet of neilmed sinus rinse dissolved in 240 ml sterile dh 2 o ; solution c , 1 packet of breathe ease xl dissolved in 500 ml sterile dh 2 o . the final solution , solution d , pbs ( phosphate buffered saline , ph 7 . 4 ), was included as a control . a stock culture of s . epidermidis were plated a blood agar ( ba ) plate and incubated overnight at 36 ± 2 ° c . individual colonies are selected and grown in peptone . overnight cultures were adjusted to a turbidity equal to that of a 0 . 5 mcfarland standard , and assumed to contain 1 . 5 × 10 8 cfu ( colony forming units )/ ml . these cultures were diluted 1 : 10 in peptone to obtain a concentration of 1 . 5 × 10 7 cfu / ml . on day 0 , 200 μl of the 1 . 5 × 10 7 cfu / ml organism - suspension was diluted into 20 ml of the selected test solution ( a , b , or c ) and the control solution ( d ) to obtain a concentration of 1 . 5 × 10 5 cfu / ml . this inoculated solution was then immediately diluted 1 : 10 and 50 μl plated onto the appropriate agar plate for overnight growth at 36 ± 2 ° c . this was the o - hour sample . inoculated test solutions were incubated at 36 ± 2 ° c . for the duration of the experiment . at 8 , 24 , 32 , 50 , and 74 - hour intervals , each inoculated test solution was further diluted 1 : 10 and 1 : 1000 , a 50 μl aliquot removed , and each aliquot spiral plated on the appropriate agar plate . all plates were incubated at 36 ± 2 ° c . overnight , and then removed from incubation for counting and recording the number of colonies on each plate . the following tables are presented graphically in fig1 . table i presents the raw data and table ii presents the data of table 1 in log base 10 . these results show that the present formulation does not support growth of staphylococcus bacteria and reduces the number of bacterial cells below detectable levels in less than 8 hours . | 0 |
a better understanding of the modular ignition system 10 of the present invention may be had by reference to fig1 and 2 . the modular ignition system 10 includes adapter upper plate 12 and adapter lower plate 14 maintained in a spaced apart relationship by cylindrical adapter tube 16 to define an ignition adapter assembly 18 sized to receive an engine igniter assembly 20 . such engine igniters are typically used in aircraft engines or other types of engines where an exciter module and lead ( not shown ) are required to provide the proper voltage to the engine igniter assembly 20 to cause arcing across the firing end electrodes of the engine igniter assembly 20 . further description of the construction of the engine igniter assembly 20 will follow a description of those portions within the interior of the ignition adapter assembly 18 . with specific reference to fig1 and 3 , it may be seen that the ignition adapter assembly 18 is constructed and arranged to contain the engine igniter assembly 20 . annular grooves 22 and 24 in adapter upper plate 12 and adapter lower plate 14 , respectively , receive sealing gaskets 26 and 28 . adapter upper plate 12 is threaded and adapter lower plate 14 is drilled to receive bolts ( not shown ) which will cause a clamping force between upper plate 12 and lower plate 14 , which will create a load on sealing gaskets 26 and 28 , and contain all internal components of the adapter assembly 18 . connector subassembly 30 is disposed radially in the wall of adapter tube 16 with high tension contact 32 and threaded connector bushing 34 extending therefrom . the connector subassembly 30 is joined to the adapter tube 16 using a suitable means such as brazing or welding . an airtight seal is formed between threaded connector bushing 34 and connector ceramic sleeve 38 by using a suitable sealing means 33 such as a glass seal , powder seal or braze joint . an airtight seal is also formed between high tension contact 32 and connector ceramic sleeve 38 by using a suitable sealing means 31 such as a glass seal , powder seal or braze joint . seals 31 and 33 prevent pressurized engine gases from escaping through the ignition adapter assembly 18 . high tension contact 32 and threaded connector bushing 34 provide electrical power to engine igniter assembly 20 in a manner to be described hereinafter . adapter upper ceramic ring 36 , connector ceramic sleeve 38 and adapter lower ceramic ring 40 are arranged as shown within adapter tube 16 to form an insulating sleeve about engine igniter assembly 20 . an opening or aperture 42 is formed in the end of connector ceramic sleeve 38 to allow high tension contact 32 to connect to engine igniter assembly 20 . adapter electrical contact ring 44 is a split ring which is radially disposed between adapter upper ceramic ring 36 and adapter lower ceramic ring 40 . high tension contact 32 is connected to adapter electrical contact ring 44 by means of electrical wire 80 . electrical wire 80 is connected to high tension contact 32 and adapter electrical contact ring 44 by suitable means as soldering or welding . the inner surface of adapter electrical contact ring 44 is bevelled and in combination with the split in adapter electrical contact ring 44 ensures a tight fit and positive electrical connection between adapter electrical contact ring 44 and igniter electrical contact 60 in igniter assembly 20 . adapter upper seal 46 is positioned between adapter upper ceramic ring 36 and engine igniter assembly 20 while adapter lower seal 47 is positioned between adapter lower ceramic ring 40 and engine igniter assembly 20 to ensure adequate electrical insulation between adapter electrical contact ring 44 and adapter ground contact ring 48 . adapter ground contact ring 48 is a split ring positioned below adapter lower ceramic ring 40 and above adapter lower plate 14 . spacer disk 39 allows free movement of adapter ground contact ring 48 by providing adequate clearance between adapter lower ceramic ring 40 and adapter lower plate 14 . threaded connector bushing 34 is connected electrically to adapter ground contact ring 48 by contact through adapter tube 16 and adapter lower plate 14 . the inner surface of adapter ground contact ring 48 is bevelled and in combination with the split in adapter ground contact ring 48 ensures a tight fit and positive electrical connection between adapter ground contact ring 48 and igniter shell upper lip 52 of engine igniter assembly 20 . as best seen in fig1 and 3 , engine igniter assembly 20 includes igniter lower shell 50 with igniter shell upper lip 52 contacting adapter ground contact ring 48 to provide electrical power to the ground side of igniter assembly 20 . igniter lower shell 50 has a radially inwardly turned lower lip 54 upon which igniter lower insulator 56 rests . igniter lower insulator 56 is constructed of a ceramic insulating material with an upper shoulder 58 sitting on igniter shell upper lip 52 of igniter lower shell 50 . igniter electrical contact 60 is positioned above igniter lower insulator 56 with a bevelled outer shoulder to contact a mating shoulder on adapter electrical contact ring 44 to which high tension contact 32 is connected . center electrode 62 is of two part construction with upper electrode 64 and lower electrode 66 . lower electrode 66 has an enlarged upper end which rests on an internal shoulder formed on the interior of igniter lower insulator 56 . upper electrode 64 is sized to be an interference fit or braze or weld joint with igniter electrical contact 60 to ensure positive electrical contact . upper insulator cap 68 is constructed of a suitable insulating material such as ceramic and is sized to fit over upper electrode 64 and inside adapter upper seal 46 . igniter assembly 20 is surmounted by cap 70 which is threaded to engage a complementary thread on adapter upper plate 12 and secure igniter assembly 20 within ignition adapter assembly 18 . suitable wrenching means such as internal hex 72 is positioned on the top face of cap 70 to allow easy tightening of cap 70 within adapter upper plate 12 . optionally , a slot , torx or other similar wrenching means such as an external hex may be used . sealing gasket 74 is disposed between cap 70 and adapter upper plate 12 and is activated when cap 70 is fully tightened to prevent engine pressure from escaping out of the adapter . modular ignition system 10 is attached to the engine by adapter lower plate 14 with connector subassembly 30 attached to ignition lead 100 and exciter module 90 as seen in fig4 . when electrical power is supplied to exciter module 90 , a high voltage signal is transferred through ignition lead 100 to high tension contact 32 which is attached to adapter electrical contact ring 44 by means of electrical wire 80 . the high voltage signal is then transferred to igniter electrical contact 60 which connects to center electrode 62 . arcing occurs between center electrode 62 and igniter lower shell 50 which is connected to threaded connector bushing 34 through adapter ground contact ring 48 through adapter lower plate 14 , through adapter tube 16 to ignite the fuel mixture in the combustion chamber . fig5 shows an alternate construction in which ignition lead 100 is eliminated and exciter module 90 is connected directly to ignition adapter assembly 18 with igniter assembly 20 disposed therein . the high voltage signal of exciter module 90 is transferred directly to high tension contact 32 which is attached to adapter electrical contact ring 44 by means of electrical wire 80 . fig6 shows a second alternate construction in which igniter assembly 20 is installed within exciter module 90 . this allows the high voltage signal of exciter module 90 to be transferred directly to adapter electrical contact ring 44 by means of electrical wire 80 . in all other respects , these alternate constructions function as in the preferred embodiment . an alternate design would eliminate spacer disk 39 and adapter ground contact ring 48 but add a bevelled surface in adapter lower plate 14 . this alternate design option would seal engine gases from entering the ignition adapter assembly 18 by making a seal between adapter lower plate 14 and igniter shell upper lip 52 . with this alternate design option , adapter seals 31 and 33 and igniter sealing gasket 74 would not be necessary . the construction of the modular igniter module ignition system and the methods of its application will be readily understood from the foregoing description and it will be seen i have provided a modular ignition system which eliminates the need for additional igniter mounting hardware and special tools for making electrical connections . furthermore , while the invention has been shown and described with respect to certain preferred embodiments , it is obvious that equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of the specification . the present invention includes all such equivalent alterations and modifications , and is limited only by the scope of the appended claims . | 5 |
fig1 illustrates the arrangement in principle of a surgical appliance used with an endoscope 44 . in this case the appliance is a so - called aps ( argon - plasma surgery ) probe , such as is known , for example , from german published patent application de 41 39 029 a1 ( u . s . pat . no . 5 , 720 , 745 ). as indicated in fig1 , the endoscope 44 comprises working channels 46 such that the actual surgical appliance 40 , namely an aps probe with its open end serving as functional section 41 , projects out of one working channel , while a rinsing device 20 projects from another working channel . a rinsing device 20 ′ is also provided for an optical device 45 of the endoscope 44 . in order to deliver the inert gas , in particular argon or helium , from a gas bottle 11 by way of a gas - delivery device 10 and a gas conduit 23 to the aps probe 40 , a proportional valve 13 is provided within the gas - delivery device 10 and is regulated by a first control 12 in conformity with signals from a pressure sensor 14 and a volume - flow sensor 15 . the gas stream passing through a filter 19 and a three - way valve 16 ( when in its position shown on the left ) is regulated by the first control 12 with respect to its pressure and its volume per unit time , in such a way that a uniform flow of argon , appropriate for the purposes of the momentary application , flows out of the aps probe 40 . to adjust the values ( pressure , volume flow , on / off ) of the gas stream , as well as an hf coagulation current that is supplied by way of an hf current - conductor of the aps probe 40 , a surgery device 26 is provided that comprises adjustment organs 29 and a ( foot -) switch 28 . when the foot - switch 28 is actuated , initially the valve 16 responds so that the gas stream can flow through the conduit 23 into the aps probe 40 before the coagulation current is turned on . this is known per se . in addition a pressure conduit 38 is provided , which ( when the valve 16 is in the right - hand position ) guides the pressurized inert gas into a pressure container 35 that is closed in a gas - tight manner by a cover 39 . within the pressure container 35 is an internal container 36 , in particular an infusion bag filled with ringer solution , which includes an elastic wall 37 . a rinsing conduit 22 is attached to the inner container 36 in such a way that , when pressure is introduced into the pressure container 35 , the elastic wall 37 of the inner container 36 is pressed inwardly and , therefore , the liquid within the inner container is pressed out , into the rinsing conduit 22 . inserted into the rinsing conduit 22 are a rinsing valve 21 ( on / off ) and a second control 24 , both of which can be controlled by associated control leads from the surgery device 26 . the rinsing valve 21 can be turned on and off by a rinsing switch 27 ( actuated , e . g ., with the foot ), whereas the flow parameters , in particular the pressure and the volume flow ( volume / time ) of the rinsing solution , are adjustable by way of the adjustment organs 29 of the surgery device 26 and the second control 24 . the valve 16 is preferably actuated in such a way that the inert gas is conducted either to the surgical instrument 40 or to the pressure container 35 . alternatively , of course , it is possible to connect the conduit 38 at a point directly after the filter 19 or even to the gas bottle 11 , so that either the pressure determined by the first control 12 or the gas - bottle pressure ( where appropriate , by way of a pressure - reducing valve ) is conducted to an internal space within the pressure container 35 , and the control of the rinsing - liquid stream is accomplished exclusively by the rinsing valve 21 and / or the second control 24 . in the embodiment shown in fig2 there is provided , in addition to the parts shown in fig1 , a foam - generator 32 that mixes the rinsing liquid with inert gas , so that the amount of rinsing liquid can be reduced , although its rinsing properties are not appreciably changed . in the embodiment of the invention shown in fig3 , in place of the foam - generator 32 , a mixer 30 is provided , which comprises a switch 31 to enable switching between inert gas and rinsing liquid in such a way that small “ slugs ” of rinsing liquid are guided through the rinsing conduit 22 with pressurized gas volumes behind them , and thus are accelerated until they are ejected from the rinsing device 20 , i . e ., from its end . this can , of course , also be combined with the embodiment according to fig2 , in such a way that “ slugs ” of foam are accelerated and ejected by the cushions of gas behind them . the regulation of the rinsing pressure by the second control 24 , as shown in fig1 , can likewise take place here . it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof . it is understood , therefore , that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed , but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims . | 0 |
further details of a presently preferred manarray core , architecture , and instructions for use in conjunction with the present invention are found in : u . s . patent application ser . no . 08 / 885 , 310 filed jun . 30 , 1997 , now u . s . pat . no . 6 , 023 , 753 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 08 / 949 , 122 filed oct . 10 , 1997 , now u . s . pat . no . 6 , 167 , 502 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 169 , 256 filed oct . 9 , 1998 , now u . s . pat . no . 6 , 167 , 501 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 169 , 072 filed oct . 9 , 1998 , now u . s . pat . no . 6 , 219 , 776 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 187 , 539 filed nov . 6 , 1998 , now u . s . pat . no . 6 , 151 , 668 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 205 , 558 filed dec . 4 , 1998 , now u . s . pat . no . 6 , 173 , 389 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 215 , 081 filed dec . 18 , 1998 , now u . s . pat . no . 6 , 101 , 592 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 228 , 374 filed jan . 12 , 1999 , now u . s . pat . no . 6 , 216 , 223 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 471 , 217 filed dec . 23 , 1999 , now u . s . pat . no . 6 , 260 , 082 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 472 , 372 filed dec . 23 , 1999 , now u . s . pat . no . 6 , 256 , 683 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 238 , 446 filed jan . 28 , 1999 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 267 , 570 filed mar . 12 , 1999 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 337 , 839 filed jun . 22 , 1999 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 350 , 191 filed jul . 9 , 1999 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 422 , 015 filed oct . 21 , 1999 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 432 , 705 filed nov . 2 , 1999 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 596 , 103 filed jun . 16 , 2000 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 598 , 567 filed jun . 21 , 2000 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 598 , 564 filed jun . 21 , 2000 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 598 , 566 filed jun . 21 , 2000 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 598 , 558 filed jun . 21 , 2000 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 598 , 084 filed jun . 21 , 2000 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 599 , 980 filed jun . 22 , 2000 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 711 , 218 filed nov . 9 , 2000 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 747 , 056 filed dec . 12 , 2000 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 853 , 989 filed may 11 , 2001 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 886 , 855 filed jun . 21 , 2001 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 791 , 940 filed feb . 23 , 2001 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 792 , 819 filed feb . 23 , 2001 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 791 , 256 filed feb . 23 , 2001 , u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 013 , 908 entitled “ methods and apparatus for efficient vocoder implementations ” filed oct . 19 , 2001 , provisional application ser . no . 60 / 251 , 072 filed dec . 4 , 2000 , provisional application ser . no . 60 / 281 , 523 filed apr . 4 , 2001 , provisional application ser . no . 60 / 283 , 582 filed apr . 13 , 2001 , provisional application ser . no . 60 / 287 , 270 filed apr . 27 , 2001 , provisional 20 application ser . no . 60 / 288 , 965 filed may 4 , 2001 , provisional application ser . no . 60 / 298 , 624 filed jun . 15 , 2001 , provisional application ser . no . 60 / 298 , 695 filed jun . 15 , 2001 , provisional application ser . no . 60 / 298 , 696 filed jun . 15 , 2001 , provisional application ser . no . 60 / 318 , 745 filed sep . 11 , 2001 , provisional application ser . no . 60 / 340 , 620 entitled “ methods and apparatus for video coding ” filed oct . 30 , 2001 , provisional application ser . no . 60 / 335 , 159 entitled “ methods and apparatus for a bit rate instruction ” filed nov . 1 , 2001 , all of which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated by reference herein in their entirety . in a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention , a manarray 2 × 2 ivliw single instruction multiple data stream ( simd ) processor 100 shown in fig1 contains a controller sequence processor ( sp ) combined with processing element - 0 ( pe 0 ) sp / pe 0 101 , as described in further detail in u . s . application ser . no . 09 / 169 , 072 entitled “ methods and apparatus for dynamically merging an array controller with an array processing element ”. three additional pes 151 , 153 , and 155 are also utilized . it is noted that the pes can be also labeled with their matrix positions as shown in parentheses for pe 0 ( pe 00 ) 101 , pe 1 ( pe 01 ) 151 , pe 2 ( pe 10 ) 153 , and pe 3 ( pe 11 ) 155 . the sp / pe 0 101 contains a fetch controller 103 to allow the fetching of short instruction words ( siws ) from a 32 - bit instruction memory 105 . the fetch controller 103 provides the typical functions needed in a programmable processor such as a program counter ( pc ), branch capability , digital signal processing , ep loop operations , support for interrupts , and also provides the instruction memory management control which could include an instruction cache if needed by an application . in addition , the siw i - fetch controller 103 dispatches 32 - bit siws to the other pes in the system by means of a 32 - bit instruction bus 102 . in this exemplary system , common elements are used throughout to simplify the explanation , though actual implementations are not so limited . for example , the execution units 131 in the combined sp / pe 0 101 can be separated into a set of execution units optimized for the control function , e . g . fixed point execution units , and the pe 0 as well as the other pes 151 , 153 and 155 can be optimized for a floating point application . for the purposes of this description , it is assumed that the execution units 131 are of the same type in the sp / pe 0 and the other pes . in a similar manner , sp / pe 0 and the other pes use a five instruction slot ivliw architecture which contains a very long instruction word memory ( vim ) memory 109 and an instruction decode and vim controller function unit 107 which receives instructions as dispatched from the sp / pe 0 &# 39 ; s i - fetch unit 103 and generates the vim addresses - and - control signals 108 required to access the ivliws stored in the vim . these ivliws are identified by the letters slamd in vim 109 . the loading of the ivliws is described in further detail in u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 187 , 539 entitled “ methods and apparatus for efficient synchronous mimd operations with ivliw pe - to - pe communication ”. also contained in the sp / pe 0 and the other pes is a common pe configurable register file 127 which is described in further detail in u . s . patent application ser . no . 09 / 169 , 255 entitled “ methods and apparatus for dynamic instruction controlled reconfiguration register file with extended precision ”. due to the combined nature of the sp / pe 0 , the data memory interface controller 125 must handle the data processing needs of both the sp controller , with sp data in memory 121 , and pe 0 , with pe 0 data in memory 123 . the sp / pe 0 controller 125 also is the source of the data that is sent over the 32 - bit broadcast data bus 126 . the other pes 151 , 153 , and 155 contain common physical data memory units 123 ′, 123 ″, and 123 ′″ though the data stored in them is generally different as required by the local processing done on each pe . the interface to these pe data memories is also a common design in pes 1 , 2 , and 3 and indicated by pe local memory and data bus interface logic 157 , 157 ′ and 157 ″. interconnecting the pes for data - transfer communications is the cluster switch 171 more completely described in u . s . patent application ser . no . 08 / 885 , 310 entitled “ manifold array processor ”, u . s . application ser . no . 09 / 949 , 122 entitled “ methods and apparatus for manifold array processing ”, and u . s . application ser . no . 09 / 169 , 256 entitled “ methods and apparatus for manarray pe - to - pe switch control ”. the interface to a host processor , other peripheral devices , and / or external memory can be done in many ways . the primary mechanism shown for completeness is contained in a direct memory access ( dma ) control unit 181 that provides a scalable manarray data bus 183 that connects to devices and interface units external to the manarray core . the dma control unit 181 provides the data flow and bus arbitration mechanisms needed for these external devices to interface to the manarray core memories via the multiplexed bus interface represented by line 185 . a high level view of a manarray control bus ( mcb ) 191 is also shown . all of the above noted patents are assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference in their entirety . turning now to specific details of the manarray processor as adapted by the present invention , the present invention defines the following special hardware instructions that execute in each multiply accumulate unit ( mau ), one of the execution units 131 of fig1 and in each pe , to handle the multiplication of complex numbers . fig2 a shows a multiply complex long ( mpycxl ) instruction 200 for the multiplication of two complex numbers in accordance with the present invention . the syntax and operation description 210 of the mpycxl instruction 200 are shown in fig2 b and 2c . as seen in diagram 220 of fig2 c , the mpycxl instruction 200 provides for the multiplication of two complex numbers stored in source register rx and source register ry . in step 222 , the complex numbers to be multiplied are organized in the source registers such that h 1 contains the real component of the complex numbers and h 0 contains the imaginary component of the complex numbers . in step 224 , the complex numbers are multiplied to produce the products xr * yr , xr * yi , xi * yr and xi * yi . next , in step 226 , the products are subtracted and added in the form of ( xr * yr )−( xi * yi ) and ( xr * yi )+( xi * yr ). in step 228 , the final result is written back to the target registers at the end of an operation cycle of the mpycxl instruction 200 with a 32 - bit real component and a 32 - bit imaginary component placed in the target registers such that rto contains the 32 - bit real component and rte contains the 32 - bit imaginary component . fig3 a shows a multiply complex conjugate long ( mpycxjl ) instruction 300 for the multiplication of a first complex number and the conjugate of a second complex number in accordance with the present invention . the syntax and operation description 310 of the mpycxjl instruction 300 are shown in fig3 b and 3c . as seen in diagram 320 of fig3 c , the mpycxjl instruction 300 provides for the multiplication of two complex numbers stored in source register rx and source register ry . in step 322 , the complex numbers to be multiplied are organized in the source registers such that h 1 contains the real component of the complex numbers and h 0 contains the imaginary component of the complex numbers . in step 324 , the complex numbers are multiplied to produce the products xr * yr , xr * yi , xi * yr and xi * yi . next , in step 326 , the products are subtracted and added in the form of ( xr * yr )+( xi * yi ) and ( xi * yr )−( xr * yi ). in step 328 , the final result is written back to the target registers at the end of an operation cycle of the mpycxjl instruction 300 with a 32 - bit real component and a 32 - bit imaginary component placed in the target registers such that rto contains the 32 - bit real component and rte contains the 32 - bit imaginary component . fig4 a shows a multiply complex long accumulate ( mpycxla ) instruction 400 for the multiplication of two complex numbers to form a product which is accumulated with the contents of target registers in accordance with the present invention . the syntax and operation description 410 of the mpycxla instruction 400 are shown in fig4 b and 4c . as seen in diagram 420 of fig4 c , the mpycxla instruction 400 provides for the multiplication of two complex numbers stored in source register rx and source register ry . in step 422 , the complex numbers to be multiplied are organized in the source registers such that h 1 contains the real component of the complex numbers and h 0 contains the imaginary component of the complex numbers . in step 424 , the complex numbers are multiplied to produce the products xr * yr , xr * yi , xi * yr and xi * yi . next , in step 426 , the products are subtracted and added in the form of ( xr * yr )−( xi * yi ) and ( xr * yi )+( xi * yr ). in step 428 , ( xr * yr )−( xi * yi ) is added to the contents of target register rto and ( xr * yi )+( xi * yr ) is added , or accumulated , to the contents of target register rte . the final result is written back to the target registers at the end of an operation cycle of the mpycxla instruction 400 with a 32 - bit real component and a 32 - bit imaginary component placed in the target registers such that rto contains the 32 - bit real component and rte contains the 32 - bit imaginary component . for a two cycle embodiment , the target registers are fetched on a second cycle of execution to allow repetitive pipelining to a single accumulation register even - odd pair . fig5 a shows a multiply complex conjugate long accumulate ( mpycxjla ) instruction 500 for the multiplication of a first complex number and the conjugate of a second complex number to form a product which is accumulated with the contents of target registers in accordance with the present invention . the syntax and operation description 5 10 of the mpycxjla instruction 500 are shown in fig5 b and 5c . as seen in diagram 520 of fig5 c , the mpycxjla instruction 500 provides for the multiplication of two complex numbers stored in source register rx and source register ry . in step 522 , the complex numbers to be multiplied are organized in the source registers such that h 1 contains the real component of the complex numbers and h 0 contains the imaginary component of the complex numbers . in step 524 , the complex numbers are multiplied to produce the products xr * yr , xr * yi , xi * yr and xi * yi . next , in step 526 , the products are added and subtracted in the form of ( xr * yr )+( xi * yi ) and ( xi * yr )−( xr * yi ). in step 528 , ( xr * yr )+( xi * yi ) is added , or accumulated , to the contents of target register rto and ( xi * yr )−( xr * yi ) is added to the contents of target register rte . the final result is written back to the target registers at the end of an operation cycle of the mpycxjla instruction 500 with a 32 - bit real component and a 32 - bit imaginary component placed in the target registers such that rto contains the 32 - bit real component and rte contains the 32 - bit imaginary component . for a two cycle embodiment , the target registers are fetched on the second cycle of execution to allow repetitive pipelining to a single accumulation register even - odd pair . fig6 a shows a multiply complex long extended precision accumulate ( mpycxlxa ) instruction 600 for the multiplication of two complex numbers to form a product which is accumulated with the contents of the extended precision target registers in accordance with the present invention . the syntax and operation description 610 of the mpycxlxa instruction 600 are shown in fig6 b and 6c . as seen in diagram 620 of fig6 c , the mpycxlxa instruction 600 provides for the multiplication of two complex numbers stored in source register rx and source register ry . in step 622 , the complex numbers to be multiplied are organized in the source registers such that h 1 contains the real component of the complex numbers and h 0 contains the imaginary component of the complex numbers . in step 624 , the complex numbers are multiplied to produce the products xr * yr , xr * yi , xi * yr and xi * yi . next , in step 626 , the products are subtracted and added in the form of ( xr * yr )−( xi * yi ) and ( xr * yi )+( xi * yr ). in step 628 , the 32 - bit value ( xr * yr )−( xi * yi ) is added to the contents of the extended precision target register xprbo ∥ rto and the 32 - bit value ( xr * yi )+( xi * yr ) is added to the contents of the extended precision target register xprbe ∥ rte . the final result is written back to the extended precision target registers at the end of an operation cycle of the mpycxlxa instruction 600 with a 40 - bit real component and a 40 - bit imaginary component placed in the target registers such that xprbo ∥ rto contains the 40 - bit real component and xprbe ∥ rte contains the 40 - bit imaginary component . for a two cycle embodiment , the target registers are fetched on the second cycle of execution to allow repetitive pipelining to a single accumulation register even - odd pair . the extended precision bits for the 40 - bit results are provided by the extended precision register ( xpr ). the specific sub - registers used in an extended precision operation depend on the size of the accumulation ( dual 40 - bit or single 80 - bit ) and on the target crf register pair specified in the instruction . for dual 40 - bit accumulation , the 8 - bit extension registers xpr . b 0 and xpr . b 1 ( or xpr . b 2 and xpr . b 3 ) are associated with a pair of crf registers . for single 80 - bit accumulation , the 16 - bit extension register xpr . h 0 ( or xpr . h 1 ) is associated with a pair of crf registers . during the dual 40 - bit accumulation , the even target register is extended using xpr . b 0 or xpr . b 2 , and the odd target register is extended using xpr . b 1 or xpr . b 3 . the tables 602 , 604 , 608 , 612 and 614 of fig6 a illustrate the register usage in detail . as shown in fig6 a , the xpr byte that is used depends on the rte . further details of an xpr register suitable for use with the present invention are provided in u . s . patent application no . 09 / 599 , 980 entitled “ methods and apparatus for parallel processing utilizing a manifold array ( manarray ) architecture and instruction syntax ” filed on jun . 20 , 2000 which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety . fig7 a shows a multiply complex conjugate long extended precision accumulate ( mpycxjlxa ) instruction 700 for the multiplication of a first complex number and the conjugate of a second complex number to form a product which is accumulated with the contents of the extended precision target registers in accordance with the present invention . the syntax and operation description 710 of the mpycxjlxa instruction 700 are shown in fig7 b and 7c . as seen in diagram 720 of fig7 c , the mpycxjlxa instruction 700 provides for the multiplication of two complex numbers stored in source register rx and source register ry . in step 722 , the complex numbers to be multiplied are organized in the source registers such that h 1 contains the real component of the complex numbers and h 0 contains the imaginary component of the complex numbers . in step 724 , the complex numbers are multiplied to produce the products xr * yr , xr * yi , xi * yr and xi * yi . next , in step 726 , the products are subtracted and added in the form of ( xr * yr )+( xi * yi ) and ( xi * yr )−( xr * yi ). in step 728 , the 32 - bit value ( xr * yr )+( xi * yi ) is added to the contents of the extended precision target register xprbe ∥ rte and the 32 - bit value ( xi * yr )−( xr * yi ) is added to the contents of the extended precision target register xprbo ∥ rto . the final result is written back to the extended precision target registers at the end of an operation cycle of the mpycxjlxa instruction 700 with a 40 - bit real component and a 40 - bit imaginary component placed in the target registers such that xprbo ∥ rto contains the 40 - bit real component and xprbe ∥ rte contains the 40 - bit imaginary component . for a two cycle embodiment , the target registers are fetched on the second cycle of execution to allow repetitive pipelining to a single accumulation register even - odd pair . the extended precision bits for the 40 - bit results are provided by the extended precision register ( xpr ). the specific sub - registers used in an extended precision operation depend on the size of the accumulation ( dual 40 - bit or single 80 - bit ) and on the target crf register pair specified in the instruction . for dual 40 - bit accumulation , the 8 - bit extension registers xpr . b 0 and xpr . b 1 ( or xpr . b 2 and xpr . b 3 ) are associated with a pair of crf registers . for single 80 - bit accumulation , the 16 - bit extension register xpr . h 0 ( or xpr . h 1 ) is associated with a pair of crf registers . during the dual 40 - bit accumulation , the even target register is extended using xpr . b 0 or xpr . b 2 , and the odd target register is extended using xpr . b 1 or xpr . b 3 . the tables 702 , 704 , 708 , 712 and 714 of fig7 a illustrate the register usage in detail . as shown in fig7 a , the xpr byte that is used depends on the rte . all of the above instructions 200 , 300 , 400 , 500 , 600 and 700 may complete in 2 cycles and are pipelineable . that is , another operation can start executing on the execution unit after the first cycle . in accordance with another aspect of the present invention , all of the above instructions 200 , 300 , 400 , 500 , 600 and 700 may complete in a single cycle . fig8 shows a high level view of a hardware apparatus 800 suitable for implementing the multiply complex instructions for execution in two cycles of operation . this hardware capability may be advantageously embedded in the manarray multiply accumulate unit ( mau ), one of the execution units 131 of fig1 and in each pe , along with other hardware capability supporting other mau instructions . as a pipelined operation , the first execute cycle begins with a read of source register operands ry . h 1 , ry . h 0 , rx . h 1 and rx . h 0 from the compute register file ( crf ) shown as registers 803 and 805 in fig8 and as registers 111 , 127 , 127 ′, 127 ″, and 127 ′″ in fig1 . these operands may be viewed as corresponding to the operands yr , yi , xr and xi described above . the operand values are input to multipliers 807 , 809 , 811 and 813 after passing through multiplexer 815 which aligns the halfword operands . multipliers 807 and 809 are used as 16 x 16 multipliers for these complex multiplications . the 32 × 16 notation indicates these two multipliers are also used to support 32 × 32 multiplies for other instructions in the instruction set architecture ( isa ). multiplexer 815 is controlled by an input control signal 817 . the outputs of the multipliers , xr * yr , xr * yi , xi * yr and xi * yi , are input to registers 824 a , 824 b , 824 c and 824 d after passing through multiplexer 823 which aligns the outputs based on the type of multiplication operation . the registers 824 a , 824 b , 824 c and 824 d latch the multiplier outputs , allowing pipelined operation of a second instruction to begin . an output control signal 825 controls the routing of the multiplier outputs to the input registers 824 a , b , c , d of adders 819 and 821 . the second execute cycle , which can occur while a new multiply complex instruction is using the first cycle execute facilities , begins with adders 819 and 821 operating on the contents of registers 824 a , 824 b , 824 c and 824 d . the adders 819 and 821 function as either adders or subtractors based on a conjugate select signal 827 , which is set depending on the type of complex multiplication being executed . the outputs of the adders 819 and 821 are then passed to accumulators 833 and 835 . if an accumulate operation is not being performed , a zero value is output from multiplexers 829 and 831 to accumulators 833 and 835 to produce a zero input for no accumulation . if an accumulate operation is being performed , the contents of current target registers rt . h 1 and rt . h 1 , shown as registers 837 and 839 , is output from multiplexers 829 and 831 to accumulators 833 and 835 as an input to produce an accumulated result . multiplexers 829 and 831 are controlled by an accumulator control signal 841 . the outputs of the accumulators 823 and 825 are then written to the target registers 837 and 839 which contain the 32 bit real result and the 32 bit imaginary result , respectively . if an extended precision operation is being performed , the accumulation is augmented eight extra bits by adding the contents of an extended precision registers 843 and 844 to the sign extended output of adders 819 and 821 . the outputs of the accumulators 833 and 835 are then written back to the target registers 837 and 839 , and the xpr registers 843 and 844 , such that registers 843 and 837 contain one of the 40 bit results and registers 844 and 839 contain the other 40 bit result . real and imaginary results are specified by instructions . fig9 shows an integrated product adder and accumulator ( ipaa ) 900 in accordance with the present invention . ipaa 900 may be suitably utilized with hardware 800 , replacing an adder and accumulator , to decrease delay and improve performance . for instructions not requiring an accumulated result , select signal 902 controls multiplexer 904 to input a zero value 910 to ipaa 900 which performs addition or subtraction on product operands 906 and 908 . for instructions requiring an accumulated result , select signal 902 controls multiplexer 904 to input an accumulated input 912 to ipaa 900 which performs addition or subtraction on product operands 906 and 908 to produce an accumulated result . fig1 shows a high level view of a hardware apparatus 800 ′ suitable for implementing the multiply complex instructions for execution in a single cycle of operation . hardware apparatus 800 ′ includes many of the same elements as hardware apparatus 800 , with common elements to both embodiments designated by the same element numbers . the multiplier alignment multiplexer 823 and registers 824 a , 824 b , 824 c and 824 d of apparatus 800 are replaced by a logical array 850 , allowing the multiply complex instructions to complete in a single cycle of operation . the logical array 850 properly aligns the outputs of multipliers 807 , 809 , 811 and 813 for transmission to the adders 819 and 821 . the multiply complex long instructions of the present invention may be advantageously used in the computation of a covariance matrix . as an example , consider an antenna array consisting of several elements arranged in a known geometry . each element of the array is connected to a receiver that demodulates a signal and produces a complex - valued output . this complex - valued output is sampled periodically to produce a discrete sequence of complex numbers . the elements from this sequence may be organized into a vector of a certain length , called a frame , and may be combined with the vectors produced from the remainder of the antenna elements to form a matrix . for an antenna array with m elements and k samples per frame , a matrix u is created . u m × k = [ u 0 ( 0 ) u 0 ( 1 ) ⋯ u 0 ( k - 1 ) u 1 ( 0 ) u 1 ( 1 ) ⋯ u 1 ( k - 1 ) ⋮ u m - 1 ( 0 ) u m - 1 ( 1 ) ⋯ u m - 1 ( k - 1 ) ] in problems such as direction of arrival algorithms , it is necessary to compute the covariance matrix from such received data . for zero - mean , complex valued data , the covariance matrix , r , is defined to be where ‘ h ’ is the hermitian operator , denoting a complex conjugate matrix transpose . for example , assuming m = 12 and k = 128 , the elements of r are computed as r i , j = ∑ k = 0 k - 1 u i ( k ) × ( u j ( k ) ) * , which corresponds to the summation of 128 complex conjugate multiplies for each of the 144 elements of r . as seen in fig1 a , r is a 12 × 12 matrix 1100 . r is conjugate - symmetric , so the upper triangular portion of r is the complex conjugate of the lower triangular portion . r i , j = r j , i * for i ≠ j . as seen in fig1 b , this symmetry allows an optimization such that only 78 elements of r , the lower triangular portion and the main diagonal , need to be computed , as the remaining elements are the conjugated copies of the lower diagonal . each element in u is represented as a 16 - bit , signed ( 15 information bits and 1 sign bit ), complex value ( 16 - bit real , 16 - bit imaginary ). fixed - point algebra shows that the multiplication of two such values will result in a complex number with a 31 - bit real and 31 - bit imaginary component ( 30 information bits and 1 sign bit ). the accumulation of 128 31 - bit complex numbers , to avoid saturation ( achieving the maximum possible positive or minimum possible negative value available for the given number of bits ), requires 39 bits of accuracy in both real and imaginary components ( 38 information bits and 1 sign bit ). therefore to compute the covariance matrix for this system , it is necessary to utilize the complex multiply - accumulate function that achieves 31 complex bits of accuracy for the multiply , and can accumulate these values to a precision of at least 39 complex signed bits . the computation of the 78 elements of the covariance matrix 1100 may be advantageously accomplished with the manarray 2 × 2 ivliw simd processor 100 shown in fig1 . utilizing the single cycle pipeline multiply complex conjugate long with extended precision accumulate ( mpycxjlxa ) instruction described above , 128 complex multiplies can be executed in consecutive cycles . as the ivliw processor 100 allows 64 bits to be loaded into each pe per cycle , the computation of a single length 128 complex conjugate dot product is accomplished in 130 cycles , for a 2 cycle mpycxjlxa . for a single cycle mpycxjlxa , the computation is performed in 129 cycles . fig1 c - 11i show the computations performed by the 4 pes ( pe 0 , pe 1 , pe 2 and pe 3 ) of processor 100 to calculate the 78 elements of the covariance matrix r 1100 . as seen in fig1 c , for iteration 1 pe 0 performs the multiplications for r 0 , 0 , pe 1 performs the multiplications for r 1 , 1 , pe 2 performs the multiplications for r 2 , 2 , and pe 3 performs the multiplications for r 3 , 3 . as seen in fig1 d , for iteration 2 pe 0 performs the multiplications for r 4 , 4 , pe 1 performs the multiplications for r 5 , 5 , pe 2 performs the multiplications for r 6 , 6 , and pe 3 performs the multiplications for r 7 , 7 . as seen in fig1 e , for iteration 3 pe 0 performs the multiplications for r 8 . 8 , pe 1 performs the multiplications for r 9 , 9 , pe 2 performs the multiplications for r 10 , 10 , and pe 3 performs the multiplications for r 11 , 11 . fig1 f - h show the multiplications for iterations 4 - 11 , 12 - 15 , 16 - 18 and 19 - 20 , respectively . thus , the computation of the 78 elements of the covariance matrix from a 12 × 128 data matrix of 16 - bit signed complex numbers occurs in 20 ( dot product iterations )× 130 ( cycles per dot product )= 2600 cycles , plus a small amount of overhead . the remaining elements of r are simply the conjugated copies of the lower diagonal . prior art implementations typically would consume 79 , 872 cycles on a single processor with 8 cycles per complex operation , 128 complex operations per dot product and 78 dot products . while the present invention has been disclosed in the context of various aspects of presently preferred embodiments , it will be recognized that the invention may be suitably applied to other environments consistent with the claims which follow . | 6 |
referring to fig1 there is shown a diagram of a plasma jet deposition system 200 of a type which can be utilized in practicing an embodiment of the invention . the system 200 is contained within a housing 211 and includes an arc - forming section 215 which comprises a cylindrical cathode holder 294 , a rod - like cathode 292 , and an injector 295 mounted adjacent the cathode so as to permit injected fluid to pass over the cathode 292 . a cylindrical anode is represented at 291 . in the illustrated system the input fluid may be a mixture of hydrogen and methane . the anode 291 and cathode 292 are energized by a source of electric potential ( not shown ), for example a dc potential . cylindrical magnets , designated by reference numeral 217 , are utilized to control the plasma generated at the arc forming section . the magnets maintain the plasma within a narrow column until the plasma reaches the deposition region 60 . optional cooling coils 234 , in which a coolant can be circulated , can be located within the magnets . in operation , a mixture of hydrogen and methane is fed to the injector 295 , and a plasma is obtained in front of the arc forming section and accelerated and focused toward the deposition region . the temperature and pressure at the plasma formation region are typically in the approximate ranges 1500 - 15 , 000 degrees c . and 100 - 700 torr , respectively , and in the deposition region are in the approximate ranges 800 - 100 degrees c . and 0 . 1 - 200 torr , respectively . as is known in the art , synthetic polycrystalline diamond can be formed from the described plasma , as the carbon in the methane is selectively deposited as diamond , and the graphite which forms is dissipated by combination with the hydrogen facilitating gas . for further description of plasma jet deposition systems , reference can be made to u . s . pat . nos . 4 , 471 , 003 , 4 , 487 , 162 , and 5 , 204 , 144 . it will be understood that other suitable types of deposition equipment , including other types of cvd deposition equipment , can be used in conjunction with the features of the invention to be described . the bottom portion 105a of the chamber has a base 106 on which can be mounted a substrate 10 on which the synthetic diamond is to be deposited . the base can include a temperature controller . the substrate may be , for example , molybdenum tungsten , or graphite , with molybdenum ( and its alloys such as tzm , which contains relatively small percentages of titanium and zirconium ) being presently preferred . reference can be made , for example , to u . s . patent application ser . no . 973 , 994 now u . s . pat . no . 5 , 814 , 652 , assigned to the same - assignee as the present application , which describes considerations of roughness of the substrate with regard to appropriate holding and release of the diamond during and after deposition , and also describes the advantageous use of an interlayer ( e . g . illustrated at 30 in fig2 ), such as a titanium nitride interlayer , for coating the substrate on which the synthetic diamond is to be deposited and ultimately released . the substrate can be tilted and rotated during deposition as described , for example , in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 204 , 144 . referring to fig2 there is shown an operational flow diagram of the steps of a procedure for making polycrystalline synthetic diamond film in accordance with an embodiment of the invention . the block 110 represents the deposition , at a relatively low deposition rate , of a specified thickness of diamond film . the surface area deposited is at least 1000 square millimeters , but may be much larger . in an example of the present embodiment , deposition covers the surface of a 4 inch diameter disc which is tilted and rotated during deposition . the thickness of the initial layer is at least 150 microns . in an example of the present embodiment , the deposition conditions , for an equipment of the type shown in fig1 which result in a deposition rate of about 4 μm / hr . ( and diamond that is relatively low in defects ) may be , for example , as follows : ______________________________________deposition temperature 850 ° c . enthalpy 70 kj / g h2pressure 10 . sup . 3 pamethane concentration . 06 percenthydrogen concentration balance______________________________________ after the desired thickness of the first layer has been deposited ( in this example , after at least about 38 hours ), the block 120 represents changing the deposition conditions to deposit diamond at higher deposition rate ( permitting a higher level of defects in the diamond ). in this example , although this layer will be of lower quality than the initial layer , it is still fairly good quality synthetic diamond that has a relatively high thermal conductivity and may be employed , for example , in heat sinking applications . the second deposition rage for this example is at a deposition rate of about 11 μm / hr . the deposition conditions may be , for example , the same as listed above , but with the methane concentration at about 0 . 12 percent . deposition under these conditions is continued ( block 130 ), in this example , for about 78 hours , until the second layer thickness is at least about 850 microns . in the present example , the total film thickness is just over 1000 microns ( 1 mm ). the thermal conductivity of even the higher growth rate material is still quite good , being approximately 10 w / cm ° k . the layered diamond structure can then be released from the substrate , such as by cooling ( see above - referenced u . s . patent application ser . no . 973 , 994 now u . s . pat . no . 5 , 314 , 652 ), and removed from the deposition chamber , as represented by the block 150 . fig3 illustrates the diamond film structure 300 of the above example , with the substrate side layer being represented at 310 , and the deposition side layer at 320 . in the examples that follow 4 inch diameter discs of synthetic diamond were produced using equipment and deposition conditions of the types just described . nucleation density was controlled by varying the time at which the carbonaceous feedstock gas ( in this case , methane ) is introduced into the plasma , which is initially argon and hydrogen , during the substrate heating phase . in general , the earlier the methane is introduced , the higher the nucleation rate . after deposition , nucleation density was measured as the number of crystal grains per square millimeter of surface area , as determined using a scanning electron microscope on the nucleation side of the sample disc . the samples produced had so - called &# 34 ; flashing &# 34 ; which is the periphery of the sample that overlaps the edges of the circular mandrel and forms a rough annular rim . before measuring bow , the flashing was cut away , using a laser . bow was measured with an optical profilometer , and measured from the low point of the cupped surface to the plane defined by the highest points on the diamond sample periphery . bow , as measured , and as referred to herein , is measured after release and cooling to room temperature , and includes any component of bow resulting from mandrel distortion which is caused such as by the thermal gradient across the mandrel thickness . mandrel distortion in the examples hereof was estimated to be about 40 microns . in this example , two synthetic diamond discs of thicknesses greater than 1000 microns were made at a deposition rate of about 11 . 7 microns per hour . one such disc was about 1 , 054 microns thick , had a measured nucleation density of about 1 . 6 × 10 5 per mm 2 , and a measured bow of about 150 microns . the other disc was about 1070 microns thick , had a measured nucleation density of greater than 10 7 per mm 2 , and a measured bow of about 130 microns . in these and other described examples , bowing of the released diamond is with the deposition side curving to a convex shape .! thus , relatively large bowing , of greater than 100 microns , was observed for these discs . for a 4 inch disc of about 1000 micron thickness , a bow of 0 . 01 ( l / t ) 2 microns ( where l , the longest dimension , is the 100 millimeter diameter , and t is a thickness of about 1 millimeter ) is considered problematic .! in general , from these and other samples , it was determined that diamond deposited at a relatively high deposition rate ( 11 . 7 microns per hour being a relatively high deposition rate for the equipment , parameters , and geometries hereof ) exhibited problematic bowing . in this example , a synthetic diamond disc was made at a much lower deposition rate of about 4 . 8 microns per hour . the disc was about 1330 microns thick , had a measured nucleation density of about 1 . 6 × 10 5 per mm 2 , and a measured bow of about 50 microns . in general , from this and other samples , it was determined that diamond deposited at a relatively low deposition rate ( 4 . 8 microns per hour being an example of a relatively low deposition rate for the equipment , parameters , and geometries hereof ) did not exhibit problematic bowing . in this example , diamond disc samples were made in layers , with the initial ( first ) deposition rate being relatively low and the second deposition rate being relatively high . the thickness of the first layer for these samples was about 120 microns . in one of these samples , where the initial lower deposition rate was about 4 . 8 microns per hour , and the subsequent higher deposition rate was about 11 . 6 microns per hour , the resultant diamond disc was about 1040 microns thick , had a measured nucleation density of about 1 . 4 × 10 6 , and a measured bow of about 149 microns . in another of the samples , where the lower deposition rate was about 3 . 0 microns per hour , and the subsequent higher deposition rate was 11 . 6 microns per hour , the resultant diamond disc was about 1040 microns thick , had a measured nucleation density of about 4 × 10 4 , and a measured bow of about 120 microns . it was seen from this and similar examples that , for the sample size and thickness involved , the 120 microns of initial relatively low defect ( from relatively low deposition rate ) layer is insufficient to prevent unacceptable bowing of the ultimate sample . in this example , samples were again made in layers , with an initial low deposition rate . the thickness of the first layer for these samples was about 380 microns . several samples were made , with thicknesses varying between about 1230 microns and 1490 microns . the lower deposition rate for these samples was about 4 . 8 microns per hour , and the higher deposition rate was about 11 . 6 microns per hour . nucleation density was about 4 . 9 × 10 5 per mm 2 for one sample , and greater than 10 7 per mm 2 for most of the other samples . in each case the measured bow was less than 100 microns , with the measured bow ranging from about 50 microns to about 99 microns , and averaging about 64 microns . it was seen from this and similar examples that , for the sample size and thickness involved , the 380 microns of initial relatively low defect layer is sufficient ( and probably more than sufficient ) to prevent unacceptable bowing of the ultimate sample . in this example , samples were again made in layers , with an initial low deposition rate . the thickness of the first layer for these samples was about 180 microns . two samples were made , with thicknesses of about 1180 microns and 1270 microns . the lower deposition rate for these samples was about 4 . 8 microns per hour , and the higher deposition rate was about 11 . 6 microns per hour . nucleation density for both was greater than 10 7 per mm 2 . in each case the measured bow was less than 100 microns , with the measured bow for the 1180 micron thick sample being about 48 microns , and the measured bow for the 1270 micron thick sample being about 89 microns . it was seen from this and similar examples that , for the sample size and thickness involved , the 180 microns of initial relatively low defect layer is sufficient to prevent unacceptable bowing of the ultimate sample . as seen in example iii , 120 microns is insufficient . a thickness of 150 microns is considered just sufficient . the invention has been described with regard to particular preferred embodiments , but variations within the spirit and scope of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art . for example , the illustrated layers and technique involve a discrete between deposition rates , but , if desired , the deposition conditions could be changed gradually , whereby a transition region of any desired size will result . | 2 |
in fig1 , a schematic view of a catalyst system 100 according to the present invention is shown . the catalyst system 100 is connected to an exhaust system of an engine 110 and comprises a first catalyst 200 , the design of which will be described later , a second catalyst 300 , and an exhaust pressure governor ( epg ) 400 . moreover , first and second reductant injectors 210 and 310 , respectively , are mounted upstream the first catalyst 200 and upstream the second catalyst 300 , respectively . the reductant may e . g . be urea , hydrocarbons , hydrogen , or any other suitable species with reducing properties . noχ - and for nh3 sensors 220 , 320 are mounted downstream the first and second catalysts , 200 , 300 , respectively . alternatively , the first nox - and for nh3 sensor 220 could be omitted . both catalysts 200 and 300 are so called scr ( selective catalyst reduction ) catalysts , whose function is well known by persons skilled in the art and briefly described above in the prior art section . the catalyst 200 is however further provided with a filter function in order to filter the particles emanating from the ci engine . such a catalyst is basically designed as a particulate filter , which is coated with an scr coating in order to obtain a double function , as both a filter and an scr catalyst . the scr coating could be provided on either the upstream side of the filter or on the downstream side of the filter or on both , and could be any suitable coating serving as an scr catalyst . in fig2 a , a portion of scr coated filter medium 250 constituting the first catalyst 200 is shown in atop view ; in fig2 b , the same portion of the filter medium 250 is shown in a side section view . the filter medium 250 comprises several elongate filter cells 260 , each filter cell being defined by four walls 260 a , b , c and d and either an upstream surface 265 or a downstream surface 270 ; every other cell will be provided with the upstream surface , and its neighboring cells will be provided with downstream surfaces . the walls 260 a , b , c and d are made of a porous material , with a pore size that is sufficiently small to trap particulates emanating from the combustion in the engine . the function of the filter is basically that unfiltered exhaust gases will enter filter cells with an open upstream end , and pass the walls of that cell to cells with an open downstream end , hence being able to escape the filter medium through the downstream open end . hereinafter , the surface of the walls 260 a , b , c and d facing a cell with an open upstream end will be referred to as the “ upstream wall surface ”, whereas the other wall surface will be referred to as the “ downstream wall surface ”. a filter system such as described above is often referred to as a “ wall - through - flow ” filter . according to the invention , either or both of the upstream and downstream wall surfaces of the cells are coated with an scr coating ; this enables double functions of the first catalyst , namely the functions of filtering &# 39 ; particulates and enabling an scr reaction between n0χ and reductant , in order to reduce emissions of nox . such a double function is , of course , beneficial in terms of production economy , but there is also another benefit , namely that the scr reaction could help burning off particles stuck in the filter , which would make it possible to prolong the periods between filter regenerations , or , in the best case , make them superfluous . there is also a possibility to use different scr coatings on the upstream and downstream sides of the wall surfaces 260 a , b , c and d ; different scr coatings have different temperature regions where they have their maximum performance . hence , it is possible to obtain a catalyst having a wide temperature range . if , under any circumstances , the exhaust temperature should need adjustment , this could be achieved by the exhaust pressure governor 400 ; as is well known by persons skilled in the art , the exhaust temperature could be elevated by letting the engine work against a high exhaust pressure . from a fuel economy point of view , it is , however , always most beneficial to run an engine towards an as low exhaust pressure as possible . in another embodiment of the invention , either of the upstream wall surface or the downstream wall surface is coated with an oxidizing catalytic coating . this coating will oxidize possible contents of fuel , i . e . hydrocarbons , in the exhausts , which oxidation will increase exhausts temperature and reduce emission of hydrocarbons to the environment . according to the invention , the wall surface not coated with oxidizing catalytic coating is coated with an scr coating . examples of oxidizing catalytic coatings include various noble metals , e . g . platinum ( pt ), palladium ( pd ), rhodium ( rh ), or iridium ( ir ), base metal oxides , or mixtures thereof . in order to burn off particles stuck in the pores of the filter , it might be necessary to elevate the exhaust temperature under a certain period . this could be done in a number of ways , e . g . by injecting fuel at a late timing , use a post injection , by inlet air throttling , variable valve actuation , exhaust gas recirculation , or by any other method known by persons skilled in the art . use of an oxidizing catalyst enables elevation of the exhaust gas temperature by injecting fuel in the exhaust gas stream upstream the oxidation catalyst ; this fuel will burn catalytically on the oxidation catalyst , and hence increase the exhaust temperature downstream the oxidation catalyst . to achieve the maximum benefit regarding burning off particles in the catalyst 200 , the catalytic coating is preferably coated on the upstream surface of the cell walls 260 a , b , c and d . of course , it is also possible to use a separate oxidation catalyst mounted upstream the first catalyst 200 . the use of a clean - up catalyst function , for limiting the emission of injected reductant , located downstream catalyst 300 , is also normal practice for any scr system , and is hence not shown in the figures . the first catalyst 200 could also consist of a filter substrate that has less filtration efficiency than a wall through flow filter . the second catalyst 300 could be similar to the first catalyst 200 , but is preferably of a more conventional catalyst design . in still another embodiment of the invention , both the first and the second catalysts 200 , 300 are of conventional design . in such a case , a particle filter ( not shown ) should be mounted upstream the two catalysts . the particle filter of this embodiment must be regenerated using any of the methods mentioned above . in order to control the amount of reductant injected into the exhaust gases , the two reductant injectors 210 , 310 are controlled by the controller c . the controller c in turn gets input from a nox formation model based on parameters such as engine load , engine speed , inlet air temperature , charge pressure and other engine parameters on which nox formation depend . the nox formation model gives a rough estimate of the amount of reductant needed to get a satisfactory nox conversion in the first and second catalysts 200 and 300 . in order to further refine the control of the amount of reductant injected into the exhaust gas , and especially if the reductant is urea or ammonia , information from the nox / nh3 sensors 220 , 320 could be used to fine - tune the amount of reductant being injected into the exhaust gases . in one embodiment of the invention , both nox and nh3 sensors could be used ; this gives an increased level of security , since both the level of nox and the level of nh3 could be monitored . if e . g . a nox sensor would supply a too high value of the nox content in the exhausts , which normally would make the controller c inject too large amounts of reductant , this could be avoided by the provision of an nh3 sensor , which in such a case would signal presence of large amounts of nh3 ( originating from reductant injected into the exhaust gas ) in the exhausts , hence making it possible for the controller c to correct the amount of reductant being injected into the exhausts . obviously , if the values from the nox and nh3 sensors do not make sense , the controller c must notify the driver , or store such malfunction indication in an onboard diagnostics box ( not shown ) for later readout at a service station . above , exemplary embodiments of a nox reduction system for a ci engine have been shown . by the efficiency of the system , it is possible to run a ci engine in a mode optimized for fuel efficiency and low emissions of soot , since the nox emissions produced in such a mode will be efficiently reduced in the catalyst system according to the invention . above , exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown ; as could be understood by persons skilled in the art , it is possible to make many diversions from the described embodiments . | 8 |
fig1 depicts two identical permanent magnets , one with pole conduits ( the right side of fig1 ) and the other without ( the left side of fig1 ). for a detailed explanation and understanding of pole conduits , refer to u . s . pat . no . 8 , 183 , 965 b2 ( inventor michael ) ( 2012 ) and u . s . pat . no . 8 , 256 , 098 b2 ( inventor michael ( 2012 ). a sensor is placed along the magnetic field line above the permanent magnet to detect the magnetic field passing perpendicularly to the magnetic field plane . magnetic field or flux lines are depicted in three - dimensional space traveling from one pole face or pole conduit to the other . in a preferred embodiment , the sensor is a hall effect sensor . one skilled in the art of magnetics can readily design the relative size and composition of the pole conduits . pole conduits can be made of a wide range of ferrous materials that have a relative permeability substantially greater than the relative permeability of the permanent magnets . as an example , pole conduits can be successfully produced out of alloy steels ( relative permeability of 50 ) or high permeability materials such as pure iron ( relative permeability of & gt ; 5000 ) or even very high permeability exotic alloys such as mu metal ( relative permeability & gt ; 25 , 000 ). the permanent magnets used in the preferred embodiments have a relative permeability of approximately 1 . 05 ; however virtually any other magnetic material may be used . in addition , an electrically generated magnetic field such as an electro - magnet may be used as well . fig2 shows the same magnetic structure as in fig1 , but with a relatively thick ferrous or steel target bridging the magnetic poles . the image on the right side of fig2 is a magnetic structure with a maximum thickness target bridging across the pole conduits . this configuration is often used in traditional switchable permanent magnets and is commonly referred to as a shunt , and the magnet assembly as a shunting switchable permanent magnet . one example of these magnets is the typical magnetic bases used to hold a dial indicator for measuring and often has a front dial that rotates 90 °. as depicted in fig2 , the magnetic field 105 a on the left side is minimally affected when pole conduits are not used . when pole conduits are used ( as shown on the right side of fig2 ), the magnetic field 105 b above the target has almost been completely redirected through the steel target . prior art often positions a sensor in proximity to the target in order to obtain a reading . this is not only difficult as the targets are frequently removed and repositioned , but reduces accuracy and sensitivity . sensors placed in close proximity to the target are influenced by the target shape , which often drastically alters the magnetic flux field direction , density , and shape - making a reliable measurement difficult . the primary benefit of using pole conduits in the magnetic structure is to allow for the absorption and redirection of the magnetic field within the permanent magnet 109 a and 109 b . the pole conduits redirect the magnetic field perpendicularly through the target until either the entire magnetic field is absorbed by the target or it can no longer accept additional magnetic flux . when the target can no longer accept additional magnetic field , the target is considered saturated . newer , more efficient switchable permanent magnet technologies use field cancelation rather than the shunt principle illustrated in fig2 . these technologies ( some examples are described in u . s . pat . no . 8 , 350 , 663 b1 ( inventor michael ) ( 2013 ), u . s . pat . no . 7 , 161 , 451 b2 issued to shen ( 2007 ) as well as u . s . pat . no . 7 , 012 , 495 b2 issued to kocijan ( 2006 )) exhibit unique magnetic characteristics which respond predictably when the magnet is placed onto a ferrous target . while the present invention is geared primarily for use with field cancellation technology , it has been successfully demonstrated to work on other magnetic attachment technologies that use pole conduits , such as electro - magnets and electro - permanent hybrid magnets , as well as shunting magnets . magnetic field lines are highly influenced and altered when a ferromagnetic target is positioned nearby . a ferromagnetic target , placed on or near the pole conduit face , will cause the magnetic field to redirect to the path of least resistance . relative permeability of the target is only one of the factors affecting the magnetic field redirection . other factors greatly influence the magnetic field redirection . material thickness , porosity , surface finish , crystalline structure , alloy composition and shape are just a few of the factors that influence how much of the magnetic field is redirected through the target . as an example , a thin ferrous target may only be capable of absorbing 20 % of the total available magnetic field , leaving the remaining 80 % emanating above the poles as well as below the thin ferrous target ( commonly referred to as “ flux leakage ”). even for thicker targets , the introduction of a small air - gap ( which may be caused by paint or non - ferrous surface coating ) substantially reduces the magnetic field redirected through the target and consequently increases the magnetic field emanating into the area surrounding the magnetic structure . shape also has a dramatic effect . the use of prior art technology is prone to error if the sensor is positioned over a target thickness that is non - representative of the average thickness of the target . for example , assume that the magnetic target is a common steel i - beam used in building construction . when a prior art sensor is placed on the flange of the i - beam above the vertical web , the sensor would indicate a much higher attraction force than is actually available . conversely , if the sensor is placed over a thinner section of the i - beam , the sensor may indicate an unsafe lift , when in fact the lift is safe . while a sensor placed in close proximity to a ferromagnetic target allows for some level of quantification , many factors can improperly influence the resultant readings that often lead to an overestimation of the actual attractive force between the ferromagnetic target and the magnetic structure . this invention compares the field between the pole conduits not in contact with the target to quantify the magnetic attraction between the magnetic structure and the target . the ormf reliably assesses the total reduction in the magnetic field between the opposing pole conduits . the magnetic attachment force of an irregularly shaped ferromagnetic target can be readily quantified by evaluating how much of the magnetic field remains in the ormf . the level of drop in the opposing residual magnetic field is a very accurate indicator of the total amount of magnetic field absorbed by the ferromagnetic target ( and thus , the total magnetic attachment force ). this method is impervious to the factors which negatively affect the prior art technologies . additionally , as magnetic field lines continuously emanate , the ormf does not fluctuate with time unless the target begins to separate . the ormf method allows for continuous monitoring of the attraction force . the ormf method can provide constant feedback to the operator as well as feedback used in control loops for automated equipment response . the extent to which magnetic field redirection occurs is due to the ability of the target to absorb the field of the magnetic structure . very thin ferrous or nonferrous targets absorb little or no field and thus leave the ormf relatively undisturbed . thicker ferrous targets may completely absorb the entire field of a magnetic structure , which in turn leaves the ormf with little or no field ; the greater the reduction in the ormf , the greater the attractive force between the magnetic structure and the target . the use of a sensor allows for simple , low cost , continuous characterization or quantification of the ormf . a simple analogy follows : assume that one desires to measure the density of a sponge having a complex shape and known weight . the sponge is placed into the larger of two tanks containing water , which are connected to each other by a pipe or “ conduit .” the smaller tank feeds water into the larger tank but is isolated from movement or disruption of water in the larger tank . the sponge absorbs water unevenly and pivots unevenly in the larger tank , making it difficult to ascertain the amount of water displaced in the larger tank . rather than attempting to measure the volumetric change of the water in the larger tank into which the sponge is placed , the instant invention simply monitors and measures the change in the level of water in the smaller tank . this provides for a far more accurate measurement as the water displacement is amplified , and facilitates the measurement since there is no disruption in the smaller tank caused by the sponge . applying this analogy to the extant invention , assume that the target is the sponge and the water is the magnetic field . the larger tank is in contact with the target and the smaller tank is the side opposite the magnetic field ormf . the pipe or conduit is the pole conduit . current magnetic attachment measurement methods ( prior art ) attempt to read the signal as close to the target as possible , essentially taking the measurement in the larger tank containing the sponge . the sponge , being in a state of flux , mandates that the inventors of the prior art technologies attempt to “ normalize ” the data . prior art technologies must incorporate additional constraints during the measurement often - using terms such as “ rate of change ” or “ integrated at moment of activation .” the instant invention instead measures a very constant field , which is repeatable and measurable at any given time . generally , a single sensor will provide sufficient accuracy because the ormf naturally averages deviations at the interface between the target and the magnetic structure quite well . assuming similar surface characteristics , the scaled measurement is quite accurate . this is a dramatic contrast when compared to a sensor in near proximity to the target . alternatively , should the need arise for a more complex system analysis , the use of multiple sensors will provide a more accurate assessment of the overall attraction force . it should be noted that although a sensor characterizing the magnetic field at a single position and characterizing a single magnetic field is depicted , the actual force may be scaled to reflect any number of magnetic structures through simple multiplication and with the assumption that each is generating a similar magnetic attraction force . as an added benefit , the instant design addresses target peel away on one side of the magnetic structure quite well because the ormf is uniformly disrupted during such an event . ( peel away takes place when metal bends away from the lift point or magnet during lifting causing an uneven air - gap where the target bends away from the magnet . this can often lead to catastrophic detachment of the target from the magnet .) several steps are key to understanding how to develop an ormf sensing system . the goal of this system is to allow the user to be able to place a magnetic structure containing the ormf sensing system onto a target and read a sensor output , which provides an accurate magnetic attraction force value ( analog or digital ). ( this value ( voltage ), can then be used as part of a control system or simply provided to an end user , e . g ., an equipment operator ). step — 1 characterizes the magnetic attachment force with respect to the target thickness . step — 2 identifies the best sensor position using the particular magnetic structure for the target thicknesses used in step 1 . step — 3 interpolates the data from step — 1 and step — 2 so that the reading from the sensor is directly converted to an equivalent magnetic attachment force . a final table is created which relates sensor voltage or output , breakaway force and material thickness at the best sensor location as determined by step — 2 . the data of the final table can then be further integrated with electronics into other machinery to provide continuous data ( to the operator or to a microprocessor for further automation ). the steps are described in detail below as well as in the basic flow charts of fig7 a , 7 b , and 7 c . step — 1 : fig7 a : characterization of magnetic attachment force versus ferrous target thickness attachment of a ferrous target to a magnetic structure is primarily dependent on the target and the amount of magnetic field that the target can absorb as well as the magnetic field level provided by a given magnetic structure . the attachment force is characterized by observing the relationship between the magnetic structure and various thicknesses of ferromagnetic targets . at a minimum , a breakaway tester and various thicknesses of similar ferrous targets are needed . a breakaway tester , in this application , is simply an apparatus used to measure the normal ( perpendicular to target ) force required to detach a magnet from a target . breakaway tests are performed using ferrous targets of increasing thickness . each test is conducted by providing a slowly increasing tensile force to the magnetic structure until the magnetic structure breaks away from the restrained target . this is known as the breakaway - force . the breakaway - force for each material thickness is recorded as depicted and graphed in fig1 breakaway - thickness table 1 and chart 1 . the use of equal incremental changes in target thickness may facilitate the optimization of the sensor location for steps — 2 and 3 later . when further increases in target thickness do not result in an increase in the breakaway - force , maximum performance of the magnetic structure has been reached . consequently , testing thicker materials beyond the maximum performance level becomes superfluous , as the breakaway - force will continue to remain the same . the point at which the holding force no longer increases with target thickness is often described as the saturation thickness for a magnetic structure . see step — 1 : fig7 a — characterization of magnetic field versus ferrous target thickness . plotting the data in table 1 , fig1 using an xy scatter chart , one can compare breakaway - force with respect to target thickness . a curve can then be plotted as shown in fig1 . most generally , this curve can be modeled with a second order equation , particularly if the data is limited to the range between zero and the thinnest saturation thickness target for the magnetic structure being characterized . if increased accuracy is desired , a higher order equation or a look up table containing substantially more data points could also be used . this data will be used as a basis for step — 2 for each of the sensor positions being evaluated . to characterize the behavior of the ormf , a magnetic structure is first placed onto a non - ferrous surface such as wood or plastic in order to obtain the sensor voltage at the zero target thickness level ( also the zero breakaway - force level ). an analog to digital ( a / d ) converter may also be used to convert the analog voltage signal from the sensor ( here , a hall effect sensor ) to a digital value . characterization of the hall effect sensor in fig9 ( shown without locating components for clarity ) is selected based on step — 2 in the method for producing the ormf sensing system depicted in fig7 b . in this preferred embodiment , which uses a multi - pole magnet assembly of the type described by u . s . pat . no . 8 , 183 , 965 b2 ( inventor michael ) ( 2013 ), the sensor is a hall effect sensor . it is positioned in a convenient and optimal location opposite a target - magnetic structure interface ( ormf ). careful positioning of the hall effect sensor is critical to provide the most accurate picture of the ormf . sensor output will be directly correlated to the magnetic attachment force between the magnetic structure and the target using the ormf . while this location does not provide the maximum voltage range between no - target and a fully saturated target , it provides for maximum voltage separation between targets of various thicknesses from 0 . 0625 inches to 0 . 375 inches as seen in fig1 a — table 2 : sensor - breakaway table . in this instance , the optimal sensor output is determined to be 0 . 1 inches away from the circumference of the outer diameter and 0 . 2 inches directly above one of the magnetic pole field lines within the rotatable portion of the upper multi - pole carrier platter as shown in fig9 ( see u . s . pat . no . 8 , 350 , 663 b1 ( inventor michael ) ( 2013 )). the angle of the sensor is also positioned perpendicular to the magnetic field line emanating from the pole conduits below it ( not shown ). it should also be noted that several positions along the circumference of the upper platter performed identically ( primarily over the adjacent magnetic poles within the multi - pole carrier platter ). sensor location was based on which of the locations offered the most convenient installation which also offered acceptable performance . an improper sensor location is readily identifiable when there is poor correlation between the breakaway - force and the hall effect output voltage with respect to thickness . issues such as a change in the breakaway - force being observed without a change in voltage ( or vice versa ) are indicative of poor sensor location . it is recommended that a chart be produced to provide a visual representation of the data as described in fig1 b — chart 2 : sensor - breakaway and fig1 a — table 2 , the sensor - breakaway table . the sensor - breakaway data , at a minimum , must identify the ormf levels relative to the different thicknesses , for the various locations under evaluation . if satisfactory results are obtained , equations can then be fit to the chart data ( up to the saturation thickness ). each specific application and / or magnetic structure must be evaluated for suitability across the range of material for which the device is to be used . ideal sensor location has been identified in this example as position f ( z = 0 . 2 , x = 0 . 1 ) shown in fig1 — table 3 : sensor breakaway table with correlation and max delta calculations . this position is where the sensor readings ( voltage ) at each of the different thicknesses in the table , best correlate with the change in breakaway - force recorded in step 2 . additionally this position maximizes the voltage difference in the target thickness range of interest . a curve fitting function can be used to determine the characteristic equation , which is used to quantify the magnetic attractive force with respect to the sensor reading ( see fig1 b — chart 3 : optimal correlation with characteristic equation ). once the curve or chart for the magnetic structure &# 39 ; s attractive force is created , the magnetic structure can be placed on any surface and an accurate estimate of the magnetic attraction force can be interpolated from the data . an example of this can be shown using fig1 a — table 4 : optimal correlation table and fig1 b — chart 3 : optimal correlation chart with characteristic equation . if the magnetic structure with the ormf system is placed on an unknown target and a voltage reading of − 150 millivolt ( mvolts ) is output , one can make a determination of the magnetic attractive force by simply locating where − 150 mvolts on the x axis intersects the curve and then reading the corresponding breakaway force on the y - axis . this simple procedure would estimate a value of just less than 200 pounds - force . a microprocessor could solve the polynomial equation , which fits the curve shown in the fig1 b , and calculate a value of 187 . 8 pounds force using a second order polynomial equation . note that the axes in this chart are reversed from those of fig1 b in order to ascertain a breakaway - force ( y - value ) by using a sensor reading ( x - value ) thereby simply solving for y in the equation describing the curve depicted in fig1 b . see step — 3 depicted in fig7 c , for a flow chart diagram describing this process . it is important to note that this data is not used to measure thickness ( except under ideal conditions ) but rather to provide an estimate of the attractive force between the magnetic structure and most non - deal targets . should the target surface be irregular in any manner , or have an air - gap due to paint or irregular surface , the ormf will reflect this by being at a higher level and subsequently the hall effect sensor will output a voltage lower than expected for a material of this thickness . it is important to note that the voltage direction of a sensor can be reversed , simply by rotating the sensor 180 ° so that the face of the sensor is facing the opposite magnetic pole . this may also invert the relationship between the magnetic field and the ormf . as an example using table 4 , fig1 a , a 0 . 25 - inch thick steel target may have a − 126 millivolt reading rather than the − 103 . 4 millivolt reading shown in table 4 . this would indicate that the maximum holding force is 265 pounds - force rather than the expected 378 pounds - force for a 0 . 25 - inch thickness . in this instance , the reduction in force may be due to any number of variables such as paint , finish thickness , surface roughness , warped material , a moderately magnetic alloy steel or combination thereof . many factors have a dramatic impact on the magnetic attraction force . in all cases tested ( for non - stacked targets ), the ormf predictably represented the actual magnetic attractive force between the magnetic structure and the ferrous target . air - gap testing has been performed repeatedly which demonstrates that the ormf is highly representative of the actual breakaway performance under less than ideal conditions . this relationship holds true by comparing unusual shaped target geometry relative to the data collected as well as predicting the performance of various alloys with lower magnetic performance . while some exceptions may be found where the ormf is not representative of the actual breakaway - force , in most conditions , the data is highly correlate - able to the actual magnetic attractive force for the application . for those exceptions , an additional table can be created that reflects the performance characteristics . an example of this could be an unusual alloy that exhibits magnetic attachment performance that falls outside of the performance observed with normal steel targets . if this alloy is expected to be used with the magnetic structure , a recalibration using the new alloy could readily be performed such that the data points would match the actual breakaway performance measured . two sets of tables ( or more ) could be used for the differing alloys . another added benefit of the instant invention is that as the ormf sensing system slowly changes due to wear or surface damage of the magnetic structure , a recalibration can be performed at any time to allow for a continued accurate representation of the magnetic attraction performance , simply by running a calibration procedure on a periodic basis . in the embodiments shown in fig1 and fig1 , the ormf sensing system is further improved by the addition of a microcontroller with analog to digital ( a / d ) port integrated within a drill . the microcontroller in the embodiment continuously samples the sensor voltage and performs the interpolation utilizing the table stored in its internal memory or a characteristic equation . this then displays the result on a digital readout or transmits the value over a wireless media such as bluetooth or network protocol . an ormf sensing system may be integrated into a magnetic drill as previously described in the u . s . pat . no . 5 , 096 , 339 issued to shoji ( 1992 ). in addition to the ability to shut off the drill should it detach during operation ( provided by the shoji patent ), the instant technology allows a microprocessor the ability to monitor the magnetic field attachment level during operation . the operator now has constant feedback if excessive pressure is applied well before catastrophic detachment of the drill during operation . the ormf sensing system would also provide a means for the operator to adjust the applied downward drill force so that it is commensurate with the magnetic attachment level of the drill on a much wider range of target thicknesses . the integration of a gauge or display showing the reduction of magnetic attachment force is now trivial for one skilled in the arts of circuit development . if integrated with a built in load cell or other load sensing technology , an ormf sensing system could be used to provide safe drilling on substantially thinner materials as well as provide optimal drill point pressure for an automated feed drill . a strain gauge or other type of sensor input may be used in conjunction with the sensing method to provide an operator or a microprocessor with information to be utilized to enhance operation and safety . for lifting magnets , by combining an estimated lifting capacity with sensor data from a load cell , a safety factor can readily be ascertained . typical safety standards for switchable magnetic lifting normally mandate a three to one safety factor ( not for overhead lifting ). due to frequent detachment of the load , several magnetics manufacturers are considering increasing the safety factor further as prior art methods of ascertaining the magnetic attachment force are inadequate . with the instant technology , the ormf is monitored continuously and any condition that may induce an air - gap such as impulse , peel , or material flexure could be detected early and while still at a low height . by combining the ormf sensing system data with data from a load sensor ( external or internal to the magnetic structure ), a comparison can be made at all times during the lifting operation between the actual weight of the target and the attachment force of the target to the magnetic structure . if the target begins to shift , tilt , or peel away from the magnetic structure , an alarm or signal could be sent to alert the operator when the load is approaching or outside the desired safety factor . the preferred embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not exclusive , it being understood that one skilled in the art may deviate from one or more of the described preferred embodiments but still practice the instant invention . | 6 |
fig4 a illustrates a high voltage generator 400 that includes an ac drive circuit 402 configured and arranged to drive a multiplier - rectifier circuit 404 . the ac drive circuit 402 includes an adjustable current source 405 that supplies current i on a line 406 to an h - bridge rectifying circuit that includes switches sw 1 , sw 2 , sw 3 , sw 4 , 408 - 411 respectively . the switches 408 - 411 may be any of the commonly used solid state switching devices such as bipolar junction transistors , insulated gate bipolar junction transistors , metal oxide silicon field effect transistors , or others . the h - bridge converts the continuous current from the current source 405 into an alternating current waveform , which is delivered to primary winding 414 of transformer 416 . switches sw 1 408 and sw 4 411 operate as a pair , and sw 2 409 and sw 3 410 operate as a pair . the two switch pairs alternately open and close , operating 180 degrees out of phase . when switches sw 1 408 , sw 4 411 are closed , a first lead 420 of the primary winding 414 is connected to a first node 422 ( node 3 ) of the current source 405 through switch sw 1 408 , and a second lead 424 of the primary winding 414 is connected to a second node 426 ( node 4 ) of the current source 405 through switch sw 4 . when switches sw 2 409 , sw 3 410 are closed , the first lead 420 of the primary winding 416 is connected to the second node 426 ( node 4 ) of the current source , and the second lead 414 of the primary winding 416 is connected to the first node 422 of the current source 405 . fig4 b is a schematic illustration of an equivalent rlc circuit of the transformer 416 and the voltage multiplier - rectifier circuit 404 , representing the impedance in the frequency range of interest ( i . e ., ω res & gt ; ω & gt ; ω opt ). one of ordinary skill in the art recognize that the components illustrated in fig4 b are not actual physical components , but rather represent equivalent circuit values of the transformer 416 and multiplier - rectifier circuit 404 . capacitor c 1 440 is the transformed impedance of the multiplier - rectifier circuit shown in fig4 a when operated at a frequency close to the optimum frequency , discussed above . inductor l 1 442 is the equivalent series load inductance including the leakage inductance of the transformer 416 ( fig4 b ), the inductance of interconnecting cables ( now shown ), and any additional lumped or distributed inductance between the ac drive circuit 402 and the multiplier - rectifier circuit 404 . resistor r 1 444 is the resistive load transformed to the primary winding 414 ( fig4 a ). a difficulty encountered when driving loads that have large capacitive reactances , are the high drive currents required to repetitively reverse the polarity of the load voltage . this is especially true at high frequency and for non - sinusoidal waveforms encountered with switching converters . these high currents in combination with phase shifted voltage and current waveforms place demands on the output switching devices , and result in power losses . the drive circuit shown in fig4 a overcomes these difficulties by incorporation of a shorting switch , sw 5 430 . fig5 a is a plot of the position of the switches sw 1 , sw 2 , sw 3 , sw 4 and sw 5 ( fig4 a ) as a function of time for the operation of the drive circuit of fig4 a . fig5 b is a plot of the resulting load current waveform and load voltage waveform v 5 - v 6 . referring to fig4 a , 5 a , and 5 b , the switches sw 1 - sw 4 ( fig4 a ) operate as an h - bridge circuit alternately reversing the direction of current flow through the load . the switch sw 5 430 ( fig4 a ) conducts for a short period of time during the transition from the switch pair sw 1 , sw 4 to the switch pair sw 2 , sw 3 . the switch sw 5 430 is closed for a sufficient time period to cause current reversal to take place in the transformer 416 . this relies on the resonant interaction of equivalent components l 1 and c 1 shown in the rlc equivalent circuit of fig4 b . the switch sw 5 must not remain closed for too long a time period to allow oscillation of the load current . preferably , the switch sw 5 430 remains closed for a time period approximately equal to one quarter of the oscillation period , t sw5 ≈( 2 / π )√{ square root over ( l 1 c 1 )}. referring again to fig4 a , notably the h - bridge is driven with a current source 405 rather than the common practice of using a voltage source . during the time period when the load shorting switch sw 5 430 is closed , the voltage between nodes 422 , 426 is about zero ( i . e ., v 7 - v 8 ≈ 0 ), and a continuous current flows through the h - bridge switches . the current source 405 does not deliver power to the circuit during this time period , except for the power produced by the small voltage drop present in non - ideal switches . the current source 405 is not called upon to provide or store energy for the purpose of reversing the output polarity of the ac - drive circuit 402 . energy stored in the equivalent load capacitance c 1 , as shown for convenience in fig4 b , during the positive ( or negative ) polarity of the waveform is recovered and used to reverse the polarity of the load current and voltage . an additional benefit of using a current source 405 to drive the h - bridge is the inherent protection afforded to the h - bridge switches sw 1 - sw 4 . if unintended switching of the switching devices or accidental shorting of output node 5 460 and output node 6 462 takes place , the current flowing in the switching devices is limited by the current from the current source 405 . this is in contrast with a voltage driven h - bridge where either of these fault conditions inevitably results in failure of one of the switching devices . fig5 c is a plot of the current waveforms for the circuits illustrated in fig4 a and fig7 . fig6 illustrates an embodiment of the current source 405 , employing a forward converter current source . although this is not an ideal current source , it provides the benefits discussed above . current flow is maintained at a relatively constant value with the use of a series inductor l 2 602 . the operation of this circuit is well known . switch sw 6 604 alternately opens and closes injecting current into inductor l 2 602 . during the time period when the switch sw 6 604 is closed , the inductor l 2 602 is connected to voltage source v 1 608 , and the current in the inductor l 2 602 increases at a rate di l2 / dt = v l2 / l 2 . while the switch sw 6 604 is open , the continuous current of the inductor l 2 602 flows through free wheeling diode d 5 610 . the rate of rise in the current delivered to the h - bridge during the time period when the switch sw 5 is closed depends on the value of inductance l 2 602 and the relative timing of the switch sw 6 604 . fig7 illustrates an alternative embodiment high voltage generator 700 that includes an ac drive circuit configured and arranged to drive a multiplier rectifier circuit . this high voltage generator 700 is substantially the same as the high voltage generator illustrated in fig4 a , with the principal exception that the voltage generator does not include a shorting switch sw 5 . specifically , the high voltage generator 700 does not use the switch sw 5 430 ( fig4 a ) to momentarily short the output nodes 5 and 6 of the h - bridge . fig8 is a plot of switch positions for switches sw 1 - sw 4 702 - 705 ( fig7 ), respectively illustrated in fig7 . significantly , output shorting is accomplished by causing the two switch pairs sw 1 , sw 4 and sw 2 , sw 3 to be simultaneously closed for a short time period during polarity reversal of the waveform , thus performing the same function as switch sw 5 430 ( fig4 a ). the inventive high voltage power supply incorporates the ac - drive circuit depicted in fig4 a with various multiplier - rectifier circuits to provide an efficient high voltage generator . in particular , multiplier - rectifier circuits which have been optimized for voltage uniformity by utilizing one or more loading inductors , are well suited for the inventive generator . these multiplier - rectifier circuits , as well as others , exhibit an input impedance that is substantially capacitive . this is especially true for multiplier - rectifier circuits that have been optimized for voltage uniformity , minimum stored energy , or highest average voltage per cascade stage . when combined with the ac - drive circuit of fig4 a , the resulting high voltage generator obviates the need for resonantly tuning the ac - drive circuit to the multiplier - rectifier circuit . the performance and efficiency of the high voltage generator is relatively insensitive to the operating frequency . in addition , individual components or subassemblies can be replaced or interchanged without the need for retuning the power supply system . fig9 depicts another embodiment of a high voltage generator 900 . the voltage generator 900 includes a symmetrical multiplier - rectifier circuit 902 utilizing a loading inductor 904 , two interface transformers 906 , 908 , and two current driven h - bridge ac - drive circuits 910 , 912 . the ac - drive circuits are operated 180 degrees out of phase , and individually provide power to the two symmetrical legs of the multiplier - rectifier circuit . the amplitude of the two ac - drive circuits may be individually adjusted to obtain optimum balance in the multiplier - rectifier circuit . balance is achieved when minimum voltage ripple on the high voltage terminal of the generator is attained . the balance adjustment allows for compensation of variations in component values , tolerances and mechanical assembly . in the inventive high voltage generator , the dc output voltage amplitude of the generator is controlled by adjusting the amplitude of the steady state current source of the ac - drive circuit . stabilization of the high voltage output may be accomplished by the use of feedback . compensation for variations in high voltage output is accomplished by changing the output of the ac - drive in response to variations in high voltage output . the high voltage output may be monitored using a voltage divider network that includes resistors or resistor and capacitors . the measured voltage in combination with a feedback amplifier and compensation circuit is used to adjust the amplitude of the current from the current source to compensate for variations in output voltage , as illustrated in fig1 . referring to fig1 , feedback stabilization may also be accomplished by measuring the high voltage output with a generating voltmeter ( gvm ) 1102 . the gvm 1102 may be a rotating vane gvm , or a vibrating capacitor gvm . using a gvm for feedback stabilization has several advantages when compared to the high voltage divider technique . the gvm is a non - contacting measurement technique and does not draw current from the high voltage generator . in addition , the gvm is less susceptible to inaccuracies due to thermal and voltage coefficient effects , and the gvm exhibits relatively fast response times . furthermore , the gvm is usually less affected by stray current paths such as corona and stray capacitance . fig1 is a list of typical values for the components illustrated in fig4 a - 11 . a preferred embodiment of the inventive high voltage generator incorporates feedback stabilization preferably using a gvm voltage measuring technique . although the present invention has been shown and described with respect to several preferred embodiments thereof , various changes , omissions and additions to the form and detail thereof , may be made therein , without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . | 7 |
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