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fig1 shows a bioreactor 10 according to the present invention comprising a vessel 11 , a thermostated jacket 12 with inlet and outlet ports 13 , 14 , a ph and temperature sensors 15 , 16 , a dissolved oxygen probe 17 , a service port 18 , a removable top 19 , a removable bottom 19 bis and a gas supplying device 19 ter . in a preferred embodiment of the present invention the bioreactor 10 of fig1 comprises a cylindrical vessel 11 made of non - toxic biocompatible material such as pyrex ™ or stainless steel . the vessel 11 is surrounded by the jacket 12 to provide temperature control by circulation of a heating fluid through inlet and outlet ports 13 , 14 . heating / cooling fluid interior coils may alternatively be used . a ph probe 15 , a temperature sensor 16 , a dissolved oxygen probe 17 and a port 18 for feeding and sample collection during closed course working are coupled to vessel 11 . vessel 11 has removable top 19 and removable bottom 19 bis , which are hermetically sealed to the vessel by o - rings ( not shown ) and / or latches or bolts ( not shown ). the bioreactor 10 comprises a frame housing preferably made of steel , which keeps the vessel 11 in horizontal or vertical positions . bioreactor 10 , vessel 11 , top 19 and bottom 19 bis are capable of being opened so that operators may access the interior for maintenance and manual work . the cylindrical vessel 11 is loaded through suitable opening in the bottom 19 bis by the liquid suspension of biomass and a matrix compounds which are for examples collagen , agar , dextranes , peptones , alginates , carrageenan or analogous organic macromolecules , in such concentration to produce a solid matrix gel below 40 ° c . such a matrix may further contain radio - opaque materials , such as barium salts , and / or promoters for nmr imaging detection such as magnetic particles and nmr shift reagents . typically , the collagen concentration is of from 0 . 01 to 3 % ( w / v ) and agar concentration is of from 0 . 5 to 3 % ( w / v ). alternatively , the vessel 11 is filled with porous scaffolding material such as , for examples , glass fibers and fabrics , common fibers or fabrics , porous ceramic bodies , paper sheets , foam of organic synthetic or natural polymers and cellulose solids , all of which hold the biomass included in the above mentioned matrix compounds . these scaffolding materials may alternatively fill the vessel 11 and are there imbued by liquid suspension of the biomass and matrix compounds . alternatively , in the case of plant and yeast cells , liquid suspension of the biomass is used without matrix compounds . the vessel 11 thus filled , is then exposed to a gas flow saturated by a mixture of gaseous silicon alkoxides according to the present invention . said gas flow is supplied by the gas supplying device 19 ter removably connected to the bottom 19 bis . the mixture of gaseous silicon alkoxides of the present invention produces a uniform and continuous siliceous layer on the surface of the matrix gel or on the surface of the biomass . the exposure time of the silicon alkoxide gaseous flux depends on the layer thickness ( v . m . sglavo et al . j . mat . science 34 , 3587 1999 ). the siliceous layer thickness is a linear function of the exposition time up to 500 μg of silicon deposited per cm 2 of treated surface . the siliceous layer thus obtained provides an inorganic deposit attached to the matrix surface , independently of matrix chemical composition , geometry , shape , or presence of scaffolding materials . when the siliceous layer produced according to the process of the present invention is formed , the mobile phase of the bioreactor may be circulated through the removable bottom 19 bis . this latter will be equipped with a gas spreader 20 supplying biomass oxygenation . the mobile phase may be used for feeding the biomass and for recovery of product compounds . mobile phase circulation is provided by a feed pump ( not shown ) and moves in a closed circuit through the removable top 19 . the removable top 19 may comprise an outlet port 21 for the discharge of the gaseous flux saturated by silicon alkoxides and volatile byproducts of the siliceous layer formation . alternatively , the top 19 may comprise an outlet port for mobile phase circulation . in this embodiment , it may be connected to a line of extractors ( not shown ) providing liquid / liquid and / or gas / liquid continuous separation of desired products from the mobile phase . a reservoir connected to cover 19 may alternatively be used for substitution of the exhausted mobile phase and its storage for discontinuous working of the bioreactor . furthermore , the top 19 may comprise a spray nozzle 22 for producing droplets of the matrix solution . the spray nozzle 22 may be fed by the flux of silicon alkoxide gaseous mixture used to coat the droplets by the siliceous layer . in this embodiment , the removable bottom 19 bis may comprise the bubbling apparatus 19 ter used to saturate a non toxic gaseous flux by silicon alkoxides which invest falling droplets . the present invention will be further described with reference to the examples provided below merely by way of non restrictive illustrations . activity of urease in 1 % agar and immobilized by the siliceous layer 640 u of urease ( purchased from sigma , 99 % purity ) were mixed with 20 ml of 1 % ( w / w ) agar ( purchased from fmc , 99 % purity ) in water . the solution was poured into a glass pyrex ™ cylinder 30 mm in diameter and 300 mm in height in sterile conditions . the cylinder mouth and cover were closed and the cylinder was placed in a frame housing maintaining the vessel in horizontal position in a thermostated bath at 37 ° c . an external electrical motor imparted axial rotation to the cylinder at a rate of 5 rpm until the creation of a gel 0 . 7 mm thick on the internal wall of the cylinder . the mouth was connected to a gaseous flux saturated by a ch 3 sih ( oet ) 2 and si ( oet ) 4 mixture obtained by bubbling the gaseous flux into a 25 / 75 volumetric liquid solution of those silicon alkoxides at 80 ° c . the carrier gas was air and the flux was 0 . 4 l / min . the flux was prolonged for 12 minutes . after completion of this operation , the cylinder was filled with a phosphatic buffer solution at ph = 8 . 0 and stored at 37 ° c . for 15 hr with a 5 rpm rotation . after this time , samples of the buffer solution were collected ; samples were also collected after 15 hr storage at ph = 8 . 0 from another vessel containing the same urease load in the 0 . 7 mm thick agar gel not coated by the siliceous layer . the protein content in the samples was determined according to a modified lowry &# 39 ; s method ( peterson g . l ., anal . biochem . 83 : 346 ( 1977 )). samples from the bioreactor not immobilized by the siliceous layer have a protein content corresponding to 100 % urease leaching from the agar gel . samples from the bioreactor with the siliceous immobilizing layer contain 0 . 7 % of the protein content ( 100 %= protein content measured in the case of non - immobilized samples ). the enzymatic activity of urease was determined by monitoring the in - time decrease in the urea concentration in solutions starting from initial conditions of 5 μg of urea per 1u of free or immobilized urease . the urea concentration was determined with the diacethyl monoxime method ( ceriotti g . and spadaro l ., clin . chim . acta 11 : 519 1965 ). experiments were simultaneously carried out for solutions : 1 . holding free urease , 2 . holding urease in the agar not coated by the siliceous layer , and 3 . holding urease in the agar coated by the siliceous layer . the activities of the enzyme in cases 1 . and 2 . were identical ( same maximum rate and &# 39 ; same michaelis - menten constant ). in case 3 ., a definite improvement activity was observed ( 80 % increase of maximum rate with same michaelis - menten constant ). production of lignanic class drugs from ruta graveolens cells immobilized by the siliceous layer a sponge like layer of foam polyurethane 1 cm in thickness ( density = 0 . 1 g / ml ) was cut into disks 3 . 0 cm in diameter . disks were sterilized with steam at 120 ° c . and treated with a cell suspension culture of ruta graveolens ( generated from the sprout in 1995 ) holding 0 . 1 g of wet cell mass per ml . the medium was gamborg &# 39 ; s basal growth b 5 solution supplemented with 3 % ( w / v ) sucrose , 2 . 6 mg / l 2 , 4 - dichlorophenoxyacetic acid , 0 . 30 mg / l kinetin , and 0 . 30 mg / l naphthalenacetic acid . the ph was adjusted to 5 . 7 with phosphatic acid . the disks were kept in the suspension in sterile conditions at 25 ° c . on a gyratory shaker operating at 100 rpm in a 12 hr period for 10 days . disks were drawn out and hung to dry in a sterile hood at 30 ° c . for 2 hours . the average cell load was 0 . 3 g of wet mass per disk volume . 1000 disks joined by a metal yarn were introduced into a pyrex ™ cylindrical glass bioreactor 10 l in volume ( 15 cm in diameter , 57 cm in height ). the reactor was maintained in a vertical position and treated from the bottom mouth with dry air at 30 ° c . ( flux = 0 . 8 l / min .) for 1 hour , then with a 5 l / minute air flux saturated by a ch 3 sih ( oet ) 2 and si ( oet ) 4 mixture obtained by bubbling the gaseous flux into a 30 / 70 volumetric mixture of those silicon alkoxides at 75 ° c . gaseous flux treatment lasted for 80 min . gas admission was changed from the bottom mouth to the top cover with a 2 minute frequency , acting on a 4 - way tap which connected the top and bottom sides to the gas flux entry and discharge . the reactor was immediately filled with the above described medium , which was changed after 30 minutes . retained cell viability was determined by mtt ( mossman t . j . immunol , methods 65 : 55 ( 1983 )) and was 92 % with respect to viability measured before immobilization . the micrograph of fig2 shows details of the siliceous layer immobilized cells on the polyurethane scaffolding material . temperature was maintained at 23 ° c . by circulation of thermostated water through a jacket surrounding the reactor . circulation of the medium was provided by an external peristaltic pump operating with a delivery capacity of 5 l / hr . the liquid was passed through 4 liquid / liquid extractors ; the preferred extraction liquid was a chloro solvent . the bottom mouth region was equipped with a gas spreader which provided an air flux of 10 l / hr . this flux was carried to the top cover and washed by bubbling into a phosphatic buffer at ph 7 . 2 . the production of lignanic class drugs was observed in the chloro solvent used for liquid extraction and in the water solution used for washing discharged gas . lignanic products were recovered by extraction with butanol - ethylacetate and separated by chromatography on sephadex and by hplc ( jasco model pu 1580 ) using as solvent chloroform / methanol in a 9 / 1 volumetric ratio . the total product mass was 160 mg per day . identification of lignanic products was made by fab mass spectrometry . identified products were podophillotoxin , diphyllin and justicidin - a as major components , representing 80 % of the total mass . reactor productivity was maintained for 20 weeks upon 5 day frequency additions of sucrose to restore its concentration to 3 % ( w / v ). cell mortality appeared after 16 weeks and total mortality was observed after 20 weeks from siliceous layer immobilization . molecular cut - off of siliceous layers obtained from different mixtures of silicon alkoxides . a ) hep - g2 cells were cultivated over a collagen layer deposited on petri dishes 6 cm in diameter . the collagen matrix was obtained by heating a 0 . 1 % ( w / v ) collagen solution at 37 ° c . the medium was dulbecco &# 39 ; s modified eagle &# 39 ; s medium supplemented with 10 % of fetal bovine serum . after cellular confluence to monalayer morphology , cells were coated with a 50 μm layer of collagen solution 0 . 1 % ( w / v ). after consolidation , cell viability was 96 %, as determined by trypan blue exclusion . samples were treated with medium and stored at 37 ° c . for 24 hours in a humidified atmosphere of 95 % air and 5 % co 2 . the medium was removed and 8 petri dishes were mounted in a pyrex ™ glass cylinder 70 mm in diameter and 25 cm in height . a metal frame left 1 . 5 cm height space between dishes . siliceous layer deposition was made according to example 1 ( temperature in cylinder = 30 ° c ., exposure time = 8 minutes , 8 petri dishes ). after reaction , samples were immediately covered by the specified medium , which was replaced after 3 hours . the tiazolyl blue mtt assay for cell viability indicated 95 % cell viability . 18 hours after siliceous layer coating , the biomass was subjected to lysis by reaction with a solution of tris - hcl 50 mm ( purchased from sigma ) at ph = 8 . 0 , nan 3 0 . 02 % ( w / v ), and aprotinin 1 μg / ml ( purchased from sigma ). after 24 hours , the solution was analyzed by the sds - polyacrylamide gel separation procedure ( sambrook j . et al . “ molecular cloning : a laboratory manual ” cold spring harbour laboratory press 1989 ). samples were denatured at 100 ° c . for 3 minutes in 1x sds gel loading buffer ( 50 mm tris - hcl , ph = 6 . 8 , 100 mm dithiotreitol , 2 % w / v sds , 0 . 1 % ( w / v ) bromophenol blue , 10 % ( w / v ) glycerol ). chromatographic runs were made on the mini protean ii apparatus of biorad ( 25 mm tris , 250 mm glycine , 0 . 1 % ( w / v ) sds , ph = 8 . 3 as mobile phase ) operating at180 v for 45 minutes . the gel was then incubated for 30 minutes 50 % ( v / v ) methanol and 12 % ( v / v ) acetic acid solution washed three times with 10 % ( v / v ) ethanol plus 5 % v / v acetic acid solution for 5 minutes , incubated with 3 . 4 mm k 2 cr 2 o 7 and 3 . 2 mm hno 3 solution , and then washed again three times with double distilled water . samples were incubated with 12 mm agno 3 solution for 30 minutes . protein band development resulted by treatment with 0 . 28 m na 2 co 3 and 0 . 02 % ( w / v ) formaldehyde solution and fixing in 1 % ( v / v ) acetic acid solution . referring to fig3 , protein distribution is illustrated as a function of the molecular weight of 5 samples coated with siliceous layer and subjected to lysis and 2 control samples ( c1 , c2 ) not coated by the siliceous layer but similarly subjected to lysis . protein distributions obtained from coated samples and numbered t1 to t5 do not show traces of proteins with m . w . higher than 90 , 000 da . b ) the same procedures of example 3a were repeated in case of using , for the siliceous layer deposition , a 0 . 4 l / minute air flux saturated by a ch 3 sih ( oet ) 2 , ch 3 si ( oet ) 3 and si ( oet ) 4 mixture obtained by bubbling the gaseous flux into 10 / 20 / 70 volumetric mixture of those alkoxides at 80 ° c . protein distribution obtained from the coated samples subjected to lysis did not show traces of protein with m . w . higher than 150 , 000 da . c ) the same procedures of example 3a were repeated in case of saturation of the gaseous flux by a ch 3 sih ( oet ) 2 , ch 3 si ( oet ) 3 , and si ( oet ) 4 mixture in the volumetric ratio 20 / 20 / 60 at 75 ° c . protein distribution obtained from the coated samples subjected to lysis do not show traces of proteins with m . w . higher than 10 , 000 da . activity of bacillus polymyxa and bacillus subtilis in 1 % agar and immobilized by the siliceous layer a stock of b . polymyxa was purchased from atcc . a fraction of this culture was inoculated in 50 ml medium constituted of a solution of : yeast extract / casein / glucose / sucrose / nacl / mgso 4 = 2 . 5 / 2 . 5 / 8 / 2 / 1 / 0 . 5 g / l ; the suspension was buffered at ph 7 . 3 and supplemented with 1 ml of cacl 2 2h 2 o / feso 4 7h 2 o / znso 4 7h 2 o / cuso 4 5h 2 o / mnso 4 4h 2 o = 1 / 1 / 1 / 0 . 5 / 4 g / l . the suspension was stored for 3 days at 27 ° c . 5 ml of the suspension were diluted with 1 l of medium constituted of said compounds in concentrations = 2 . 5 / 2 . 5 / 18 / 2 / 1 / 0 . 5 g / l supplemented by tryptone ( 2 g / l ) and ammonium sulfate ( 1 g / l ) and buffered at ph 7 . 3 . the obtained suspension was stored at 27 ° c . for 5 days under stirring . agar was added to this suspension up to a 1 % ( w / v ) concentration . 30 l of the suspension were poured into a stainless steel cylinder 20 cm in diameter and 100 cm in height , filled with 5000 disks of glass wool , 35 mm in diameter and 10 mm in height , obtained from a texture with density = 0 . 2 g / ml . these disks were randomly arranged in the cylinder . the suspension was set aside for 30 minutes and then spurted out of the cylinder . the cylinder was placed in a frame housing maintaining the horizontal position of the vessel and under rotation at 5 rpm . the disks were here treated with a gaseous flux of silicon alkoxides , as described in example 2 . treatment lasted for 6 hours . the vessel in the vertical position was filled with the above described medium . the viability of the biomass was checked by monitoring glucose consumption over a period of 8 weeks . consumption of 1 . 3 g / l of glucose per day was constant and the original 18 g / l glucose concentration was restored by addition of glucose every two days . identical processing was used for immobilization of b . subtilis . in both cases , microscopic observations revealed the total absence of microorganisms released in the solution . samples of the medium were collected for detecting the concentration of polymyxine and bacitracine , respectively . antibiotic activity was tested by antibiograms on escherichia coli as polymyxine sensitive stocks and on staphylococcus aureus as bacitracine sensitive organism . dilution of original samples with saline determined the trend of polymyxine and bacitracine production during the 8 weeks of observation . determination of critical shearing stress of a 0 . 1 μm thick siliceous layer on collagen . the critical shearing stress of the siliceous layer on collagen was determined by fluid mechanic experiments . a glass duct 120 cm long , 8 cm wide and 2 cm high was connected to a feed pump . water was put into the duct , kept horizontal , starting from a minimum flow of 5 l / minute . a 0 . 1 mm thick collagen layer , consolidated from a 0 . 1 % ( w / v ) solution , was deposited on the base of the duct , and flow was increased up to the removal of the layer . the corresponding critical flow gave a collagen critical shearing stress value of 0 . 5 pa . the same experiment was carried out in the case of collagen coated by the siliceous layer , deposited according the procedure described in example 2 using a 3 minute treatment . critical shearing stress resulted to be 15 pa . alginate microspheres containing ( 1 × 10 7 cells / ml ; ˜ 2 , 400 cells / microsphere ) were produced by conventional air - jet extrusion ( lim f . and sun a . m . science , 210 : 908 ( 1980 ) the alginate solution ( 1 . 5 % w / v na - alginate in 0 . 9 % nacl solution ) containing jurkat cells , a human lymphocyte cell line , was loaded into a sterile syringe barrel and the piston is guided by a uniformly driven pushing device . a sterile needle ( 0 . 3 mm internal diameter , 0 . 5 mm external diameter ) was connected to the syringe and placed into a coaxial air - jet extrusion nozzle ( 0 . 65 mm diameter ). air - flux ranging from 0 . 4 l / minute to 0 . 8 l / minute was bubbled into a solution of ch 3 sih ( oet ) 2 and si ( oet ) 4 ( 25 / 75 volumetric mixture ) at 80 ° c . the organosilane saturated air flux entered the air - jet extrusion nozzle , providing the siliceous coating and the dripping - off of the alginate drop from the needle tip . microsphere diameter ranged from 0 . 2 mm to 0 . 8 mm depending on the gaseous flux . microspheres , dropped into a100 mm calcium chloride solution , were kept in this solution for 5 minutes and transferred into a cell culture medium ( rpmi 1640 ). cell viability was tested by the mtt assay and displayed more than 80 % viability . the encapsulated jurkat cells were stimulated with phorbol esters to secrete interleukin 2 ( il - 2 ), a lymphokine of 15 , 000 da . after 24 hour of stimulation , il - 2 levels were determined in the surrounding culture medium ( 226 pg / ml ) by a human il - 2 elisa detection kit ( sigma chemical company , saint louis , missouri , usa , i - 8273 ). the presence of the siliceous layer was demonstrated by osmotic lysis of microspheres in demineralized water . dilution of calcium ions resulted in disruption of alginate microspheres so that free cells were liberated in solution ( fig4 b ). referring to fig4 d , in the case of microspheres coated by the siliceous layer residual portions of the layer were observed together with free cells . pancreatic islets were obtained from lewis rats pancreas surgically isolated according to standard procedures . 200 / 300 islets were deposited on a 220 mesh net , suspended in a 1 , 5 ml swining filter holder , and fluxed for 15 seconds with a 0 . 1 l / minute air saturated at 80 ° c . by ch 3 sih ( oet ) 2 and si ( oet ) 4 ( 25 / 75 volumetric mixture ). islets were transferred into a cell culture medium ( dmem ) and incubated at 37 ° c . in a 5 % co 2 atmosphere for 24 hours . the islets were tested in vitro in a perfusion chamber with hank &# 39 ; s balanced salt solution ( hbss , 0 , 5 ml / min ) and a glucose challenge ( 20 mm in hbss from fraction 4 to fraction 10 , solid bar in fig5 ) for detection of insulin secretion . fractions were collected every 2 minutes . insulin content was determined in each fraction by a rat specific insulin antibody kit in an elisa apparatus . coated islets showed an insulin release trend imposable to the one obtained for control islets ( see fig5 ). experiments were carried according to literature methods ( wang t . et al . nature biotechnology 15 : 358 ( 1997 )). pancreatic langherans islets deriving from lewis rats ( 240 g of weight ), both control and coated by a siliceous layer as previously described in this example , were utilized for allogenic surgical transplantation to male sprague - dawley rats ( 280 g of weight ) made stably diabetic ( glycemia over 300 mg / 100 ml ) by the intra peritoneal administration of streptozotocin ( 6 mg / 100 g ). both donor and recipient rats were operated under anesthesia by halothane in a sterile operating room . islets , approximately600 per rat , were implanted between one kidney and its adrenal gland . post - operative care included administration of one insulin injection to aid recovery of rats and transplanted islets from surgical stress . for the determination of blood glucose levels , blood samples ( 100 μl ) were collected from the tail of both control and transplanted rats once 8 days prior to surgery and , after , every 3 to 4 days for the first two weeks and then once every week . as shown in fig6 , the control animal group ( n = 6 ) transplanted with non coated islets , regained diabetic blood glucose levels ( 300 mg / 100 ml ) 15 days following surgery , whereas animals ( n = 6 ) transplanted with islets coated by the siliceous layer were still normoglycemic up to 43 days following implantation . ( i ) complement activation . hepg2 cells were cultivated on petri dishes according to the procedure described in example 3a 0 . 5 ml of human blood plasma , in the absence of complement or with zymosan activation , were deposited on the collagen layer . samples were stored for 30 minutes at 37 ° c . ( fushimi f ., nakayama m ., nishimura k ., hiyoshi t . artificial organs 22 ( 10 ): 821 - 826 ( 1998 )). c 5 a levels were determined by elisa analysis of the solution : the level measured for the sample treated with zymosan was considered 100 % level . the same experiment was carried out with hepg2 cells in the collagen coated by the siliceous layer , prepared according to example 3a ( exposure time 6 minutes , 6 petri dishes ). the c 5 a complement concentration was 5 % of the zymosan treated sample . ( ii ) kallicrein activity . hepg2 cells were cultivated on petri dishes according to the procedure described in example 3a 0 . 5 ml of bovine plasma solution ( containing citrate and diluted from 3 to 5 volumes with 60 ml tris - hcl ) were deposited on the collagen layer . samples were stored for 60 minutes at 4 ° c . the supernatant liquid was treated with z - fe - arg - 7 - amino - 4 - methyl - comparing which detected the conversion of prekallicrein to kallicrein operated by factor xii ( fushimi f ., nakayama m ., nishimura k ., hiyoshi t . artificial organs 22 ( 10 ): 821 - 826 ( 1998 )). the kallicrein level resulting from this analysis was considered 100 %. the same experiment was carried out with hepg2 cells in collagen coated by the siliceous layer , prepared according to example 8a ( i ). the kallicrein level was 3 % of the non coated sample . ( iii ) platelet adhesion . experiments of platelet adhesion on the siliceous layer deposited on the collagen matrix were carried out according to example 8a ( i ) ( fushimi f ., nakayama m ., nishimura k ., hiyoshi t . artificial organs 22 ( 10 ): 821 - 826 ( 1998 )). results indicated the total absence of platelet activation by the siliceous layer . ( iv ) red blood cell hemolysis . possible red blood cell lysis induced by contact with the siliceous layer , or by release of toxic substances from the layer , was evaluated according to reported procedures ( drabkin d . l ., austin j . h . j . biol . chem . 98 : 719 ( 1932 )) by measuring the spectrophotometric concentration ( λ = 540 nm ) of hemoglobin in blood samples stored in contact with the siliceous layer deposited on the collagen matrix according to example 8a ( i ). no lysis was observed after 3 hr at 37 ° c . biocompatibility in vivo was assessed by the injection of both silica treated and normal collagen coated dextran microspheres ( cytodex , pharmacia , approximately 100 μn in diameter ) in the hind leg muscles of mice . groups of microspheres were laid on a 220 mesh stainless steel net in a 30 ml cylindrical teflon reaction chamber with inlet and outlet ports on opposite sides of the net . the microspheres were treated with an air flux saturated as described in example 2 for 30 minutes . treated microspheres were then collected in 3 ml of sterile cell culture medium and concentrated by centrifugation ( 200 xg for 5 minutes ). both treated and control microspheres were then resuspended in sterile phosphate buffered saline ( ph 7 . 4 ) to a concentration of 6 million microspheres per milliliter of buffer . three groups of 5 mice were injected by sterile syringes with 50 μl of a silica treated microsphere suspension , three groups of 5 control mice were similarly injected with a suspension of non treated microspheres ; all animals were anesthetized during this operation . mice were then sacrificed for autoptical observation and tissue collection at 2 weeks , 4 weeks and 12 weeks following injection . no signs of inflammation , pain or functional loss appeared to be present during the period of between microsphere injection and sacrifice in all groups . at the end of each test period , mice were sacrificed with excess anesthesia and the hind leg muscle collected for macroscopical inspection and histological analysis . no signs of infection , inflammatory processes , bleeding or fibrosis were macroscopically evident at the injection site in all animal groups . the subsequent microscopical observation of muscle tissue morphology of 5 μm thick histological slices following geimsa staining , resulted in the absence of any sign of edema , protein extravasation , leukocyte cell infiltration and fibrotic scar tissue formation at the site of injection in treated animal groups , whereas in control animals there was evidence of fibrotic reaction in the tissue around the control uncoated microspheres . | 2 |
fig1 shows a drive apparatus 1 with a translatory drive 3 and a rotational drive 5 . the translatory drive 3 comprises a translatory stator 7 which is connected to a housing 9 of the drive apparatus 1 in a fixed manner . the rotational drive 5 comprises a rotational stator 11 which is likewise arranged in the housing 9 in a fixed manner . the rotational stator 11 and the translatory stator 7 are arranged axially one behind another in the housing 9 . the housing 9 is mounted by way of two merely diagrammatically shown bearings 15 such that it can be displaced in the axial direction . the bearings can be configured , for example , as displacement sleeves which are mounted on rods . further possibilities which are utilized by embodiments are bearing slides or linear guides which are guided on rails . the mounting can take place via elements which are mounted by plain bearings and ball bearings or roller bearings . moreover , the bearings 15 bring about rotationally locked mounting of the housing 9 , with the result that the housing 9 is fixed rotationally . in addition to the translatory stator 7 , the translatory drive 3 comprises a spindle rotor 17 which interacts with a spindle shaft 19 . the spindle rotor is configured as a rotationally driven spindle nut and comprises magnets 18 for interaction with the translatory stator 7 . the spindle shaft 19 is arranged coaxially within the spindle rotor 17 and can be displaced axially along a rotational axis of an output shaft 21 of the drive apparatus 1 by way of rotation of the spindle rotor 17 . in this way , the translatory drive 3 can bring about a displacement of the entire housing 9 relative to the spindle shaft 19 . the spindle shaft 19 is of hollow configuration and the output shaft 21 is guided through the hollow spindle shaft 19 . the spindle shaft 19 is mounted in a clamped and fixed manner by way of a clamping means 23 . the output shaft 21 is connected fixedly via a washer 26 to a hollow rotor 25 , which has magnets , of the rotational drive 5 so as to rotate with it . in the embodiment which is shown , the output shaft 21 and the washer 26 are configured in one piece . in other embodiments , the drive shaft and washer are connected , for example , by way of a press fit or a thread with securing means . the rotor 25 is mounted without play in the housing 9 by way of two anti - friction bearings 27 . moreover , the two anti - friction bearings 27 are suitable , as a result of the fastening in the housing 9 and to the rotor 25 , for preventing axial movements of the rotor 25 relative to the housing 9 . the rotor 25 can rotate freely in the housing 9 as a result of the anti - friction bearings 27 . the rotor 25 interacts with the rotational stator 11 , with the result that a rotation can be imparted to the output shaft 21 . the rotational stator 11 and the translatory stator 7 can be energized independently of one another via in each case one connector 30 , with the result that the output shaft 21 can be actuated as desired in the translatory or rotational direction . the rotational drive 5 and the translatory drive 3 are configured as electric drives . in the described embodiments of fig1 , the spindle shaft is connected to the machine construction in a rotationally fixed manner , with the result that the entire drive apparatus is displaced axially . a reverse operating principle is likewise realized in embodiments , in which the spindle shaft rotates and the spindle nut moves axially . the twist torque on the drive apparatus can be absorbed both outside ( fig1 ) and inside ( see fig2 ) of the drive apparatus by way of a structural anti - rotation safeguard . said anti - rotation safeguard can be brought about by elements which are both mounted using plain bearings and using ball bearings or roller bearings . as a result of the given structural arrangement of the two rotors , a displaceable coupling between the two drives is not necessarily required . furthermore , the force flow runs within the rotating components and not via the housing . the two drives are preferably installed within one housing , but can also be installed in different housings in further embodiments , the housings typically being connected to one another in a fixed manner or being connected rigidly via a releasable connection . in a typical embodiment , the power and signal cables are routed to the outside on both sides at the ends of the drive . in a further embodiment , the power and signal cables are routed to the outside only at one end . the electric connectors for the two drives can be situated both at one end of the housing and at both ends and at any desired intermediate positions . the spindle rotor 17 is mounted at a first of its two ends by way of an intermediate bearing 28 partially within the hollow rotor 25 . the intermediate bearing 28 is suitable for absorbing a force in the axial direction , which subjects the spindle rotor 17 to a compressive and tensile load in the axial direction , and a force in the radial direction and therefore for decoupling a rotation between the spindle rotor 17 and the rotor 25 . the intermediate bearing 28 is configured as a ball bearing . in further embodiments , roller or needle bearings , in general anti - friction bearings , are provided . four - point bearings or two two - point bearings which are arranged next to one another are typically used . the second end in the axial direction of the spindle rotor 17 is mounted in the housing 9 by way of a housing bearing 29 . on account of the course of the force in the axial direction exclusively within the rotating parts , the housing bearing 29 has to absorb merely forces in the radial direction . it is therefore typically configured as a radial bearing , typically a radial anti - friction bearing such as a deep - groove ball bearing or a cylindrical roller bearing . in this way , the spindle rotor 17 can be mounted without play between the housing 9 and the hollow rotor 25 . fig2 shows a further embodiment of a drive apparatus 101 , the embodiment of fig2 having numerous identical or similar parts to the embodiment of fig1 . all the parts are therefore not described again in detail , and the same reference numerals are used partly for identical or similar parts . a fundamental difference of the embodiment of the drive apparatus 101 of fig2 from the drive apparatus 1 of fig1 is that , in the drive apparatus 101 , a spindle shaft 119 is provided which is configured from solid material . the output shaft 121 of the embodiment of fig2 is not guided through the spindle shaft 119 . rather , the output shaft 121 is guided out at one end of the housing 109 , the end , at which the output shaft 121 is guided out of the housing 109 , lying opposite the clamping means 23 . a further difference is the anti - rotation safeguard of the housing 109 with respect to the spindle shaft 119 . the fixedly mounted spindle shaft 119 comprises a section with grooves 120 , in which balls , rollers or generally rolling bodies are arranged which guide the housing 109 in the axial direction and bring about an anti - rotation safeguard . to this end , corresponding structures of the housing 109 interact with the rolling bodies in the grooves 120 . the anti - rotation safeguard can also be configured as a plain bearing . instead of the internal anti - rotation safeguard , the housing can be mounted and secured against rotation via an external mounting in an analogous manner to the exemplary embodiment which was explained in conjunction with fig1 . the invention has been described with reference to embodiments , but the embodiments are not to be understood to be restrictive . rather , the scope of the invention is defined by the claims . | 8 |
fig1 a and 1b show a ray - tracing simulation on an optical system having anamorphism , according to one embodiment . fig1 a is a lateral view of the optical system and fig1 b is a top view of the optical system . optical system 10 includes imaging optics 11 having mirrors 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , and 16 , and radiation detector or sensor 18 ( e . g ., fpa ). in the embodiment shown in fig1 a , five mirrors are provided . however , any number of mirrors greater than three can be used . mirrors 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 and 16 can be attached to an optical bench structure to maintain a relative position between the various mirrors . radiation from an object at far field is collected by series of mirrors 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 and 16 and directed onto detector or sensor 18 . in one embodiment , first mirror 12 has a positive power , second mirror 13 has a negative power , third mirror 14 has a positive power , fourth mirror 15 has a negative power , and fifth mirror 16 has a positive power . rays emitted by the object at far field are received by first mirror 12 which directs the rays onto second mirror 13 . second mirror 13 in turn reflects the rays towards third mirror 14 which directs the rays onto fourth mirror 15 . rays received by fourth mirror 15 are directed onto fifth mirror 16 which forms an image of the object on detector 18 . first mirror 12 and second mirror 13 cooperate to form an intermediate image im 1 . a field stop may be located at a position of intermediate image im 1 . first mirror 12 and second mirror 13 together function as or form multi - mirror reflective objective optical component 10 a that forms intermediate image im 1 . although objective optical component 10 a is shown having two mirrors , objective optical component 10 a may comprise two or more mirrors . third mirror 14 , fourth mirror 15 and fifth mirror 16 together function or form multi - mirror relay optical component 10 b that relays the intermediate image im 1 to image im 2 on detector 18 . although relay optical component 10 b is shown having 3 mirrors , relay optical component 10 b can have one , two , three or more mirrors . in one embodiment , a sum of the optical powers of all mirrors 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 and 16 is substantially zero to satisfy the petzval sum criterion . in one embodiment , a curvature of fifth mirror 16 can be selected so as to correct field curvature to achieve a substantially planar focal surface or near zero petzval sum on detector 18 . for example , by providing a substantially planar focal surface or near zero petzval sum on the detector this allows to minimize optical aberrations . in one embodiment , mirrors 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 and 16 are tilted and decentered relative to each other so as to achieve a desired ratio of anamorphism ( e . g ., approximately a 2 to 1 ratio anamorphism ). fig2 depicts a relative position of mirrors 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 and 16 , according to one embodiment . as shown in fig2 , mirrors 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 and 16 are decentered and tilted relative to each other . the various axes of rotation and symmetry are indicated in fig2 . the term axis of symmetry is used herein to signify that a rotation or a spin of a mirror around its axis of symmetry does not change a ray path of reflected rays from the mirror from one position to another rotated position of the mirror . first or primary mirror 12 has axis of rotation pp , second or secondary mirror 13 has axis of rotation ss , third or tertiary mirror 14 has axis of rotation tt , fourth or quaternary mirror 15 has axis of rotation qq , and fifth or quinternary mirror 16 has axis of rotation kk . as shown in fig2 , the axes of symmetry pp , ss , tt , qq and kk are shifted relative to each other . furthermore , in one embodiment , the axes pp , ss , tt , qq and kk are also angled relative to each other . for example , as shown in fig2 , axes pp and tt form an angle relative to each other . axes pp and ss form also an angle relative to each other . in addition , as shown in fig2 , although axis ss and axis tt appear to be nearly collinear , these two axes also form an angle relative to each other albeit very small . similarly , axes qq and kk also appear to be nearly collinear . however , these two axes also form an angle relative to each albeit very small . in one embodiment , the relative position of the various mirrors including the de - centering of the mirrors ( i . e ., centers of symmetry of the various mirrors are spaced apart from each other ) and the tilting of the mirrors ( i . e ., the angle between the axes of symmetry of the various mirrors ) allows to achieve a desired ratio of anamorphism . in one embodiment , mirrors 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 and 16 are positioned , oriented and tilted to achieve an approximately 2 to 1 ratio of anamorphism . in an approximately 2 to 1 ratio of anamorphism , a focal length of imaging optics 11 in a first direction ( a - s direction ) is approximately twice the focal length of imaging optics 11 in a second direction ( c - s direction ) perpendicular to the first direction . in one embodiment , with optical system 10 having a 12 cm aperture , a focal length of imaging optics 11 including mirrors 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 and 16 in the a - s direction is approximately 47 . 6 cm for a speed of f / 3 . 97 . on the other hand , a focal length of imaging optics 11 in the c - s direction is approximately 24 . 75 cm . in this embodiment , a speed of optical system 10 is approximately f / 2 . 06 . the fov of optical system 10 is 3 deg . in the a - s direction by 9 deg . in the c - s direction . in one embodiment , an average 80 % geometrical blur diameter containing 80 % of rays is approximately 21 . 6 μm across the fov . a resulting root mean square of wave front error ( rms wfe ) ( e . g ., at the wavelength centered around 3 μm ) averaged over the fov is approximately 0 . 233 μm . in one embodiment , an rms wfe value or range of values and / or the an average geometrical blur diameter define the image quality of an optical system at a certain radiation wavelength or in a certain range of radiation wavelengths . these values of the blur diameter and rms wfe indicate a good image quality can be achieved using optical system 10 . optical system 10 has a real entrance pupil at ap and forms a reimaged stop 17 between mirror 16 and image plane im 2 on detector 18 . a reimaged stop is an optical stop , real or virtual , that provides reduced amount of flare caused by ray diffraction at other optical elements ( e . g ., at mirrors 13 , 14 , 15 and / or 16 ). in one embodiment , a pupil magnification is about 3 . 0 times in the a - s plane ( in the a - s direction ) and about 1 . 5 times in the c - s plane ( in the c - s direction ). in the process of creating a ratio of approximately 2 to 1 ( e . g ., 1 . 92 ) anamorphism , about √{ square root over ( 2 )} to 1 ratio anamorphism is achieved in the objective component 10 a ( formed by first mirror 12 and second mirror 13 ) of imaging optics 11 , and about to 1 ratio anamorphism is achieved in the relay component 10 b ( formed by third mirror 14 , fourth mirror 15 and fifth mirror 16 ). fig3 depicts a schematic representation of an image grid 30 of 0 . 5 deg . by 0 . 5 deg . squares gsd 32 in object space , according to one embodiment . as shown in fig3 , the whole image grid 30 is covered by a fov of the optical system 10 . in one embodiment , the fov of optical system 10 is approximately 9 deg . in the c - s direction and approximately 3 deg . in the a - s direction . in one embodiment , an effective focal length of optical system 10 in the a - s direction is approximately 47 . 62 cm and an effective focal length of optical system 10 in the c - s direction is approximately 24 . 75 cm . as a result , a ratio of approximately 2 to 1 anamorphism is achieved . specifically , a 1 . 92 ( 47 . 62 cm / 24 . 75 cm ) anamorphism is achieved . in one embodiment , a 0 . 5 deg . gsd in object space provides an imaging resolution of approximately 0 . 416 cm in the a - s direction on detector ( e . g ., fpa ) 18 , and 0 . 5 deg . gsd in object space provides an imaging resolution of approximately 0 . 216 in the c - s direction on detector ( e . g ., fpa ) 18 . a speed of optical system 10 in the a - s direction can be calculated by dividing the effective focal length in the a - s direction by a dimension ( e . g ., diameter ) of the aperture ap . in the above example , by dividing the effective focal length of approximately 47 . 62 cm in the a - s direction by the aperture ap of about 12 cm , the speed of the optical system in the a - s direction is approximately f / 3 . 97 . similarly , a speed of optical system 10 in the c - s direction can be calculated by dividing the effective focal length in the c - s direction by a dimension ( e . g ., diameter ) of the aperture ap . in the above example , by dividing the effective focal length of approximately 24 . 75 cm in the c - s direction by the aperture ap of about 12 cm , the speed of the optical system in the c - s direction is approximately f / 2 . 06 . a specific prescription for an embodiment of the optical system illustrated in fig1 a , 1 b and 2 is given in table 1 . in table 1 are listed the various optical surfaces of optical system 10 and their respective radii of curvature ( rd ), conic constants ( cc ), aspheric coefficients ( ad ), ( ae ), ( af ), ( ag ), decenter ( yd ), tilt alpha , and thickness ( thk ), and type of material ( mat1 ) when applicable . for example , surfaces 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 and 7 correspond to first , second , third , fourth and fifth mirrors 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 and 16 , respectively . surfaces 4 and 9 correspond respectively to images im 1 and im 2 , respectively . surface 1 corresponds to entrance pupil or aperture ap , and surface 8 corresponds to the reimaged stop 17 . in this optical prescription , optical system 10 has an entrance pupil diameter of approximately 12 cm , a stop size of approximately 3 . 8 cm in the c - s direction by 7 . 8 cm in the a - s direction decentered by approximately 7 . 88 cm . additionally , the average effective focal length in the a - s direction is approximately 47 . 74 cm and the average focal length in the c - s direction is approximately 24 . 48 cm . the average f - number in the a - s direction is approximately f / 3 . 98 and the average f - number in the c - s direction is approximately f / 2 . 04 . the fov in the a - s direction is about 3 . 0 deg . and 9 . 0 deg . in the c - s direction . additionally , it can be shown by accurate raytracing that aberrations of all types , both monochromatic and polychromatic , are suitably small , so as to render the optical design image quality diffraction limited in the swir , mwir and lwir wavelength bands . although in the above embodiments optical system 10 is described as having approximately a 2 to 1 ratio of anamorphism , as it can be appreciated , optical system 10 can be designed and configured to achieve any desired ratio of anamorphism . for example , a 1 . 5 factor of anamorphism or greater can be achieved . it should be appreciated that in one embodiment , the drawings herein are drawn to scale ( e . g ., in correct proportion ). however , it should also be appreciated that other proportions of parts may be employed in other embodiments . although the inventive concept has been described in detail for the purpose of illustration based on various embodiments , it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that the inventive concept is not limited to the disclosed embodiments , but , on the contrary , is intended to cover modifications and equivalent arrangements that are within the spirit and scope of the appended claims . for example , it is to be understood that the present disclosure contemplates that , to the extent possible , one or more features of any embodiment can be combined with one or more features of any other embodiment . furthermore , since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those with skill in the art , it is not desired to limit the inventive concept to the exact construction and operation described herein . accordingly , all suitable modifications and equivalents should be considered as falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure . | 6 |
descriptions of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth below . examples of these embodiments may be illustrated in the accompanying drawings , wherein like reference numerals may refer to like elements throughout . in describing the invention , reference is made to the accompanying drawings . referring to fig1 , and 3 , an improved wall mount apparatus ( wall mount ) for supporting a display apparatus may include a base 20 , a supporting bracket 30 , a rotating bracket 40 , an elastic member 50 , and a supporting wire 60 . the base 20 may have a uni - body or multi - component construction , and may be formed of a rigid material , including , but not limited to metal , a polymeric compound , plastic , etc . the base 20 may have a length greater than its width , and its two side surfaces may be longer than its two ends . more particularly , the base 20 may include a substantially flat center panel 21 longitudinally disposed about the base &# 39 ; s longitudinal central axis . recessed flanges 22 a and 22 b may extend laterally on either side of the center panel 21 . each flange may include one or more openings 23 to reduce weight and / or to facilitate fastening the base 20 to a support surface . the outer edge of flange 22 a may include a raised lip 24 a , and the outer edge of the flange 22 b may include a raised lip 24 b . each of the raised lips 24 a and 24 b may extend substantially vertically upwards from its parent flange 22 a or 22 b . the top edge of each flange 22 a and 22 b may be approximately level with a top surface of the center panel 21 , which may be raised a predetermined distance above a top surface of each flange 22 a and 22 b . in such a configuration , the space between one side of the center panel 21 and the raised lip 24 a forms a first channel , and the space between the other side of the center panel 21 and the other raised lip 24 b forms a second channel . as explained in further detail below , the base 20 functions at least to support the supporting bracket ( s ) 30 and or the rotating bracket ( s ) 40 . of course , the embodiment described above and illustrated in fig1 is merely exemplary , and the invention may also include a base 20 having other geometric shapes and / or structures . referring to fig1 and 2 , the invention further includes at least one , but preferably two , supporting bracket ( s ) 30 . each supporting bracket 30 has a length longer than its width , and its two sides are longer than its ends . additionally , each supporting bracket 30 includes a substantially planar top surface 30 a , sidewalls 30 b and 30 c , cutouts 39 a and 39 b , and flanges 31 a , 31 b , 31 c , and 31 d . the planar top surface 30 a is longitudinally disposed along the supporting bracket &# 39 ; s longitudinal center axis . a first u - shaped cutout 39 a is formed in a top end of the top surface 30 a , and a second u - shaped cutout 39 b is formed in a bottom end of the planar top surface 30 a . the base of cutout 39 a forms a first gap in the top end of the top surface 30 a , and the cutout &# 39 ; s opposite end may be square or radiused . similarly , the base of cutout 39 b forms a second gap in the bottom end of the top surface 30 a , and the cutout &# 39 ; s opposite end may be square or radiused . additionally , the top surface 30 a includes a wire slot 32 formed a predetermined distance below the square or radiused end of cutout 39 a . the wire slot 32 substantially traverses the width of the top surface 30 a , and has a width slightly larger than a diameter of a supporting wire 60 . the interior edges of the slot 32 may be blunted or covered with an anti - chafing material . opposing sidewalls 30 b and 30 c extend substantially orthogonally below a horizontal plane passing through the top surface 30 a , and may be seamlessly attached to the top surface 30 a along an entire length thereof . at a predetermined distance proximate the square or radiused end of the cutout 39 b , a first p - shaped or l - shaped supporting hole 34 may be formed in each of the opposing sidewalls 30 b and 30 c . the long portion of the supporting hole 34 may terminate at one end in a gap formed in an edge of its parent sidewall 30 b or 30 c , and terminate at the other end in a substantially orthogonal short portion that extends toward the bottom end of the bracket 30 . at a predetermined distance between the square or radiused end of the cutout 39 a and the wire slot 32 , a second p - shaped or l - shaped supporting hole 36 may be formed in each of the opposing sidewalls 30 b and 30 c . the long portion of the supporting hole 36 may terminate at one end in a gap formed in an edge of its parent sidewall 30 b or 30 c , and terminate at the other end in a substantially orthogonal short portion that extends toward the bottom end of the bracket 30 . at a predetermined distance proximate the short portion of the second cutout 36 , a third p - shaped or l - shaped supporting hole 38 may be formed in each of the opposing sidewalls 30 b and 30 c . the long portion of the supporting hole 38 may terminate at one end in a gap formed in an edge of its parent sidewall 30 b or 30 c , and may terminate at the other end in a substantially orthogonal short portion that extends toward the top end of the bracket 30 . flanges 31 a and 31 b may extend downward a predetermined distance from the top end of the bracket 30 , and extend substantially orthogonally outward from each of their parent sidewalls 30 b and 30 c . each flange 31 a and 31 b may include one or more openings 35 a through which a fastening means , including , but not limited to , a bolt , may be inserted . additionally , the bottom edge of each flange 31 a and 31 b may include a clip ( i . e . fastener ) 37 . the clip ( s ) 37 may be l - shaped . the long portion of the clip may extend substantially orthogonally upwards from a top surface of its parent flange 31 a or 31 b . as illustrated in fig1 , the clips 37 may engage the raised lip 24 a of the base 20 . of course , clips 37 having other geometric shapes and / or structures may also be used . flanges 31 c and 31 d extend substantially orthogonally outward from each of their parent sidewalls 30 b and 30 c . each flange 31 c and 31 d may be each positioned between the first supporting hole 34 and the bottom end of the bracket 30 . each flange 31 c and 31 d may include one or more openings 35 b through which a fastening means , including , but not limited to , a bolt , may be inserted . as shown in fig1 , the flanges 31 c and 31 d may be positioned a predetermined distance below the raised lip 24 b of the base 20 . in other embodiments , the flanges 31 c and 31 d may be connected with ( one or more ) base ( s ) 20 . each supporting bracket 30 may further include first hinge member ( s ) 82 and second hinge member ( s ) 91 . each first hinge member 81 and each second hinge member are connected with their respective parent sidewalls 30 c and 30 d . more specifically , each first hinge member 82 is positioned on sidewall 30 b or 30 c proximate the bottom end of the bracket 30 . each second hinge member 91 is positioned on each sidewall 30 b or 30 c between each first supporting hole 34 and each first hinge member 81 . the first hinge member ( s ) rotatably connect the bottom end ( s ) of bracket ( s ) 30 to the bottom end ( s ) of the rotating bracket ( s ) 40 . the second hinge member ( s ) 91 rotatably and / or slidably connect to first end ( s ) of friction member ( s ) 90 that further link the supporting bracket ( s ) 30 with rotatable bracket ( s ) 40 . referring briefly to fig4 , each second hinge member 91 may slidably fit within a slot 93 formed in the corresponding sidewall 30 b or 30 c . referring again to fig1 and 2 , the other end ( s ) of the friction member ( s ) 90 may rotatably connect with third hinge member ( s ) 92 that rotatably connect with the sidewalls 40 b and 40 c of the rotating bracket ( s ) 40 . the friction member 90 may be a mechanical linkage that supplies a friction force to control the tilt angle during rotation of the rotating bracket 40 ( further discussed below ) so that the rotating bracket 40 is maintained in a desired tilted state although a sustained gravitational force is applied after the rotating bracket 40 occupies the desired tilt angle . of course , other types and / or positions of friction members 90 may be used , depending on the amount of frictional force required to counteract the weight of individual masses of different flat panel displays . the following paragraphs reference the supporting holes 34 , 36 , and 38 , discussed above , that are formed in each of the supporting bracket ( s ) 30 . referring to fig1 and 2 , the first supporting hole 34 supports a shaft 52 of an elastic member 50 . additionally , the second supporting hole 36 supports a shaft of a first grooved , cylindrical wire supporter 70 . similarly , the third supporting hole 38 supports a shaft of a second ( auxiliary ) grooved , cylindrical wire supporter 72 . each of the wire supporters 70 and 72 may be formed of a rigid material including , but not limited to , metal , plastic , a polymeric compound , etc . the first wire supporter 70 includes spaced - apart , circumferential grooves 71 to receive a supporting wire 60 therein . similarly , the second ( auxiliary ) wire supporter 72 includes spaced - apart , circumferential grooves 72 to receive a supporting wire therein . the first and second wire supporters 70 and 72 rotate as the supporting wire ( s ) 60 move against them when the rotating bracket ( s ) 40 are tilted to a desired viewing position . the wire supporters 70 and 72 may be provided to prevent the supporting wire ( s ) 60 from chafing ( and / or fraying ) against the edges of the wire slot 32 . referring briefly to fig4 a , the supporting wires 60 may pass over top of and around the right side of the first wire supporter 70 , and then around the left side of the second wire supporter 72 before angling downward to connect with a spring 56 . thus , the wire supporters 70 and 72 each support a separate part of the supporting wires 60 and thereby maintain a predetermined tension state of the supporting wires 60 . the supporting wire ( s ) 60 should be made of a strong material that may include , but is not limited to , piano wire . referring briefly to fig3 , the wires 60 may be mounted in parallel to the spring 56 wound about a roller 54 connected to a cylindrical shaft 52 . as mentioned above , the shaft 52 may be positioned within the first supporting holes 34 formed in the supporting bracket 30 . the spring 56 and the shaft 52 may be components of the elastic member 50 . the spring 56 may be a leaf spring shaped like a plate . because flat panel displays of different masses will require different amounts of counterbalancing force , the spring &# 39 ; s tensile strength may be adjusted as desired by using different materials and / or by varying the spring &# 39 ; s width / thickness . particular values of spring constants and / or tensile strengths are not listed here because they will vary depending on at least the weight of each particular flat panel display apparatus 80 ( and / or other factors such as the friction provide by the friction member 90 ). moreover , such values should prove easy for a skilled artisan to calculate or otherwise determine without undue experimentation . referring again to fig1 and 2 , the invention further includes a number of rotating brackets 40 that equals the number of supporting brackets 30 . each rotating bracket 40 has a length greater than its width , and its two sides are longer than its ends . additionally , each rotating bracket 40 includes a substantially planar top surface 40 a , sidewalls 40 b and 40 c , mounting apertures 42 a and 42 b , and a coupling part 44 . each bracket 40 is made of a rigid material , including , but not limited to , metal , plastic , a polymeric compound , etc . the top surface 40 a is longitudinally positioned along the bracket &# 39 ; s longitudinal center axis . a first mounting aperture 42 a may be formed in the top surface 40 a at a top end thereof , and a second mounting aperture 42 b may be formed in the top surface 40 a at a bottom end thereof . each mounting aperture 42 a and 42 b may have a top portion that is wider than a bottom portion . additionally , each mounting aperture may function to receive and / or secure a fastening means connected with a display apparatus . the fastening means may include , but is not limited to a pin , bolt , tab , clip , etc . in particular , the wide top portion of each aperture may first receive the fastening means , which then moves downward to slidably engage the aperture &# 39 ; s narrow bottom portion . opposing sidewalls 40 b and 40 c , one per side of the top surface 40 a , extend substantially orthogonally below a horizontal plane paralleling the top surface . each sidewall 40 b and 40 c may seamlessly connect with the top surface 40 a along an entire length thereof . as mentioned above , the bottom end of each rotating bracket 40 includes the first hinge member 82 , as well as the third hinge member 92 , which is positioned a predetermined distance above the first hinge member 82 . one end of a mechanical link ( friction member 90 ) may movably connect with third hinge member 92 , and the other end of the friction member 90 may movably connect with the second hinge member 91 . a u - shaped recess 45 may be formed in each of the sidewalls 40 b and 40 c . a bottom portion of each recess 45 may include a gap formed in the edge of the recess &# 39 ; parent sidewall 40 b or 40 c . a top portion of each recess 45 may be radiused . each recess 45 is sized and positioned to fit over and / or about the second hinge member 91 that is slidably connected with the lower portion of each supporting bracket 30 . use of recesses 45 enables the rotating bracket 40 to occupy a first closed position , in which the top surface 40 a of the rotating bracket 40 substantially parallels the top surface 30 a of the supporting bracket 30 , and the sidewalls 40 b and 40 c of the rotating bracket 40 overlap ( and / or substantially parallel ) the sidewalls 30 b and 30 c of the supporting bracket 30 . additionally , a coupling part 44 may be fixedly connected with the underside of top portion of the rotating bracket 40 . more particularly , the coupling part 44 may be fixedly positioned within the channel 40 d , which is defined as the area bounded by sidewalls 40 b and 40 c and the top surface 40 a . additionally , the coupling part 44 may be positioned on the underside of the top surface 40 a at a predetermined distance below the bottom portion of the first aperture 42 a . referring to fig1 , the coupling part 44 may further be positioned such that it fits within the wire slot 32 formed on the supporting bracket 30 when the rotating bracket 40 occupies its first closed position ( fig4 a ). the wires 60 are coupled at their first ends to the coupling part 44 , and at their second ends to the spring 56 . additionally , an upper portion of the wires 60 passes through the wire slot 32 as the rotating bracket 40 is moved from its first closed position to a second open position ( fig4 b ) and back again . fig4 a and 4b illustrate side views of the wall mount of fig1 , and 3 . more particularly , fig4 a depicts the wall mount in a first closed position , while fig4 b depicts the wall mount in a second open position ( i . e ., tilted to a desired viewing angle relative to the vertical ). fig4 a and 4b each show the flat panel display apparatus 80 coupled to rotating brackets 40 . each figure further includes a cut - away view of the supporting bracket ( s ) 30 . specifically , the sidewall 30 c that was shown in fig1 and 2 has been removed to illustrate the positioning of first wire supporter 70 , second wire supporter 72 , elastic member 50 , friction member 90 and slot 92 . additionally , the base 20 and flanges 31 b and 31 d have been omitted so as not to complicate the depiction of the invention unnecessarily . from both fig4 a and 4b , it can be seen that the first wire supporter 70 , second wire supporter 72 , and the elastic member 50 may be positioned within a channel defined by sidewall 30 b , sidewall 30 c , and top surface 30 a of each supporting bracket 30 . comparing fig4 a and 4b , it is seen that the position of hinge member 91 may traverse a length of the slot 93 as the rotating bracket ( s ) 40 ( and removably attached flat panel display ) are rotated between the first closed position ( fig4 a ) to the second open position ( fig4 b ). exemplary methods of manufacturing , assembling , installing , and operating a wall mount manufactured in accordance with the principles of the invention are now described with reference to fig1 , 3 , 4 a , and 4 b . the steps described may be performed in any suitable order , and the invention is not limited merely to the order of steps described below . as mentioned above , the base 20 , the bracket assemblies 30 / 40 and their component parts are manufactured of a rigid material , such as , but not limited to metal , using known manufacturing techniques , that may include , but are not limited to , die - stamping , welding , molding , etc . in particular , at least the base 20 , supporting bracket ( s ) 30 , and the rotating bracket ( s ) 40 , first wire supporter 70 , second wire supporter 72 , supporting wires 60 , elastic member 50 , friction member ( s ) 90 , and hinge members 82 , 91 , and 92 may be manufactured separately as independent components and then assembled . for example , the bottom portion of rotating bracket 40 may be positioned ( in the open position shown in fig2 ) to overlap the bottom portion of the bracket 30 , and movably secured thereto using hinge member 82 . the friction member 90 may then be movably secured at one end to the rotating bracket 40 using hinge member 92 , and movably secured at the other end to the supporting bracket 30 using hinge member 91 . the shaft of first wire supporter 70 may be inserted into the open end ( s ) of the supporting hole ( s ) 36 and moved to engage the holes &# 39 ; short transverse portion ( s ). the shaft of second wire supporter 72 may similarly be connected with the supporting hole ( s ) 38 , and the shaft of elastic member 50 may similarly be connected with the supporting hole ( s ) 34 . portions of the supporting wires 60 may be fitted within the grooves 73 of the second wire supporter 73 , on the side thereof adjacent the top surface 30 a of bracket 30 . other portions of the supporting wires 60 may be fitted within the grooves 71 of the first wire supporter 70 , on the side thereof opposite the top surface 30 a of the bracket 30 , and passed through the wire slot 32 . thereafter , the first ends of the wires 60 may be ( fixedly or adjustably ) secured to the coupling part 44 . with the rotating bracket 40 rotated to the closed position shown in fig4 a , the supporting wires 60 are suitably tensioned , and their second ends are ( fixedly or adjustably ) attached the spring 56 . an exemplary method of installation is now described . for example , the base 20 is positioned on a vertical support surface , such as a wall 10 , such that the base &# 39 ; s longitudinal center axis substantially parallels the horizontal . the base 20 is then fastened to the support surface by inserting a fastener through an opening 23 formed in flanges 22 a and / or 22 b and manipulating the fastener until the base 20 is firmly coupled to the support surface 10 . next , each bracket assembly ( i . e . assembled rotating bracket 40 , supporting bracket 30 , supporting wires 60 , wire supporters 70 and 72 , and elastic member 50 ) may be connected to the base 20 and firmly fastened to the support surface 10 . more particularly , a first supporting bracket 30 ( left bracket 30 in fig1 , for example ) is positioned such that the clip ( s ) 37 of its top flanges 31 a and 31 b engage the raised rib 24 a of the base &# 39 ; s flange 22 a . after aligning the longitudinal axis of the supporting bracket 30 with the vertical , a fastener may be inserted through an opening 35 in a flange 31 a , 31 b , 31 c , and 31 d , and manipulated until the supporting bracket 30 is firmly coupled to the support surface 10 . the remaining supporting bracket 20 ( right supporting bracket 20 in fig1 , for example ) may be similarly connected with the base 20 and the support surface 10 , and may be spaced apart from the first bracket assembly at a distance that corresponds to the width of the hanging fasteners ( not shown ) attached to the rear of the flat panel display apparatus 80 . the flat panel display apparatus 80 may be positioned such that its hanging fasteners project through the upper portions of the mounting apertures 42 a and 42 b formed in each rotating bracket 40 , and then moved downward until each of the display &# 39 ; s hanging fasteners slidably engage the narrow bottom portions of each of the mounting apertures 42 a and 42 b . in use , a user may grasp the top ( or side ) of the flat panel display apparatus 80 and apply an external force sufficient to overcome both the frictional force supplied by the friction member ( s ) 90 and the tensile force supplied by the spring 56 and supporting wires 60 . the applied external force causes the display apparatus 80 ( and coupled rotating hinges 40 ) to rotate between the first closed position of fig4 a and the second open position of fig4 b . as the top portion of the display apparatus 80 moves away from the support surface 10 , the supporting wires 60 coupled to the rotating brackets 40 pull the spring 56 and unroll it from its contracted state . ( movement of the top portion of the display apparatus toward the support surface 10 , is assisted by contraction of the spring 56 .) in this manner , rotational movement away from the support surface 10 may be dampened ( slowed ) by the extension of spring 56 . similarly , rotational movement toward the support surface 10 may be assisted by the contraction of the spring 56 ( and may be dampened by the friction member 90 ). at any point between the first closed position and the second open position , the user may release the display apparatus 80 , and the desired viewing angle will be maintained until another external force is applied . more particularly , the display panel apparatus 80 becomes secured in a suspended state by a combination of at least the display panel apparatus &# 39 ; weight , the tensile strength of each spring 56 , and the frictional force provided by each friction member 90 . in one embodiment of the invention , use of the base 20 may be optional . as described above , a wall mount apparatus manufactured according to the principles of the present invention may simplify an assembly process and enhance a usability of the wall mount apparatus by making a portion of the wall mount apparatus easily tiltable to a desired viewing angle . further , a wall mount apparatus manufactured according to the principles of the invention may have fewer components than conventional wall mounts , and consequently , a lower cost of manufacture and / or assembly . use of supporting wire ( s ) and an elastic member may further enhance the wall mount apparatus provided by the invention . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variation can be made in the invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention . thus it is intended that the invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents . | 5 |
the rolling machine 10 shown in the figures comprises two rolls 80 disposed horizontally one on top of the other , which each comprise a roll shaft 12 and a plurality of tools 11 ( numbered as an example ) that are disposed on the respective roll shafts 12 , and are used as stretching rolls in this exemplary embodiment . the upper roll shaft 12 a ( numbered in fig1 as an example ) is disposed above the lower roll shaft 12 b ( numbered in fig1 as an example ). the rolls 80 are mounted in roll supports 13 , one of which is axially displaceable , and which absorb the forces that occur between the rolls 80 during the rolling processes . the entire rolling machine 10 is disposed in a foundation 14 ( see fig1 ) of a production facility ( not shown here ). the rolling machine 10 is provided with a tool changeover system 15 that can also be retrofitted , if applicable . this tool changeover system 15 comprises a tool changeover rack 20 ( see fig7 to 10 ), a vertical transport 30 , a transverse transport 40 , a drawing frame 50 , and a changeover rack guide 60 . as can particularly be seen in fig7 and 8 , the tool changeover rack 20 comprises two tool accommodations 21 , which are roll - shaped and are adapted to the inside working diameter of the tools 11 ( fig9 and 10 ) with their outside diameter , and are attached to a main plate , vertically one on top of the other , wherein the position of the tool accommodations 21 on the main plate 22 corresponds to the position of the roll shafts 12 in the roll supports 13 , to the greatest possible extent , so that the tool accommodations 21 can easily be positioned axially in front of the roll shafts 12 , in order to take up the tools 11 in the case of a tool changeover , by means of a transverse movement , or , vice versa , to place them back onto the tool shafts . furthermore , a hook continuation 23 is set onto the main plate 22 , which continuation projects away from the main plate 22 essentially parallel to the tool accommodations 21 and carries a plurality of small recesses ( not numbered ), into which a crane hook 31 of an indoor crane ( not shown ) of the production facility can be hooked , as indicated in fig9 as an example . the plurality of recesses of the hook continuation 23 makes it possible to position the crane hook 31 axially differently , with reference to the center of gravity , because the center of gravity of this tool changeover rack 20 with or without tools 11 is certainly displaced with reference to the tools 11 , and the question as to whether or not these tools are positioned on the tool accommodation 21 is certainly relevant . it is understood that — depending on the concrete implementation — the tool changeover rack 20 can also be configured differently , particularly with regard to the placement of the tool accommodation 21 and of the hook continuation 23 . furthermore , the tool changeover rack 20 has an opening 24 ( fig8 ) for a cable pull mechanism 41 ( see , in particular , fig9 ), which is used as the transverse transport 40 in this exemplary embodiment . the transverse transport 40 furthermore comprises a deflection roller 42 for the cable pull mechanism 41 , which can be introduced into the roll support 13 of the two roll supports 13 that is farthest away from the cable pull mechanism 41 ( see fig9 ). in this manner , the cable pull mechanism 41 can be used as a transverse transport 40 for different movement directions . furthermore , a tool securing device is disposed on the tool accommodations 21 , which brings about securing in the circumference direction . depending on the concrete embodiment of the rolls 80 , other measures can also be provided . the drawing frame 50 ( see , in particular , fig9 and 10 ) is an essentially rectangular frame rack that has connection possibilities for the tools 11 . in this connection , the tools 11 are also connected with one another to form a compound structure . it is understood that an alternative drawing frame 50 can also have connection elements for each individual tool , such as horizontal connection bars , for example , which are connected with the tools , in each instance , or are configured to reach , proceeding from the drawing frame 50 , all the way to the tool 11 that is farthest away , in each instance , and then embrace all of the tools 11 , in order to represent a compound structure composed of tools 11 and drawing frame 50 for the tool changeover , which structure then implements a corresponding tool changeover with a very small number of transverse movements or axial movements . accordingly , it is not absolutely necessary that the tools 11 constantly form a compound structure with one another . furthermore , an attachment 51 for the transverse transport 40 or for the cable pull 41 is provided on the drawing frame 50 , so that it can be quickly connected with the transverse transport 40 in operationally reliable manner . it is understood that — depending on the concrete embodiment — a different transverse transport can also be used in place of a cable pull 41 . the deflection roller 42 can be used for pushing the tools 11 onto the roll shafts 12 , in that the cable pull 41 can be deflected by way of the deflection roller and thereby can be used to act by pulling in the direction of the roll shafts 12 . in order to position the tool changeover rack 20 into a changeover position quickly and in operationally reliable manner ( see fig9 and 10 ), the changeover rack guide 60 has a motion link guide 61 in two guide supports 62 , which are set up to the side of the opening path of the roll support 13 that is disposed closest to the guide support 62 and the cable pull 41 . in this manner , the guide supports 62 can also be easily retrofitted , if applicable . each of the guide supports 62 has a guide groove 63 into which related guide springs 64 that are provided on the tool changeover rack 20 can engage in guiding manner . in this connection , the motion link guides 61 define a guide track 70 for the tool changeover rack 20 , which track is open at the top and has an introduction aid 72 ( fig1 and 2 ) on its upper , open guide entrance 71 , which aid is implemented by means of a widened region of the guide groove 63 . it is understood that a corresponding guide track 70 , which is open at the top and also has an introduction aid on its upper , open guide entrance 71 can also be implemented in a different manner . for this purpose , a motion link guide 61 is not absolutely necessary ; in particular , a corresponding guide groove can also be provided on the tool changeover rack , which groove is configured to be open toward the bottom , in order to guarantee a guide track that is correspondingly open at the top . for a changeover of the tools 11 , first the roll shafts 12 are moved into the changeover position and prepared . then , the roll stand 13 that lies closest to the guide supports 62 is opened , as a comparison of fig1 and 2 shows . in a next step , the drawing frame 50 is then screwed onto the tools 11 , and thereby a corresponding compound structure is made available , which comprises all the tools 11 of the two roll shafts 12 , in other words the tools 11 of the upper roll shaft 12 a and of the lower roll shaft 12 b , and the drawing frame 50 . afterward , the tool changeover rack 20 is introduced into the guide tracks 70 with the crane , and lowered into its changeover position . as is directly evident , the guide track 70 has a vertical component in every position , so that corresponding lowering and subsequent lifting can easily be implemented . subsequently , the pulling cable of the cable pull 41 is passed through the opening 24 and hooked into the attachment 51 . the tools 11 can then be jointly pulled , as a compound structure — specifically by means of the drawing frame 50 , also as a compound structure with the tools 11 of the two roll shafts 12 — onto the tool accommodations 21 , whereby in this exemplary embodiment , bridge elements are still set onto the roll shafts before this happens , in order to stabilize the movement sequence in this regard . thereafter , the crank hook 31 is moved , if necessary , in order to compensate for a change in the center of gravity of the tool changeover rack 20 . subsequently , the tool changeover rack 20 can be lifted using the crane , and transported away . then , a second tool changeover rack 20 with new tools 11 can be lowered into the guide track accordingly , and brought into the changeover position . now the deflection roller 42 is hooked into the roll support 13 , the pulling cable of the cable pull 41 is laid into the deflection roller 42 , and hooked into the attachment 51 on the back side of the drawing frame 40 . subsequently , the tools 11 , as a compound structure with the drawing frame 50 , can be pulled onto the roll shafts 12 . now , the drawing frame 50 is disassembled and removed . the roll support 13 can be closed again , whereby afterward , the rolls 80 can be moved back into the rolling position . the setup times for a tool changeover for rolls 80 , as compared with conventional tool changeovers , can already be reduced by means of these measures , from up to several hours until now to less than one hour , without a cost - intensive fully automated solution that cannot be retrofitted , for changeover of complete tool packages , having to be used . in particular , handling of individual tools is also eliminated . the setup time can furthermore be reduced to approximately half an hour by means of clamping rings 81 that are released and removed before the drawing frame is mounted on the tools 11 , and are installed again after the drawing frame 50 is removed from the tools 11 . these clamping rings 81 ( see , in particular , fig3 to 6 ), where fig3 and 4 are detail representations of the two rolls 80 in the rolling machine 10 ( see fig1 , 9 , and 10 ), comprise a quick - clamp - and - release unit 82 , which is essentially implemented by means of a securing pin 87 as an axial securing device and a clamping screw 91 . a clamping head 92 of the clamping screw 91 is directed axially inward , in other words facing the tools , so that the clamping screw 91 can be adjusted using simple tools , such as an impact wrench , for example tightened or released . each of the clamping rings 81 has an inner contact region 83 , with which the clamping ring 81 lies against the respective roll shaft 12 in the clamped state . furthermore , each clamping ring 81 has a release region 84 that is set back outward relative to the inner contact region 83 that lies next to it but is axially slightly offset . if the axial clamping is now released , the clamping ring 81 can be tilted onto the release regions 84 , thereby allowing easy installation and removal . in a concrete implementation , the inner contact regions 83 and the release regions 84 are implemented by means of inner regions of the clamping ring 81 that are configured in the form of partial - cylinder mantles , in each instance , the axes 85 of which regions intersect , whereby the partial - cylinder mantle that belongs to the partial - cylinder mantle surfaces of the release regions 84 has a slightly greater radius than the partial - cylinder mantle that belongs to the two inner contact regions 83 . the axes 85 of these two cylinders intersect approximately in the center of the clamping ring 81 ( see fig3 , bottom ), so that the clamping ring 81 can also be produced by means of simple production techniques , which rely on rotating tools . furthermore , the clamping ring 81 has an axial securing device 86 , which is implemented by means of a securing pin 87 oriented perpendicular to the common axis 85 of the roll shaft 12 and of the inner contact regions 83 , which pin passes through the clamping ring 81 in a corresponding bore . this bore opens inward at a location ( see fig3 ), so that the securing pin 87 can engage into a groove , not shown , of the roll shaft 12 , in order to axially secure the clamping ring 81 in this way . the securing pin 87 is furthermore secured to prevent it from coming loose , by way of a securing screw 88 ( see fig6 ). this non - releasable securing of the securing pin 87 takes place in such a manner , however , that the securing pin 87 can still be rotated in its bore , so that a recess 89 of the securing pin can be rotated to secure or release the axial securing device 86 accordingly . when the recess 89 faces the roll shaft 12 or the groove of the roll shaft 12 , the clamping ring 81 can be removed , because the axial shape fit between the securing pin 87 and the groove is opened , while the axial securing device 86 engages when the recess faces away from the roll shaft 12 and therefore the shape fit between roll shaft 12 and securing pin 87 is closed . furthermore , the clamping ring 81 comprises a clamping element 90 that can apply a clamping force coaxial to the axis 85 of the roll shaft 12 . the clamping element 90 comprises a clamping screw 91 , by means of which a clamping head 92 can be axially clamped against an adjacent tool 11 . in this connection , at least two of the clamping elements 90 sit in an angle segment of 180 °, which comprises that inner contact region 83 that lies farthest away from the tool 11 that lies next to the clamping ring 81 , in its center . in this manner , the clamping force applied axially by means of the clamping element 90 leads to a tilting moment that presses the two inner contact regions 83 against the roll 12 . the clamping elements 90 are disposed to lie opposite one another in the circumference direction the axial securing device 86 , so that the axial securing device 86 is disposed in an angle segment of 180 °, which comprises that inner contact region 83 that lies closest to the tool 11 that lies next to the clamping ring 81 , in its center . the clamping ring 81 with its quick - clamp - and - release unit 82 can be installed and removed extremely quickly , thereby making it possible to further reduce setup times . furthermore , it can also be used for existing rolls 80 and can be set onto and removed from the roll shafts in separate transverse and vertical movements , accordingly . although only a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described , it is to be understood that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . | 1 |
as shown in fig1 an embodiment of the invention 10 is a head worn device with a forehead portion identified as the visor chamber 101 with side attached air supply ducts made up of a bottom 103 plate that is duplicated with a top plate and attached to a side plate 104 that is duplicated on the opposite side and extending backward from each side of the visor chamber . within the visor , facing downward toward the front of the user , is an array of high velocity battery operated brushless blower fans 102 that extend outward from the forehead to the outer portion of the visor chamber 101 . suitable wiring to interconnect the battery power with the fan motors and switch are within the visor chamber 101 out of sight . typically , the components of the device are manufactured utilizing thermoforming and injection molding techniques , however , depending on the geometry or desired structural characteristics , blow - molding and vacuuming forming techniques may alternately be employed . the more lightweight the materials are the better for comfort and ease of use . fig2 is a side view of the embodiment 10 that displays a head strap 106 for secure attachment to the head using straps with velcro type bonding for adjustment as found on other commonly used head gear that offers adjustment to the users head size and comfort . other methods can also be used to provide for various head sizes including plastic snap bands found on caps and sports visors as well as a spring type of mechanism to have the side air supply ducts apply a grabbing force around the head that would eliminate the need for the head strap 106 . also shown in fig2 are air flow indicator arrows that represent the movement of air during operation that is drawn from behind the user into the air supply ducts 105 that is moved through the duct and into the visor chamber where it is expelled by the fans directly in front of the user &# 39 ; s eyes , deflecting vapors that rise upward from the food processing activities . fig3 is a top view of embodiment 10 that presents placement of battery access lids 107 and the power on and off switch 108 . the view also shows that the visor chamber and the side air supply chambers are combined into the complete device that is a single air distribution system . fig4 is a rear view of embodiment 10 showing the air intake openings 109 at the end of the air supply ducts . also shown is the attaching brow plate 111 that is fixed to the rear of the visor chamber and rests on the brow of the user and shows adjustment straps 110 that are attached to the rear portion . a brow plate is not necessary for proper function and securing the visor to the head . head straps or plastic snap bands can be attached directly to the rear of the visor chamber using a variety of bonding methods . fig5 is a bottom view of embodiment 10 showing the brow plate attached to the visor chamber along with the adjustment straps 113 . further display of the closed - air distribution system is also shown with the bottom air supply ducts 114 , 115 and fan space fillers 115 used to maintain a sealed chamber and preventing irritating food processing vapors from being drawn into the fans from below the visor . fig6 and fig7 detail the power supply for embodiment 10 with battery covers 117 of the battery compartments below 118 and show that they are fixed to the upper visor panel leaving air flow space for the fans to receive from the air supply ducts . the first embodiment 10 shown in fig2 presents the air distribution function of the invention that draws air from behind the user and forces it out the front at eye brow level to deflect vapors that are rising from the foods being prepared that release eye irritants into the immediate air environment in front of the user such as cutting onions or smoke from grilling activities . fig8 shows an embodiment 20 that has a slide - out air supply duct extension 201 to allow for adjustments based on the user &# 39 ; s size and height . a person of smaller height will have their eyes closer to the activity producing the vapors and may become enveloped with vapor irritants before the activity is completed and perhaps draw those vapors into the rear chamber openings . the extensions 201 will allow for access to vapor free air from a larger space and height since the intake openings are set away further and raised higher as the user bends their head downward to observe the food preparation activities . high volume , light weight dry cell battery operated fans have become more affordable and available due to the requirements of computer cooling needs and more recently the popularity of hovering devices by hobbyists such as drones . fig9 shows an embodiment 30 that uses a fan array of high speed coreless motors with quad propellers 301 that provide more than enough air flow to deflect even the strongest food vapors . the lower visor chamber plate is made specifically to allow for sealing the round format of the quad propeller array . fig1 shows embodiment 30 with an accessory to adjust the extremely high air flow more directly where it will provide the best result for an individual user . fig1 and 12 show another embodiment 40 that makes use of high powered reduced sized rechargeable li — po battery 401 producing a slimmer and lighter visor front . the air supply ducts are sized accordingly to maintain the necessary air volume to produce the required amount of exhaust . fig1 shows an embodiment 50 with an adjustable accordion like connector between the side air supply ducts and the visor front chamber that allows for expanding the width between ducts to provide a more contoured fit and larger expansion as may be needed by the user . this also allows for a spring type mechanism to be used on the inside of the device to create a clasping function and eliminate the need for a head strap attachment . the operation of the invention is accomplished when the user actuates the on / off switch to its on position thereby connecting the motor circuit with the battery circuit to drive the fan motors . the motor of the fan assembly will continue to operate until such time as the on / off switch is moved to its off position or the dry cell battery power dissipates its charge through fan operation . in view of the foregoing , it is evident that the present invention is one well adapted to attain all of the objects and features hereinabove set forth , together with other objects and features which are inherent in the apparatus disclosed herein . as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art , the present invention may be produced in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics . the presented embodiments are therefore , to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive , the scope of the invention being indicated by the claims rather than the foregoing description , and all changes which come within the meaning and range of the equivalence of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein . | 5 |
in some embodiments of the present invention , as seen in fig1 and 2 , a pointing device 100 is adapted to point an indicator 101 in a compass direction coupled with a look down angle . as seen in fig1 , an observer 106 is seen in a conceptual illustration at a point 103 on the surface of the earth . the pointing device 101 is adapted such that the indicator may be set point at different location on the earth 104 , as well as a person 105 at the different location 104 . as seen in fig2 , the pointing device 100 has a pointer 125 which has an arrow indicator , or pointer , 101 . the base 121 of the device 100 may have degree markers 123 which may be used to indicate compass direction . the degree markers 123 may be of a 0 - 360 degree scale . the base 121 is has a bottom surface 133 which is adapted to be placed upon a surface when the device is used , although the device 100 could also be held or otherwise suspended . in some embodiments , a compass 120 is embedded into the base 121 , and may be used to allow for the alignment of the degree markers 123 on the base 121 to magnetic north . as seen if fig1 , if a user desires to point an indicator from a first point on the earth to a second point on the earth , especially if the second point is at distance , the indicator may be set by using an offset from north in a rotation plane , which may be referred to as a rotation angle , and then by selecting a look down angle . setting an indicator using the rotation angle and the look down angle thus provides the information necessary to achieve the desired pointing direction . in some embodiments , a rotating partial disk , or sail 122 , is adapted to reside on the base 121 . the sail 122 may be pinned to the top surface of the base 121 such that it is perpendicular to the base 121 , and such that the sail 122 may be rotated around a center point 136 of the base 121 . the sail 122 may have degree markers 124 on its periphery , which may be from 0 to 90 degrees . a directional indicator 125 with a pointer 101 is adapted to be rotated on the sail such that the pointer may point down at a selected look down angle . the look down angle may be set using the degree markers 124 on the sail , and may be read using a window 126 in the directional indicator 125 . the directional indicator 125 may be pinned to the sail 122 to allow for movement along a range of look down angles . fig3 is an exploded view of a pointing device 100 according to some embodiments of the present invention . the base 121 is adapted to be placed upon a flat surface when the pointing device 100 is in use . a compass 120 may be inserted into a recess in the base 121 . a base hole 130 is adapted to receive a base pin 131 , which in turn receives a hole in the bottom of the sail 122 . the sail 122 may have a marker 127 adapted to align the rotatable sail with a direction on the base . the directional indicator 125 may be rotatably pinned to the sail 122 with a sail pin 132 . the sail 122 may have recesses 126 in its bottom surface to allow for clearance over the compass 120 , or for ease of rotation , or for other reasons . in use , the base may first be aligned with the compass to set the north indicator on the base to be aligned with the north of the compass . next , the sail may be rotated to a pre - selected rotation angle by aligning the marker 127 with the corresponding degree marker on the base . then , the directional indicator may be rotated to an angle corresponding to a pre - selected look down angle . if a user selects a pre - selected look out angle and look down angle to indicate the direction from the user &# 39 ; s location to a selected second point on the earth , and then orients the pointing device as described above , the pointer 101 will be pointing to the selected second point . the pointing device may be used to set the pointer towards the location of a city of interest , of religious significance , or of other significance . the pointer will point towards the selected location directly , in the shortest line , as opposed to a direction along the surface of the earth at the user &# 39 ; s location . in another scenario , the user may want to point the pointer in the direction of a person , such as a loved one , that is at another location . the pointing device may be used to point as a reminder to the user where a selected location is . the pointing device may be used to remind the user of the location of a loved one . in order to set the pointer properly , the user must know the rotation and look down angles associated with the selected second location with regard to the user &# 39 ; s location . in some embodiments , as seen in fig4 , a lookup table 200 may be used . the table may include locations of the user in a column , and then a list of second locations across a top row . the rotation and look down angles are then seen in the location where the start location in the first column intersects with the second location in the top row . in the example of a lookup table as seen in fig4 , each intersection point between a start location in the first column and a second location across the top row is seen with two numbers together . the first number represents the look down angle , and the second number represents the rotation angle . these two numbers represent the values for the rotation and look down angles that a user would set the pointing device to in order to point at the selected second location from the user &# 39 ; s location . in some embodiments of the present invention , as seen in fig5 , an electronic computing device 150 may be used to determine the look out angle and the look down angle . the user &# 39 ; s location and the location towards which the pointer is to be pointed may be entered into the electronic computing device 150 . the inputs may be put in using city data , or latitude and longitude . in some embodiments , the electronic computing device 150 may contain code for determining the angles , and the code may be contained on a computer readable medium . in some embodiments , the electronic computing device 150 may be connected to an electronic system 151 via a global area computer network 152 , such as the internet . the electronic system may contain a computer program product containing code for determining a rotation angle and a look down angle as described above . the previous description of the disclosure is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosure . various modifications to the disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art , and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure . thus , the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the examples and designs described herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein . | 0 |
reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention as described in the accompanying drawings . one preferred embodiment describes an telehandler crane apparatus 10 comprised of a frame 100 , an outrigger assembly 200 , a rotating assembly 300 , and a boom assembly 400 . the frame 100 is comprised of a box 110 further comprised of a “ u ” shaped member 112 with a welded front plate 114 . the welded front plate 114 is attached to the “ u ” shaped member 112 to create an enclosed area . the box 110 is further comprised of top plates 116 and bottom plates 118 that are attached to the bottom side and top side of the box 110 . the frame 100 has a carry deck 120 attached to the box 110 at the front end of the “ u ” shaped member 112 using support members 122 . the carry deck is attached to the box 110 using support members 122 . the support members 122 position the carry deck 120 parallel to the box 110 . the support members 122 form a “ honey comb ” support structure between the carry deck 120 and the frame 100 . the frame 100 has a weldment 130 attached to the “ u ” shaped member 112 at its apex . the weldment 130 is positioned perpendicular to the box 110 . the frame 100 is further comprised of drive train 140 and an operator compartment 150 . the drive train is comprised of the wheels , transmission , engine , axles , and other required linkage to enable the telehandler crane apparatus 10 to move and operate the hydraulics . the telehandler crane apparatus 10 has an all wheel drive system to move the crane . also , the crane is steered using front wheels that turn . the operator compartment 150 is comprised of a seat for the operator , controls for movement of the chasis , controls for movement of the boom and winch , and electronics . the operator compartment 150 can be open or enclosed against weather and can be constructed of round tubing . the operator compartment 150 is located on the left side of the box 110 when standing behind the telehandler crane apparatus 10 . the telehandler crane apparatus 10 has three pipe racks located to the right of the operator compartment . the pipe rack is used to transport pipe to job locations . the outrigger assembly 200 is comprised of a rigid attachment 210 , a telescoping arm 220 , and a outrigger member 230 . the telescoping arm contains a hydraulic cylinder 222 that telescopes relative to the rigid attachment 210 . the outrigger assemblies 200 hydraulically telescope away from the corners of the telehandler crane apparatus 10 perpendicular to the tires and parallel to the front and back of the crane 10 . the outrigger assembly 200 has rigid attachments 210 in the front and rear of the crane telehandler crane apparatus 10 . the rigid attachments 210 on the front of the crane 10 are longer than the shorter rigid attachments 210 in the rear . the outrigger member 230 is comprised of a cylinder 232 , a piston 234 , and a foot 236 . the piston 234 is housed within the cylinder 232 and is moved closer to the stationary surface by hydraulics . the cylinder has a foot 236 that is attached at one end of the cylinder . the foot 236 is the part of the cylinder that comes into contact with the resting surface when the cylinder is actuated closer the stationary surface . the rotating assembly 300 is comprised of a bearing 310 , a hydraulic motor 320 , and a pinion 330 . the bearing 310 is attached to the weldment 130 and is rotated about the weldment 130 using the pinion 330 . the hydraulic motor 320 provides the force to turn the bearing 310 . the boom assembly 400 is comprised of a base 410 , a telescoping arm 420 , a block assembly 430 , a pivoting hydraulic cylinder 440 , a winch 450 , and a double counterweight system 460 . the base 410 is attached to the bearing 310 and can be rotated up to 372 degrees . the base 410 further contains a 1st pivoting member 412 and a 2nd pivoting member 414 . the telescoping arm 420 is attached to the 1st pivoting member 412 and the 2nd pivoting member 414 . a boom rest pedestal 126 is attached to the carry deck 120 and creates a surface parallel to the carry deck 120 for the telescoping arm 420 to be placed upon during movement or storage . the telescoping arm 420 is comprised of a 1 st arm 422 , a 2 nd arm 424 , a 3rd arm 426 , and a telescoping hydraulic cylinder 428 . the 1 st arm 422 contains the telescoping hydraulic cylinder 428 . the telescoping hydraulic cylinder 420 extends the 2 nd arm 424 that is positioned within the 1 st arm 422 . the 3 rd arm 426 is positioned within the 2 nd arm 424 . the 1 st arm 422 , the 2 nd arm 424 , and the 3 rd arm 426 are constructed of square tubing . the telescoping hydraulic cylinder 420 has a piston that as it is extended under hydraulic pressure extends to lengthen to overall length of the arm . the 2 nd arm 424 extends out of the 1 st arm 422 first . then , the 3 rd arm 426 extends out of the 2 nd arm . the block assembly 430 is attached to the third arm 426 at the end opposite the base 410 . the telescoping arm 420 is attached to the base 410 . the attachment of the telescoping arm 420 to the base 410 further comprises the 1 st arm 424 attached to the 1 st pivoting member 412 and the 2 nd pivoting member 414 . the 1 st arm 424 and the 1 st pivoting member 412 are connected by the pivoting hydraulic member 440 . the pivoting hydraulic cylinder 440 is comprised a 1 st attachment member 442 , a piston 444 , and a 2 nd attachment member 446 . the 1 st attachment member is on the side of the piston closest to the base 410 . the 2 nd attachment member is on the opposite side of the piston as the 1 st attachment member and is closest to the 1 st arm 424 . the 1 st attachment member 442 is attached to the 1 st pivoting member 412 . the 2 nd attachment member 446 attaches to the 1 st arm 424 . the winch 450 is attached to the 1 st arm 424 . the winch is located on the end of the 1 st arm 424 closest to the base 410 . the winch 450 is comprised of a spool , a hydraulic motor , and cable . the winch 450 controls the cable and the movement of cable through pulley found on the end of the 3 rd arm 426 and through the block assembly 430 . the double counter weight system 460 is comprised of arms 462 and counterweights 464 . the arms 462 of the double counter weight system 460 are attached to the base 410 . the arms 462 may be able to extend . the counterweights 464 are attached to the arms 462 . the counter weights 464 can be of different masses on each of the two arms 462 . the arms 462 are attached so that the winch 450 will fit between the counterweights 464 when the telescoping arm 420 is pivoted to a large angle relative to the frame 100 . the telehandler crane apparatus 10 has a load moment indicator ( lmi ). the lmi is used to keep the telehandler crane apparatus 10 from tipping over . the lmi determines both the radius of the telescoping arm 420 and the loaded boom angle of the telescoping arm 420 . next , the lmi determines the maximum load at that radius and angle . the lmi has lock out control of the telescoping hydraulic cylinder . the lmi activates the lock out control when the maximum load capacity has been met for a given radius and angle . the telehandler crane apparatus 10 has an anti - two block system . the anti - two block system insures that the block assembly 430 and the hook on the end of the cable does not touch and place force upon the block assembly 430 . the anti - two block system locks out hydraulic power to the winch 150 when the hook and block assembly are in close orientation to keep damage to either of the two components from occurring . additional advantages and modification will readily occur to those skilled in the art . the invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details , representative apparatus , and the illustrative examples shown and described herein . accordingly , departures may be made from the details without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosed general inventive concept . | 1 |
in a preferred embodiment of the invention , the microporous layer has a mean pore size in the range 5 nm to 50 nm . particularly preferably , moreover , the surface of the microporous layer has a mean roughness of less than 1 μm , measured as the rz parameter in accordance with din 4768 . in a particular embodiment of the invention , the outer microporous layer may be a polymer foam manufactured , for example , using a sol - gel process . examples of such microporous layers have been described in wo 2007 / 065841 a1 . in a further preferred embodiment of the invention , the outer microporous layer contains fine inorganic and / or organic pigment particles and a hydrophilic binding agent . examples of pigments which in the context of the invention are suitable for the microporous layer are aluminium oxide , aluminium hydroxide , aluminium oxide hydroxide , aluminium oxide hydrate , silicon dioxide , magnesium hydroxide , kaolin , titanium dioxide , zinc oxide , zinc hydroxide , calcium silicate , magnesium silicate , calcium carbonate , magnesium carbonate and barium sulphate . the quantity of pigments in the microporous layer may be 40 % to 95 % by weight , preferably 60 % to 90 % by weight , with respect to the weight of the dried layer . the particle size of the pigment in the microporous layer is preferably less than 1000 nm , but in particular 50 to 500 nm . the mean particle size of the primary particles is preferably less than 100 nm , in particular less than 50 nm . the microporous layer contains a water - soluble and / or water - dispersible binding agent . examples of suitable binding agents are polyvinyl alcohol , completely or partially saponified , cationically modified polyvinyl alcohol , polyvinyl alcohol containing silyl groups , polyvinyl alcohol containing acetal groups , gelatine , polyvinyl pyrrolidone , starch , carboxymethylcellulose , polyethylene glycol , styrene / butadiene latex and styrene / acrylate latex . particularly preferably , completely or partially saponified polyvinyl alcohols are used . the quantity of binding agent may be 60 % to 5 % by weight , preferably 50 % to 10 % by weight , in particular however 35 % to 8 % by weight , with respect to the weight of the dried layer . the microporous layer can contain the usual additives and auxiliary substances such as cross - linking agents , ionic and / or non - ionic surfactants , particle - binding substances such as polyammonium compounds , uv absorbers , antioxidants and other light stabilizing and gas resistance improving substances as well as other auxiliary substances . the coat weight for the microporous layer may be 1 to 60 g / m 2 , preferably 5 to 40 g / m 2 , particularly preferably 10 to 30 g / m 2 . the microporous layer can be formed as a single layer or in multiple layers . the base material used as the support material over which the microporous layer is arranged can be a rigid flat material such as glass or a plastic . preferably , however , a flexible base material is used , such as a plastic film , non - woven material or paper . in a particularly preferred embodiment , the base material is a base paper . the term “ base paper ” as used in the context of the invention means an uncoated or surface - sized paper . as well as containing fibres of cellular material , a base paper can contain sizing agents such as alkyl ketene dimers , fatty acids and / or fatty acid salts , epoxided fatty acid amides , alkenyl or alkylsuccinic acid anhydride , wet - strength agents such as polyamine - polyamide - epichlorhydrin , dry strength agents such as anionic , cationic or amphoteric polyamides , optical brighteners , pigments , colorants , defoaming agents and other auxiliary substances which are known in the paper industry . the base paper may be surface - sized . examples of sizing agents which are suitable for this purpose are polyvinyl alcohol or oxidized starch . the base paper may be produced on a fourdrinier or yankee paper machine ( roll paper machine ). the grammage of the base paper may be from 50 to 250 g / m 2 , in particular 50 to 150 g / m 2 . the base paper may be used in the uncalendered or calendered ( smoothed ) form . particularly suitable base papers are those with a density of 0 . 8 to 1 . 05 g / cm 3 , in particular 0 . 95 to 1 . 02 g / cm 3 . examples of fillers which may be used in base paper are kaolins , calcium carbonate in its natural form such as lime , marble or dolomite , precipitated calcium carbonate , calcium sulphate , barium sulphate , titanium dioxide , talc , silica , aluminium oxide and mixtures thereof . in a further embodiment of the invention , at least one further layer may be arranged between the base paper and the microporous layer , which further layer contains a hydrophilic binding agent . particularly suitable examples for this purpose are film - forming starches such as heat - modified starches , in particular corn starches or hydroxypropylated starches . in a preferred form of the invention , low - viscosity starch solutions are used which have brookfield viscosities in the range 50 to 600 mpas ( 25 % solution , 50 ° c ./ 100 upm ), in particular 100 to 400 mpas , preferably 200 to 300 mpas . the brookfield viscosity is measured in accordance with international standard iso 2555 . preferably , the binding agent does not contain any synthetic latex . the absence of a synthetic binding agent means that waste can be re - utilized without having to be worked up . in a further embodiment of the invention , at least one pigment is contained in the further layer containing a hydrophilic binding agent . the pigment may be selected from the group formed by metal oxides , silicates , carbonates , sulphides and sulphates . pigments such as kaolin , talc , calcium carbonate and / or barium sulphate are particularly suitable . a pigment with a narrow grain size distribution , wherein the dimension of at least 70 % of the pigment particles is of less than 1 μm , is particularly preferred . in order to achieve the effect of the invention , the proportion of pigment with the narrow grain size distribution should be at least 5 % by weight , in particular 10 % to 90 % by weight of the total quantity of pigment . particularly good results are obtained with a proportion of 30 % to 80 % by weight of the total pigment weight . a pigment with a narrow grain size distribution in accordance with the invention also comprises pigments with a grain size distribution whereby the dimension of at least approximately 70 % by weight of the pigment particles is less than approximately 1 μm , and for 40 % to 80 % of these pigment particles , the difference between the pigment with the largest grain size ( diameter ) and the pigment with the smallest grain size is less than approximately 0 . 4 μm . particularly preferably , this is a calcium carbonate with a d 50 % of approximately 0 . 7 μm . in a particular embodiment of the invention , a pigment mixture can be used which consists of the calcium carbonate defined above and kaolin . the calcium carbonate / kaolin proportion is preferably 30 : 70 to 70 : 30 . the binding agent / pigment proportion in the layer may be from 0 . 1 to 2 . 5 , preferably 0 . 2 to 1 . 5 , but in particular it is approximately 0 . 9 to 1 . 3 . the layer containing a hydrophilic binding agent may preferably contain further polymers such as polyamide copolymers and / or polyvinylamine copolymers . the polymer may be used in a proportion of 0 . 4 % to 5 % by weight with respect to the mass of the pigment . in a preferred embodiment , the proportion of polymer is 0 . 5 % to 1 . 5 % by weight . the layer containing the hydrophilic binding agent may be arranged directly on the front face of the base paper or on the back face of the base paper . it may be deposited on the base paper in a single layer or in multiple layers . the coating mass may be applied using any in - line or off - line coating units , the quantity being selected so that after drying , the coat weight per layer is a maximum of 20 g / m 2 , in particular 8 to 17 g / m 2 , or in a particularly preferred embodiment 2 to 6 g / m 2 . this further layer can be further smoothed using mechanical processes such as calendering or ferrotyping ; however , it can also be deposited using cast coating . in a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention , the base material is a base paper provided with at least one polymer layer on the front face or back face . the term “ front face ” as used here means that side of the base paper on which the conductive structure is printed . in accordance with one embodiment of the invention , the polymer layers of the front and back face may contain the same polymer . in a further embodiment of the invention , the polymers employed in the polymer layers of the front and back face are different . preferably , the polymer layer arranged on at least one side of the base paper contains a polymer with a water vapour permeability of at most 150 g / m 2 . 24 h for a layer thickness of 30 μm , measured at 40 ° c . and 90 % relative humidity . the polymer is preferably a thermoplastic polymer . examples of suitable thermoplastic polymers are polyolefins , in particular low density polyethylene ( ldpe ), high density polyethylene ( hdpe ), ethylene / α - olefin copolymers ( lldpe ), polypropylene , polyisobutylene , polymethylpentene and blends thereof . however , other thermoplastic polymers such as ( meth ) acrylic acid ester homopolymers , ( meth ) acrylic acid ester copolymers , vinyl polymers such as polyvinyl butyral , polyamides , polyesters , polyacetals and / or polycarbonates may be employed . in a preferred embodiment of the invention , the front face of the base paper is coated with a polymer layer which contains at least 50 % by weight , in particular 80 % by weight of a low density polyethylene with a density of 0 . 910 to 0 . 930 g / cm 3 and a melt - flow index of 1 to 20 g / 10 min , with respect to the polymer layer . in a further preferred embodiment of the invention , the back face of the base paper is coated with a polyolefin , in particular polyethylene . particularly preferably , a polyethylene blend of ldpe and hdpe is used , wherein the ld / hd proportion is 9 : 1 to 1 : 9 , in particular 3 : 7 to 7 : 3 . furthermore , the polymer layers may contain white pigments such as titanium dioxide as well as other auxiliary substances such as optical brighteners , colorants and dispersing additives . the coat weight of the polymer layers on the front face and back face may each be 5 to 50 g / m 2 , preferably 20 to 50 g / m 2 or particularly preferably 30 to 50 g / m 2 . in a further embodiment of the invention , further layers such as protective layers or gloss - improving layers may be deposited on the outer microporous layer provided for printing with conductive particles using the inkjet printing process . the coat weight of such layers is preferably less than 1 g / m 2 . eucalyptus cellular material was used to manufacture the base paper . for beating , the cellular material was beaten as an approximately 5 % aqueous suspension ( thick matter ) using a refiner to a degree of beating of 36 ° sr . the mean fibre length was 0 . 64 mm . the concentration of cellular material fibres in the thin matter was 1 % by weight , with respect to the mass of the cellular material suspension . the thin matter was supplemented with additional substances such as a neutral sizing agent , alkyl ketene dimer ( akd ), in an amount of 0 . 48 % by weight , a wet - strength agent , polyamine - polyamide epichlorhydrin resin ( kymene ®), in a quantity of 0 . 36 % by weight , and a natural caco 3 in a quantity of 10 % by weight . the quantities given are with respect to the mass of cellular material . the thin matter , the ph of which was adjusted to approximately 7 . 5 , was transferred from the headbox onto the screen of the paper machine , whereupon sheets were formed by dewatering the web in the screen portion of the paper machine . in the press section , the paper web was further dewatered to a water content of 60 % by weight with respect to the web weight . further drying was carried out in the dryer section of the paper machine using heated drying rollers . a base paper was obtained with a gsm substance of 160 g / m 2 and a moisture content of approximately 7 %. the base paper was coated on the front face and back face with a coating mass consisting of a styrene acrylate binding agent and a pigment mixture formed from calcium carbonate and kaolin with a coat weight of 30 g / m 2 ( front face ) and 20 g / m 2 ( back face ), then dried and subsequently smoothed using a calender . the front face of the base paper was coated with a resin blend formed by 100 % by weight of a low density polyethylene ( ldpe , 0 . 923 g / cm 3 ) with a coat weight of approximately 20 g / m 2 in a laminator at a speed of approximately 250 m / min . the back face of the base paper was coated with a resin blend formed by 100 % by weight of a low density polyethylene ( ldpe , d = 0 . 923 g / m 2 ) at a coat weight of 20 g / m 2 . coating was carried out in a laminator at an extrusion speed of 250 m / min . the front face of the support material was also treated by corona discharge and subsequently coated with a primer layer formed from a solution of polyvinyl alcohol ( mowiol ® 04 - 98 from kurarai ) in water with a dry coat weight of 100 mg / m 2 then dried . support example a was coated with a coating mass having a solids content of 23 % consisting of 80 parts boehmite pigment ( dispersal ® hp14 from sasol ), 10 parts pyrogenic aluminium oxide pigment ( aeroxide ® alu c from evonik degussa ), 8 parts polyvinyl alcohol ( mowiol ® 40 - 88 from kurarai ) and 2 parts boric acid , then dried . the dry coat weight was 20 g / m 2 ; the mean pore size of the layer , measured using mercury porosimetry , was 30 nm . in the same manner as for support material example a1 , support example b was provided with a microporous layer then dried . the dry coat weight was 30 g / m 2 ; the mean pore size of the layer , measured using mercury porosimetry , was 30 nm . in the same manner as for support material example a1 , a commercially available polyester film ( mylar ®) of 125 μm thickness was corona treated and subsequently coated with a microporous layer and then dried . the dry coat weight was 30 g / m 2 ; the mean pore size of the layer , measured using mercury porosimetry , was 30 nm . the support materials a , b , a1 , b1 , c1 and an uncoated commercially available polyester film ( mylar ®) were printed with “ nps ” type silver ink from harima chemicals , inc , japan , using a dmp - 2800 inkjet printer from fujifilm dimatix ®. to this end , 25 mm long and 2 mm wide silver conductive strips were produced 25 mm apart and dried at room temperature for 1 hour . the electrical resistance of the printed silver conductive strips was measured using a gdm - 8251a electrical multimeter manufactured by gwinstek , taiwan , at 23 ° c . and 50 % relative humidity , as well as the electrical resistance between two adjacent printed conductive strips . in addition , the print quality , in particular the uniformity and contour definition of the print , was visually assessed with the aid of a dpm - 100 microscope from fibro systems ab , sweden . it can be seen that the materials of the invention exhibit a low electrical resistance for the printed conductive strips , a high insulative resistance between the conductive strips and a good print quality . the preferred embodiments of the invention as set forth herein are intended to be illustrative , not limiting . various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined herein and in the following claims . | 8 |
fig1 is a block diagram of a programmable , electronic calculator 10 having a keyboard 12 with keys for entering numbers and initiating the performance of various mathematical and manipulative operations . keyboard 12 is connected to a keyboard encoder 14 which generates a binary code for each key that is depressed . since keyboard 12 has 35 keys , a six - digit binary number is used to represent each of the keys . illustrative examples of key codes , expressed in octal form , are shown in table i . the keyboard and encoder may be implemented , for example , with an array of single - pole , single - throw switches , each switch being actuated by a key and being connected to a common diode encoding matrix or other well - known encoding structure . a keyboard buffer 16 , connected to keyboard encoder 14 , is a six binary digit ( bit ) shift register that stores the most recently generated key code . key codes are subsequently transferred from the keyboard buffer to other elements in the calculator . a read - only memory ( rom ) 22 contains instructions in binary form for the performance of the various calculator functions and these instructions are addressed or initiated by the binary key codes . central processing unit ( cpu ) 20 performs the mathematical and control operations programmed in rom 22 . results of keyboard entries as well as the manipulative operations performed by cpu 20 are displayed in a display 26 connected to cpu 20 by display decoder 28 . the operation of such a rom and cpu along with a keyboard display and associated components is described in detail in a patent application by france rode , et al ., entitled &# 34 ; improved business calculator ,&# 34 ; ser . no . 302 , 371 filed oct . 30 , 1972 and assigned to the assignee of the instant application , and also in the hewlett - packard journal , june 1 , 1972 , pages 1 through 9 . calculator 10 includes a read - write memory 24 that can store key codes from the keyboard , enabling the calculator to be programmed to perform mathematical and manipulative functions by storing key codes in the memory and initiating the recall of those stored key codes from the memory . keyboard buffer 16 is connected to a read - write memory buffer 18 , as well as cpu 20 , and rom 22 , and the read - write memory buffer 18 is connected to read - write memory 24 . the memory buffer 18 may also comprise a six - bit shift register , similar to keyboard buffer 16 . memory buffer 18 stores information which is to be transferred into or out of read - write memory 24 . calculator 10 is provided with a prog / run switch 30 connected to cpu 20 by line 31 which enables the read - write memory to either store information from the keyboard or read out stored information to the cpu and rom . when switch 30 is in the prog or program position , execution of instructions corresponding to depressed keys is inhibited and the key codes are entered into the memory buffer 18 from keyboard buffer 16 and then into read - write memory 24 . when switch 30 is placed in the run position , functions corresponding to the various keys will be executed when those keys are depressed . programs stored in read - write memory 24 may be executed in run mode by depressing a program initiation key . in the illustrated embodiment , programs may be stored in the read - write memory and later initiated by actuating a run / stop key , r / s , or any one of the keys labeled a through e . the a - e keys facilitate the storage and recall of several different programs and subroutines in a single read - write memory . to store a program that will be recalled by depressing key a , the user switches prog / run switch 30 to prog , depresses the lbl key and then the a key . next , the user actuates various keys on the keyboard in the order the functions are to be performed in the program . the last key in the program is rtn , which causes the calculator to return to the manual mode after the program has been executed and functions much as an end statement in a computer program . further description of the components and operation of a programmable calculator , as described above , may be found in a u . s . pat . no . 4 , 037 , 092 by thomas e . osborne , et al ., entitled &# 34 ; calculator having pre - programmed user definable functions ,&# 34 ; filed nov . 26 , 1973 , and assigned to the assignee of the instant application and in a u . s . pat . no . 3 , 859 , 635 by robert e . watson , entitled &# 34 ; improved programmable calculator ,&# 34 ; filed june 15 , 1971 , also assigned to the assignee of the instant application . as previously mentioned , some of the functions performed by calculator 10 require the depression of a prefix key before the function can be initiated or programmed . for example , to take the logarithm ( log ) of a number , the &# 34 ; f &# 34 ; key must first be depressed and then the &# 34 ; 8 &# 34 ; key . these two key strokes will instruct the calculator to take the natural logarithm of a number already entered into the calculator . if only the &# 34 ; 8 &# 34 ; key were depressed , the number eight would be entered into the calculator rather than initiating the logarithm function . similarly , to take the antilog of a number , the &# 34 ; f - 1 &# 34 ; key is first depressed and then the &# 34 ; 8 &# 34 ; key is depressed . similarly , the absolute value of a number may be determined by first depressing the &# 34 ; g &# 34 ; key followed by the &# 34 ; 6 &# 34 ; key . two other prefix keys are also shown , sto and rcl , which are used for storing and recalling numerical constants . a number may be stored in any one of nine registers by entering the number and then pressing the sto key followed by one of the digits 1 through 9 to designate one of the nine storage registers . that same number may be recalled by depressing rcl followed by the digit key indicating the register in which the number is stored . when a program is stored using any of the foregoing operations , two key codes must be stored : the prefix key code and the function key code . thus , two positions in read - write memory 24 are used to store the instructions for a single operation . if a number of these functions are used in a program , a substantial amount of limited storage space will be used up with the prefix key codes . the amount of space used up by prefix key codes may be reduced by assigning some of the unused key codes ( i . e ., the key codes not assigned to the 35 keys on the keyboard ) to a combination of a prefix key and a function key so that only a single position in read - write memory 24 is used to store the merged code for an instruction requiring two key strokes . these merged codes can be generated by checking each key code to see whether a prefix key has previously been depressed and , if it has , whether that key is one for which a merged code exists . if a merged code does exist , that code will be generated in response to an instruction from rom 22 and will be inserted into memory 24 via cpu 20 in place of the prefix and function key codes . by way of example , table i lists the functions , their key codes and corresponding merged codes ( in octal form ) used in the illustrated embodiment . table i______________________________________function key codes merged merged code______________________________________sto 1 13 04 61sto 2 13 03 60sto 3 13 02 57sto 4 13 24 01sto 5 13 23 55sto 6 13 22 05sto 7 13 64 45sto 8 13 63 65rcl 1 12 04 41rcl 2 12 03 40rcl 3 12 02 37rcl 4 12 24 27rcl 5 12 23 35rcl 6 12 22 25rcl 7 12 64 20rcl 8 12 63 17g x ≢ y 10 56 07g x ≦ y 10 54 67g x = y 10 53 31g x & gt ; y 10 52 51g x ⃡ y 10 64 21g r ↓ 10 63 15g r ↑ 10 62 11g nop 10 04 00g lstx 10 44 74______________________________________ fig2 and 3 show a flow chart of the rom program used to check for key codes to be merged and to generate the merged codes . until a key is depressed , the calculator remains in an idle status , 50 , and the keyboard is cleared . when a key is depressed , the key code is entered into the keyboard buffer 16 and the read - write memory buffer 18 and that key code is used to establish an address in rom 22 . that address location in rom 22 initiates the program starting at decision block 52 in fig2 . if the calculator is not in the program mode , that is , if it is in the run mode , the calculator checks to see whether the key is one that can be prefixed . if the key cannot be prefixed , the calculator , then checks at block 56 , to see if the key is a prefix . if it is not a prefix , the instruction corresponding to that key code is executed and the calculator then returns to the idle status . if the key is a prefix , then a prefix status is established in a status register 32 connected to cpu 20 , overwriting any previously established prefix status . the status register may be , for example , a five - bit shift register with one bit for each of the prefix keys . after the status is set , the calculator returns to the idle status awaiting the depression of another key . if the key depressed can be validly prefixed , the calculator checks to see if the key is prefixed , at block 58 . if this key has not been prefixed , then the instruction corresponding to the depressed key is executed . if the key has been prefixed , the merged code routine , described below , is initiated . the previous paragraph discussed the operation of the calculator in the run mode ; if the calculator is in the program mode , the calculator then checks whether the depressed key can be prefixed , at decision block 60 . if the key cannot be prefixed , the calculator checks , at decision block 62 , whether the depressed key is a prefix . if the key is a prefix , prefix status is set in status register 32 . the key code in the memory buffer is inserted into the read - write memory and calculator returns to the idle status . if the key was not a prefix , then the instruction corresponding to that key is executed . if the key can be prefixed , decision block 58 interrogates whether the key is prefixed . if not prefixed , the key instruction is executed ; if the key is prefixed , the calculator then checks for which prefix was assigned , as shown at decision blocks 64 , 70 , 72 and 74 . the dashed lines in the figures indicate that any number of prefix keys could be checked for in the manner described below . a &# 34 ; yes &# 34 ; answer from any of the decision blocks 64 , 70 , 72 or 74 initiates a branch to the flow chart in fig3 . for example , decision block 64 is a check for the &# 34 ; g &# 34 ; prefix . if the preceding key was a &# 34 ; g &# 34 ; prefix key , the calculator checks at block 66 to see if this prefix &# 34 ; g &# 34 ; is valid for the key which has just been depressed , since not all prefixes will necessarily apply to all keys . if the prefix is not valid for this key , the prefix status wil be cleared and the key code corresponding to the key depressed will be entered into the read - write memory . if the prefix is valid for this key , the calculator will check , at decision block 68 , whether this is one of the key codes which should be merged with the prefix . if it is not , prefix status will be cleared and the key code will be entered into the read - write memory . if merger should take place , then the calculator once again checks for the program mode . if the calculator is in the program mode , the prefix key code is deleted from the read - write memory and then the merged code address is established in the read - write memory instead , overwriting any previous information . the merged code may be generated by the use of a look - up table in rom 22 or through a numerical subroutine which generates a unique number in response to the prefix and function key codes being merged . if the calculator is not in the program mode , the step deleting the prefix code from the read - write memory is skipped . the merged code is then transferred to rom 22 . if the calculator is not in the program mode , the instruction corresponding to the key code will be executed . if the calculator is in the program mode , the merged code is inserted into the read - write memory . if the prefix that was previously established was not the &# 34 ; g &# 34 ; prefix , decision blocks 70 , 72 , 74 , etc . will check for the other prefixes and will then perform the same checks of validity of the prefix and validity of merging for the particular combination of instruction and prefix . as illustrated in fig1 taken together with table i , not all of the instructions requiring a prefix will necessarily generate merged codes , and those selected for merging are those that may be used more frequently in programming . the foregoing flow chart can be implemented in a read - only memory as shown in the program below in table ii as well as in equivalent hardware logic employing well - known techniques of logic design with gates and flip - flops . to assist the reader in understanding the operation of the program in table ii , the instructions used to generate a merged code for &# 34 ; x & gt ; y &# 34 ;, requiring the depression of the &# 34 ; g &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; rtn &# 34 ; keys , are underlined . in addition , the corresponding decision blocks have been indicated by reference designator in the extreme right - hand column of the table . the starting points of the rom programs for the other keys are indicated by the key labels in the extreme right - hand column of the rom 02 object program . ## spc1 ## ## spc2 ## ## spc3 ## | 6 |
fig1 is a diagrammatic sectional front view of an apparatus 10 which embodies aspects of the present invention . fig2 is a diagrammatic fragmentary sectional side view of the apparatus 10 , taken along the section line 2 - 2 in fig1 . fig2 also includes a section line 1 - 1 , indicating how the view of fig1 relates to the view of fig2 . the apparatus 10 includes an elongate cylindrical housing 12 . in the disclosed embodiment , the housing 12 is a pre - existing component of a type commonly found on a military aircraft , and is often referred to as a “ pod ”. one such existing pod has a standardized internal diameter of 28 ″, but the present invention is not limited to any particular size housing . further , although the present invention is advantageous for airborne applications , it is not limited to that specific context , and the housing 12 could alternatively be any other suitable type of housing . the apparatus 10 includes a heat exchanger 14 provided within the housing 12 . the structure which supports the heat exchanger 14 is not shown in detail in the drawings , but is indicated diagrammatically in fig1 by three broken lines at 16 , 17 and 18 . as best seen in fig2 , the heat exchanger 14 includes a plurality of identical sections or modules which are provided at axially spaced locations along the housing , and two of these modules are shown at 21 and 22 in fig2 . the modules 21 and 22 include respective sections 26 and 27 of an axially extending coolant supply line . the sections 26 and 27 are sealingly coupled by a fitting 28 . further , the modules 21 and 22 include respective sections 31 and 32 of an axially extending coolant discharge or return line . the sections 31 and 32 are sealingly coupled by a fitting 33 . as mentioned above , the modules of the heat exchanger 14 are all substantially identical . therefore , only the module 21 will be described here in detail . with reference to fig1 , the module 21 includes a supply manifold 41 , which extends axially and is disposed a small distance below the supply line section 26 . a short vertical tube 42 provides fluid communication between the middle of the supply line section 26 , and the middle of the supply manifold 41 . the module 21 includes three collection manifolds 46 - 48 which each extend axially , and which are provided at angularly offset locations . the module 21 also has three valves 56 - 58 , which each include an electrically - operated valve with an inlet and an outlet , along with an electronic sensor that can detect the presence of liquid coolant at the inlet to the valve . each of these sensors is electrically coupled to a control circuit , which is shown diagrammatically at 61 , and which electrically controls each of the valves . the inlet of each of the valves 56 - 58 is in fluid communication with the central portion of a respective one of the collection manifolds 46 - 48 . the outlet of each of the valves 56 - 58 is in fluid communication with the discharge line section 31 of the module 21 . although the valves 56 - 58 are each electrically operated , and each have an electrical sensor , it would alternatively by possible to use some other type of sensor and valve . for example , a mechanical arrangement could be provided to sense liquid coolant and to then mechanically open the associated valve . with reference to fig1 and 2 , the module 21 includes ten approximately circular conduits 71 - 80 , which are provided at axially spaced locations . each of the conduits 71 - 80 is made of a thermally conductive material . the upper central portion of each conduit communicates with the coolant supply manifold 41 on opposite sides of the manifold 41 . three short radially - extending tubes 86 - 88 provide fluid communication between the circular conduit 75 and the respective collection manifolds 46 - 48 . each of the other conduits 71 - 74 and 76 - 80 communicates through three similar tubes with the collection manifolds 46 - 48 . the module 21 of the heat exchanger 14 includes four groups 91 - 94 of thermally conductive fins . the fins each extend axially and radially , and the circular conduits 71 - 80 each extend through a respective opening in each fin , and are each thermally coupled to each fin . the apparatus 10 of fig1 - 2 operates in the following manner . a coolant absorbs heat in some remote and not - illustrated device , and then is supplied to the heat exchanger 14 through the coolant supply line which includes the sections 26 and 27 . in the disclosed embodiment , the fluid coolant is a two - phase coolant , which can be in either a liquid state or a vapor state . typically , most or all of the coolant flowing through the coolant supply line is in its vapor state , due to the heat absorbed by the coolant . a variety of different coolants can be used in the disclosed embodiment , including but not limited to water , methanol , a fluorinert , a mixture of water and methanol , or a mixture of water and ethylene glycol ( wegl ). of these , water absorbs the most heat as it vaporizes , or in other words has the highest latent heat of vaporization . in applications where the coolant would not be subjected to freezing temperatures , water is a good choice . but as mentioned above , the embodiment of fig1 - 2 was developed for an airborne application , where temperatures at high altitudes can be very cold . therefore , in order to lower the freezing temperature of the coolant for that type of application , one suitable choice for the coolant is a mixture of water and ethylene glycol ( wegl ), which has a lower freezing temperature than pure water . a further consideration regarding the coolant is that , at a normal atmospheric pressure of 14 . 7 psia , pure water boils at a temperature of 100 ° c ., and a mixture of water and ethylene glycol also boils at a relatively high temperature . consequently , in certain portions of the cooling loop , the coolant is maintained at a subambient pressure of about 3 psia , which decreases the boiling temperature of pure water to approximately 60 ° c ., and effects a comparable decrease in the boiling temperature of wegl . this helps the coolant to boil and vaporize at a lower temperature than would otherwise be the case , and thus to absorb substantial amounts of heat at a lower temperature than would otherwise be the case . although the disclosed embodiment uses a coolant which is at a subambient pressure in part of the cooling loop , it would alternatively be possible to use the heat exchanger of fig1 - 3 with the coolant at some other pressure , which need not be a subambient pressure . with reference to the module 21 , heated coolant is supplied to the supply line section 26 . in the case of the two - phase wegl coolant discussed above , most of this coolant will normally be in its vapor state , but a portion may be in its liquid state . this coolant flows from the supply line section 26 through the tube 42 to the supply manifold 41 , where it is distributed to the upper portion of each of the circular conduits 71 - 80 . coolant then flows downwardly on both sides of each of the circular conduits , to the lower portion of each conduit . as this occurs , heat from the coolant is transferred through the walls of the conduit to the fins in each of the groups of fins 91 - 94 . as the coolant gives up heat in this manner , it changes from a vapor back to a liquid . various forces such as gravity act on the resulting liquid coolant , and these forces are sometimes referred to collectively as an acceleration vector . in response to these forces , including gravity , the resulting liquid coolant collects in one or more of the collection manifolds 46 - 48 . as mentioned above , the valves 56 - 58 each include a sensor which detects whether liquid coolant is present at the inlet to that valve , and the control circuit 61 opens that valve when there is liquid present at its inlet , thereby allowing the liquid coolant to flow through the valve and into the section 31 of the discharge line . when the coolant present at the inlet to any of the valves 56 - 58 is in its vapor state rather than its liquid state , the control circuit 61 keeps that particular valve closed in order to restrict the extent to which vapor coolant can enter the section 31 of the discharge line . the vapor coolant will give up heat over time , and eventually condense back into its liquid state , and can then pass through one of the valves . as discussed above , the disclosed embodiment was designed so that it would be suitable for use on an aircraft . when the aircraft is experiencing a degree of roll about its longitudinal axis , for example when the aircraft is banking left or right , the housing 12 and the heat exchanger 14 in it will tend to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise in fig1 about the lengthwise axis of the housing 12 . this is why the three tubes 86 - 88 in fig1 communicate with the circular conduit 75 at angularly spaced locations . for example , if the aircraft banks in one direction , the collection manifold 46 may be the vertically lowest of the three collection manifolds 46 - 48 , such that liquid coolant collects there first . alternatively , if the aircraft banks in the opposite direction , the collection manifold 48 may be the vertically lowest of the three collection manifolds 46 - 48 , such that liquid coolant collects there first . thus , at any given point in time , and regardless of the current orientation of the aircraft , at least one of the valves 56 - 58 will normally be able to remove liquid coolant from the heat exchanger , thereby avoiding intervals of time during which no liquid coolant can be removed from the heat exchanger . the angular spacing of the collection manifolds 46 - 48 thus permits the heat exchanger 14 to operate efficiently and effectively in a continuous manner , despite most normal banking maneuvers of the aircraft in which it is installed . a further consideration is that , when the aircraft undergoes a change in pitch about a transverse horizontal axis , for example when the aircraft is climbing or diving , the housing 12 and the heat exchanger 14 will effectively experience a limited amount of clockwise or counterclockwise rotation about an axis perpendicular to the plane of fig2 . if each module of the heat exchanger 14 did not have its own collection manifolds , such as that at 47 in fig2 , or in other words if there was a single collection manifold extending the entire length of the heat exchanger 14 , all liquid coolant reaching the single collection manifold would tend to flow to one of the two axial ends of the single collection manifold . as a result , valves at that end of the single manifold would typically not have an operational capacity sufficient to handle all of the liquid coolant trying to exit the entire heat exchanger , while valves at the center and opposite end of the heat exchanger would not have access to the liquid coolant and thus would be effectively useless . in contrast , since the disclosed embodiment has at least one separate collection manifold in each of the axially - spaced modules , the ability of liquid coolant to flow axially within any collection manifold is restricted , and the valves in each module have an effectively equivalent opportunity to handle liquid coolant , even when the aircraft is climbing or diving . a flow of air is supplied to the front end of the housing 12 , either by a fan , or through an opening to the atmosphere which produces a ram effect when the aircraft is moving . a not - illustrated baffle guides this incoming air so that it initially flows axially through the housing 12 adjacent the inner surfaces of the housing , and radially outwardly of the fin groups 91 - 94 . this is indicated diagrammatically in fig2 by the arrows 101 and 102 . in the region of each of the modules , a respective portion of this air will turn and flow radially inwardly through the fins of the fin groups 91 - 94 of that module , as indicated diagrammatically in fig1 by the arrows 106 - 109 . after passing through the fins , the air then turns again and flows axially and rearwardly in approximately the center of the housing , as indicated diagrammatically by arrow 112 in fig2 . it should be noted that , in the embodiment of fig1 - 2 , the air traveling through the housing 12 does not pass successively through several sets of fins disposed at axially spaced locations . if it did , then there would be a relatively high pressure drop between the beginning and end of the air flow , which in turn would make it necessary to supply a relatively high amount of input power to the fan which generates the air flow . but in the embodiment of fig1 - 2 , since any given portion of the air flow passes through only one group of fins during its travel along the entire length of the housing , the air flow has a very low pressure drop from the inlet to the outlet of the housing 12 . this permits a fan driving this airflow to use a relatively nominal amount of power , which is advantageous . fig3 is a diagrammatic sectional front view of an apparatus 210 which is an alternative embodiment of the apparatus 10 of fig1 . the apparatus 210 includes a housing 212 , which is effectively identical to the housing 12 in the embodiment of fig1 . the apparatus 210 further includes a heat exchanger 214 disposed within the housing 212 . the heat exchanger 214 includes a plurality of axially spaced modules , in a manner analogous to the modules in the embodiment of fig1 - 2 . the heat exchanger 214 includes a coolant supply line 221 , which extends substantially the entire length of the heat exchanger 214 . each module of the heat exchanger includes a respective section of the coolant supply line 221 , and the adjacent ends of these sections are sealingly coupled by respective fittings . each module includes two supply manifolds 222 - 223 , which are horizontally spaced , and which each communicate with the supply line 221 through a respective tube 226 or 227 . each module of the heat exchanger 214 includes ten u - shaped conduits , one of which is visible in fig3 at 231 - 233 . in particular , this conduit includes a vertical portion 231 which communicates at its upper end with the supply manifold 222 , a vertical portion 232 which communicates at its upper end with the supply manifold 223 , and a horizontal portion 233 which extends between the lower ends of the vertical portions 231 and 232 . each module includes two collection manifolds 236 and 237 , which extend axially and are horizontally spaced . each collection manifold communicates with each of the ten conduits at the intersection between the horizontal portion 233 and a respective one of the vertical portions 231 and 232 . as discussed above , each of the conduits in the embodiment of fig3 has a horizontal portion 233 which extends between the two vertical portions 231 and 232 thereof . stated differently , each module has ten of the horizontal portions 233 extending between the collection manifolds 236 and 237 . however , it would alternatively be possible for each module to have a smaller number of the horizontal portions 233 extending between the collection manifolds 236 and 237 . for example , nine of the horizontal portions 233 could be omitted in each module , so that each module would have ten of the vertical portions 231 , ten of the vertical portions 232 , but only one of the horizontal portions 233 . in the embodiment of fig3 , each module includes two valves , for example as shown 241 and 242 . the valves 241 and 242 each include an electrically operated valve with an inlet and outlet , and an electrical liquid sensor disposed at the inlet to the valve . the valves 241 and 242 are each coupled to a not - illustrated control circuit , which is comparable to the control circuit shown at 61 in fig1 . the inlet of each valve 241 and 242 is in fluid communication with a respective one of the collection manifolds 236 and 237 . the outlet of each valve 241 and 242 is in fluid communication with a discharge line 246 . the discharge line 246 extends substantially the entire length of the heat exchanger 214 . each of the modules of the heat exchanger includes a respective section of the coolant discharge line 246 , and the adjacent ends of these sections are sealingly coupled by respective fittings . each module includes two groups of thermally conductive fins that each extend horizontally and axially , where reference numeral 261 in fig3 designates a fin in one group , and reference numeral 262 designates a fin in the other group . each of the ten u - shaped conduits in each module has one of its vertical portions extending through a respective opening in each of the fins of one group , and its other vertical portion extending through a respective opening in each of the fins of the other group . each fin is thermally coupled to each conduit that extends through it . each module has two walls 271 and 272 that each extend upwardly to the housing 212 from the outermost end of the uppermost fin of a respective fin group . further , each module has two walls 273 and 274 that each extend downwardly to the housing 212 from the outermost edge of the lowermost fin of a respective fin group . fig4 is a diagrammatic fragmentary sectional view taken along the section line 4 - 4 in fig3 . with reference to fig3 and 4 , ten vanes are provided between each pair of adjacent fins within each group of fins . five of these vanes are visible at 281 - 285 in fig4 . the vanes 281 - 285 are each made of metal , and thus are thermally conductive . each conduit in the module has one of its vertical portions extending through the center of a respective vane . the outer end of each vane has a respective bent portion 286 - 290 , which is inclined somewhat toward the front of the housing , and it will be noted that these bent portions increase progressively in length in a direction from the front of the module toward the rear . the inner ends of the vanes also have respective bent portions 291 - 295 which are of approximately equal length , and which are inclined somewhat toward the rear of the housing . the embodiment of fig3 - 4 operates in a manner generally similar to that described above for the embodiment of fig1 - 2 . the following discussion will therefore focus primarily on some differences . coolant is supplied to the heat exchanger 214 through the supply line 221 , where most or all of this coolant is typically in a vapor state . within each module of the heat exchanger , coolant flows through the tubes 226 and 227 to the supply manifolds 222 and 223 . coolant flows from the supply manifold 222 into the vertical portion 231 of each of the ten conduits in that module , and flows from the supply manifold 223 into the vertical portion 232 of each of the ten conduits in that module . as the coolant flows downwardly through the vertical portions 231 and 232 of each conduit , heat is transferred to the associated fins , including those shown at 261 and 262 . as the coolant gives up heat , it condenses from its vapor state back to its liquid state . after passing through the vertical sections 231 and 232 , the coolant collects in one or more of the collection manifolds 236 - 237 , which communicate with each other through the horizontal portions 233 of the ten conduits . each of the valves 241 and 242 opens when it detects liquid coolant at its inlet , such that liquid coolant is supplied from the collection manifolds 236 - 237 in each module to the discharge line 246 . air is supplied to one end of the housing 212 , and a not - illustrated baffle causes the air to initially flow axially within the housing on opposite sides of the heat exchanger 214 , or in other words within the spaces shown at 321 and 322 in fig3 , and in the direction indicated by arrow 326 in fig4 . with reference to fig4 , the end portions 286 - 290 of the vanes 281 - 285 help to redirect a portion of this airflow at each module , so that air flows between the vanes and the fins in a transverse direction which is approximately perpendicular to the axial direction in which the air was flowing , as indicated by arrow 327 . it will be noted that the vane end portions 286 - 290 increase progressively in length in a direction from the front to the rear of the module , in order to facilitate this redirection of a respective portion of the airflow by each of the vanes . at the opposite ends of the vanes 281 - 285 , the end portions 291 - 295 help redirect the airflow again , so that as indicated by an arrow 328 it travels axially toward the rear of the housing , within the region 323 ( fig3 ) disposed between the two sets of fins in each module . it will be noted that the walls 271 - 274 help to ensure that the air flows between the fins and vanes , rather than above or below either group of fins . the present invention provides a number of advantages . one such advantage results from the provision of a heat exchanger with structure that facilitates the removal of liquid coolant without any significant escape of vapor coolant . a related advantage is that this removal of liquid but not vapor coolant can be effected reliably , even when the heat exchanger is mounted in a moving vehicle such as an aircraft , where the vehicle movement influences the flow of liquid coolant . a further advantage results from configuring the heat exchanger to include two or more modular units that are effectively identical , such that the heat exchange capacity of a heat exchanger can be easily adjusted by varying the number of modules utilized to construct that heat exchanger . still another advantage is that the heat exchanger is configured so that there is a very low pressure drop for the air passing through it . where a fan is used to generate this airflow , the low pressure drop means that the fan operates with a relatively low amount of input power , which is advantageous for a variety of applications . as one example , it is advantageous when the heat exchanger is mounted in an aircraft , where excess power consumption by a fan is undesirable . a further advantage is that the disclosed embodiment achieves this low pressure drop while simultaneously providing a high rate of heat transfer from the coolant to the air flowing through the heat exchanger . further , the disclosed heat exchanger is compact and relatively light in weight . although selected embodiments have been illustrated and described in detail , it will be understood that various substitutions and alterations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention , as defined by the following claims . | 5 |
compounds bearing fluorous ( fluorocarbon ) tags can readily be separated from organic compounds lacking fluorous tags by fluorous separation techniques such as liquid - liquid extraction or solid - liquid extractions . by using appropriate fluorous reagents coupled with fluorous separation techniques , the products of the mitsunobu reaction are readily separated from all reagent byproducts and unreacted reagents . the separation requires no additional chemical reactions and imposes no additional limitations on the mitsunobu reaction . moreover , the reagent byproducts can be recycled back to the original reagents . phosphines with perfluoroalkyl chains have been used in the fluorous biphasic catalysis . however , fluorous phosphines have found only very limited use as stoichiometric reagents in reactions . in the present invention , mitsunobu reactions employing a fluorous phosphine and a fluorous diazodicarboxylate allow isolation of the organic mitsunobu adduct from the fluorous byproducts by a fluorous separation technique such as liquid - liquid extraction or solid - liquid extraction as illustrated generally in fig2 a . fig2 b illustrates mitsunobu reactions employing representative fluorous phosphines and a fluorous diazodicarboxylates of the present invention in which z 1 , z 2 , z 3 , z 4 and z 5 are as described above . in several representative studies , a family of fluorous phosphines carrying different numbers of perfluoroalkyl chains was synthesized as illustrated in fig3 . synthesis of fluorous phosphines is also discussed in u . s . provisional patent application serial no . 60 / 281 , 646 . for example , 1 - bromo - 4 - iodobenzene was coupled with the organozinc derived from perfluorohexylethyliodide 1 . the bromobenzene 2 with the fluorous tag was then subjected to halogen - metal exchange , and the resulting aryllithium reagent was treated with dichlorophenylphosphine to form the fluorous phosphine 3 and the fluorous phosphine oxide 4 , both containing two fluorous chains . the crude reaction mixture was then subjected to silica gel chromatography with gradient elution . the less polar fluorous phosphine 3 was eluted with 20 : 1 hexane : ethyl acetate and the more polar fluorous phosphine oxide 4 was eluted with 1 : 1 hexane : ethyl acetate . fluorous phosphine was isolated as a colorless viscous oil ( solidifies on standing for two weeks ) in 81 % yield and the fluorous phosphine oxide 4 was isolated as a colorless viscous oil in 8 % yield . the fluorous phosphine oxide 4 isolated as the major byproduct from this reaction was easily reduced using , for example , alane as illustrated in fig4 . the fluorous phopshine 3 was isolated in 94 % yield after silica gel chromatography ( 20 : 1 hexane : ethyl acetate ) in the reduction of fig4 . the fluorous phosphines were analyzed by fluorous reverse phase hplc . the retention time of the fluorous phosphine 3 with two fluorous chains and the corresponding phosphine oxide 4 , were found to be 29 . 8 min . and 28 . 3 min . with a gradient elution starting from 80 % meoh , 20 % water ( at t = 0 min ) to 100 % meoh ( at t = 30 min ) to 90 % meoh , 10 % thf ( at t = 60 min .). triarylphosphines having one and three fluorous chains ( structures not shown ) had a retention time of 13 . 9 min . and 38 . 9 min . respectively ; the retention times of the corresponding phosphine oxides ( structures not shown ) had a retention time of 10 . 6 min . and 37 . 7 min . respectively . in general , fluorous compounds preferably had a retention time of more than approximately 10 min . on the fluofix column ( a fluorous reverse phase hplc column ) under the conditions of the experiments to facilitate separation thereof from organic compounds via fluorous solid phase extraction ( fspe ). more preferably , the retention time of the fluorous compounds was more than approximately 14 min . on this basis , fluorous phosphine 3 , having two fluorous chains was chosen for further studies of fluorous mitsunobu reaction . the pt complex prepared from the fluorous phosphine 3 was used as a catalyst in allylation of aldehydes and was found to be successful both at reaction stage and at separation stage . although fluorous phosphine 3 was chosen for study , fluorous phosphines having only one fluorous chain are also suitable for use in the present invention using , for example , separation columns having higher resolution than the columns used in the present studies ( as determined at least in part by the ability of the fluorous bonded phase of the column to retain fluorous molecules ). fluorous reverse phase silica gel ( frps ) for use in fspe was synthesized from normal silica gel by treatment with the commercially available fluorous silyl chloride 5 and imidazole in tolueneat 100 ° c . for 2 days as illustrated in fig5 . the frps obtained from this reaction was repeatedly washed with meoh , water , thf and ether to remove any adsorbed impurities . washing was continued until the washings were free from impurities as analyzed by 1 h nmr . the resulting frps was dried overnight under high vacuum . the fluorous phosphine 3 was tested for its applicability in mitsunobu reactions using classical , organic dead reagent . esterification of 3 , 5 - dinitrobenzoic acid and n - alkylation of phthalimide with methanol , ethanol and isopropanol were studied as illustrated in fig6 . reactions with 3 , 5 - dinitrobenzoic acid were conducted by adding a solution of 3 ( 1 equiv ) and the alcohol ( 2 equiv ) in ether to a solution of dead ( 1 equiv ) and 3 , 5 - dinitrobenzoic acid ( 1 equiv ) in ether and stirring overnight . reactions with phthalimide were done by adding a solution of dead ( 1 equiv ) in thf to a solution of phthalimide ( 1 equiv ), 3 ( 1 equiv ), and the alcohol ( 2 equiv ) and stirring overnight . at the end of the mitsunobu reaction , the solvent was evaporated and the crude reaction mixture mixture (˜ 200 mg ) was taken up in methanol and was loaded on to 2 g of frps . elution with 10 ml of 80 % meoh gave a mixture of the mitsunobu adduct 6 and diethyl hydrazine dicarboxylate . the fluorous solid phase extraction completely removed the fluorous phosphine oxide . however , chromatography was needed to remove the hydrazine derivative . the isolated yields of 6 after normal silica gel chromatography are shown in table 1 . a fluorous dead reagent is preferably used to complement the fluorous phosphine to completely eliminate the need for chromatography . therefore , a novel fluorus dead regent 10 carrying two perfluorohexylethyl chains was synthesized as shown in fig7 . 2 - perfluorohexyl ethanol 7 was treated with 1 , 1 ′- carbonyldiimidazole ( 1 . 2 equiv ) at room temperature in thf to generate the imidazolide 8 . excess 1 , 1 ′- carbonyldiimidazole was quenched with water and the imidazolide from 8 ( along with some imidazole ) was extracted into ether . without characterization the crude imidazolide 8 was then coupled with hydrazine generated in situ from hydrazine hydrochloride and triethylamine . the fluorous hydrazine 9 was isolated as a white powder in 85 % yield after standard chromatography . oxidation of 9 with iodobenzene diacetate gave relatively low yields and required chromatographic separation . however , oxidation of 9 proceeded smoothly in dichloromethane using bromine and pyridine . after stirring at room temeperature for 2 h , the reaction mixture was diluted with dichloromethane and washed with aqueous sodium sulfite , brine and water . the methylene chloride layer was dried and concentrated to give the fluorous dead reagent 10 as a yellow solid in quantitative yield . the purity of 10 obtained directly from this reaction after liquid - liquid extraction was excellent as judged by 1 h , 13 c and 19 f nmr spectra and hence it was directly used without any further purification in all of the mitsunobu type reactions described below . comparable results were obtained by oxidation with the n - bromosuccinimide ( nbs ). to illustrate the reactivity of the fluorous dead reagent 10 in mitsunobu reactions and the separation of the fluorous byproducts 9 and 4 , 3 , 5 - dinitrobenzoic acid was reacted with ethanol using 3 and 10 as illustrated in fig8 using the same procedure described before . at the end of the reaction , the solvent was evaporated , the crude reaction mixture (˜ 200 mg ) was taken up in meoh and loaded on to 2 g of frps . elution with 80 % meoh gave the mitsunobu adduct 11 in 92 % yield free of any impurities as judged from gc - ms analysis and 1 h nmr spectrum . elution with ether gave a mixture of the fluorous phosphine oxide 4 and the fluorous hydrazine 9 . this fluorous byproduct mixture was separated on normal silica gel with 3 : 2 hexane : etoac as the solvent system . the less polar fluorous hydrazine 9 eluted first and was isolated in 80 % yield ; the more polar fluorousphosphine oxide 4 was isolated in 86 % yield . the ease of separation of the fluorous reagent based byproducts 4 and 9 is useful because the reagents can then be recycled . both the reduction of the fluorous phosphine oxide 4 and the oxidation of the fluorous hydrazine 9 are very clean reactions and in each case the product can be isolated in almost quantitative yields . several experiments were also carried out to demonstrate the compatibility of the fluorous mitsunobu reagents 3 and 10 with each other and with the regular organic reagents triphenylphosphine and dead . 3 , 5 - dinitrobenzoic acid was reacted with meoh with all possible combinations of fluorous and organic reagents using the procedure described above . after stirring overnight , solvent was evaporated and each reaction mixture was individually subjected to fspe . the organic fraction from each experiment was concentrated and analyzed by 1 h nmr spectroscopy . the results of these experiments are summarized in table 2 . in table 2 and elsewhere herein , f ph refers to a fluorous phenyl group and f dead refers to the fluorous dead reagent . only in the case where both fluorous reagents were used , was the pure product isolated . in all the other cases , a mixture of product and organic reagent based byproduct ( s ) was isolated . the results indicate that fluorous chains are necessary to achieve separation in fluorous silica gel . the nmr spectra from all of the four experiments are illustrated in fig9 . several parallel experiments were conducted to illustrate the scope of the fluorous reagents with other mitsunobu substrates . experiments with 3 , 5 - dinitrobenzoic acid and phthalimide with three different alcohols ( meoh , allyl alcohol and p - fluorobenzylalcohol ) were conducted with the procedure described before . results are summarized in table 3 . the mitsunobu product from p - fluorbenzyl alcohol has one fluorine atom , and shows a single peak in 19 f nmr spectrum which can be used for estimating fluorous contamination in the product . both n - p - fluorobenzyl phthalimide and p - fluorobenzyl 3 , 5 - dinitrobenzoate showed only one peak in their 19 f nmr spectra indicating the absence of any fluorous impurities in the product . the yield of the product was determined from the mass of the residue from organic fraction after fspe and purity was determined from integration of peaks in the gas chromatogram . n -( t - butoxycarbonyl )- p - toluene sulfonamide is another interesting substrate for mitsunobu reactions . the product of that reaction can be converted to boc - protected amines on treatment with sodium naphthalenide . n -( t - butoxycarbonyl )- p - toulene sulfonamide was subjected to mitsunobu reaction in thf with methanol using fluorous regents 3 and 10 under standard conditions ( addition of a solution of f dead ( 1 . 5 equiv ) in thf to a solution of n -( t - butoxycarbonyl )- p - toluene sulfonamide ( 1 equiv ), 3 ( 1 . 5 equiv ), and the alcohol ( 1 . 5 equiv ) in thf ). after 3 h at room temperature , tlc analysis ( 10 : 3 hexane : etoac ) showed complete conversion of the starting material . the solvent was then evaporated and the crude reaction mixture was subjected to fspe . n -( t - butoxycarbonyl )- p - toluene sulfonamide was isolated in 100 % yield from the organic fraction of fspe . 1 h nmr analysis also confirmed complete conversion of the starting material . however , when alkylation of - n -( t - butoxycarbonyl )- p - toluene sulfonamide was attempted with allyl alcohol and p - fluorobenzyl alcohol with the standard procedure used for methanol , tlc showed the presence of starting material even after stirring overnight . each reaction mixture was then individually subjected to fspe , and the residue from organic fraction was analyzed by 1 h nmr spectroscopy . not surprisingly , both of the 1 h nmr spectra showed the presence of starting material . addition of molecular sieves to the reaction , did not improve conversion . the results of these “ normal mode of addition ” studies with n -( t - butoxycarbonyl )- p - toluene sulfonamide are summarized in table 4 . the order of addition of reagents , in some cases , can have a substantial effect on the mitsunobu reaction . therefore a different mode of addition than described above was studied . in that regard , a solution of fluorous dead reagent 10 ( 1 . 5 equiv ) in thf was added to a solution of fluorous phosphine 3 ( 1 . 5 equiv ) in thf at 0 ° c ., then allyl alcohol ( 1 . 5 equiv ) was added neat and finally the n -( t - butoxycarbonyl )- p - toluene sulfonamide ( 1 equiv ). after 3 h , tlc ( 10 : 3 hexane : etoac ) showed complete conversion of starting material . the solvent was then evaporated and the reaction mixture was subjected to fspe . the organic fraction from fspe was then concentrated . 1 h nmr analysis of the residue from organic fraction revealed 91 % conversion to n - allyl - n -( t - butoxycarbonyl )- p - toluene sulfonamide . in a similar way , the reaction with methanol and p - fluorobenzyl alcohol also gave very good conversions . the results from this mode of addition are summarized in table 5 . once again , n - p - fluorobenzyl - n -( t - butoxycarbonyl )- p - toluene sulfonamide showed a single peak in 19 f nmr spectrum indicating absence of fluorous impurities in the product . yields were determined from the mass of the residue from organic fraction after fspe ; conversions were determined from 1 h nmr analysis of the organic fraction and purities were determined from integration of peaks of gas chromatogram of each sample . to test the generality of the above “ reverse ” mode of addition , three fluorous mitsunobu reactions were carried out with 4 -( 4 - nitrophenyl ) butyric acid and three different alcohols ( methanol , allyl alcohol and p - fluorobenzyl alcohol ). the fluorous phosphine 3 ( 1 . 5 equiv ) and the fluoruos dead 10 ( 1 . 5 equiv ) were mixed in thf at 0 ° c . to generate the adduct , then alcohol ( 1 . 5 equiv ) was added followed by 4 -( 4 - nitrophenyl ) butyric acid ( 1 equiv ). after stirring overnight , the reaction mixture was subjected to fspe and the organic fraction was analyzed by 1 h nmr and gc - ms studies . the results are summarized in table 6 . conversions were determined from 1 h nmr analysis ; yields were calculated from the mass of organic fraction from fspe and the purities were determined from integration of peaks in gas chromatogram . the number of intervening methylene groups in the spacer of a fluorous reagent can alter its reactivity in certain , but not all , cases . for example , the allylation of benzaldehyde with fluorous allyl tins 15 and 16 ( see fig1 ) in the presence of bis ( triphenylphosphine ) platinum dichloride showed differences . reaction with the fluorous allyl tin 16 with three methylene ( propylene ) spacers were faster and gave cleaner products compared to the fluorous allyl tin 15 with two methylene ( ethylene ) spacers . similarly , the fluorous boc protected amines 17 and 18 showed differences in reactivity ( see fig1 ). the fluorous boc protected amide 17 having two methylene spacers underwent deprotection slowly ( 63 h ), while 18 carrying three methylene spacers was deprotected in 40 min , under the same conditions . therefore , the effect of the length of the spacer in fluorous diazodicarboxylates was studied . in that regard , fluorous diazodicarboxylate 22 having three methylene spacers was synthesized as shown in fig1 . the iodoalcohol 9 was reduced with lialh 4 and the alcohol 20 with the propylene spacer was isolated in 77 % yield after distillation . the alcohol 20 was then reacted with 1 , 1 ′- carbonyldiimidazole and the crude imidazolide was coupled with hydrazine to give 21 which was isolated in 71 % yield as a white solid after chromatography . once again , oxidation of the fluorous hydrazine 21 proceeded well to give 22 as an yellow solid in quantitative crude yield . the crude fluorous dead reagent 22 was then used in mitsunobu reactions with n - boc - p - toluenesulfonamide . once again , the standard mode of addition gave complete conversion with meoh and the product , n - methyl - n - boc - p - toluenesulfonamide was isolated in 85 % yield after fspe . however , the allyl alcohol gave only trace conversion of the starting material . the organic fraction after fspe was mostly starting material . these results are summarized in table 7 . unless otherwise noted , all reagents were used directly from a commercial source without any further purification . diethyl ether , thf and toluene were distilled from sodium / benzophenone under nitrogen ; dichloromethane was distilled from calcium hydride . nmr spectra were recorded at 300 mhz for 1 h , 75 mhz for 13 c , 285 mhz for 19 f and 121 . 5 mhz for 31 p . unless otherwise specified , chemical shift values are in parts per million ( ppm ) using chcl 3 as reference for 1 h and 13 c ; 80 % h 3 po 4 for 31 p and cfcl 3 for 19 f . infrared spectra were obtained from an ibm ir / 32 system and samples were run as thin films . low resolution mass spectra ( lrms ) were recorded on a hewlett packard - 9000 gc - ms system . high resolution mass spectra ( hrms ) were recorded on a varian match - 5 df spectrometer . melting points were measured on a mel - temp ii apparatus and were not corrected . zinc powder ( 8 . 23 g , 125 . 8 mmol ) was placed in a 250 ml round bottom flask equipped with a dropping funnel and a condenser . zn was dried under vacuum and cooled under argon . freshly distilled thf ( 17 . 5 ml ) was added at room temperature and the mixture stirred for 5 min . 1 , 2 - dibromoethane ( 0 . 5 ml ) was added at 65 ° c . and the reaction flask was maintained at this temperature for 2 min and then cooled to room temperature . chlorotrimethylsilane ( 0 . 5 ml ) was added at room temperature . after 20 min , a solution of 1 , 1 , 1 , 2 , 2 , 3 , 3 , 4 , 4 , 5 , 5 , 6 , 6 ,- tridecafluro - 8 - iodooctane ( 50 g , 105 . 5 mmol ) in thf ( 88 ml ) was added dropwise . the rate of addition was adjusted such that the reaction mixture was maintained at room temperature . after 24 h at room temperature , the colorless organozinc was cannulated to a 250 ml round bottom flask equipped with a condenser and charged with 1 - bromo - 4 - iodobenzene ( 30 . 75 g , 108 . 7 mmol ), tetrakis ( triphenylphosphine ) palladium ( 0 ) ( 4 . 3 g , 3 . 7 mmol ) in thf ( 52 . 5 ml ). the reaction mixture was stirred at 45 ° c . for 24 h . the solvent was then removed under reduced pressure ; the crude residue was dissolved in methylene chloride ( 50 ml ) and was extracted with fc - 72 ( 7 × 50 ml ). fc - 72 layers were combined and the solvent was evaporated . the crude product obtained was then distilled under low pressure to give 2 ( 28 g , 53 %) as a colorless oil : bp 81 ° c ./ 0 . 03 mmhg ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ7 . 45 ( d , j = 8 . 4 hz , 2h ), δ7 . 11 ( d , j = 8 . 4 hz , 2h ), δ2 . 86 - 2 . 92 ( m , 2h ), δ2 . 36 ( tt , j = 18 . 3 , 9 . 1 hz , 2h ) a solution of t - buli ( 1 . 7 m in pentane , 3 . 4 ml , 2 . 9 mmol ) was added slowly to 1 - bromo - 4 -( 3 , 3 , 4 , 4 , 5 , 5 , 6 , 6 , 7 , 7 , 8 , 8 - tridecafluoro - octyl ) benzene 2 ( 1 . 48 g ) in ether ( 73 ml ) at − 78 ° c . after 1 h at − 78 ° c ., dichlorophenylphosphine ( 196 μl , 1 . 45 mmol ) was added and the reaction mixture was warmed to room temperature and stirred overnight . then the reaction mixture was quenched with water ( 10 ml ). the ether layer was separated . the aqueous layer was further extracted with ether ( 3 × 10 ml ). the ether layers were then combined , dried with magnesium sulfate and concentrated under reduced pressure . the residue was then purified by column chromatography on silica gel with gradient elution . elution with 20 : 1 hexane : ethylacetate gave , 3 ( 1 . 13 g , 81 %) as colorless oil which solidifies ( mp 35 - 37 ° c .) on standing for two weeks in the refrigerator . further elution with 1 : 1 hexane : ethylacetate gave 4 ( 0 . 114 g , 8 %) as a colorless oil . ( 3 ) 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ7 . 20 - 7 . 36 ( m , 13h ), δ2 . 91 - 2 . 97 ( m , 4h ), δ2 . 31 - 2 . 48 ( m , 4h ); 31 p nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ − 5 . 91 . ( 4 ) 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ7 . 67 - 7 . 31 ( m , 13h ), δ3 . 00 - 2 . 95 ( m , 4h ), δ2 . 47 - 2 . 32 ( m , 4h ); 13 p nmr ( cdci 3 ) δ29 . 3 a solution of alane - n , n - dimethyethyllamine complex ( 0 . 5m in toluene , 6 . 24 ml , 3 . 12 mmol ) was slowly added to a solution of 4 ( 2 . 02 g , 2 . 08 mmol ) in toluene ( 20 ml ). after stirring at 90 ° c . for 3 h , the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature , quenched with methanol ( 3 ml ) and passed through a short column of celite . the celite column was then washed with hot thf and the washings were added to the filtered reaction mixture , which was concentrated and subjected to silica gel chromatography ( 20 : 1 hexane : ethylacetate ) to obtain 3 ( 1 . 87 g , 94 %). mitsunobu reactions of 3 , 5 - dinitrobenzoic acid promoted by fluorous phosphine 3 and dead were done by procedure a ( see below ). the amount of reagents and substrate used are fluorous phosphine 3 ( 200 mg , 0 . 21 mmol ), alcohol ( 0 . 42 mmol ), dead ( 33 μl , 0 . 21 mmol ) and 3 , 5 - dinitrobenzoic acid ( 44 mg , 0 . 21 mmol ). cas registry number [ 2702 - 58 - 1 ]; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ9 . 25 ( t , j = 2 hz , 1h ), δ9 . 19 ( d , j = 2 hz , 2h ), δ4 . 08 ( s , 3h ); lrms m / z ( relative intensity ) 226 ( m + , 18 %), 195 ( 100 %), 149 ( 45 %), 75 ( 82 %). cas registry number [ 618 - 71 - 3 ]; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ9 . 23 ( t , j = 2 . 1 hz , 1h ), δ9 . 18 ( d , j = 2 . 1 hz ), δ4 . 53 ( q , j = 7 . 1 hz , 2h ) δ1 . 49 ( t , j = 7 . 1 hz , 2h ); lrms ( relative intensity ) 240 ( m + , 19 %), 195 ( 81 %), 180 ( 47 %), 149 ( 43 %), 75 ( 100 %). cas registry number [ 10477 - 99 - 3 ]; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ9 . 23 ( t , j = 2 hz , 1h ), δ9 . 16 ( d , j = 2 . 1 hz , 2h ), δ5 . 43 - 5 . 31 ( m , 1h ), 1 . 46 ( d , j = 6 . 1 hz ); lrms ( relative intensity ) 254 ( m + , 2 %), 213 ( 33 %), 195 ( 100 %), 149 ( 40 %), 75 ( 76 %). n - alkylation of phthalimide using fluorous phosphine 3 and dead were done by procedure b ( see below ). amount of reagents and substrates used are dead ( 33 μl , 0 . 210 mmol ), phthalimide ( 30 mg , 0 . 210 mmol ), alcohol ( 0 . 420 mmol ) and fluorous phosphine 3 ( 200 mg , 0 . 420 mmol ). cas registry number [ 550 - 44 - 7 ]; 1 h nmr cdcl 3 ) δ7 . 86 - 7 . 82 ( m , 2h ), 7 . 73 - 7 . 70 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 19 ( s , 3h ); lrms m / z ( relative intensity ) 161 ( m + , 100 %), 104 ( 33 %), 76 ( 30 %). cas registry number [ 5022 - 29 - 7 ]; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ7 . 86 - 7 . 82 ( m , 2h ), 7 . 73 - 7 . 69 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 75 ( q , j = 7 . 3 hz , 2h ) 128 ( t ,= 7 . 2 hz , 3h ); lrms m / z ( relative intensity ) 175 ( m + , 100 %), 160 ( 100 %), 105 ( 26 %), 76 ( 28 %). cas registry number [ 304 - 17 - 6 ] 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ7 . 74 - 7 . 71 ( m , 2h ), 7 . 62 - 7 . 59 ( m , 2h ), 4 . 44 ( m , 1h ), 1 . 40 ( d , j = 6 . 9 hz , 6h ); lrms m / z ( relative intensity ) 189 ( m + , 47 %), 174 ( 100 %). 3 , 3 , 4 , 4 , 5 , 5 , 6 , 6 , 7 , 7 , 8 , 8 , 8 - tridecafluoro - 1 - octanol 7 ( 10 g , 27 . 5 mmol ) was slowly added to a solution of 1 , 1 ′- carbonyldiimidazole ( 5 . 35 g , 33 mmol ) in thf ( 80 ml ). after stirring for 30 min at room temperature , the crude reaction mixture was taken up in ether ( 200 ml ) and quenched with water ( 40 ml ). the aqueous layer was further extracted with ether ( 3 × 20 ml ). the organic layers were combined and dried with magnesium sulfate . the solvent was removed under reduced pressure and the residue was dried under high vacuum . the crude imidazolide 8 was taken up in thf ( 14 ml ) and hydrazine monohydrocholoride ( 942 mg , 13 . 75 mmol ) and triethylamine ( 9 . 6 ml , 68 . 75 mmol ) were added at room temperature . after 3 d , the reaction mixture was quenched with water ( 50 ml ) and extracted with ether ( 3 × 50 ml ). the organic layers were combined , dried with magnesium sulfate and concentrated . flash column chromatography on silica gel ( 3 : 2 hexane : ethyl acetate ) gave bis ( 3 , 3 , 4 , 4 , 5 , 5 , 6 , 6 , 7 , 7 , 8 , 8 , 8 - tridecafluorooctyl ) hydrazine dicarboxylate 9 ( 9 . 52 g , 85 %) as a white solid : mp 105 ° c . 1 h nmr ( acetone - d 6 ) δ8 . 48 ( b , 2h ), δ4 . 32 ( t , j = 6 . 1 hz , 4h ), δ2 . 70 ( m , 4h ); 3 c nmr ( acetone - d 6 ) δ156 . 2 , 121 . 4 - 108 . 3 ( m ), 57 . 2 , 30 . 2 ( t , j = 84 . 9 hz ); 91 f nmr δ − 80 . 6 nmr 6 - 80 . 6 ( 3f ), − 112 . 9 ( 2f ), − 121 . 4 ( 2f ), − 122 . 4 ( 2f ), − 123 . 0 ( 2f ), − 126 . 3 ( 2f ); ir ( thin film ): 1743 cm − 1 , 3271 cm − 1 ; hrms : calculated ( 812 . 0225 ), found ( 812 . 0239 ) the fluorous hydrazine 9 ( 2 g , 2 . 46 mmol ) and pyridine ( 0 . 4 ml , 4 . 92 mmol ) were taken up in methylene chloride ( 25 ml ) and the mixture was cooled to 0 ° c . bromine ( 590 mg , 3 . 69 mmol ) was slowly added . the ice bath was removed after the addition and the reaction was vigorously stirred at room temperature for 2 h . the reaction mixture was then diluted with methylene chloride ( 150 ml ) and was washed with sodium sulfite solution , sodium bicarbonate solution , brine and water . the organic layer was dried with magnesium sulfate and concentrated to give bis ( 3 , 3 , 4 , 4 , 5 , 5 , 6 , 6 , 7 , 7 , 8 , 8 , 8 - tridecafluorooctyl ) diazo dicarboxylate as a yellow solid ( 1 . 99 g , 100 %). mp 61 ° c . : 1 h nmr ( acetone - d 6 ) δ4 . 87 ( t , j = 5 . 9 hz , 4h ), δ2 . 91 ( tt , j = 5 . 9 , 19 hz , 4h ); 13 c nmr ( acetone - d 6 ) δ161 . 2 , 125 - 104 ( m ), 62 . 7 , 31 . 3 ( t , j = 85 . 1 hz ); 19 f nmr ( acetone d 6 ) δ − 80 . 6 ( 3f ), − 112 . 9 ( 3f ), − 121 . 3 ( 2f ), − 122 . 3 ( 2f ), − 123 ( 2f ), − 123 . 6 ( 2f ), − 125 . 7 ( 2f ); ir ( thinfilm ): 1787 cm − 1 ; lrms 812 . ( m + + 2 , 55 %), 449 ( 91 %), 327 ( 85 %), 131 ( 100 %). n - bromosuccinimide ( 200 mg , 0 . 295 mmol ) was added to a solution of the fluorous hydrazine 9 ( 200 mg , 0 . 246 mmol ) and pyridine ( 40 μl , 0 . 492 mmol ) in thf ( 2 ml ) cooled to 0 ° c . the ice bath was removed and stirring was continued at room temperature for 1 h . the reaction mixture was then quenched with water and extracted with ether . the ether layers were combined , washed with 5 % hcl and water , dried with magnesium sulfate and concentrated to give bis ( 3 , 3 , 4 , 4 , 5 , 5 , 6 , 6 , 7 , 7 , 8 , 8 , 8 - tridecafluorooctyl ) diazo dicarboxylate 10 as a yellow solid ( 198 mg , 100 %). mitsunobu reactions of 3 , 5 - dinitrobenzoic acid promoted by fluorous phosphine 3 and fluorous dead 10 ( procedure a ) a solution of fluorous phosphine 3 ( 100 mg , 0 . 105 mmol ) and an alcohol ( 0 . 105 mmol ) in thf ( 0 . 5 ml ) was slowly added to a solution of fluorous dead 10 ( 85 mg , 0 . 105 mmol ) and 3 , 5 - dinitrobenzoic acid ( 15 mg , 0 . 07 mmol ) in thf ( 0 . 5 ml ). after stirring overnight , the solvent was evaporated from the reaction mixture and the residue was loaded on to 2 g of frps using methanol . elution with 80 % meoh ( 10 ml ) gave 3 , 5 - dinitrobenzoyl ester . a second elution with ether was done to collect the mixture of fluorous phosphine oxide 4 and fluorous hydrazine 9 . 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ9 . 25 ( t , j = 2 hz , 1h ), δ9 . 19 ( d , j = 2 hz , 2h ), δ6 . 14 - 6 . 01 ( m , 1h ), δ5 . 49 ( dd , j = 17 . 2 , 1 . 3 hz , 1h ), δ5 . 41 ( dd , j = 10 . 4 , 1 hz , 1h ), δ4 . 96 ( dt , j = 6 , 1 hz ); lrms m / z ( relative intensity ) 195 ( m + , 100 %), 149 ( 38 %), 75 ( 56 %). 1 h nmr δ9 . 24 ( t , j = 2 . 1 hz , 1h ), δ9 . 15 ( d , j = 2 . 1 hz , 2h ), δ7 . 51 - 7 . 45 ( m , 2h ), δ7 . 16 - 7 . 09 ( m , 2h ), 5 . 45 ( s , 2h ); 19 f nmr ( cdcl 3 ) − 110 . 8 ; lrms m / z ( relative intensity ) 320 ( m + , 8 %), 196 ( 33 %), 109 ( 100 %). general procedure for mitsunobu reactions of phthalimide promoted by fluorous phosphine 3 and fluorous dead 10 ( procedure b ) a mixture of fluorous dead 10 ( 85 mg , 0 . 105 mmol ) in thf ( 0 . 5 ml ) was slowly added to a solution of phthalimide ( 10 mg , 0 . 07 mmol ), an alcohol ( 0 . 105 mmol ) and fluorous phosphine 3 ( 100 mg , 0 . 210 mmol ) in thf ( 0 . 5 ml ). after stirring overnight , the solvent was evaporated from the reaction mixture and the residue was loaded on to 2 g of frps using methanol . elution with 80 % meoh ( 10 ml ) provided n - alkyl phthalimide . a second elution with ether ( 20 ml ) gave a mixture of the fluorous phosphine oxide 4 and the fluorous hydrazine 9 . cas registry number [ 5428 - 09 - 1 ]; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ7 . 90 - 7 . 84 ( m , 2h ), 7 . 80 - 7 . 72 ( m , 2h ), 5 . 96 - 5 . 83 ( m , 1h ), δ5 . 29 - δ5 . 19 ( m , 2 h ), δ4 . 32 - 4 . 3 ( m , 2h ); lrms m / z ( relative intensity ) 187 ( m + , 100 %), 169 ( 53 %), 76 ( 68 %). 1 h nmr δ7 . 87 - 7 . 84 ( m 2h ), δ7 . 74 - 7 . 70 ( m , 2h ), δ7 . 46 - 7 . 40 ( m , 2h ), δ7 . 04 - 6 . 96 ( m , 2h ), 4 . 82 ( s , 2h ); 19 f nmr ( cdcl 3 ) − 113 . 1 ; lrms m / z ( relative intensity ) 255 ( m + , 100 %), 237 ( 29 %), 122 ( 63 %), 76 ( 34 %). general procedure for mitsunobu reactions of n -( t - butoxycarbonyl )- p - toluene sulfonamide promoted by fluorous phosphine 3 and fluorous dead 10 ( procedure c ) a solution of fluorous dead 10 ( 85 mg , 0 . 105 mmol ) in thf ( 0 . 5 ml ) was added to a solution of fluorous phosphine 3 ( 100 mg , 0 . 105 mmol ) in thf ( 0 . 5 ml ) at 0 ° c . alcohol ( 0 . 105 mmol ) was added neat followed by a solution of n -( t - butoxycarbonyl )- p - toluene sulfonamide ( 19 mg , 0 . 07 mmol ) in thf ( 0 . 5 ml ). after stirring at room temperature for 3 h the solvent was evaporated from the reaction mixture and the residue was loaded onto 2 g of frps using methanol . elution with 80 % meoh / h 2 o ( 10 ml ) gave n - alkyl - n -( t - butoxycarbonyl )- p - toluene sulfonamide . a second elution with ether was done to collect a mixture of the fluorous phosphine oxide 4 and the fluorous hydrazine 9 . 1 h nmr δ7 . 78 ( d , 8 . 2 hz , 2h ), δ7 . 32 ( d , 8 . 1 hz , 2h ), δ3 . 36 ( s , 3h ), δ2 . 45 ( s , 3h ), δ1 . 36 ( s , 3h ); lrms m / z ( relative intensity ) 185 ( 22 %), 155 ( 18 %), 91 ( 100 %), 65 ( 32 %) 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ7 . 81 - 7 . 79 ( m , 2h ), δ7 . 32 - 7 . 29 ( m , 2h ), δ6 . 00 - 5 . 88 ( m , 1h ), δ5 . 37 - 5 . 29 ( m , 1h ), δ5 . 27 - 5 . 22 ( m , 1h ) 4 . 48 - 4 . 44 ( m , 2h ); lrms m / z ( relative intensity ) 210 ( 2 %), 155 ( 17 %), 91 ( 100 %). 1 h nmr δ7 . 58 - 7 . 56 ( m , 2h ), δ7 . 45 - 7 . 41 ( m , 2h ), δ7 . 26 - 7 . 23 ( m , 2h ) δ7 . 07 - 7 . 00 ( m , 2h ), 5 . 00 ( s , 2h ), δ2 . 42 ( s , 3h ), δ1 . 32 ( s , 9h ); lrms m / z ( relative intensity ) 281 ( 2 %), 206 ( 48 %), 124 ( 80 %), 91 ( 100 %). mitsunobu reactions of 4 -( 4 - nitrophenyl ) butyric acid promoted by fluorous phosphine 3 and fluorous dead 10 were done using procedure c ( see above ). 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ8 . 16 ( d , j = 8 . 6 hz , 2h ), 7 . 35 ( d , j = 8 . 6 hz , 2h ), 3 . 69 ( s , 3h ), 2 . 77 ( t , j = 7 . 7 hz , 2h ), 2 . 36 ( t , j = 7 . 3 hz , 2h ), 1 . 99 ( m , 2h ); lrms m / z ( relative intensity ) 223 ( m + , 66 %), 192 ( 33 %), 150 ( 76 %), 74 ( 100 %), 59 ( 15 %). 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ8 . 16 ( d , j = 8 . 7 hz , 2h ), δ7 . 35 ( d , j = 8 . 6 hz , 2h ), δ5 . 99 - 5 . 86 ( m , 1h ), δ5 . 36 - 5 . 29 ( m , 1h ), δ5 . 28 - 5 . 23 ( m , 1h ), δ4 . 60 - 4 . 58 ( mn , 2h ), δ2 . 78 ( t , j = 7 . 7 hz , 2h ), δ2 . 39 ( t , j = 7 . 3 hz , 2h ), δ2 . 05 - 1 . 96 ( in , 2h ); lrms m / z ( relative intensity ) 249 ( m + 53 %), 208 ( 100 %), 116 ( 76 %). 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ8 . 18 - 8 . 13 ( m , 2h ), δ7 . 37 7 - 7 . 27 ( m , 4h ), δ7 . 08 - 6 . 99 ( m , 2h ), δ5 . 09 ( s , 2h ), δ2 . 76 ( t , j = 7 . 6 hz , 2h ), δ2 . 39 ( t , j = 7 . 4 hz , 2h ), δ2 . 05 - 1 . 95 ( m , 2h ); 19 f nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ − 112 ; lrms m / z ( relative intensity ) 317 ( 26 %), 208 ( 9 %), 109 ( 100 %). 2 - iodo - 4 , 4 , 5 , 5 , 6 , 6 , 7 , 7 , 8 , 8 , 9 , 9 , 9 - tridecafluorononan - 1 - ol 19 ( 15 g , 29 . 8 mmol ) was slowly added to a solution of lithium aluminum hydride ( 1 . 14 g , 30 . 1 mmol ) in thf ( 60 ml ). after stirring at room temperature overnight , the reaction mixture was quenched with ethylacetate ( 5 ml ). water ( 150 ml ) was added to the mixture and extracted with ether ( 3 × 75 ml ). ether layers were combined , washed with water and brine solution . the ether layer was then concentrated and distilled to get 20 ( 8 . 66 g , 77 %) bp 90 - 92 ° c . at aspirator pressure ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ3 . 75 ( t , j = 6 . 1 hz , 2h ), δ2 . 31 - 2 . 13 ( mn , 2h ), δ1 . 92 - 1 . 83 ( mn , 2h ) this compound was synthesized similar to 9 . mp 98 - 99 ° c . ; 1 h nmr ( acetone - d 6 ) δ8 . 31 ( b , 2h ), 4 . 19 ( t , j = 6 . 2 hz , 4h ), δ2 . 41 - 2 . 23 ( m , 4h ), δ1 . 98 - 1 . 89 ( m , 2h ); 13 c nmr ( acetone - d 6 ) δ157 . 9 , δ125 - 110 ( m ), δ64 . 9 , δ28 . 5 ( t , j = 88 . 3 hz ), δ21 . 5 ; 19 f nmr − 80 . 6 ( 3h ), − 113 . 8 ( 2h ), − 121 . 4 ( 2h ), − 122 . 4 ( 2h ), − 122 . 9 ( 2h ), − 125 . 7 ( 2h ); hrms calculated 840 . 0555 found 840 . 0555 ; ir ( thin film ) 1741 cm − 1 , 3271 cm − 1 . this compound was synthesized similar to 10 . mp 51 - 52 ° c . ; 1 h nmr ( acetone - d 6 ) δ4 . 66 ( t , j = 6 . 1 hz , 4h ), δ2 . 56 - 2 . 38 ( m , 4h ), δ2 . 25 - 2 . 16 ( m , 4h ); 13 c nmr ( acetone - d 6 ) δ161 . 3 , δ124 . 2 - 105 . 3 ( m ), δ68 . 9 , δ28 . 2 ( t , j = 88 hz ), δ20 . 7 ; 19 f nmr ( acetone - d 6 ) δ − 79 . 6 ( 6f ), − 113 . 3 ( 4f ), δ − 120 . 8 ( 4f ), δ121 . 7 ( 4f ), − 122 . 3 ( 4f ), − 125 ( 4f ); lrms 840 ( m + + 2 , 6 %), 463 ( 6 %), 436 ( 15 %), 341 ( 32 %), 295 ( 25 %), 91 ( 100 %); ir ( thin film ) 1783 cm − 1 . zinc powder ( 3 . 24 g , 52 . 3 mmol ) was placed in a 250 ml round bottom flask equipped with a dropping funnel and a condenser . zn was dried under vacuum and cooled under argon . freshly distilled thf ( 8 ml ) was added at room temperature and the mixture was stirred for 5 min . 1 , 2 - dibromoethane ( 0 . 2 ml ) was added at 65 ° c . and the reaction flask was maintained at this temperature for 2 min and then cooled to room temperature . chlorotrimethylsilane ( 0 . 2 ml ) was added at room temperature . after 20 min , a solution of 1 , 1 , 1 , 2 , 2 , 3 , 3 , 4 , 4 , 5 , 5 , 6 , 6 , 7 , 7 , 8 , 8 - heptadecafluro - 8 - iodooctane ( 25 g , 43 . 6 mmol ) in thf ( 44 ml ) was added dropwise . the rate of addition was adjusted such that the reaction mixture was maintained at room temperature . after 24 h at room temperature , the colorless organozinc was cannulated to a 250 ml round bottom flask equipped with a condenser and charged with 1 - bromo - 4 - iodobenzene ( 12 . 7 g , 44 . 9 mmol ), tetrakis ( triphenylphosphine ) palladium ( 0 ) ( 1 . 51 g , 1 . 31 mmol ) in thf ( 22 ml ). the reaction mixture was stirred at 45 ° c . for 24 h . the solvent was then removed under reduced pressure ; the crude residue was dissolved in methylene chloride ( 50 ml ) and was extracted with fc - 72 ( 7 × 50 ml ). the fc - 72 layers were combined and the solvent was evaporated . the crude product obtained was then distilled under low pressure to give ( 13 . 4 g , 51 %) as a colorless oil : bp 123 ° c ./ 0 . 4 torr ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ7 . 48 - 7 . 43 ( m , 2h ), δ7 . 13 - 7 . 09 ( m , 2h ), δ2 . 91 - 2 . 85 ( m , 2h ), δ2 . 45 - 2 . 27 ( m , 2h ). a solution of t - buli ( 1 . 7 m in pentane , 1 . 95 ml , 3 . 32 mmol ) was added slowly to 1 - bromo - 4 -( 3 , 3 , 4 , 4 , 5 , 5 , 6 , 6 , 7 , 7 , 8 , 8 , 9 , 9 , 10 , 10 , 10 - tridecafluoro - octyl ) benzene ( 1 g , 1 . 66 mmol ) in ether ( 130 ml ) at − 78 ° c . after 1 h at − 78 ° c . for , chlorodiphenylphosphine ( 0 . 36 ml , 1 . 99 mmol ) was added ; the reaction mixture was warmed to room temperature and stirred overnight . then the reaction mixture was quenched with water ( 10 ml ). the ether layer was separated . the aqueous layer was further extracted with ether ( 3 × 10 ml ). the ether layers were then combined , dried with magnesium sulfate and concentrated under reduced pressure . the residue was then purified by column chromatography on silica gel . elution with 20 : 1 hexane : ethylacetate gave bis - phenyl -[ 4 -( 3 , 3 , 4 , 4 , 5 , 5 , 6 , 6 , 7 , 7 , 8 , 8 , 9 , 9 , 10 , 10 , 10 - heptadecafluorooctyl ) phenyl ] phosphane ( 970 mg , 81 %) as colorless oil ; 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ7 . 37 - 7 . 21 ( m , 14h ), δ2 . 99 - 2 . 93 ( m , 2h ), δ2 . 45 - 2 . 33 ( m , 2h ); 31 p nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ − 4 . 84 . the retention time of this phosphine was 25 min on a fluofix column under the standard conditions . mitsunobu reaction of 4 -( 4 - nitrophenyl ) butyric acid and methanol promoted by bis - phenyl -[ 4 -( 3 , 3 , 4 , 4 , 5 , 5 , 6 , 6 , 7 , 7 , 8 , 8 , 9 , 9 , 10 , 10 , 10 - heptadecafluorooctyl ) phenyl ] phosphane and fluorous dead 10 was done using procedure c ( see above ) to afford the pure substitution product . although the present invention has been described in detail in connection with the above examples , it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that variations can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention except as it may be limited by the following claims . | 2 |
for instance , in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory , in which two semiconductor chips where nand type flash memories are respectively mounted are stacked , when case data is output from one nand type flash memory , the other nand type flash memory is in a non - selection state . thus , when data copying is performed among the nand type flash memories ( chips ), the following procedure is required to be stepped on . first of all , data is output from one nand type flash memory and the output data is tentatively stored to a buffer memory prepared in an outside section . then , the data stored tentatively in the buffer memory is output , and thus the data is programmed into the other nand type flash memory . therefore , the data capacity being able to copy at a time is limited depending upon data capacity of the buffer memory . in addition , it is difficult to perform a high - speed data copy because the data copy is performed via the buffer memory prepared in the outside section . in addition , there are mainly two types in selection methods of the nand type flash memory of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory . one of them is a method for depositing the / ce ( chip enable ) pin and the ry or / by ( ready or busy ) pin every nand type flash memory to recognize the plurality of nand type flash memories ( semiconductor chips ) from the outside and using the outside pin for selection of the nand type flash memory . that is , selection and non - selection of the nand type flash memory may be switched by a chip enable signal which is input to the / ce pin , and a status where the nand type flash memory in which a signal level of ry or / by pin is detected and selected , is in a ready state or a busy state . the pins except for the / ce pin or ry or / by pin are deposited to all of the plurality of nand type flash memories as common pins . the other selection method is a method for depositing all the pins including the / ce pin and ry or / by pin to the plurality of nand type flash memories as common pins and switching whether the nand type flash memory is the selection or the non - selection using a part of address signals , for instance , the upper address signal . in either of the selection methods , the plurality of nand type flash memories are set in the selection state at a time , and the output operation and the input operation of the data of the nand type flash memory of the selection state may be performed at a time . however , different operation which is selected at a time may not be performed . that is to say , in these nonvolatile semiconductor memory divide , when data copying is performed among the nand flash memories , all of the data output of the nand type flash memories which is in a selection state may be performed at a time . the output operation of data is performed in one nand type flash memory and , in the meantime , however , the input operation may not be performed in the other nand type flash memory . therefore , it takes time for copying data . in fig1 , an example of operation image according to the data copying among the nand type flash memories ( between semiconductor chips ) in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory is shown . in the same diagram , the arrows show a series of data flow . in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory , the output operation of data from the nand type flash memory mounted on a chip “ 0 ” and the input operation of data to the nand type flash memory mounted on chip “ 1 ” may not be performed at a time . thus , in a general nonvolatile semiconductor memory , at first , the data is output to the nand type flash memory which is mounted on the chip “ 1 ” from the buffer memory , after the data is output to the buffer memory which is prepared in a outside section fro the nand type flash memory which is mounted on the chip “ 0 ”. thus , in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory , at the time of data copying operation among the nand type flash memories , it is necessary to store the data tentatively to the buffer memory by all means , and thus it takes time to process the data copying operation . fig1 shows an example of operation sequence according to the data copy among the nand type flash memories in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory . further in the example , all of the pins of the nand type flash memories including / ce pin and ry or / by pin ( the outside pins ) are common . firstly , the nand type flash memory which is mounted on the chip “ 0 ” is set in a normally - selection state , and when a signal is sent to the cle ( command latch enable ) pin , the command “ 00 ” is booted up using the i / o ( input / output ) pin . next , the signal is sent to the ale ( address latch enable ) pin , an address of the data which is desired to copy in the nand type flash memory which is mounted on the chip “ 0 ” by inputting of the address (“ add ”) using the i / o pin . here , the address of data which is desired to copy in the nand type flash memory which is mounted on the chip “ 0 ”. next , the signal is sent again to the cle pin , the readout operation of data of the nand type flash memory which is mounted on the chip “ 0 ” is performed . during these operation , / ce pin is in a selection (“ l ”: low level ) state and the / re pin ( read enable ) pin is in a non - selection (“ h ”: high level ) state , and the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state ( a state where the command is able to input from the outside section ), the / we ( write enable ) pin is in a toggle state . here , a toggle state stands for an operation state , in which the signal is sending repeatedly and periodically . a toggle state , though it is not limited in particular , may be controlled , for instance , by the operation clock signal . next , the ry or / ry pin becomes a busy state . a busy state stands for a state , in which an input of command from the outside is prohibited , and in a operation status of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory except a reset command , a status command and such . during the operation , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the cle pin and the ale pin is in a non - selection ( l ) state , and the / we pin and the / re pin are in non - selection ( h ) states . in the next place , the ry or / by pin again becomes a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section , and the / re pin becomes a toggle state . thereby data (“ dout ”) is output to the buffer memory ( see fig1 for reference .) prepared in the outside section from the nand type flash memory which is mounted on the chip “ 0 ” using the i / o pin . during this operation , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the cle pin and the ale pin are in non - selection ( l ) states , and the / we pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state . then , the nand type flash memory which is mounted on the chip “ 1 ” is normally set to a selection state , the signal is sent to the cle pin , and the command “ 80 ” is boot up using the i / o pin . then subsequently , the signal is sent to the ale pin , and the address is designated , in which the copy data in the nand type flash memory which is mounted on the chip “ 1 ” is programmed by inputting the address using the i / o pin . here , the address , in which the copy data in the nand type flash memory which is mounted on the chip “ 1 ” is programmed , is designated by inputting three addresses . then , the data (“ data ”) is output to the nand type flash memory which is mounted on the chip “ 1 ” from the buffer memory prepared in the outside section using the i / o pin . in the end , the signal is sent to the cle pin , the data is programmed to the nand type flash memory which is mounted on the chip “ 1 ” by booting up the command “ 10 ” using the i / o pin . during these operation , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the / re pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state , and the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section , the / we is in a toggle state . in this way , the nonvolatile semiconductor memory , it is necessary to store the data tentatively in the buffer memory prepared to the outside section at the time of data copying operation among the nand type flash memories . thus , it takes time to process the data copying operation . in the next place , detailed description of the embodiments of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory of the present invention will be performed . the present invention , in addition , is not limited to these embodiments and are variable in a range , which the subject matter of the present invention is not deviated from . in fig1 a , an example of operation image according to the data copying operation among the nand type flash memories ( among the semiconductor chips ) in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory according to the first embodiment is shown . in addition , in the first embodiment and the other embodiments described hereinafter , the number of the nand type flash memories ( the number of semiconductor chip ) are set to be two memories . however the nonvolatile semiconductor memory according to the present invention is not limited to the number , and the number of the nand type flash memory may be set to more than two . in particular , it is preferable that the number be that of integral multiple of “ 2 ” on constructing the memory module . as shown in fig1 a , the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the first embodiment , provides a controller 2 , a semiconductor chip 3 ( a semiconductor chip “ 0 ”), on which a nand type flash memory 3 m is mounted , and the semiconductor chip 4 ( a semiconductor chip “ 1 ”), on which the nand type flash memory 4 m having the same structure to the nand type flash memory 3 m is mounted . these are interconnected via a system bus . in the controller 2 , a buffer memory 2 b is provided . in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 , the data which is mounted on the nand type flash memory 3 m of the semiconductor chip 3 may be sent directly to the nand type flash memory 3 m of the semiconductor chip 4 . that is to say , the data output operation from the nand type flash memory 3 m and the data input operation of the nand type flash memory 4 m may be performed at a time . in fig1 b , an example of summary of the cross section structure of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 is shown . the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 provides a wiring board 5 , a controller 2 stacked thereon , semiconductor chips 3 and 4 , a package 6 which seals the wiring board 5 , the controller 2 and the semiconductor chips 3 and 4 , and a pin 7 . that is to say , the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 adopts a multi - chip module structure . one end of the pin 7 is electrically connected to the controller 2 , the semiconductor chips 3 and 4 via the wiring formed on the wiring board 5 . the other end is electrically connected to a terminal of electronic parts ( not shown in the figure ), on which the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 is implemented . in addition , in the first embodiment , the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 is configured with a stacked structure , in which the controller 2 , the semiconductor chips 3 and 4 are respectively and sequentially piled up . however , the present invention is not limited to such a structure , but may be disposed on separate areas on the wiring board , without piling up . for the package 6 , epoxy system resin , ceramics and such may be used practically . in fig2 , an example of the pin deposition of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the first embodiment is shown , and a correspondence table of the abbreviated expressions and their formal nomenclatures is shown as fig3 . in fig4 , an example of system configuration of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the first embodiment . either of the nand type flash memory 3 m and 4 m of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 provides a logic control circuit 10 , a i / o control circuit 11 , a status register 12 , an address register 13 , a command register 14 , a control circuit 15 , a high voltage generation circuit 16 , a row decoder ( a row address buffer decoder and a row address decoder ) 17 , a column buffer 18 , a column decoder 19 , a data register 20 , a sense amplifier 21 and a memory cell array 22 . in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 , the / ce pin and the ry or / by pin are provided to recognize a plurality of nand type flash memories 3 m and 4 m ( semiconductor chips 3 and 4 ) from the outside section . the / ce pin and the ry or / by pin are deposited per the nand type flash memories 3 m and 4 m . the other pins are common pins to all of the nand type flash memories 3 m and 4 m . however , the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the present invention is not always limited to such system configuration , for instance , all the pins including / ce pin and ry or / by pins may be deposited as common pins to the nand type flash memories 3 m and 4 m . in this case , recognition of the nand type flash memory 3 m and 4 m may be performed . in the next place , the data copying operation among the nand type flash memories 3 m and 4 m of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the first embodiment . in fig5 , an example of operation sequence of the data copying of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 is shown . in addition , in the data copying operation , all of the pins including the / ce pin and the ry or / by pin are set as the common pins . firstly , the semiconductor chip 3 ( the chip “ 0 ”) on which the nand type flash memory 3 m is mounted is set to a normal selection state , the signal is sent to the cle pin , and the command “ 00 ” is booted up using the i / o pin . next , the signal is sent to the ale pin , the address of the data to copy in the nand type flash memory 3 m is designated by inputting of the address “ a ” using the i / o pin . here , the address of the data to copy is designated by inputting the five addresses “ a .” then again , the signal is sent to the cle pin , and the data readout operation of the nand type flash memory 3 m is performed by booting up of the command “ 30 ” using the i / o pin . during these operation periods , the / cle pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the / re pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state , the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section , and the / we pin is in a toggle state . next , the ry or / by pin becomes a busy state . a busy state is a state , in which the input of the command from the outside section is prohibited except for the reset command and the status command . the entire system of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 is a operation state . during the operation period , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the cle pin and the ale pin are in non - selection ( l ) states , and the / we pin and the / re pin are in a non - selection ( h ) state . in the next place , the signal is sent to the cle pin and a command “ 65 ” is booted up using the i / o pin . subsequently , the signal is sent to the ale pin , and three addresses “ a ” are input using the i / o pin . by these operations , the normal selection state is changed to the semiconductor chip 4 ( a chip “ 1 ”) on which the nand type flash memory 4 m is mounted , from the nand type flash memory 3 m . during these operation periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the / re pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state , the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section , and the / we pin is in a toggle state . then , the signal is sent to the cle pin and a command “ 80 ” is booted up using the i / o pin . then subsequently , the signal is sent to the ale pin and five addresses “ a ” are input using the i / o pin . by these operation , cache of the nand type flash memory 4 m are reset . in addition , during these operation periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the / re pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state , and the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section , and the / we is in a toggle state . next , the signal is sent to the cle pin , a command “ 65 ” is booted up using the i / o pin . then subsequently , the signal is sent to the ale pin , and three addresses “ a ” are input using the i / o pin . by these operation , the normal selection state is changed to the nand type flash memory 3 m from the nand type flash memory 4 m . during these operation periods , the / cle pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the / re pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state , the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section , and / we pin is in a toggle state . next , the signal is sent to the cle pin and a command “ 66 ” is booted up using the i / o pin . then subsequently , the signal is sent to the ale pin and three addresses “ a ” are input using the i / o pin . by these operation , when the / re pin is in a toggle state the data input to the nand type flash memory 4 m ( chip “ 1 ”) may be recognized . during these operation periods , the / cle pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the / re pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state , the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section , and / we pin is in a toggle state . then , when the / re pin is in a toggle state , the output of data “ d ” and the input of data “ d ” are performed at a time using the i / o pin . during these operation periods , the / cle pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the cle pin and the ale pin are in a non - selection ( l ) state , the / we pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state , and the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section then , the nand type flash memory 4 m is set to a normal selection state , the signal is sent to the cle pin , and a command “ 85 ” is booted up using the i / o pin . subsequently , the signal is sent to the ale pin , and the address to program the copy data in the nand type flash memory 4 m is designated by inputting the address “ a ” using the i / o address . here , five addresses “ a ” in the nand type flash memory 4 m are input and thereby the address to program the copy data is designated by inputting five addresses “ a ” is input . next , data “ d ” is input to the nand type flash memory 4 m using the i / o pin . in addition , the input operation of the data “ d ” to the nand type flash memory is not requisiteness and does not have to be performed . at last , the signal is sent to the cle pin , and the data is programmed to the designated address of the nand type flash memory 4 m by booting up the command “ 10 ” using the i / o pin . during these operation periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the / re pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state , the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section , and the / we pin is in a toggle state . in this way , according to the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the first embodiment , it is not necessary to store the data tentatively into the buffer memory prepared in the outside section shown in fig1 a , and thus the data copying operation may be realized among the nand type flash memories 3 m and 4 m . therefore , the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 may be perform the data copy between the nand type flash memories 3 m and 4 m in a short time without any limitation of the copy data capacity . the second embodiment describes a data copying operation , which is different from the data copying operation of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the first embodiment . in addition , in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the second embodiment , the operation sequence of the data copying operation is different in part . however the other configuration is same to the configuration of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the first embodiment . in fig6 , an example of operation sequence of the data copying operation among the nand type flash memories 3 m and 4 m in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the second embodiment is shown . in addition , in the data copying operation , all the pins including the / ce pin and the ry or / by pin are set as common pins . firstly , a nand type flash memory 3 m ( a semiconductor chip 3 , a chip “ 0 ”) is set to be a normal selection state , the signal is sent to the cle pin , and a command “ 00 ” is booted up using the i / o pin . then subsequently , the signal is sent to the ale pin , and an address of data to copy in the nand type flash memory 3 m is designated by inputting the address “ add ” using the i / o pin . here , the address of the data to copy in the nand type flash memory 3 m is designated by inputting three addresses “ add .” then subsequently , the signal is sent to the cle pin again , and the data readout operation of the nand type flash memory 3 m is performed by booting up a command “ 30 ” using the i / o pin . during these operation periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the / re pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state , the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section , and the / we pin is in a toggle state . next , the ry or / by pin is in a busy state . a busy state stands for a state , where an input of command from the outside section is prohibited except for a reset command , a status command and such . the system of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 is in an operation state . during these operation periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the cle pin and the ale pin is in a non - selection ( l ) state , and the / we pin and / re pin are in non - selection ( h ) states . next , the signal is sent to the cle pin , and a command “ new ” is booted up using the i / o pin . then subsequently , the signal is sent to the ale pin and one address “ add ” is input using the i / o pin . by these operation , in the nand type flash memory 4 m ( semiconductor chip 4 , chip “ 1 ”), the / re pin becomes a non - selection ( l ) state so that no influence occurs to the inside section even if the / re pin is set to be a toggle state . in the nand type flash memory 3 m , the / we pin becomes a non - selection ( l ) state so that no influence is extend to the inside section even if the / we pin is set to be a toggle state . during these operation periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the / re pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state and the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section in the next place , the nand type flash memory 4 m is set to be a normal selection state , the signal is sent to the cle pin and the command “ 80 ” is booted up using the i / o pin . then subsequently , the signal is sent to the ale pin , and the address to program the copy data in the nand type flash memory 4 m is designated by inputting the address “ add ” using the i / o pin . here , three addresses “ add ” are input , and thereby the address to program the copy data in the nand type flash memory 4 m is designated . during these operation periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the / re pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state and the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section then the / we pin and the / re pin are set to be a toggle state at a time . in doing so , in the nand type flash memory 3 m , the data “ data ” is output by setting the / re pin being a toggle state . in the nand type flash memory 4 m , the data is input by setting the / we pin to be in a toggle state . at last , the signal is sent to the cle pin and the command “ 10 ” is booted up using the i / o pin , thereby the data is programmed into the nand type flash memory 4 m . during these operation periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the ale pin is in a non - selection ( l ) state and ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section . here , an enlarged view of the section shown in fig6 with a sign “ a ” is shown in fig7 . in fig7 , for convenience , an order of the / re pin , the i / o pin and the / we pin are replaced to those in fig6 . as shown in fig7 , in the second embodiment , for instance , it is respectively set that the / re accessing time ( trea ) be 35 ns , the data setting up time ( tds ) be 20 ns , the data output maintaining time ( toh ) be 10 ns , and the data maintaining time ( tdh ) be 10 ns . thus , according to the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the second embodiment it is not necessary to store the data tentatively into the buffer memory prepared in the outside section shown in fig1 a , and the data copying operation may be realized among the nand type flash memories 3 m and 4 m . therefore , the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 may perform the data copy between the nand type flash memories 3 m and 4 m in a short time without limitation of the copy data capacity . the third embodiment of the present invention describes a data copying operation which is different from the data copying operation of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the first and second embodiment . in addition , in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the second embodiment , the operation sequence of the data copying operation is different in part . however , the other configuration is the same to the configuration of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the first embodiment . in fig8 , an example of operation sequence of the data copying operation among the nand type flash memories 3 m and 4 m in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the third embodiment is shown . in addition , in the data copying operation , the / ce pin and all of the pins are set as common pins including the ry or / by pin . at first , the nand type flash memory 3 m ( a semiconductor chip 3 , a chip “ 0 ”) is set to be a normal selection state , the signal is sent to the cle pin , and a command “ 00 ” is booted up using the i / o pin . subsequently the signal is sent to the ale pin and an address of data to copy in the nand type flash memory 3 m is designated by inputting the address “ add ” using the i / o pin . here , three addresses “ add ” are input , and thereby the address of the data to copy in the nand type flash memory 3 m is designated . then subsequently , the signal is sent to the cle pin again and the readout operation of the data of the nand type flash memory 3 m is performed by booting up the command “ 30 ” using the i / o pin . during these operation periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the / re pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state , the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section and the / we pin is in a toggle state . next , the ry or / by pin is set to be a busy state . a busy state stands for a state where an input of command from the outside section is prohibited except for a reset command , a status command and such . the system of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 is in an operation state . during these operation periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the cle pin and the ale pin are in non - selection ( l ) states , and the / we pin and the / re pin are in non - selection ( h ) states . then , the signal is sent to the cle pin and a command “ new ” is booted up using the i / o pin . then subsequently , the signal is sent to the ale pin and one address “ add ” is input using the i / o pin . by these operations , in the nand type flash memory 3 m , when the / we pin is set to be a toggle state , the / re pin makes the / we pin recognize that it is in a toggle state . during these operation periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the / re pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state , the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section and the / we pin is in a toggle state . next , the nand type flash memory 4 m ( the semiconductor chip 4 , the chip “ 1 ”) is set to be a normal selection state , the signal is sent to the cle pin and the command “ 80 ” is booted up using the i / o pin . then subsequently , the signal is sent to the ale pin , and the address to program the copy data in the nand type flash memory 4 m is designated by inputting the address “ add ” using the i / o pin . here , three addresses “ add ” are input , and thereby the address to program the copy data in the nand type flash memory 4 m is designated . during these operation periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the / re pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state , the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section and the / we pin is in a toggle state . further , the / we pin is set to be a toggle state . in doing so , in the nand type flash memory 3 m , that the / we pin is set to be a toggle state is recognized as that the / re pin is set to be a toggle state , whereby the data is output . in the nand type flash memory 4 m , the data “ data ” is input by setting the / we pin to be a toggle state . at last , the signal is sent to the cle pin and the data is programmed to the nand type flash memory 4 m by booting up the command “ 10 ” using the i / o pin . during these operation periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the ale pin is in a non - selection ( l ) state , the / re pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state , the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section . thus , according to the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the third embodiment , it is not necessary to store the data tentatively in the buffer memory prepared in the outside section shown in fig1 a , and the data copying operation may be realized among the nand type flash memories 3 m and 4 m . therefore , the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 may perform the data copy among the nand type flash memories 3 m and 4 m in a short time . the fourth embodiment of the present invention describes a data copying operation which is different from the data copying operation of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the first to the third embodiment . in addition , in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the fourth embodiment , the operation sequence of the data copying operation is different in part . however , the other configuration is the same to the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the first embodiment . in fig9 , an example of operation sequence of the data copying operation among the nand type flash memories 3 m and 4 m in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the fourth embodiment . in addition , in the data copying operation , all of the pins including the / ce pin and ry or / by pin are set as common pins . at first , the nand type flash memory 3 m ( the semiconductor chip 3 , the chip “ 0 ”) is set to be a normal selection state , a signal is sent to the cle pin , the command “ 00 ” is boot up using the i / o pin . sequentially , the signal is sent to the ale pin , the address “ add ” is input using the i / o pin , thereby the address of data to copy in the nand type flash memory 3 m is designated . here , three addresses “ add ” are input and thereby the address of data to copy in the nand type flash memory 3 m is designated . then subsequently , the signal is sent to the cle pin again , and the data readout operation of the nand type flash memory 3 m is performed by booting up the command “ 30 ” using the i / o pin . during these operation periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the / re pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state , the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section and the / we pin is in a toggle state . next , the ry or / by pin is set to be a busy state . a busy state stands for a state where an input from the outside section is prohibited except for a reset command , a status command and such . the system of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 is in an operation state . during the operation period , the / ce pin is in a selection ( h ) state , the cle pin is in a non - selection ( l ) state and the / we and the / re pin are in non - selection ( h ) states . then , the signal is sent to the cle pin and a “ new ” command is boot up using the i / o pin . subsequently , the signal is sent to the ale pin , and one address “ add ” is input using the i / o pin . by these operation , in the nand flash memory 4 m ( the semiconductor chip 4 , the chip “ 1 ”), when the / re pin is set to be a toggle state , the / we pin is recognized as being in a toggle state . during these operation periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the / re pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state , the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section and the / we pin is in a toggle state . then the signal is sent to the cle pin and a command “ 80 ” is booted up using the i / o pin . then subsequently , the signal is sent to the ale pin and an address to program the copy data in the nand type flash memory is designated by inputting the address “ add ” using the i / o pin . here , three addresses are input , and thereby the address to program the copy data in the nand type flash memory is designated . during these operation periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the / re pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state , the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section and the / we pin is in a toggle state . in the next place , the / re pin is set to be a toggle state . in doing so , in the nand type flash memory 3 m , the data is output by setting the / re pin to be a toggle state . in the nand type flash memory 4 m , that the / re pin is set to be the toggle state is recognized that the / we pin is set to be the toggle state , whereby the data “ data ” is input . during these operation periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the cle pin and the ale pin are in a non - selection ( l ) state , the / we pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state , and the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section at last , the signal is sent to the cle pin and the command “ 10 ” is booted up , whereby the data is programmed to the nand type flash memory by booting up the command “ 10 ”. during these operation periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the / ale pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state , the / re pin is in a non - selection state , the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section and the / we pin is in a toggle state . thus , according to the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the fourth embodiment , it is not necessary to store data tentatively in the memory buffer prepared in the outside section shown in fig1 a , and the data copying operation may be realized among the nand type flash memories 3 m and 4 m . therefore , the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 may perform the data copy among the nand type flash memories 3 m and 4 m in a short time without any limitation of the copy data capacity . the fifth embodiment of the present invention describes the data copying operation which is different from the data copying operation of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the first to fourth embodiment . in addition , in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the fifth embodiment , the operation sequence of the data copying operation is different in part . however , the other configuration is the same to the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the first embodiment . in fig1 , an example of operation image of the data copying operation among the nand type flash memories 3 m and 4 m in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the fifth embodiment . in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 , data may be sent directly to the nand type flash memory 4 m ( the semiconductor chip 4 , the chip “ 1 ”) from the nand type flash memory 3 m ( the semiconductor chip 3 , the chip “ 0 ”). in the meantime , the copy data may be output to the buffer memory 2 b of the controller 2 prepared in the outside section . in fig1 , an example of the operation sequence of the data copying operation among the nand type flash memories 3 m and 4 m in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the fifth embodiment . in addition , in the data copying operation , all the pins including the / ce pin and the ry or / by pin are set as common pin . at first , the nand type flash memory 3 m ( the semiconductor chip 3 , the chip “ 0 ”) is set to be a normal selection state , a signal is sent to the cle pin and the command “**” is booted up using the i / o pin . then subsequently , the signal is sent to the ale pin and one address “ add ” is input using the i / o pin . by these operation , data readout operation of the nand type flash memory is performed . then , when the / re pin is set to be a toggle state , the nand type flash memory 4 m ( the semiconductor chip 4 , the chip “ 1 ”) is recognized as a data input . during these operation periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the / re pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state , the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section and the / we pin is in a toggle state . next , the signal is sent to the cle pin and the command “ 00 ” is booted up using the i / o pin . then subsequently , the signal is sent to the ale pin and the address “ add ” is input using the i / o pin , whereby the address of the data desired to copy in the nand type flash memory 3 m is designated . here , three addresses “ add ” are input , whereby the address of the data desired to copy in the nand type flash memory 3 m is designated . then subsequently , the signal is sent to the cle pin again and the command “ 30 ” is booted up using the i / o pin , whereby the data readout operation of the nand type flash memory 3 m is performed . during these operation periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the / re pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state , the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section and the / we pin is in a toggle state . then , the ry or / by pin is set to be a busy state . a busy state stands for a state , in which an input of command from the outside is prohibited except a reset command , a status command and such . the system of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory is in an operation state . during the operation periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the cle pin and the ale pin is in a non - selection ( l ) state , and the / we pin and the / re pin are in non - selection ( h ) states . further , the ry or / by pin is set to be a ready ( h ) state where the command can be input from the outside section , and the / re pin becomes a toggle state , whereby the data “ dout ” is output from the nand type flash memory using the i / o pin . the data which is output from the nand type flash memory 3 m is input to the nand type flash memory 4 m ( the semiconductor chip 4 , the chip “ 1 ”) by setting the / re to be a toggle state . in the meantime , the data is input to the buffer memory 2 b prepared to the outside section . during these periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the cle pin and the ale pin are in a non - selection ( l ) state and the / we pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state . then , signal is sent to the cle pin and the command “ 85 ” is booted up using the i / o pin . then subsequently , the signal is sent to the ale pin and the address “ add ” is input using the i / o pin , whereby the address to program the copy data in the nand type flash memory 4 m is designated . here , three address “ add ” are input , whereby the address to program the copy data in the nand type flash memory 4 m is designated . by these operations , in the nand type flash memory 4 m , the data is overwritten remaining the input data . then subsequently , the data “ data ” is input to the nand type flash memory 4 m from the buffer memory 2 b prepared in the outside section using the i / o pin . during these operation periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the / re pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state , the ry or / by pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state and the / we pin is in a toggle state . thus , in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the fifth embodiment , the data may be inputs and corrects to the nand type flash memory 4 m from the buffer memory 2 b prepared in the outside section , in case the correction of the data which is input to the nand type flash memory is required by ecc ( error checking and correcting ). sixth embodiment of the present invention describes a data copying operation which is different from the data copying operation of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the fifth embodiment . in addition , in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the sixth embodiment , the operation sequence of the data copying operation is different in part . however , the other configuration is the same to that of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the first embodiment . in fig1 , an example of the operation sequence of the data copying operation among the nand type flash memories 3 m and 4 m in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the sixth embodiment . in addition , in the data copying operation , all of the pins including the / ce pin and the ry or / by pin are set as common pin . at first , the nand type flash memory 3 m ( the semiconductor chip 3 , the chip “ 0 ”) is set to be a normal selection state , a signal is sent to the cle pin and the command “ 00 ” is booted up using the i / o pin . then , the signal is sent to the ale pin and the address “ add ” is input using the i / o pin , whereby the address of data which is desired to copy in the nand type flash memory 3 m is designated . here , three addresses “ add ” are input , whereby the address of data which is desired to copy in the nand type flash memory is designated . during these operation periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the / re pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state , the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section and the / we pin is in a toggle state . next , the signal is sent to the cle pin and the command “**” is booted up using the i / o pin . by these operation , the data readout of the nand type flash memory 3 m is performed . then , when the / re pin becomes a toggle state , the nand type flash memory 4 m ( the semiconductor chip 4 , the chip “ 1 ”) is recognized as a data input . during these operation periods , the / ce pin is in a non - selection ( l ) state , the / re pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state , the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section and the / we pin is in a toggle state . then , the ry or / by pin is set to be a busy state . a busy state stands for a state where an input of command from the outside section is prohibited except for a reset command , a status command and such . the system of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 is in an operation state . during these operation periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the cle pin and the ale pin is in a non - selection ( l ) state , and the / we pin and / re pin are in non - selection ( h ) states . the system of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 is in an operation state . during these operation periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the / cle pin and the / ale pin is in non - selection ( l ) state and the / we pin and the / re pin are in non - selection ( h ) state . then , the ry or / by pin is set to be a ready ( h ) state again , where the command is able to input from the outside section and the / re pin is set to be a toggle state , whereby the data “ dout ” is output from the nand type flash memory using the i / o pin . the data which is output from the nand type flash memory 3 m is input to the nand type flash memory 4 m ( the semiconductor chip 4 , the chip “ 1 ”) by setting the / re pin to be a toggle state . in the meantime , the data is also input to the buffer memory 2 b prepared in the outside section . during these operation period , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the cle pin and the ale pin is in a non - selection ( l ) state and the / we pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state . in the next place , the signal is sent to the cle pin and the command “ 85 ” is booted up using the i / o pin . then subsequently , the signal is sent to the ale pin and the address “ add ” is input using the i / o pin , whereby the address to program the copy data in the nand type flash memory 4 m ( the semiconductor chip 4 , the chip “ 1 ”) is designated . here , three addresses “ add ” are input , whereby the address to program the copy data of the nand type flash memory 4 m is designated . by these operations , in the nand type flash memory 4 m , the data may be overwritten remaining the input data . then subsequently , the data “ data ” is input to the nand type flash memory 4 m from the buffer memory 2 b prepared in the outside section using the i / o pin . during these operation periods , the / ce pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the / re pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state , the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section and the / we pin is in a toggle state . thus , in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the sixth embodiment , the data may be inputs and corrects to the nand type flash memory 4 m from the buffer memory 2 b prepared in the outside section , in case correction of the data which is input in the nand type flash memory 4 m by ecc . in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the above - described first to the sixth embodiments , examples have been described , where two nand type flash memories 3 m and 4 m ( two semiconductor chip 3 and 4 ) are implemented . however , the present invention is not limited to the number but more than two nand type flash memories may be implemented . in fig1 , an example of an operation image of the data copying operation among the nand type flash memories ( the semiconductor chips ) in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the seventh embodiment is shown . the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 further provides a semiconductor chip 8 ( a chip “ 2 ”), on which the nand type flash memory 8 m is mounted , in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the first embodiment 1 shown in the above described fig1 a . in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 , data may be sent directly to the nand type flash memory 4 m ( a chip “ 1 ”) and the nand type flash memory 8 m ( the chip “ 2 ”) from the nand type flash memory 3 m ( the chip “ 0 ”). that is to say , a data outputting operation from the nand type flash memory 3 m and a data inputting operation of the nand type flash memory 4 m may be performed at a time . also , either that only the data copy ( a ) is performed to the nand type flash memory 4 m from the nand type flash memory 3 m , or that only the data copy ( b ) is performed to the nand type flash memory 8 m from the nand type flash memory 3 m , is possible . further , at the same time that the data copy ( a ) is performed to the nand type flash memory 4 m from the nand type flash memory 3 m , that the data copy ( b ) is performed to the nand type flash memory 8 m from the nand type flash memory 3 m is possible . the eighth embodiment of the present invention describes the data copying operation which is different from the data copying operation of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the first to the seventh embodiment . in particular , the eighth embodiment describes an example , where in the data copying operation , switching among the nand type flash memories 3 m and 4 m may be implemented by the ce pin ( chip enable signal ). in addition , in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the eighth embodiment , the operation sequence of the data copying operation is different in part . however , the other configuration is the same to the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the first embodiment . in fig1 , an example of the operation sequence of the data copying operation among the nand type flash memories 3 m and 4 m is shown in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the eighth embodiment . in addition , in the data copying operation , a plurality of / ce pins and a plurality of ry or / by pins are deposited in proportion to the number of the nand type flash memories 3 m and 4 m , and all of other pins are set as common pins . firstly , the / cen0 pin of the nand type flash memory 3 m ( the semiconductor chip 3 , the chip “ 0 ”) is set to be a non - selection ( h ) state , and the ce n1 pin of the nand type flash memory 4 m ( the semiconductor chip 4 , the chip “ 1 ”) is set to be a selection ( l ) state . the command “ 80 ” is booted up using the i / o pin , and subsequently , five addresses “ a ” are input using the i / o pin . by these operations , cache of the nand type flash memory 4 m is reset . during these operation period , the / re pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state , the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section and the / we pin is in a toggle state . next , the / cen0 pin of the nand type flash memory 3 m is set to be a selection ( l ) and the / cen1 pin of the nand type flash memory 4 m is set to be a non - selection ( h ) state . then the command “ 00 ” is booted up using the i / o pin . subsequently , the address “ a ” is input , whereby the data of address which is desired to copy in the nand type flash memory 3 m is read out . here , five addresses are input , whereby the address of data which is desired to copy in the nand type flash memory 3 m is designated . subsequently , the command “ 30 ” is booted up using the i / o command , whereby the data readout of the nand type flash memory 3 m is performed . during these operation period , the / re pin is in a non - selection ( l ) state , the ry or / by pin is in a ready ( h ) state where the command is able to input from the outside section and the / we pin is in a toggle state . next , the ry pin or / by pin is set to be a busy state . a busy state stands for a state , where the input of command from the outside section is prohibited except for a reset command , a status command and such . the system of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 is in an operation state . during these operation period , the / cen0 pin is in a selection ( l ) state , the / cen1 pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state and the / we pin and the / re pins are in non - selection ( h ) states . in the next place , the ry or / by pin is set to be a ready state where the command is able to input from the outside section . then the command “ 66 ” is booted up using the i / o pin ; at the same time the / cen0 pin of the nand type flash memory 3 m is set to be a non - selection ( h ) state and the / cen1 pin of the nand type flash memory 4 m is set to be a non - selection ( l ) state . the address “ a ” is input to the nand type flash memory 4 m using the i / o pin . here , three addresses “ a ” are input , whereby the address of data which is desired to copy in the nand type flash memory 4 m is designated . then subsequently , the / cen0 pin of the nand type flash memory 3 m is set to be a selection ( l ) state and the / cen1 pin of the nand type flash memory 4 m is set to be a selection ( l ) state at a time . then , the data which is output from the nand type flash memory 3 m is input and copied to the nand type flash memory 4 m by setting the / re pin to be a toggle state , meanwhile , the data is also input to the buffer memory 2 b prepared in the outside section ( see fig1 ). during these operation periods , the / we pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state . then , the / cen0 pin of the nand type flash memory 3 m is set to be a non - selection ( h ) state , the / cen1 pin of the nand type flash memory 4 m is set to be a selection ( l ) state and the command “ 85 ” is booted up using the i / o pin . subsequently , the address “ a ” is input using the i / o pin , whereby the address to program the copy data in the nand type flash memory 4 m is designated . here , five addresses “ a ” are input , whereby the address to program the copy data in the nand type flash memory 4 m is designated . by these operations , in the nand type flash memory 4 m , the data is overwritten remaining the input data . then subsequently , a data “ d ” is input to the nand type flash memory 4 m from the buffer memory 2 b prepared in the outside section using the i / o pin . during these operation periods , the / re pin is in a non - selection ( h ) state , the ry or / by pin is in a selection ( h ) state , and the / we pin is in a toggle state . thus , in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the eighth embodiment , when correction of the data which is input to the nand type flash memory 4 m is required by ecc , the data may be inputs and corrects to the nand type flash memory 4 m from the buffer memory 2 b prepared in the outside section . further , an copying operation to copy the data of the nand type flash memory 3 m to the nand type flash memory 4 m may be performed by the chip enable ( ce pin ). as described above , the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the embodiments of the present invention has the following characteristics . that is , the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the fourth embodiment , in the nand type flash memory 4 m of the destination to be copied , the read enable operation is performed after booting up a command , in which the read enable operation is made recognize as a write enable operation , whereby the output operation of the data of the nand type flash memory 3 m of the source of the copy and the input operation of the data of the nand type flash memory 4 m of the destination to be copied may be performed at a time . the nonvolatile semiconductor memory according to the first embodiment , when copying the data to the nand type flash memory 4 m from the nand type flash memory 3 m , in the nand type flash memory 4 m , the read enable operation is performed after booting up the command , in which the read enable operation is made recognize as the write enable operation . the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the fourth embodiment , in the nand type flash memory 4 m , the read enable operation is performed after the command in which the read enable operation is made recognize as the write enable operation , thereby , the output operation of the data from the nand type flash memory 3 m and the input operation of the data to the nand type flash memory 4 m are performed at a time . the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the second embodiment , after the command is booted up , in which the write enable operation is not made recognize in the nand type flash memory 3 m of the source of the copy and the read enable operation is not made recognize in the nand type flash memory 4 m of the destination to be copied , the read enable operation of the nand type flash memory 3 m and the write enable operation of the nand type flash memory 4 m are performed at a time . thereby , the output operation of the data from the nand type flash memory 3 m of the source of the copy and the input operation of the data to the nand type flash memory 4 m of the destination to be copied , are performed at a time . the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the first embodiment , when copying the data to the nand type flash memory 4 m from the nand type flash memory 3 m , after the command is booted up , in which the read enable operation is not made recognize in the nand type flash memory 3 m and the write enable operation is not made recognize in the nand type flash memory 4 m , the read enable operation of the nand type flash memory 3 m and the write enable operation of the nand type of the flash memory 4 m are performed at a time . the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the second embodiment , the command , in which the write enable operation is not made recognized in the nand type flash memory 3 m and the read enable operation is not made recognize in the nand type flash memory 4 m , are booted up . afterward , the read enable operation of the nand type flash memory 3 m and the write enable operation of the nand type flash memory 4 m are performed at a time . thereby , the output operation of the data from the nand type flash memory 3 m and the input operation of the data to the nand type flash memory 4 m are performed at a time . the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the third embodiment , in the nand type flash memory 3 m of the source of the copy , the write enable operation is performed to the nand type flash memory 3 m after booting up the command in which the write enable operation is made recognize as the read enable operation . thereby , the output operation of the data of the nand type flash memory 3 m of the source of the copy and the input operation of the data of the nand type flash memory 4 m of the destination to be copied are performed at a time . the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the first embodiment , when copying the data to the nand type flash memory 4 m from the nand type flash memory 3 m , in the nand type flash memory 3 m , the write enable operation is performed after booting up the command in which the write enable operation is made recognize as the read enable operation . the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the third embodiment , in the nand type flash memory 3 m , the write enable operation is performed after booting up the command in which the write enable operation is made recognize as the read enable operation . thereby , the output operation of the data of the nand type flash memory 3 m and the input operation of the nand type flash memory 4 m are performed at a time . the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the fifth or sixth embodiment , in the nand type flash memory 4 m of the destination to be copied , the read enable operation is performed after booting up the command in which the read enable operation is made recognize as the data input of the nand type flash memory 4 m of the destination to be copied . thereby , the output operation of the data of the nand type flash memory 3 m of the source of the copy and the input operation of the data of the nand type flash memory 4 m of the destination to be copied , are performed at a time . meanwhile , the data which is output from the nand type flash memory 3 m of the source of the copy is input to the buffer memory 2 b prepared in the outside section . the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the first embodiment , when copying the data to the nand type flash memory 4 m from the nand type flash memory 3 m , in the nand type flash memory 3 m , the read enable operation is performed after booting up the command in which the read enable operation is made recognize as the input of the data of the nand type flash memory 4 m . the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the fifth or the sixth embodiment , in the nand type flash memory 3 m , the read enable operation is performed after booting up the command in which the read enable operation is made recognize as the input of the data to the nand type flash memory 4 m . thereby , the output operation of the data of the nand type flash memory 3 m and the input operation of the data of the nand type flash memory 4 m are performed at a time , meanwhile , the data which is output from the nand type flash memory 3 m is input to the buffer memory 2 b prepared in the outside section . the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the first to the seventh embodiment share the i / o pin , the / we pin and the / re pin , in a plurality of semiconductor chips 3 and 4 . thus , in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory 1 according to the present invention , the data outputting operation of the nand type flash memory 3 m ( the semiconductor chip 3 ) of the source of the copy and the data input operation of the nand type flash memory 4 m or 8 m of the destination to be copied may be performed at a time , by using the command . therefore , the nonvolatile semiconductor 1 of the present invention may be performed the data copying operation among the nand type flash memories in a short time . the present invention is not limited to the above described embodiments . for instance , the present invention may be applied to the nonvolatile semiconductor memory with dynamic type random access memory ( dram ), static type random access memory ( sram ) or erasable programmable read only memory ( eprom ) and so on , except for the nand type flash memory . | 6 |
fig1 shows a sound transducer 1 according to the present invention , in which a layer 3 of a piezoelectric plastic has been applied on a substrate foil 2 , which is made of an electrically conducting material such as an electrically conducting plastic foil or metal foil . the piezoelectric plastic layer does not cover substrate foil 2 in its entirety , but instead has opening 4 . substrate foil 2 and piezoelectric layer 3 are connected to each other such that a change in the dimensions of piezoelectric plastic layer 3 leads to a deformation of substrate layer 2 , and vice versa . opening 4 minimizes the impeded transverse expansion of the piezoelectric plastic layer , and thereby allows a greater overall deflection of substrate foil 2 . this improves the dynamics of the sound transducer . in the exemplary embodiment of the sound transducer according to the present invention shown in fig1 , substrate foil 2 simultaneously forms an electrode for the electrical contacting of piezoelectric plastic layer 3 . as can furthermore be gathered from the figure , a further layer 7 may be provided , which is likewise developed as electrically conducting foil in the exemplary embodiment shown and thus forms an electrode as well . layers 2 , 3 and 7 form a sandwich - type structure . piezoelectric plastic layer 3 may be applied on the substrate foil using different techniques , but printing , spin - coating and lamination techniques are preferred in this context . further layer 7 may be applied using lamination techniques . fig2 shows another development of a sound transducer according to the present invention , in which an electrode layer 8 for the electrical contacting of piezoelectric plastic layer 3 is situated between substrate layer 2 and piezoelectric plastic layer 3 . this development of the sound transducer is also shown as sandwich structure , in which piezoelectric plastic layer 3 is delimited by a further layer 7 on the side lying opposite substrate layer 2 . once again , an electrode layer 8 is disposed between further layer 7 and piezoelectric layer 3 . substrate layer 2 and further layer 7 may be formed from the same or also from different materials in order to optimize the oscillation behavior of the sound transducer . in the same way , substrate layer 2 and further layer 7 may have different thicknesses , the layer thickness preferably being variable in a range between 5 μm and 500 μm . further layer 7 may at least partially also be formed by a body such as a housing or a housing part , for example . the body is also able to serve as support of the sound transducer . the layer thickness of the piezoelectric plastic layer preferably lies in a range of & lt ; 100 μm . electrode layer 8 is able to be applied on layers 2 and 7 using conventional coating techniques , such as a galvanic deposition , sputtering , vapor deposition , or it may also be formed by an electrically conducting foil which is bonded to layers 2 or 7 or laminated thereto . as a final production step of the sound transducer , the layers or the layer composite may then be joined using bonding or lamination techniques . fig3 shows a development of a sound transducer according to the present invention that has a layer sequence of substrate layer 2 , electrode layer 8 , piezoelectric plastic layer 3 , electrode layer 8 . electrode layers 8 are preferably made of electrically conducting foils . this sandwich composite is likewise able to be produced in the manner described in connection with fig2 . fig4 shows a sound transducer which is identical to the sound transducer shown in fig2 as far as the layer sequence is concerned , but in which at least one of electrode layers 8 is interrupted in the region of openings 4 of piezoelectric plastic layer 3 . this development of a sound transducer according to the present invention allows a further adaptation of the oscillatory behavior because the influence of electrode layers 8 on the oscillatory behavior is reduced . fig5 shows a development of a sound transducer according to the present invention whose layer sequence is similar to the specific development shown in fig2 . in the specific development shown , the sound transducer operates as an electrodynamic sound transducer in region 10 , in which piezoelectric plastic layer 3 is disposed , while it is operating as electrostatic sound transducer in the region of opening 4 . the selective combination of electrodynamic and electrostatic sound conversion makes it possible to optimize the dynamics of the sound transducer . in the sound transducer according to the present invention , such an optimization is able to be achieved simply by a suitable design and distribution of opening 4 in piezoelectric plastic layer 3 . fig6 shows a development of a sound transducer according to the present invention , in which openings 9 are provided which exist not only in piezoelectric layer 3 but also in substrate layer 2 and further layer 7 . in the specific development shown , substrate layer 2 and further layer 7 serve as electrode as well , as explained in connection with fig1 , for the electrical contacting of piezoelectric layer 3 . the specific embodiment shown is able to be produced in a simple manner , as self - contained layer composite having the layer sequence of substrate layer 2 , piezoelectric plastic layer 3 , further layer 7 , from which opening 9 is subsequently cut out by means of cutting or stamping techniques . this makes for a simple and cost - effective production process . for example , it is possible to provide a honeycomb - like distribution of openings 9 in the plane of the sound transducer . fig7 shows the sound transducer according to the present invention with different distributions of the piezoelectricaplastic layer on a substrate layer 2 , the piezoelectric plastic layer forming discrete regions 5 . the discrete piezoelectric plastic layer regions 5 may be controlled separately with the aid of control electronics 6 . one discrete region 5 a , for example , may be provided for the sound generation , while a discrete region 5 b is provided for sound reception . this makes it possible to provide a sound transducer which is able to operate both as loudspeaker and as microphone . such a development is particularly advantageous when the sound transducer is used as hmi ( human - machine interface ), since the two functionalities of sound generation and sound reception are able to be combined with each other in one sound transducer in a very space - saving manner . | 7 |
the present invention provides linear alpha olefin dimers with methyl - branched olefin dimers as the primary or essentially only by - product . that is , other by - products , such as vinylidenes , tri - substituted olefins and alpha olefins will generally comprise less than about five percent of the reaction product and can occur in so little quantity as to be present in only trace amounts . in an alternative embodiment of the invention , the primary byproduct may be another mono - branched olefin dimer or vinylidene instead or a methyl - branched olefin . generally , the mechanism or process for making the linear alpha olefin dimers of this invention requires coupling of two olefins per dimer as shown in the second pathway of fig1 . the coupling is facilitated by a transition metal catalyst , preferably an iron catalyst , but other metals , such as for example nickel or cobalt may also be used . a metal hydride resulting from activation of the catalyst or beta - hydrogen elimination is believed to be the active species . this metal hydride gives rise to a primary ( 1 , 2 ) insertion in an alpha olefin to generate a metal - primary alkyl species . to make a linear product , the second olefin exhibits opposite ( 2 , 1 ) regiochemistry of insertion , forming a secondary metal - alkyl bond . chain transfer leads to a mixture of four linear internal olefin products . the catalyst should cause the initial 1 , 2 insertion in the first olefin , as opposed to initial 2 , 1 insertion , to avoid olefin isomerization and formation of non - linear dimers . further , the catalyst should preferably prevent or inhibit the formation of vinylidene and branched species . the catalyst should also facilitate rapid beta - hydrogen eliminatior / abstraction and resultant product release on the dimerization timescale to prevent oligomer or polymer production . preferably , the catalyst is highly active , converting at least about 10 , 000 and preferably as much as about 20 , 000 or more moles of olefin per mole of catalyst per hour . also , the catalyst should not be reactive toward the dimer product , to avoid product isomerizaton or reincorporation . a group of catalysts exemplified by the six structures in fig2 meet these requirements for a catalyst to make the linear dimers of the invention . generally , these catalysts are transition metal complexes , preferably tridentate bisimine ligands coordinated to an iron center or a combination of an iron center and aryl rings , either substituted or unsubstituted . catalysts with less bulky ligands will yield lower molecular weight products as the molecular weight of the products is dependent to a large degree on the size of the ortho substituents on the 2 and 6 positions of the aryl rings of the ligand . referring to fig2 , complexes 1 , 2 and 4 have previously been disclosed as useful catalysts , upon activation , to oligomerize ethylene to linear alpha olefins . such disclosure , provided in an article by brooke l . small and maurice brookhart entitled , “ iron - based catalysts with exceptionally high activities and selectivities for oligomerization of ethylene to linear α - olefins ,” in 120 j . am . chem . soc . 7143 - 44 ( 1998 ), and in pct patent application no . pct / us 98 / 14306 filed jul . 10 , 1998 and published jan . 21 , 1999 as publication no wo99 / 02472 , and especially the description of the synthesis of these catalysts as provided in that pct patent application , is incorporated herein by reference . also referring to fig2 , complex 6 has been disclosed as an ethylene and propylene polymerization pre - catalyst . these disclosures by brooke l . small , maurice brookhart , and alison m . a . bennett in “ highly active iron and cobalt catalysts for the polymerization of ethylene ,” 120 j . am . chem . soc . 4049 - 50 ( 1998 ); brooke l . small and maurice brookhart in “ polymerization of propylene by a new generation of iron catalysts : mechanisms of chain initiation , propagation and termination ,” 32 macromolecules 2120 - 32 ( 1999 ); and in pct patent application ser . no . pct / us / 98 / 00316 , filed jan . 12 , 1998 , and published jul . 16 , 1998 as publication no . wo9830612 , and by brooke l . small in his university of north carolina doctoral dissertation , diss . abstr . int . , b , 1999 , 59 ( 12 ), and especially the description of the synthesis of this catalyst as provided in said macromolecules article , are incorporated herein by reference . for use as catalysts in experiments discussed below , these complexes 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , and 6 of fig2 were prepared as disclosed in the references cited above or as discussed in the experimental section below . the transition metal catalysts , as exemplified by the structures in fig2 for making the dimers of this invention , are activated by an aluminum - based co - catalyst . alumoxanes or lewis acid / trialkylaluminum combinations , such as trialkylaluminum / borane , are preferred co - catalysts . preferred reaction conditions for making the dimers of this invention are an inert atmosphere and room temperature , although a wide range of temperatures may be used . in a batch operation or for batch preparation , addition of the co - catalyst to the metal catalyst quickly increases the heat of the reaction , which will be sustained until the substrate is depleted unless earlier cooled . cooling may be accomplished with an exterior cooling bath or interior cooling coils . later , after the initial exothermic reaction has occurred and the reactants cooled , heating may be desired to maintain a desired reaction temperature for dimerization . in a continuous operation or process , as more typically seen in industry or in commercial applications , the catalyst , co - catalyst and olefin feedstock are fed continuously and the reaction temperature is maintained within a selected range . the iron catalysts are active over a wide temperature range , from about zero degrees centigrade to about eighty degrees centigrade or higher , although their activity decreases with decreasing temperature . as the catalysts &# 39 ; activities decrease at lower temperatures , their selectivity for forming linear alpha olefin dimer product increases . this higher linear selectivity at lower temperature suggests an increased selectivity for primary ( 1 , 2 ) olefin insertion in the first dimerization step . table i shows results of a number of dimerization reactions with the catalysts of fig2 . fig3 plots the data for yield of linear alpha olefin dimers of the invention versus temperature of reaction for reactions with the first catalyst , complex 1 , in fig2 . the temperatures plotted in fig3 and listed in table i reflect the maximum temperatures that the reactions were allowed to reach . in most cases , these temperatures were maintained for about fifteen minutes to about thirty minutes with cooling , until substrate depletion caused a gradual drop in the temperature . external heating was then used to maintain the desired temperature . the plot of fig3 shows the linear selectivity for linear product at higher temperatures . as the catalysts &# 39 ; activities increase at higher temperatures , the lifetimes of the catalysts appear to decrease . as table i shows ( entries 10 , 15 - 17 ), linear alpha olefin dimer product yields of over seventy percent were achieved with reaction temperatures in the range of about 40 to about 50 degrees centigrade . all other conditions being equal , different catalysts will yield different percentages of linear alpha olefin dimers . as shown in table i , catalysts 1 , 2 , 3 and 5 of fig2 produced mostly linear internal dimers ofthe invention , while catalyst 4 gave approximately the opposite distribution , with methyl branched internal olefins as the predominant species ( as can be seen in entries 6 , 8 , and 9 in table i ). unlike catalysts 1 , 2 , 3 , and 5 , catalyst 4 has no alkyl substituents on the aryl rings . also unlike catalysts 1 , 2 , 3 , and 5 , catalyst 4 promoted substantial isomerization in the un - dimerized substrate , thus producing internal olefins . preferably isomerization does not occur when making the dimers of this invention and generally an advantage of this invention is that remaining or undimerized olefin can be recycled into the process for making the dimers of the invention . without wishing to be limited by theory , such isomerization by catalyst 4 may possibly be explained in two ways . first , the non - bulky aryl rings of catalyst 4 may allow the initial insertion to proceed rapidly in comparison to or relative to the second insertion , which causes the rate of beta - hydrogen elimination from the initial insertion to become even more competitive with the second step ( olefin addition ). also , since the first step is more likely to proceed with 2 , 1 regiochemistry , reversible beta - hydrogen elimination at this stage is believed to result in more isomerized product . regardless of the exact reason for increased isomerization by catalyst 4 , the increase in methyl - branched dimers from this catalyst shows that the regio regularity ofthe first olefin insertion step generally decreases with decreasing steric bulk on the ligand . however , the bulkiest of the six catalysts of fig2 , catalyst 6 , showed only a mild increase in selectivity while its activity dropped precipitously over time . table 1 , entry 27 , for this catalyst , shows a linear dimer yield of seventy - four percent at forty degrees centigrade but the conversion rate dropped to less than ten percent after twenty - four hours . the exact linear dimers produced with the catalysts will vary with the particular feedstocks . generally , any olefin or neat monomer with accessible double bond in the alpha position may be used as the initial olefin and any alpha olefin or neat monomer may be used as the second olefin . propylene tends to polymerize rather than result in dimers according to this invention with the catalysts listed in fig2 . however , the principles of the invention are believed applicable to propylene with a suitable catalyst . a surprising aspect of this invention is that some catalysts known to be useful for preparing oligomers , particularly propylene ( and ethylene ) oligomers , as discussed for example in brooke l . small &# 39 ; s university of north carolina doctoral dissertation , diss . abstr . int ., b ., 1999 , 59 ( 12 ), can effectively be used to prepare dimers . suitable feedstocks for producing the dimers of this invention are further exemplified by the experiments discussed below : anhydrous tetrahydrofuran ( thf ) and methanol were purchased from aldrich and used without further purification . anhydrous cyclohexane was purchased from aldrich and stored over molecular sieves . alpha olefins 1 - butene , 1 - hexene and 1 - decene were obtained as commercial grades of chevron chemical company &# 39 ; s gulftene 4 , gulftene 6 and gulftene 10 , respectively . alpha olefin 1 - pentene was purchased from aldrich . all alpha olefins were dried over molecular sieves . mmao - 3a and mao - ip were purchases from akzo nobel . mao was obtained from albemarle corporation . tris -( pentafluorophenylborane ), 2 , 6 - diacetylpyridine , iron ( ii ) chloride tetrahydrate , and all substituted anilines were purchased from aldrich and used without further purification . synthesis of ligands for catalysts 3 and 5 of fig2 chemicals 2 , 6 - diacetylpyridine ( 1 . 0 g , 6 . 1 mmol ) and 1 - amino - 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 - tetrahydronaphthalene ( 3 . 6 g , 24 . 5 mmol ) were dissolved in a round - bottom flask , to which 50 ml of anhydrous methanol were added . three drops of glacial acetic acid were added , and the flask was sealed . after stirring the solution for two days , a yellow solid was collected and re - crystallized from methanol to give 760 mg ( 30 %) of the desired ligand for catalyst 3 . h nmr ( c 6 d 6 ) δ 8 . 48 ( d , 2 ), 7 . 30 ( t , 1 ), 7 . 10 ( m , 2 ), 6 . 85 ( d , 2 ), 6 . 56 ( d , 2 ). chemicals 2 , 6 - diacetylpyridine ( 2 . 0 g , 12 . 3 mmol ) and 2 , 4 - dimethylaniline ( 8 . 9 g , 73 . 7 mmol ) were dissolved in a round - bottom flask with a stirring bar , to which 50 ml of anhydrous methanol were added . three drops of glacial acetic acid were added , and the flask was sealed . after stirring the solution for three days , 3 . 79 g ( 84 %) of a yellow solid were collected and identified as the desired ligand for catalyst 5 . h nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ8 . 39 ( d , 2 ), 7 . 85 ( t , 1 ), 7 . 05 ( s , 2 ), 7 . 00 ( d , 2 ), 6 . 60 ( d , 2 ). the ligand for complex 3 — 2 , 6 - bis [ 1 -( 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 - tetrahydronaphthylimino ) ethyl ] pyridine — and the ligand for complex 5 — 2 , 6 - bis [ 1 -( 2 , 4 dimethylphenylimino ) ethyl ] pyridine — were prepared as discussed in the experimental section above . the ligands for catalysts 1 , 2 , 4 , and 6 were prepared as discussed in the references cited above . after preparation , each ligand was separately added in slight excess to iron ( ii ) chloride tetrahydrate in tetrahydrofuran ( thf ). after precipitation with pentane , the complexes were isolated by filtration for use as catalysts . a two - necked flask with a stirbar was fitted with a reflux condenser on one neck and a thermocouple with the appropriate adapter on the other neck . the apparatus was heated under vacuum , then filled with nitrogen . the condenser was then removed under positive nitrogen flow and the catalyst ( or pre - catalyst ) ( selected from the structures of fig2 ) was added quickly . the flask was back - filled three times with nitrogen and charged with the liquid monomer . stirring was begun to effectively slurry the sparingly soluble catalyst ( or pre - catalyst ) in the neat monomer . after several minutes , the aluminum co - catalyst was added via syringe . many of the reactions were activated at or near room temperature , but the exothermic nature of the reaction often caused the temperature to rise significantly , as reported in table i . temperatures were monitored using a thermocouple , and the temperatures listed in table i represent the maximum temperatures achieved in the reaction . in some cases the exothern was controlled by a water bath . after reaching the maximum temperature in each reaction , a cooling process was observed , and heating was required to maintain the desired reaction temperature . a zipperclave reactor was heated under vacuum at 50 degrees centigrade for several hours . the reactor was cooled to room temperature under nitrogen . the catalyst ( or pre - catalyst ) ( selected from the structures of fig2 ) was then quickly added to the reactor , and the reactor was resealed and placed under vacuum . a dual - chambered glass sample charger was then attached to the injection port of the reactor . from the first chamber a small amount of cyclohexane ( internal standard , usually about 20 ml ) was added . from the second chamber more cyclohexane ( usually about 10 ml ) and the aluminum co - catalyst were added . the reactor was then quickly sealed and charged with liquid butene . ( cyclohexane serves as an inactive / inert catalyst carrier .) the reactor was further pressurized with at least 100 psi of nitrogen to keep the butene in the liquid phase . the reaction was stirred rapidly , and the temperature was monitored using a thermocouple . the aluminum co - catalysts were removed by pouring the liquid products into a water wash . after removal of the co - catalysts , the products were analyzed by gas chromatography ( gc ). a hewlett packard 6890 series cg system with an hp - 5 50 m column with a 0 . 2 mm inner diameter was used for dimer as well as alpha - olefin characterization . chrom perfect ™ version 4 from justice laboratory software was used to analyze the collected data . gc analysis showed clear separation of the linear from the branched species , and hydrogenation of the products confirmed these results . an example of such analysis is shown in fig4 . c nmr and h nmr were used to confirm the internal olefin content in the products , with only about one percent of vinylidene products present . an example of such an h nmr spectrum is shown in fig5 . the conversions and yields were determined by comparing the product to the internal standard integrals , and by assuming equal response factors of the standard and the products . for the hexene dimerization experiments , 1 - hexene was the internal standard , and for the butene experiments cyclohexane was used . the approximate density for 1 - butene of 0 . 60 g / ml is included for reference . as shown in table 1 , the dimerization product comprises linear internal dimers , methyl branched dimers , and unreacted monomer . the linear internal dimers may comprise from 27 to 85 weight percent of the dimers present in the dimerization product . the dimerization product may comprise from 18 . 5 to 80 weight percent unreacted monomer . the dimerization product may further comprise less than about five weight percent vinylidene or tri - substituted olefins . the olefinic products in both the dimerization and the alpha - olefin reactions were hydrogenated in a zipperclave ™ reactor at 115 degrees centigrade and 400 psig hydrogen using htc ni 500 catalyst from crosfield . the foregoing description of the invention is intended to be a description of a preferred embodiment . various changes in the details of the described product and process can be made without departing from the intended scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims . | 2 |
the invention will be described for three illustrative embodiments , in conjunction with the accompanying drawings , in which : fig1 is a front three - quarter perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention ; fig2 is another three - quarter perspective view of the device of fig1 as viewed from below ; fig3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken at 3 -- 3 of fig2 ; fig4 is a view in side elevation of a second embodiment , with portions broken - away and in section to reveal internal detail ; and fig5 is a vertical sectional view to show a third embodiment . all three embodiments may be built into or upon a boot 10 having the general appearance depicted in fig1 . commercial hoof boots are available from various manufacturers , including barrier corporation , mineral wells , tex . ; they are commercially offered to protect and cushion conventionally shod hoofs for durability in rough - riding races over rough terrain . such boots are of one - piece molded vinyl construction and come in a range of sizes , to assure correct fit to the particular shod horse . however , in the context of the present invention , the conventional iron shoe is removed and is preferably replaced by an all - plastic shoe , for example to give stability to a fractured third phalanges bone to be treated . hoof - boot size should therefore be selected in the context of the afflicted hoof size when fitted with the plastic horseshoe . as shown , the commercial hoof boot 10 comprises a relatively stiff sole portion 11 integrally connected at its periphery with a relatively flexible upper portion 12 . the interior volume within the upper portion 12 will be understood to be suited for conformance to the particular hoof to be treated . the bottom of the sole portion 11 is characterized by an integrally formed downward projection 13 in the shape of the horse &# 39 ; s shoe , conventionally iron , but here understood to be preferably a plastic shoe to stabilize bone fragments . the integral projection 13 will be understood to fully register with the horse &# 39 ; s shoe , for optimum distribution of leg - bearing forces at ground contact . the region 14 within projection 13 is offset from ground contact . the profile of the upper portion 12 rises toward the backside 15 of boot 10 , and rear corners are slit , as at 16 , to define opposed side tabs 17 - 18 and a rear tab 19 for finger engagement , as an aid in applying the boot to the hoof . a belt 20 , threaded through spaced pairs of apertures in upper portion 12 , completes the commercially available boot , being provided with suitable means 21 at one end for releasably cinched circumferential belt retention of the upper portion 12 to hoof contour . in the form of fig1 to 3 , the horseshoe - shaped projection 13 has been routed along its median contour to define a channel of depth d and width w , to accommodate insertion of a multi - turn electrical coil 25 ; the depth d may suitably coincide with the recessed extent of the sole region 14 . the thus - inserted contour of coil 25 has been indicated by a heavy phantom course 25 &# 39 ; in fig2 leaving a rear segment of the coil exposed at the region 26 of sole 14 , between the spaced rear ends of the horseshoe shape of projection 13 . the coil 25 is so oriented in its insertion within the routed groove that coil leads 27 -- 27 &# 39 ; are available in the rear sole region 26 . coil placement is rendered into a permanent embedment by suitable potting 28 ( fig3 ) in the routed groove , and the potting material is preferably further applied over exposed coil and lead segments at the rear sole region . a generally prismatic signal - generator housing 30 is securely fastened to the back 15 of the upper portion 12 . housing 30 will be understood to contain a power source , such as a rechargeable battery and pulse - generator means , the latter being generally as described in said ryaby , et al . patent , and output of the pulse generator being directly connected to leads 27 -- 27 &# 39 ;. as shown , a removable plug 31 provides access for the output jack of conventional battery - charging means ( not shown ). also , as shown , an externally accessible push - button switch 32 enables an operator to switch the signal generator from inactive to active state , and vice versa , for intermittent periods of time , as for example , one or more two - hour treatment periods as may be prescribed for each day . further , as shown , a small indicator lamp 33 will be understood to be viewable at the top edge of housing 30 , to show to the operator whether the pulse generator is or is not in operation . to apply the boot of fig1 to 3 to an afflicted hoof , it is of course first necessary to remove the horse &# 39 ; s conventional iron shoe , preferably replacing the same with a magnetically transparent ( plastic ) shoe . the hoof is then inserted , and prompt and properly seated fit is aided by grasping one or more of the upper tab regions 17 - 18 - 19 . the belt 20 is then fastened behind back panel 15 . the modification of fig4 differs from that of fig1 to 3 , in that an additional multi - turn electrical coil 35 is mounted to the upper portion 12 , and its leads 36 -- 36 &# 39 ; are so connected to the output of signal generator means 30 as to be in flux - aiding relation to the concurrently excited lower coil 25 . such excitation connections to coils 25 - 35 may be in parallel , but their preferred series connection is schematically indicated . as shown , the upper coil 35 is a separate assembly , preferably an annular potted embedment of coil 35 in yieldable protective plastic , wherein the separate assembly integrally includes dependent flange formations as at tabs 37 - 38 , each of which may have a pair of slots for threaded reception of belt 20 . for simplicity , the alignment of belt 20 is shown only by phantom outline in fig4 and it will be understood that by having the slots of tabs 37 - 38 in substantial register with the slot pairs in upper portion 12 , a threading of belt 20 via registering slots will provide anchorage and support of the second coil 35 , once belt 20 is fastened . to apply the structure of fig4 to an afflicted hoof , the procedure described for fig1 to 3 is repeated , except that , before inserting the hoof into boot 10 , the upper coil ( 35 ) assembly is maneuvered around the hoof and to a raised position , say to the region of first or second phalanges bones , the boot 10 being then applied , followed by lowered positioning of the coil ( 35 ) assembly , in overlap with the upper portion 12 and with tabs 37 - 38 suitably positioned for belt ( 20 ) threading . such maneuvering of the coil ( 35 ) assembly is aided by the indicated flexible nature of associated potting , and it is also aided by providing removable jack or the like electrical connection for leads 36 -- 36 &# 39 ;. the completed assembly to the hoof results in coils 25 - 35 being supported at substantially parallel horizontal planes wherein the effective spacing h 1 between horizontal planes is less than the mean effective diameter of the coils . in the embodiment of fig5 the basic boot structure is generally as already described , except that the sole portion 11 &# 39 ; features a short peripheral retaining ledge 40 , and the upper portion 12 &# 39 ; features similar ledge means 41 at spacing h 2 above ledge 40 . the ledge means 41 may comprise a plurality of peripherally spaced lugs , thus permitting use of rear - corner slits ( as at 16 , in fig1 ), to define tabs 17 - 18 - 19 , for ease of boot application . the further structure of fig5 is a separate assembly , being a single multi - turn electrical coil 42 which may be a helical development of spaced turns , embedded for convenience in yieldable potting plastic into the form of a continuous flexible belt , of contour adapted for ultimate conformation to the upper boot portion 12 &# 39 ;; potted coil 42 will be understood to include a suitably shaped back panel region to which self - contained battery and pulse - generator means 30 is secured , with electrical - output connection to coil 42 . to apply the fig5 structure to an afflicted hoof , preferably re - shod with a magnetically transparent shoe , the flexible coil ( 42 ) belt is first manipulated over the hoof and then elevated , as in the case of the coil ( 35 ) assembly of fig4 . the boot is then fitted to the hoof , and thereafter the flexible coil belt 42 is manipulated over the ledge or lug means 41 , being self - retaining between ledges 40 - 41 and being also an effective replacement of belt 20 when thus positioned . the ryaby , et al . patents referred to above describe value ranges for various parameters of applied signals . generally , the signals found effective for equine treatment involve energy and frequency levels at or below lower limits of ranges specified by ryaby , et al . specifically , for equine applicators of the type herein described , it is found effective to provide asymmetrical pulse excitation of the described coil or coils . the pulses are of quasi - rectangular form , comprising a first pulse portion of relatively low - magnitude first polarity and of approximately 250 microsecond duration , followed by a second pulse portion of relatively great - magnitude second polarity and of approximately 5 microsecond duration . such pulses are repeated in bursts of 50 milliseconds , i . e ., at about 4 khz , and the bursts are repeated at a repetition rate of 2 hz . the amplitude of excitation signal is such as to develop a maximum body - induced voltage of approximately 0 . 15 millivolt per centimeter of treated tissue and / or cells , as measured by a one - cm diameter probe coil of the type described in said ryaby , et al . patent . stated more generally , present experience indicates that the burst - repetition rate should be in the range of 1 to 5 hz , that the pulses within each burst should be in the range of 2 to 5 khz , and that the burst duration should be approximately one tenth the period of burst repetition . the involved maximum magnetic - field strength is approximately 2 gauss . for the single - coil configurations of fig1 to 3 and 5 , coil 25 ( 42 ) may suitably comprise 40 turns of 24 awg enameled copper wire , to a nominal diameter of about 4 . 5 inches ; for the series - connected two - coil configuration of fig4 each of coils 25 and 35 may suitably comprise 25 turns of 22 awg enameled copper wire , to the same nominal diameter . while the invention has been described in detail for illustrative embodiments , it will be understood that modifications may be made without departing from the invention . for example , the routing described in connection with fig3 in connection with coil embedment in the sole portion 11 , is to be understood as purely illustrative , in that a boot 10 can be molded with coil 25 in place , thus providing an integrally formed structure which includes the coil ; alternatively , the coil may be a part of a pad or lining insert suitable for nesting within the boot cavity and resting on or adhered to the sole portion 11 . | 0 |
the present inventors synthesized a large number of compounds by broad and thorough researches and extensive structure - effect relationship investigations , and performed a lot of systematic research work such as in vitro screening , selectivity , metabolism , jin vivo glucose - decreasing activity , discovered firstly that the compound of formula ( i ) had strong inhibiting activity against dpp - iv , particularly suitable as dpp - iv inhibitor . the present inventor accomplished the present invention on this basis . unless specifically stated , the following terms used in the specification and claims have the meanings as follows : “ alkyl ” refers to saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon groups , including straight - chain and branched - chain groups of 1 to 6 carbon atoms . medium size of alkyl containing 1 - 6 carbon atoms is preferred , such as methyl , ethyl , propyl , 2 - propyl , n - butyl , isobutyl , tert - butyl , 2 , 2 - dimethylpropyl , phenyl , etc . lower alkyl containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms are more preferred , such as methyl , ethyl , propyl , 2 - propyl , n - butyl , isobutyl , tert - butyl , etc . “ alkylidene ” refers to a straight or branched divalent hydrocarbon chain containing 1 - 6 carbon atoms . medium size of alkylidene containing 1 - 6 carbon atoms is preferred , such as methylidene , ethylidene , propylidene . “ cycloalkyl ” refers 3 to 8 membered full carbon monocyclic , 5 / 6 membered or 6 / 6 membered full carbon fused ring or multicyclic fused ring group , wherein one or more rings can contain one or more double bonds , but none of them has full conjugated π - electron system . examples of cycloalkyl include cyclopropyl , cyclobutyl , cyclopentyl , cyclohexane , cyclohexadiene , adamantane , cycloheptane , cycloheptatriene and the like . cyclopropyl and cyclobutyl are more preferred . “ phenyl ” refers to a group containing at least one aromatic ring , i . e ., aromatic ring containing conjugated π - electron system , including carbocyclic aryl , heteroaryl . “ heterocycle ” refers to aryl containing 1 - 3 heteroatoms as ring atoms and other ring atoms being carbon , heteroatom includes o , s and n . said ring may be a 5 or 6 membered ring . examples of heterocyclic aryl group include but not limited to furyl , thienyl , pyridyl , pyrrole , n - alkylpyrrolyl , pyrimidinyl , pyrazinyl , imidazolyl , pyrazolyl , oxazolyl , isooxazolyl , thiazolyl , triazolyl , triazinyl and like . as used herein , “ compound of the present invention ” means compound of formula ( i ). this term also includes various crystal forms , pharmaceutically acceptable inorganic or organic salts , hydrates or solvates of compound of formula ( i ). the compounds of the present invention can contain one or more asymmetric centres , and thus exist as the form of racemate , racemic mixture , individual enantiomer , diastereoisomer compound and individual diastereomer . the asymmetric centres which can exist are dependent on the properties of various substituents on molecule . each of such asymmetric centres will independently produce two optical isomers , and all possible optical isomers and diastereomer mixture as well as pure or partially pure compounds are included in the scope of the invention . the present invention is intended to include all such isomeric forms of these compounds . the compounds of the present invention have one or more asymmetric carbon atoms , so formula ( i ) includes racemate , racemic mixture , individual enantiomer , diastereoisomer compound and individual diastereomer . as used herein , “ pharmaceutically acceptable salts ” means no limitation as long as salts are pharmaceutically acceptable . in particular , the salts formed with acid can be listed . suitable salt - forming acids include ( but not limited to ) hydrochloric acid , hydrobromic acid , hydrofluoric acid , sulfuric acid , nitric acid , phosphoric acid , and other inorganic acids , formic acid , acetic acid , propionic acid , oxalic acid , malonic acid , succinic acid , fumaric acid , maleic acid , lactic acid , malic acid , tartaric acid , citric acid , picric acid , methanesulfonic acid , benzenesulfonic acid , and other organic acids as well as aspartic acid , glutamic acid and other acidic amino acids . the name and structural formula of representative compounds in the compound of formula ( i ) of the present invention are shown as below : the preparation methods of the compounds of structural formula ( i ) of the invention are particularly described below , but these particular methods construct no limitation to the present invention . the conditions of such method e . g ., reactant , solvent , base , the amount of used compounds , reaction temperature , time required by reaction and the like are not limited to the explanation below . the compounds of the invention are also optionally easily produced by combing various synthesis methods described in the specification or known in the art . such combination can be easily performed by the skill of the art belonging to the invention . in the preparation methods of the invention , every reaction is often performed at the temperature from 0 ° c . to solvent &# 39 ; s reflux temperature ( preferably rt ˜ 80 ° c .) in inert solvent . reaction time is usually 0 . 1 hr ˜ 60 hrs , more preferably 0 . 5 hr ˜ 48 hrs . in a preferred example , the compounds of formula ( i ) of the prevent invention can be prepared according to the following synthetic route : ( 1 ) compound 1a - 1c can be prepared according to methods disclosed in patent [ us20050101602 ]. ( 2 ) compound 1d can be prepared according to methods disclosed in reference [ j . med . chem . 2005 , 48 , 141 ]. ( 3 ) in the intert polar aprotic solvent , compound 1c can react with 1d under standard peptide coupling condition for 1 - 36 h , for example , by using 1 - ethyl - 3 -( 3 - dimethylamino ) carbodiimide and 1 - hydroxylbenzotriazole ( edc / hobt ) or hexafluorophospho ( 7 - azabenzotrizole - 1 - yl )- n , n , n ′, n ′- tetramethylurea and 1 - hydroxylazabenzotriazole , to give compound 1e . the reaction temperature is between − 20 - 40 ° c . polar aprotic solvent can include ( but not limited to ): dichloromethane , chloroform , 1 , 2 - dichloroethane , ethyl acetate , tetrahydrofuran , diethyl ether , methyl tert - butyl ether , 1 , 6 - dioxane , dimethylformamide , dimethyl sulfoxide , acetonitrile , and combination thereof . preferred condition is to react for 12 - 24 hours at 20 - 40 ° c . in the presence of edc / hobt coupling agent with dichloromethane as solvent . ( 4 ) compound 1e reacts in the intert polar solvent for 1 - 36 hours at − 20 ˜ 40 ° c . in the presence of base to give compound 1f . polar aprotic solvent can include ( but not limited to ): methanol , ethanol , isopropanol , water , tetrahydrofuran and the like ; base can include ( but not limited to ): potassium carbonate , sodium carbonate , sodium hydroxide , potassium hydroxide and the like . preferred condition is to react in the mixed solvent of methanol and water for 12 - 24 hours at 20 - 40 ° c . by adding potassium carbonate . ( 5 ) the synthesis of compound of formula ia can be prepared according to the methods as below . method 1 : in the intert polar aprotic solvent , compound 1f can react under standard peptide coupling condition for 1 - 36 h , for example , by using 1 - ethyl - 3 -( 3 - dimethylamino ) carbodiimide and 1 - hydroxylbenzotriazole ( edc / hobt ) or hexafluorophospho ( 7 - azabenzotrizole - 1 - yl )- n , n , n ′, n ′- tetramethylurea and 1 - hydroxylazabenzotriazole , to give compound ia . the reaction temperature is between − 20 ˜ 40 ° c . polar aprotic solvent can include ( but not limited to ): dichloromethane , chloroform , 1 , 2 - dichloroethane , ethyl acetate , tetrahydrofuran , diethyl ether , methyl tert - butyl ether , 1 , 6 - dioxane , dimethylformamide , dimethyl sulfoxide , acetonitrile , and the like . preferred condition is to react for 12 - 24 hours at 20 - 40 ° c . in the presence of edc / hobt coupling agent with dichloromethane as solvent . method 2 : in the intert polar protic solvent , compound 1f can react with various alkyl , aryl acyl chloride or anhydride at appropriate temperature in the presence of base to give compound ig . polar aprotic solvent can include ( but not limited to ): dichloromethane , chloroform , 1 , 2 - dichloroethane , ethyl acetate , tetrahydrofuran , diethyl ether , methyl tert - butyl ether , 1 , 4 - dioxane , dimethylformamide , dimethyl sulfoxide , acetonitrile , and the like . the reaction temperature is between 0 ˜ 100 ° c . base includes ( but not limited to ): imidazole , triethylamine , pyrrole , n - methylmorpholine , morpholine , n , n - diisopropylethylamine and the like ; preferred condition is to react for 12 - 24 hours at 20 - 40 ° c . with dichloromethane as solvent and triethylamine as base . ( 6 ) in the intert polar aprotic solvent , compound ig takes off protecting group to give compound of formula ( i ) in the presence of acid . polar aprotic solvent can include ( but not limited to ): dichloromethane , chloroform , 1 , 2 - dichloroethane , ethyl acetate , tetrahydrofuran , diethyl ether , methyl tert - butyl ether , 1 , 4 - dioxane , dimethylformamide , dimethyl sulfoxide , acetonitrile , and the like . acid includes ( but not limited to ): formic acid , acetic acid , trifluoroacetic acid , hydrochloric acid , methanesulfonic acid and the like . preferred condition is to react for 0 . 5 - 2 hours at 20 - 40 ° c . with dichloromethane as solvent and adding trifluoroacetic acid . ( 7 ) the methods of the prevent invention can optionally include salt - forming steps . for example , in the intert polar solvent , compound of formula ( ia ) can form salt with acid to give formula ( ib ). polar solvent can include ( but not limited to ): polar solvent can be selected from methanol , ethanol , isopropanol , water , ethyl acetate , acetonitrile or the combination thereof . acids can include ( but not limited to ) hydrochloric acid , hydrobromic acid , hydrofluoric acid , sulfuric acid , phosphoric acid , nitric acid and other inorganic acids , formic acid , acetic acid , propionic acid , oxalic acid , trifluoroacetic acid , malonic acid , succinic acid , fumaric acid , maleic acid , lactic acid , malic acid , tartaric acid , citric acid , picric acid , methanesulfonic acid , benzenesulfonic acid , p - toluene sulfonic acid , and other organic acids as well as aspartic acid , glutamic acid and other acidic amino acids . preferred acids are hydrochloric acid , phosphoric acid , formic acid , methanesulfonic acid and the like ; preferred condition is to react with preferred acid for 0 . 5 ˜ 2 hours at 20 - 40 ° c . ( 8 ) the synthesis of their enantiomers and diastereomer can be accomplished by choosing suitable chiral raw materials according to the above - mentioned preparation methods . since the compound of the present invention has superior dpp - iv - inhibiting activity , the compound of the present invention and various crystal forms , pharmaceutically acceptable inorganic or organic salts , hydrates or solvates thereof , as well as pharmaceutical compositions containing the compound of the present invention as main active ingredient can be used to treat , prevent and alleviate diseases associated with dpp - iv . according to the current techniques , the compound of the present invention can be used to teat type 2 diabetes , obesity , and hyperlipemia . pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention comprise safe and effective amount of the compound of the present invention or pharmaceutically acceptable salts and pharmaceutically acceptable excipients or carriers thereof . wherein , “ safe and effective amount ” refers to : sufficient amount of compound to significantly improve disease condition without leading to serious adverse effect . generally , pharmaceutical compositions contain 1 - 1000 mg compound of the present invention per dose , preferably 5 - 500 mg compound of the present invention per dose , more preferably 10 - 200 mg compound of the present invention per dose . the compounds of the present invention and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof can be formulated into various formulations , which comprise safe and effective amount of the compound of the present invention or pharmaceutically acceptable salts and pharmacologically acceptable excipients or carriers thereof . wherein , “ safe and effective amount ” refers to : sufficient amount of compound to significantly improve disease condition without leading to serious adverse effect . the safe and effective amount of the compound is determined based on the specific situations such as age , disease condition , treatment course of the subject to be treated . “ pharmaceutically acceptable excipients or carriers ” refers to : one or more compatible solid or liquid fillers or gel substances , they are suitable for human use and must have enough purity and sufficiently low toxicity . “ compatibility ” herein means each component in the composition and the compound of the present invention can be incorporated into each other without significantly reducing the compound &# 39 ; s pharmaceutical effect . part examples of pharmacologically acceptable excipients or carriers are cellulose and its derivative ( e . g ., sodium carboxymethylcellulose , ethyl cellulose sodium , cellulose acetate , etc ), gelatin , talc , solid lubricant ( e . g ., stearic acid , magnesium stearate ), calcium sulfate , vegetable oil ( e . g ., soybean oil , sesame oil , peanut oil , olive oil , etc ), polyols ( e . g ., propylene glycol , glycerol , mannitol , sorbitol , etc ), emulsifier ( eg ., tween ®), wetting agent ( e . g ., sodium lauryl sulfate ), colorant , flavouring agent , stabilizer , antioxidant , preservative , pyrogen - free water and so on . the compound of the present invention , when applying , can be orally , rectally , parenterally ( intravenously , intramuscularly or subcutaneously ), topically administrated . solid dosage forms for oral administration include capsule , tablet , pill , powder and granule . among which , active compounds are mixed with at least one common inert excipient ( or carrier ) such as sodium citrate or dicalcium phosphate , or mixed with the following ingredients : ( a ) filler or bulking agent , e . g ., starch , lactose , sucrose , glucose , mannitol and silicic acid ; ( b ) binder , e . g ., carboxymethylcellulose , alginate , gelatin , polyvinyl pyrrolidone , sucrose and arabic gum ; ( c ) humectants , e . g ., glycerol ; ( d ) disintegrating agent , e . g ., agar , calcium carbonate , potato starch or tapioca starch , alginic acid , certain complex silicate , and sodium carbonate ; ( e ) slowly dissolving agent , e . g ., paraffin ; ( f ) absorption accelerator , e . g ., quaternary amine compound ; ( g ) wetting agent , e . g ., cetanol and glycerol monostearate ; ( h ) adsorbent , e . g ., kaolin ; and ( i ) lubricant , e . g ., talc , calcium stearate , magnesium stearate , solid polyethylene glycol , sodium lauryl sulfate , or mixture thereof . in capsule , tablet and pill , dosage form can also contain buffer . solid dosage forms such as tablet , sugar pill , capsule , pill and granule can be made by coat and shell materials , e . g ., enteric coating and other materials well known in the art . they can comprise opacifying agent and the active compound in this composition or the release of compound can be released within a part of digestive tract in a delayed manner . examples of the embedded components which can be used are polymeric substances and waxy substances . active compound , when necessary , can form microcapsule with one or more of the above - mentioned excipients . liquid dosage forms for oral administration include pharmaceutically acceptable emulsion , solution , suspension , syrup or tincture . in addition to active compound , liquid dosage forms can include commonly employed inert diluents in the art , such as water or other solvent , solubilizer and emulsifier , e . g ., ethanol , isopropanol , ethyl carbonate , ethyl acetate , propylene glycol , 1 , 3 - butanediol , dimethylformamide as well as oil , particularly cottonseed oil , peanut oil , maize embryo oil , olive oil , castor oil and sesame oil or the mixture of these substances , etc . in addition to these inert diluents , compositions can also comprise auxiliaries , such as wetting agent , emulsifier and suspending agent , sweetener , flavouring agent and flavour . in addition to active compound , suspension can also comprise suspending agent , such as ethoxylated isooctadecanol , polyoxyethylene sorbitan and sorbitan ester , microcrystalline cellulose , aluminium methoxide and agar or the mixture of these substances , etc . compositions for parenteral administration can include physiologically acceptable sterile aqueous or nonaqueous solution , dispersion , suspension or emulsion , and sterile powders used to be redissolved into sterile injectable solution or dispersion . suitable aqueous and nonaqueous carrier , diluents , solvent or excipient include water , ethanol , polyols and suitable mixture thereof . the dosage forms of the compound of the present invention for topical administration include ointment , powder , patch , spray and inhalant . active ingredients mix together with physiologically acceptable carrier and any preservative , buffer under sterile condition , or with possibly required propellant when necessary . the compound of the present invention can be administrated alone or combined with other pharmaceutically acceptable compounds . a safe and effective amount of the compounds of the present invention are applied to mammal ( such as human ) which need to be treated when using pharmaceutical composition , wherein dose is the pharmaceutically effective administration dose when applying , for a people of 60 kg body weight , daily administration dose is 1 ˜ 1000 mg , preferably 10 ˜ 500 mg . of course , particular dose should consider factors such as administration route , patient health , which are within the technical scope of skilled physicians . 1 . the compound of the present invention has higher dpp - iv - inhibiting activity and in vivo glucose - decreasing activity . 2 . the compound of the present invention is a new type of dpp - iv inhibitor . 3 . the preparation methods of the compounds of the prevent invention are simple with low manufacturing cost . the invention will be more specifically explained in the following examples . it should be understood that these examples are used to illustrate the invention , not to limit the scope of the invention in any way . the experimental methods which the particular condition are not illustrated in the following examples are generally performed according to common conditions , or according to the conditions recommended by manufacturer . unless otherwise stated , parts and percent are parts by weight and percent by weight . in the all examples , melting point is determined by mel - temp melting point apparatus and thermometer is uncorrected ; 1 h nmr is recorded by varian mercury 400 nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer , chemical shift is expressed by δ ( ppm ); silica gels for isolation are all of 200 - 300 mesh if not specified , ratios of column chromatography to tlc detection developing agent are volume ratios . in ice bath , ( 3as , 6as )- octahydro - 1 -[( r )- 1 - phenethyl ] pyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrole 1a ( 390 mg , 1 . 80 mmol ) was dissolved in dichloromethane ( 10 ml ), added n , n - dimethylaminopyridine ( dmap ) ( 40 mg , 0 . 18 mmol ) and triethylamine ( tea ) ( 0 . 39 ml , 2 . 7 mmol ), again added dropwise trifluoroacetic anhydride ( tfaa ) ( 0 . 38 ml , 2 . 7 mmol ), stirred at room temperature overnight , added water , extracted aqueous phase by dichloromethane , dried by anhydrous magnesium sulfate , filtered and spun dry , purified by column chromatography ( dichloromethane : methanol = 50 : 1 ) to give title compound 1b as yellow oily matter ( 250 mg , 45 %). 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 400 mhz ): 1 . 40 ( t , 3h ), 1 . 60 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 07 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 53 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 76 - 2 . 84 ( m , 2h ), 2 . 99 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 09 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 39 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 62 ( m , 3h ), 7 . 27 ( m , 5h ). ( 3ar , 6ar )- 1 -[( 1r )- 1 - phenethyl ]- 5 -( trifluoroacetyl ) octahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrole 1b ( 250 mg , 0 . 80 mmol ) was dissolved in methanol ( 10 ml ), added pd ( oh ) 2 ( 100 mg ), catalyzed hydrogenation overnight at room temperature , filtered , concentrated to dry , added dichloromethane , again concentrated to dry , to give title compound 1c as colorless oily matter ( 272 mg , 100 %). 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , 400 mhz ): 1 . 46 ( s , 9h ), 1 . 80 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 07 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 53 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 76 - 2 . 84 ( m , 2h ), 2 . 99 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 09 ( m , 1 . 5h ), 3 . 39 ( m , 1 . 5h ), 3 . 62 ( m , 1h ). ms m / z ( esi ): 209 . 1 ( m + 1 ). ( r )- 3 -( tertbutoxycarbonylamino )- 4 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl ) butyric acid 1d ( 435 mg , 1 . 30 mmol ) and 2 , 2 , 2 - trifluoro - 1 -(( 3ar , 6ar )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 5 ( 1h )- yl ) ethanone 1c ( 272 mg , 1 . 30 mmol ) were dissolved in dichloromethane ( 10 ml ), added sequentially 1 - hydroxylbenzotriazole ( hobt ) ( 202 mg , 1 . 50 mmol ), 1 -( 3 - dimethylaminopropyl )- 3 - ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride ( edc ) ( 288 mg , 1 . 50 mmol ) and triethylamine ( 151 mg , 1 . 50 mmol ), stirred for 4 hours at room temperature . organic phase was washed by 1n diluted hydrochloric acid ( 10 ml ) and saturated sodium bicarbonate ( 10 ml ) in order , dried by anhydrous sodium sulfate , concentrated , residues were purified by column chromatography to give title compound 1e ( 578 mg , 85 %) as white solid . ms m / z ( esi ): 524 . 2 ( m + 1 ). tertbutyl ( r )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- 5 -( 2 , 2 , 2 - trifluoroacetyl ) hexapyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1e ( 578 mg , 1 . 1 mmol ) was dissolved in methanol / water ( 5 : 1 , 12 ml ). added potassium carbonate ( 167 mg , 1 . 2 mmol ), stirred for 2 h at room temperature , concentrated to dry , added water , extracted by ethyl acetate , dried by anhydrous sodium sulfate , filtered , concentrated to dry to give title compound 1f as white solid ( 470 mg , 100 %). ms m / z ( esi ): 428 . 2 ( m + 1 ). tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexapyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) was dissolved in 36 % formaldehyde solution ( 10 ml ), added triacetoxy sodium borohydride ( 100 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ), stirred for 20 hour at room temperature . saturated sodium carbonate aqueous solution ( 25 ml ) was added in solution to quench , aqueous phase was extracted by dichloromethane ( 20 ml × 3 ), dried by anhydrous sodium sulfate , concentrated , residues were purified by column chromatography to give title compound 1g ( 145 mg , 72 %) as colorless oily matter . ms m / z ( esi ): 441 . 2 ( m + 1 ). tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydro - 5 - methylpyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1g ( 145 mg , 0 . 33 mmol ) was dissolved in dichloromethane ( 1 ml ), added dropwise trifluoroacetic acid ( tfa ) ( 1 ml ), stirred for 1 hour at room temperature , concentrated after tlc detecting reaction was over , added dichloromethane ( 15 ml ), washed by saturated sodium carbonate aqueous solution ( 15 ml ), organic phase was dried by anhydrous sodium sulfate , concentrated , residues was dissolved in ethanol , added fumaric acid ( 20 mg , 0 . 17 mmol ), stirred for 30 minutes at room temperature , precipitated solid , sucking filtrated to give title compound 1 ( 360 mg , 91 %) as white solid . ms m / z ( esi ): 342 . 2 ( m + 1 ). 1 h nmr ( d 2 o , 400 mhz ): δ 1 . 78 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 00 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 65 - 2 . 77 ( m , 5h ), 2 . 86 - 2 . 99 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 41 - 3 . 48 ( m , 5h ), 3 . 83 ( m , 3h ), 4 . 24 - 4 . 33 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 00 - 7 . 05 ( m , 2h ). tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexapyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 250 mg , 0 . 58 mmol ) was dissolved in dichloromethane ( 20 ml ), added sequentially triethylamine ( 59 mg , 0 . 58 mmol ) and methylchloroformate ( 55 mg , 0 . 58 mmol ), stirred overnight at room temperature . water ( 10 ml ) was added in reaction solution , separated organic phase , aqueous phase was extracted by dichloromethane ( 20 ml ), dried by anhydrous sodium sulfate , concentrated , residues was purified by column chromatography to give title compound 2a ( 278 mg , 99 %) as colorless oily matter . ms m / z ( esi ): 486 . 2 ( m + 1 ). according to manipulation similar to step 6 of example 1 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydro - 5 - methoxycarbonylpyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 2a ( 278 mg , 0 . 57 mmol ) was dissolved in dichloromethane ( 1 ml ), added dropwise trifluoroacetic acid ( tfa ) ( 1 ml ), added fumaric acid ( 33 mg , 0 . 29 mmol ) after reaction was finished to give title compound 2 ( 180 mg , 82 %) as white solid . ms m / z ( esi ): 386 . 2 ( m + 1 ). 1 h nmr ( d 2 o , 400 mhz ): δ 1 . 86 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 22 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 76 - 3 . 24 ( m , 6h ), 3 . 45 - 3 . 63 ( m , 4h ), 3 . 75 ( s , 3h ), 3 . 80 - 4 . 25 ( m , 4h ), 4 . 50 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 63 ( s , 1h ), 6 . 78 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 23 ( m , 1h ). tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 210 mg , 0 . 49 mmol ) was dissolved in dichloromethane ( 20 ml ), added sequentially dimethylaminoformyl chloride ( 52 mg , 0 . 49 mmol ) and triethylamine ( 49 mg , 0 . 49 mmol ), stirred overnight at room temperature . water ( 10 ml ) was added into reaction solution , seperated organic phase , aqueous phase was extracted by dichloromethane ( 20 ml ), dried by anhydrous sodium sulfate , concentrated , residues was purified by column chromatography to give title compound 3a ( 151 mg , 62 %) as colorless oily matter . ms m / z ( esi ): 499 . 2 ( m + 1 ). according to manipulation similar to step 6 of example 1 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydro - 5 -( n , n - dimethylaminoformyl )- pyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 3a ( 151 mg , 0 . 30 mmol ) was dissolved in dichloromethane ( 1 ml ), added dropwise trifluoroacetic acid ( tfa ) ( 1 ml ), after reaction was finished , added fumaric acid ( 17 mg , 0 . 15 mmol ) to give title compound 3 ( 77 mg , 56 %) as white solid . ms m / z ( esi ): 399 . 2 ( m + 1 ). 1 h nmr ( d 2 o , 400 mhz ): δ 1 . 95 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 19 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 64 - 3 . 18 ( m , 12h ) 3 . 38 - 3 . 62 ( m , 4h ), 3 . 68 - 4 . 15 ( m , 4h ), 4 . 45 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 61 ( s , 1h ), 6 . 78 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 23 ( m , 1h ). tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexapyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 400 mg , 0 . 93 mmol ) was dissolved in dichloromethane ( 20 ml ), added solid triphosegene ( 92 mg , 0 . 31 mmol ), added dropwise triethylamine ( 94 mg , 0 . 93 mmol ) at − 10 ° c ., stirred for 3 hours at room temperature , water ( 10 ml ) was added into reaction solution , seperated organic phase , aqueous phase was extracted by dichloromethane ( 20 ml ), dried by anhydrous sodium sulfate , concentrated to give title compound 4a ( 432 mg , 95 %) as colorless oily matter . directly put into the next reaction step without purification . tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydro - 5 -( chloroformyl )- pyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 4a ( 432 mg , 0 . 88 mmol ) was dissolved in ethanol ( 5 ml ), added 33 % of methylamine / ethanol solution ( 5 ml ), stirred for 2 hours at room temperature , removed solvents under reduced pressure , residues were purified by column chromatography to give title compound 4b ( 225 mg , 53 %) as colorless oily matter . ms m / z ( esi ): 485 . 2 ( m + 1 ). according to manipulation similar to step 6 of example 1 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydro - 5 -( methylaminoformyl )- pyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 4b ( 225 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) was dissolved in dichloromethane ( 1 ml ), added dropwise trifluoroacetic acid ( tfa ) ( 1 ml ), after reaction was finished , added fumaric acid ( 27 mg , 0 . 23 mmol ) to give title compound 4 ( 95 mg , 47 %) as white solid . ms m / z ( esi ): 385 . 2 ( m + 1 ). 1 h nmr ( d 2 o , 400 mhz ): δ 1 . 93 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 17 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 63 - 3 . 15 ( m , 9h ), 3 . 36 - 3 . 60 ( m , 4h ), 3 . 66 - 4 . 14 ( m , 4h ), 4 . 45 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 60 ( s , 1h ), 6 . 78 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 23 ( m , 1h ). tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydro - 5 -( chloroformyl )- pyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 4a ( 489 mg , 1 . 00 mmol ) was dissolved in ammonia methanol solution ( 10 ml ), stirred overnight at room temperature , removed solvents under reduced pressure , residues was purified by column chromatography to give title compound 5a ( 329 mg , 70 %) as colorless oily matter . ms m / z ( esi ): 471 . 1 ( m + 1 ). according to manipulation similar to step 6 of example 1 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydro - 5 -( aminoformyl )- pyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 5a ( 329 mg , 0 . 70 mmol ) was dissolved in dichloromethane ( 1 ml ), added dropwise trifluoroacetic acid ( tfa ) ( 1 ml ), after reaction was finished , added fumaric acid ( 41 mg , 0 . 35 mmol ) to give title compound 5 ( 78 mg , 26 %) as white solid . ms m / z ( esi ): 371 . 2 ( m + 1 ). 1 h nmr ( d 2 o , 400 mhz ): δ 1 . 92 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 15 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 63 - 3 . 11 ( m , 6h ), 3 . 36 - 3 . 55 ( m , 4h ), 3 . 61 - 4 . 12 ( m , 4h ), 4 . 42 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 58 ( s , 1h ), 6 . 78 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 23 ( m , 1h ). ( 3ar , 6ar )- octahydro - 1 -[( r )- 1 - phenethyl ] pyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrole 6a ( prepared according to patent us20050101602 ) ( 340 mg , 1 . 57 mmol ) and cyclopropylformic acid ( 135 mg , 1 . 57 mmol ) were dissolved in dichloromethane ( 20 ml ), added sequentially hobt ( 255 mg , 1 . 89 mmol ), edc ( 362 mg , 1 . 89 mmol ) and triethylamine ( 191 mg , 1 . 89 mmol ), stirred overnight at room temperature . water ( 10 ml ) was added into reaction solution , seperated organic phase , aqueous phase was extracted by dichloromethane ( 20 ml ), dried by anhydrous sodium sulfate , concentrated , residues was purified by column chromatography to give cyclopropyl ( 3ar , 6ar )- hexahydro - 1 -[( r )- 1 - phenethyl ] pyrrolo [ 3 , b ] pyrroloe - 5 ( 1h )- methylketone 6b ( 330 mg , 75 %) as colorless oily matter . ms m / z ( esi ): 285 . 2 ( m + 1 ). cyclopropyl ( 3ar , 6ar )- hexahydro - 1 -[( r )- 1 - phenethyl ] pyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrole - 5 ( 1h )- methylketone 6b ( 330 mg , 1 . 16 mmol ) was dissolved in anhydrous methanol ( 10 ml ), added palladium hydroxide / carbon ( 90 mg ), catalyzed hydrogenation for 3 hours at room temperature , concentrated to give cyclopropyl (( 3ar , 6ar )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 5 ( 1h )- yl ) methylketone 6c ( 200 mg , 96 %) as colorless oily matter . ms m / z ( esi ): 181 . 1 ( m + 1 ). ( r )- 3 -( tertbutoxycarbonylamino )- 4 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl ) butyric acid ( 369 mg , 1 . 11 mmol ) and cyclopropyl (( 3ar , 6ar )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 5 ( 1h )- yl ) methylketone 6c ( 200 mg , 1 . 11 mmol ) were dissolved in dichloromethane ( 10 ml ), added sequentially 1 - hydroxybenzotriazole ( hobt ) ( 175 mg , 1 . 30 mmol ), 1 -( 3 - dimethylaminopropyl )- 3 - ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride ( edc ) ( 250 mg , 1 . 30 mmol ) and triethylamine ( 151 mg , 1 . 50 mmol ), stirred for 4 hours at room temperature . organic phase was sequentially washed by 1n diluted hydrochloric acid ( 10 ml ) and saturated sodium carbonate aqueous solution ( 10 ml ), dried by anhydrous sodium sulfate , concentrated , residues was purified by column chromatography , resultant was dissolved in anhydrous ethanol ( 5 ml ), added fumaric acid ( 64 mg , 0 . 55 mmol ), stirred for 30 min , precipitated solid , filtered , dried to give title compound 6 ( 276 mg , 55 %) as white solid . ms m / z ( esi ): 396 . 2 ( m + 1 ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 0 . 87 - 0 . 93 ( m , 4h ), 1 . 75 - 1 . 97 ( m , 2h ), 2 . 11 - 2 . 21 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 52 - 2 . 63 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 71 - 2 . 82 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 95 - 3 . 12 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 55 - 3 . 78 ( m , 5h ), 3 . 83 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 91 - 4 . 15 ( m , 1h ), 4 . 31 - 4 . 55 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 78 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 23 ( m , 1h ). tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 250 mg , 0 . 58 mmol ) and 2 - fluoro - 2 - methylpropionic acid ( purchased from j & amp ; k scientific ltd .) ( 61 mg , 0 . 58 mmol ) were dissolved in dichloromethane ( 10 ml ), added sequentially hobt ( 88 mg , 0 . 65 mmol ), edc ( 125 mg , 0 . 65 mmol ) and triethylamine ( 71 mg , 0 . 70 mmol ), stirred overnight at room temperature . water was added into reaction solution ( 10 ml ), seperated organic phase , aqueous phase was extracted by dichloromethane ( 20 ml ), dried by anhydrous sodium sulfate , concentrated , residues was purified by column chromatography to give title compound 7a ( 268 mg , 90 %) as colorless oily matter . ms m / z ( esi ): 516 . 2 ( m + 1 ). tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydro - 5 -( 2 - fluoro - 2 - methylpropionyl )- pyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 7a ( 268 mg , 0 . 52 mmol ) was dissolved in dichloromethane ( 1 ml ), added dropwise trifluoroacetic acid ( tfa ) ( 1 ml ), stirred for 1 hour at room temperature , concentrated after tlc monitoring reaction was over , added dichloromethane ( 15 ml ), washed by saturated sodium carbonate aqueous solution ( 15 ml ), organic phase was dried by anhydrous sodium sulfate , concentrated , residues was purified by column chromatography to give title compound 7 ( 215 mg , 100 %) as white solid . ms m / z ( esi ): 416 . 4 ( m + 1 ), 438 . 2 ( m + na ). 1 h nmr ( d 2 o , 400 mhz ): δ 1 . 62 ( m , 6h ), 1 . 96 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 20 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 78 - 2 . 91 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 05 - 3 . 30 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 42 - 3 . 83 ( m , 6h ), 3 . 96 ( m , 2h ), 7 . 20 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 35 ( m , 1h ). free base ( r )- 3 - amino - 1 -(( 3as , 6as )- 5 -( 2 - fluoro - 2 - methylpropionyl )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl ) butan - 1 - one compound 7 ( 100 mg , 0 . 24 mmol ) obtained from example 7 was dissolved in ethanol , added fumaric acid ( 14 mg , 0 . 12 mmol ), stirred for 30 minutes at room temperature , precipitated solid , sucking filtrated to give ( r )- 3 - amino - 1 -(( 3as , 6as )- 5 -( 2 - fluoro - 2 - methylpropionyl )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl ) butan - 1 - onefumarate compound 8 ( 60 mg , 53 %) as white solid . ms m / z ( esi ): 416 . 4 ( m + 1 ), 438 . 2 ( m + na ). 1 h nmr ( d 2 o , 400 mhz ): δ 1 . 62 ( m , 6h ), 1 . 96 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 20 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 78 - 2 . 91 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 05 - 3 . 30 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 42 - 3 . 83 ( m , 6h ), 3 . 96 ( m , 2h ), 6 . 68 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 20 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 35 ( m , 1h ). free base ( r )- 3 - amino - 1 -(( 3as , 6as )- 5 -( 2 - fluoro - 2 - methylpropionyl )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl ) butan - 1 - one compound 7 ( 100 mg , 0 . 24 mmol ) obtained from example 7 was dissolved in ethanol ( 0 . 5 ml ), added dropwise saturated hydrogen chloride diethyl ether solution ( 5 ml ), precipitated white solid by stirring , standing for 4 hours in ice bath , filtered to give ( r )- 3 - amino - 1 -(( 3as , 6as )- 5 -( 2 - fluoro - 2 - methylpropionyl )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl ) butan - 1 - one hydrochloride compound 9 ( 68 mg , 0 . 63 %) as white powder . ms m / z ( esi ): 416 . 4 ( m + 1 ), 438 . 2 ( m + na ). 1 h nmr ( d 2 o , 400 mhz ): δ 1 . 62 ( m , 6h ), 1 . 96 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 20 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 78 - 2 . 91 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 05 - 3 . 30 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 42 - 3 . 83 ( m , 6h ), 3 . 96 ( m , 2h ), 7 . 20 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 35 ( m , 1h ). free base ( r )- 3 - amino - 1 -(( 3as , 6as )- 5 -( 2 - fluoro - 2 - methylpropionyl )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl ) butan - 1 - one compound 7 ( 100 mg , 0 . 24 mmol ) obtained from example 7 was dissolved in ethanol ( 0 . 5 ml ), added dropwise into phosphoric acid ( 24 mg , 0 . 24 mmol ) in ethanol solution ( 1 ml ), stirred until precipitation of white solid , filtered to give ( r )- 3 - amino - 1 -(( 3as , 6as )- 5 -( 2 - fluoro - 2 - methylpropionyl )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl ) butan - 1 - one phosphate compound 10 ( 84 mg , 84 %) as white powder . ms m / z ( esi ): 416 . 4 ( m + 1 ), 438 . 2 ( m + na ). 1 h nmr ( d 2 o , 400 mhz ): δ 1 . 62 ( m , 6h ), 1 . 96 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 20 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 78 - 2 . 91 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 05 - 3 . 30 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 42 - 3 . 83 ( m , 6h ), 3 . 96 ( m , 2h ), 7 . 20 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 35 ( m , 1h ). free base ( r )- 3 - amino - 1 -(( 3as , 6as )- 5 -( 2 - fluoro - 2 - methylpropionyl )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl ) butan - 1 - one compound 7 ( 100 mg , 0 . 24 mmol ) obtained from example 7 was dissolved in isopropanol ( 0 . 5 ml ), added dropwise into mesilate ( 23 mg , 0 . 24 mmol ) in isopropanol solution ( 1 ml ), stirred until precipitation of white solid , filtered to give ( r )- 3 - amino - 1 -(( 3as , 6as )- 5 -( 4 - cyanopyrrol - 2 - yl ) hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl ) butan - 1 - one mesylate compound 11 ( 68 mg , 69 %) as white powder . ms m / z ( esi ): 416 . 4 ( m + 1 ), 438 . 2 ( m + na ). 1 h nmr ( d 2 o , 400 mhz ): δ 1 . 62 ( m , 6h ), 1 . 96 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 20 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 78 - 2 . 91 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 05 - 3 . 30 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 42 - 3 . 83 ( m , 6h ), 3 . 96 ( m , 2h ), 7 . 20 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 35 ( m , 1h ). tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) and cyclopropylformic acid ( 40 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) were dissolved in dichloromethane ( 10 ml ), added sequentially hobt ( 88 mg , 0 . 65 mmol ), edc ( 125 mg , 0 . 65 mmol ) and triethylamine ( 71 mg , 0 . 70 mmol ), stirred overnight at room temperature . water was added into reaction solution ( 10 ml ), seperated organic phase , aqueous phase was extracted by dichloromethane ( 20 ml ), dried by anhydrous sodium sulfate , concentrated , residues was purified by column chromatography to give title compound 7a ( 205 mg , 90 %) as white solid . ms m / z ( esi ): 496 . 2 ( m + 1 ). according to manipulation similar to step 6 of example 1 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - fluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydro - 5 -( cyclopropylformyl )- pyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 12a ( 205 mg , 0 . 41 mmol ) was dissolved in dichloromethane ( 1 ml ), added dropwise trifluoroacetic acid ( tfa ) ( 1 ml ), after reaction was finished , added fumaric acid ( 23 mg , 0 . 20 mmol ) to give title compound 12 ( 132 mg , 74 %) as white solid . ms m / z ( esi ): 396 . 2 ( m + 1 ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 0 . 87 - 0 . 95 ( m , 4h ), 1 . 71 - 1 . 95 ( m , 2h ), 2 . 12 - 2 . 21 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 52 - 2 . 64 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 71 - 2 . 83 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 95 - 3 . 13 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 55 - 3 . 75 ( m , 5h ), 3 . 82 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 90 - 4 . 13 ( m , 1h ), 4 . 30 - 4 . 54 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 68 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 20 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 35 ( m , 1h ). according to manipulation similar to example 12 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - fluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrole [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) reacted with 1 - fluorocyclopropylformic aid ( 48 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) ( purchased from alfa aesar ( tianjin ) co . ltd ), intermediate was harvested after column chromatography , again added fumaric acid ( 28 mg , 0 . 24 mmol ) to give target compound 13 ( 76 mg , 35 %). ms m / z ( esi ): 414 . 4 ( m + 1 ), 436 . 4 ( m + na ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 7 . 35 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 20 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 68 ( s , 1h ), 4 . 50 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 96 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 42 - 3 . 83 ( m , 6h ), 3 . 05 - 3 . 30 ( m , 3h ), 2 . 78 - 2 . 91 ( m , 2h ), 2 . 20 ( m , 1h ), 1 . 96 ( m , 1h ), 1 . 01 ( m , 2h ), 0 . 95 ( m , 2h ). according to manipulation similar to example 12 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - fluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) reacted with 1 - hydroxylcyclopropylformic acid ( 47 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) ( purchased from alfa aesar ( tianjin ) co . ltd ), intermediate was harvested after column chromatography , again added fumaric acid ( 28 mg , 0 . 24 mmol ) to give target compound 14 ( 95 mg , 44 %). ms m / z ( esi ): 412 . 4 ( m + 1 ), 434 . 4 ( m + na ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 7 . 35 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 20 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 68 ( s , 1h ), 4 . 51 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 94 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 40 - 3 . 81 ( m , 6h ), 3 . 15 - 3 . 32 ( m , 3h ), 2 . 75 - 2 . 92 ( m , 2h ), 2 . 24 ( m , 1h ), 1 . 97 ( m , 1h ), 1 . 03 ( m , 2h ), 0 . 95 ( m , 2h ). according to manipulation similar to example 12 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) ( purchased from sigma - aldrich ( shanghai ) trading co ., ltd ) reacted with 1 - methylcyclopropylformic acid ( 46 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ), intermediate was harvested by column chromatography , again added fumaric acid ( 28 mg , 0 . 24 mmol ) to give target compound 15 ( 111 mg , 51 %). ms m / z ( esi ): 410 . 4 ( m + 1 ), 432 . 4 ( m + na ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 7 . 34 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 21 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 68 ( s , 1h ), 4 . 51 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 94 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 41 - 3 . 80 ( m , 6h ), 3 . 11 - 3 . 30 ( m , 3h ), 2 . 71 - 2 . 90 ( m , 2h ), 2 . 22 ( m , 1h ), 1 . 95 ( m , 1h ), 1 . 29 ( s , 3h ), 1 . 01 ( m , 2h ), 0 . 91 ( m , 2h ). according to manipulation similar to example 12 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) reacted with 2 - cyclopropylacetic acid ( 46 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ), intermediate was harvested by column chromatography , again added fumaric acid ( 28 mg , 0 . 24 mmol ) to give target compound 16 ( 50 mg , 23 %). ms m / z ( esi ): 410 . 4 ( m + 1 ), 432 . 4 ( m + na ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 7 . 33 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 20 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 68 ( s , 1h ), 4 . 50 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 93 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 41 - 3 . 76 ( m , 6h ), 3 . 11 - 3 . 26 ( m , 3h ), 2 . 70 - 2 . 88 ( m , 2h ), 2 . 22 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 14 ( m , 2h ), 1 . 95 ( m , 1h ), 1 . 11 ( m , 1h ), 0 . 95 ( m , 2h ), 0 . 83 ( m , 2h ). according to manipulation similar to example 12 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) reacted with 1 - cyanocyclopropylformic acid ( 51 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ), intermediate was harvested by column chromatography , again added fumaric acid ( 28 mg , 0 . 24 mmol ) to give target compound 17 ( 85 mg , 3 g %). ms m / z ( esi ): 421 . 4 ( m + 1 ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 1 . 57 ( m , 2h ), 1 . 63 - 1 . 70 ( m , 2h ), 1 . 89 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 13 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 63 - 2 . 82 ( m , 2h ), 2 . 90 - 3 . 25 ( m , 4h ), 3 . 52 - 3 . 69 ( m , 4h ), 4 . 04 ( m , 2h ), 4 . 34 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 68 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 17 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 29 ( m , 1h ). according to manipulation similar to example 12 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) reacted with isobutyric acid ( 41 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ), intermediate was harvested by column chromatography , again added fumaric acid ( 28 mg , 0 . 24 mmol ) to give target compound 18 ( 92 mg , 42 %). ms m / z ( esi ): 398 . 4 ( m + 1 ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 1 . 08 ( m , 6h ), 1 . 90 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 16 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 88 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 14 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 44 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 68 ( m , 5h ), 3 . 88 ( m , 2h ), 4 . 01 ( m , 1h ), 4 . 50 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 68 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 23 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 34 ( m , 1h ). according to manipulation similar to example 12 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) reacted with 3 - methylbutyric acid ( 51 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ), intermediate was harvested by column chromatography , again added fumaric acid ( 28 mg , 0 . 24 mmol ) to give target compound 19 ( 97 mg , 45 %). ms m / z ( esi ): 412 . 4 ( m + 1 ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 0 . 88 - 0 . 99 ( m , 6h ), 1 . 82 - 1 . 91 ( m , 1h ), 1 . 94 - 2 . 22 ( m , 4h ), 2 . 60 - 2 . 70 ( m , 2h ), 2 . 93 - 3 . 09 ( m , 4h ), 3 . 31 - 3 . 45 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 47 - 3 . 69 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 70 - 3 . 83 ( m , 2h ), 4 . 44 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 68 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 18 - 7 . 40 ( m , 2h ). according to manipulation similar to example 12 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) reacted with tertbutyric acid ( 47 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ), intermediate was harvested by column chromatography , again added fumaric acid ( 28 mg , 0 . 24 mmol ) to give target compound 20 ( 82 mg , 38 %). ms m / z ( esi ): 412 . 4 ( m + 1 ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 1 . 19 ( s , 9h ), 1 . 84 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 04 - 2 . 17 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 87 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 41 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 53 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 62 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 69 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 83 - 3 . 94 ( m , 1h ), 4 . 42 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 95 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 17 ( m , 1h ). according to manipulation similar to example 12 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) reacted with 3 , 3 - dimethylbutyric acid ( 47 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ), intermediate was harvested by column chromatography , again added fumaric acid ( 27 mg , 0 . 245 mmol ) to give target compound 21 ( 111 mg , 50 %). ms m / z ( esi ): 426 . 4 ( m + 1 ), 448 . 4 ( m + na ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 1 . 06 ( s , 9h ), 1 . 84 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 04 - 2 . 17 ( m , 3h ), 2 . 88 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 42 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 54 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 65 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 71 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 83 - 3 . 94 ( m , 1h ), 4 . 42 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 95 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 17 ( m , 1h ). according to manipulation similar to example 12 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) reacted with 2 - hydroxyl - 2 - methylpropionic acid ( 49 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ), intermediate was harvested by column chromatography , again added fumaric acid ( 27 mg , 0 . 24 mmol ) to give target compound 22 ( 56 mg , 26 %). ms m / z ( esi ): 414 . 4 ( m + 1 ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 1 . 26 ( m , 6h ), 1 . 91 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 18 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 90 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 15 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 45 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 69 ( m , 5h ), 3 . 89 ( m , 2h ), 4 . 06 ( m , 1h ), 4 . 55 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 68 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 23 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 34 ( m , 1h ). according to manipulation similar to example 12 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) reacted with 2 - hydroxylacetic acid ( 35 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ), intermediate was harvested by column chromatography , again added fumaric acid ( 27 mg , 0 . 245 mmol ) to give target compound 23 ( 74 mg , 36 %). ms m / z ( esi ): 386 . 3 ( m + 1 ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 1 . 72 - 1 . 94 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 00 - 2 . 20 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 67 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 93 - 3 . 10 ( m , 4h ), 3 . 33 - 3 . 50 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 50 - 3 . 64 ( m , 4h ), 3 . 70 - 3 . 87 ( m , 2h ), 4 . 36 - 4 . 55 ( m , 3h ), 6 . 68 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 19 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 35 ( m , 1h ). according to manipulation similar to example 12 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) reacted with 3 - hydroxyl - 2 -( hydroxymethyl ) propionic acid ( 55 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) ( purchased fro , j & amp ; k scientific co . ltd . ), intermediate was harvested by column chromatography , again added fumaric acid ( 27 mg , 0 . 24 mmol ) to give target compound 24 ( 33 mg , 15 %). ms m / z ( esi ): 430 . 3 ( m + 1 ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 1 . 78 - 1 . 94 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 05 - 2 . 20 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 62 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 68 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 94 - 3 . 11 ( m , 4h ), 3 . 31 - 3 . 51 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 50 - 3 . 64 ( m , 4h ), 3 . 71 - 3 . 87 ( m , 6h ), 4 . 35 - 4 . 54 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 68 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 19 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 35 ( m , 1h ). according to manipulation similar to example 12 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) reacted with picoline ( 56 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ), intermediate was harvested by column chromatography , again added fumaric acid ( 53 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) to give target compound 25 ( 42 mg , 17 %). ms m / z ( esi ): 433 . 4 ( m + 1 ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 1 . 96 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 16 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 80 - 2 . 91 ( m , 2h ), 2 . 97 - 3 . 43 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 44 - 3 . 85 ( m , 5h ), 3 . 90 ( m , 2h ), 4 . 43 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 62 ( s , 1h ), 6 . 70 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 18 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 88 ( m , 1h ), 8 . 09 - 8 . 32 ( m , 3h ). according to manipulation similar to example 12 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) reacted with 3 - mesylbenzoic acid ( 92 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ), intermediate was harvested by column chromatography , again added fumaric acid ( 27 mg , 0 . 23 mmol ) to give target compound 26 ( 23 mg , 9 %). ms m / z ( esi ): 510 . 5 ( m + 1 ), 532 . 5 ( m + na ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 2 . 75 - 3 . 05 ( m , 5h ), 3 . 07 - 3 . 42 ( m , 5h ), 3 . 55 - 4 . 18 ( m , 7h ), 4 . 42 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 68 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 16 - 7 . 36 ( m , 2h ), 7 . 72 - 8 . 14 ( m , 4h ). according to manipulation similar to example 12 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) reacted with 3 - acetylbenzoic acid ( 75 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ), intermediate was harvested by column chromatography , again added fumaric acid ( 27 mg , 0 . 23 mmol ) to give target compound 27 ( 37 mg , 15 %). ms m / z ( esi ): 474 . 5 ( m + 1 ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 1 . 74 - 2 . 76 ( m , 2h ), 2 . 65 ( s , 3h ), 2 . 71 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 88 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 96 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 15 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 38 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 53 - 3 . 64 ( m , 4h ), 3 . 65 - 3 . 86 ( m , 3h ), 4 . 40 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 64 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 08 - 7 . 33 ( m , 2h ), 7 . 55 - 7 . 75 ( m , 2h ), 7 . 92 - 8 . 12 ( m , 2h ). ( r )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- 5 -( 1 - cyanocyclopropylcarbonyl )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - carbonyl - 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl ) butan - 2 - yltertbutyl carbamate 17a ( 300 mg , 0 . 58 mmol ) was dissolved in dmso ( 5 ml ), added 30 % of hydrogen peroxide ( 0 . 5 ml ) and potassium carbonate ( 160 mg , 1 . 16 mmol ) at 0 ° c ., the temperature of reaction solution was raised to room temperature and stirred for 5 minutes , added water ( 20 ml ), extracted by dichloromethane , dried by anhydrous sodium sulfate , concentrated , residues was purified by column chromatography to give ( r )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- 5 -( 1 - aminocarbonylcyclopropylcarbonyl )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - carbonyl - 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl ) butan - 2 - yltertbutyl carbamate 28a ( 265 mg , 85 %) as white foamy solid . ms m / z ( esi ): 539 . 2 ( m + 1 ). according to manipulation similar to example 12 , ( r )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- 5 -( 1 - aminocarbonylcyclopropylcarbonyl )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - carbonyl - 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl ) butan - 2 - yltertbutyl carbamate 28a ( 265 mg , 0 . 49 mmol ) was dissolved in trifluoroacetic acid ( 5 ml ), the resultant compound formed salt with fumaric acid ( 29 mg , 0 . 25 mmol ) to give title compound 28 ( 136 mg , 56 %) as white solid . ms m / z ( esi ): 497 . 2 ( m + 1 ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 1 . 58 ( m , 2h ), 1 . 65 ( m , 2h ), 1 . 91 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 15 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 63 - 2 . 81 ( m , 2h ), 2 . 91 - 3 . 26 ( m , 4h ), 3 . 53 - 3 . 65 ( m , 4h ), 4 . 05 ( m , 2h ), 4 . 37 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 69 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 17 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 29 ( m , 1h ). tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) was dissolved in dichloromethane ( 20 ml ), added sequentially triethylamine ( 46 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) and acetyl chloride ( 36 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ), stirred overnight at room temperature . water ( 10 ml ) was added into reaction solution , separated organic phase , aqueous phase was extracted by dichloromethane ( 20 ml ), dried by anhydrous sodium sulfate , concentrated , residues was purified by column chromatography to give title compound 29a ( 207 mg , 96 %) as white solid . ms m / z ( esi ): 470 . 2 ( m + 1 ). 29a ( 207 mg , 0 . 44 mmol ) was dissolved in dichloromethane ( 1 ml ), added dropwise trifluoroacetic acid ( tfa ) ( 1 ml ), stirred for 1 hours at room temperature , after tlc monitoring reaction was over , concentrated , added dichloromethane ( 15 ml ), washed with saturated sodium carbonate aqueous solution ( 15 ml ), organic phase was dried by anhydrous sodium sulfate , concentrated , residues was dissolved in ethanol , added fumaric acid ( 23 mg , 0 . 22 mmol ), stirred for 30 minutes at room temperature , precipitated solid , sucking filtrated to give title compound 29 ( 118 mg , 63 %) as white solid . ms m / z ( esi ): 370 . 4 ( m + 1 ). 1 h nmr ( d 2 o , 400 mhz ): δ 1 . 72 - 1 . 94 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 03 ( d , 3h ), 2 . 00 - 2 . 20 ( m , 2h ), 2 . 67 ( m , 2h ), 2 . 93 - 3 . 10 ( m , 4h ), 3 . 33 - 3 . 50 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 50 - 3 . 64 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 70 - 3 . 87 ( m , 2h ), 4 . 36 - 4 . 55 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 69 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 18 - 7 . 28 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 28 - 7 . 40 ( m , 1h ). according to manipulation similar to example 29 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) reacted with trifluoroacetic anhydride ( 97 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ), intermediate was harvested by column chromatography , again added fumaric acid ( 27 mg , 0 . 23 mmol ) to give target compound 30 ( 91 mg , 41 %). ms m / z ( esi ): 424 . 4 ( m + 1 ), 446 . 4 ( m + na ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 1 . 80 - 2 . 22 ( m , 2h ), 2 . 72 - 2 . 90 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 00 - 3 . 25 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 47 - 3 . 70 ( m , 4h ), 3 . 85 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 96 - 4 . 08 ( m , 2h ), 4 . 19 - 4 . 41 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 69 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 15 - 7 . 34 ( m , 2h ). according to manipulation similar to example 12 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) reacted with trifluoropropionic acid ( 59 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) ( purchased from alfa aesar ( tianjin ) co . ltd ), intermediate was harvested by column chromatography , again added fumaric acid ( 27 mg , 0 . 23 mmol ) to give target compound 31 ( 50 mg , 22 %). ms m / z ( esi ): 438 . 4 ( m + 1 ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 1 . 85 - 2 . 21 ( m , 2h ), 2 . 70 ( s , 2h ), 2 . 75 - 2 . 94 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 05 - 3 . 29 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 47 - 3 . 74 ( m , 4h ), 3 . 84 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 96 - 4 . 07 ( m , 2h ), 4 . 31 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 69 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 15 - 7 . 34 ( m , 2h ). according to manipulation similar to example 29 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) reacted with benzoyl chloride ( 65 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ), intermediate was harvested by column chromatography , again added fumaric acid ( 27 mg , 0 . 23 mmol ) to give target compound 32 ( 81 mg , 36 %). ms m / z ( esi ): 432 . 5 ( m + 1 ), 454 . 4 ( m + na ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 1 . 80 - 2 . 22 ( m , 2h ), 2 . 76 - 3 . 24 ( m , 4h ), 3 . 45 - 4 . 18 ( m , 8h ), 4 . 46 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 59 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 19 - 7 . 55 ( m , 7h ). according to manipulation similar to example 29 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - fluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) reacted with 3 - fluorobenzoyl chloride ( 73 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ), intermediate was harvested by column chromatography , again added fumaric acid ( 27 mg , 0 . 23 mmol ) to give target compound 33 ( 84 mg , 36 %). ms m / z ( esi ): 450 . 4 ( m + 1 ), 472 . 4 ( m + na ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 1 . 78 - 1 . 98 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 02 - 2 . 20 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 59 - 2 . 66 ( m , 2h ), 2 . 89 - 3 . 11 ( m , 4h ), 3 . 53 - 3 . 69 ( m , 4h ), 3 . 71 - 3 . 87 ( m , 2h ), 4 . 40 - 4 . 12 ( dd , 1h ), 6 . 66 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 19 - 7 . 34 ( m , 5h ), 7 . 45 ( m , 1h ) according to manipulation similar to example 29 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - fluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) reacted with 3 - chlorobenzoyl chloride ( 80 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ), intermediate was harvested by column chromatography , again added fumaric acid ( 27 mg , 0 . 23 mmol ) to give target compound 34 ( 89 mg , 37 %). ms m / z ( esi ): 466 . 4 ( m + 1 ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 1 . 61 - 1 . 92 ( m , 1h ), 1 . 94 - 2 . 19 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 71 ( m , 2h ), 2 . 90 - 2 . 95 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 04 - 3 . 24 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 36 - 3 . 40 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 73 - 3 . 99 ( m , 2h ), 4 . 38 ( br , 1h ), 6 . 52 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 00 - 7 . 16 ( m , 2h ), 7 . 27 ( m , 2h ), 7 . 33 - 7 . 40 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 42 - 7 . 46 ( m , 1h ). according to manipulation similar to example 29 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - fluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) reacted with 3 - methylbenzoyl chloride ( 62 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ), intermediate was harvested by column chromatography , again added fumaric acid ( 27 mg , 0 . 23 mmol ) to give target compound 35 ( 116 mg , 50 %). ms m / z ( esi ): 446 . 4 ( m + 1 ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 1 . 78 - 1 . 95 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 14 - 2 . 19 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 33 - 2 . 38 ( d , 3h ), 2 . 58 - 2 . 70 ( m , 2h ), 2 . 88 - 2 . 91 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 97 - 3 . 08 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 56 - 3 . 69 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 76 - 3 . 85 ( m , 2h ), 4 . 39 - 4 . 49 ( dd , 1h ), 6 . 66 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 20 - 7 . 35 ( m , 6h ). according to manipulation similar to example 29 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - fluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) reacted with 3 - cyanobenzoyl chloride ( 76 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ), intermediate was harvested by column chromatography , again added fumaric acid ( 27 mg , 0 . 23 mmol ) to give target compound 36 ( 78 mg , 33 %). ms m / z ( esi ): 457 . 4 ( m + 1 ), 479 . 5 ( m + 23 ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 2 . 00 - 2 . 17 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 71 - 3 . 10 ( m , 4h ), 3 . 16 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 56 - 3 . 69 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 33 - 3 . 41 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 52 - 3 . 74 ( m , 5h ), 3 . 80 - 3 . 88 ( m , 2h ), 4 . 07 - 4 . 42 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 66 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 15 - 7 . 36 ( m , 2h ), 7 . 60 - 7 . 70 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 73 - 7 . 84 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 89 - 7 . 94 ( m , 2h ). tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) was dissolved in dichloromethane ( 20 ml ), added sequentially triethylamine ( 46 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) and cyclopropylsulfonyl chloride ( 64 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ), stirred overnight at room temperature . water ( 10 ml ) was added into reaction solution , separated organic phase , aqueous phase was extracted by dichloromethane ( 20 ml ), dried by anhydrous sodium sulfate , concentrated , residues was purified by column chromatography to give title compound 37a ( 260 mg , 70 %) as white solid . ms m / z ( esi ): 532 . 2 ( m + 1 ). tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydro - 5 -( cyclopropylbenzonyl )- pyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 37a ( 260 mg , 0 . 48 mmol ) was dissolved in dichloromethane ( 1 ml ), added trifluoroacetic acid ( tfa ) ( 1 ml ), stirred for 1 hours at room temperature , after tlc monitoring was over , concentrated , added dichloromethane ( 15 ml ), washed with saturated sodium carbonate aqueous solution ( 15 ml ), organic phase was dried by anhydrous sodium sulfate , concentrated , residues was dissolved in ethanol , added fumaric acid ( 28 mg , 0 . 24 mmol ), stirred for 30 minutes at room temperature , precipitated solid , sucking filtrated to give title compound 37 ( 82 mg , 35 %) as white solid . ms m / z ( esi ): 432 . 4 ( m + 1 ). 1 h nmr ( d 2 o , 400 mhz ): δ 1 . 35 ( m , 4h ), 1 . 94 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 20 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 68 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 83 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 15 ( m , 4h ), 3 . 29 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 40 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 62 ( m , 3h ), 4 . 01 ( m , 1h ), 4 . 52 ( m , 1h ), 4 . 66 ( m , 2h ), 6 . 66 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 23 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 34 ( m , 1h ). according to manipulation similar to example 37 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - fluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) reacted with methanesulfonyl chloride ( 52 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ), intermediate was harvested by column chromatography , again added fumaric acid ( 27 mg , 0 . 23 mmol ) to give target compound 38 ( 55 mg , 26 %). ms m / z ( esi ): 406 . 3 ( m + 1 ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 1 . 92 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 15 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 71 - 2 . 85 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 10 - 3 . 00 ( m , 5h ), 3 . 26 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 32 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 49 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 65 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 98 ( m , 1h ), 4 . 46 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 64 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 16 - 7 . 32 ( m , 2h ). according to manipulation similar to example 37 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) reacted with trifluoromethanesulfonyl chloride ( 67 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ), intermediate was harvested by column chromatography , again added fumaric acid ( 27 mg , 0 . 23 mmol ) to give target compound 39 ( 107 mg , 45 %). ms m / z ( esi ): 460 . 4 ( m + 1 ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 1 . 94 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 17 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 77 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 04 - 3 . 19 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 45 - 3 . 72 ( m , 4h ), 3 . 84 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 98 ( m , 1h ), 4 . 52 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 52 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 17 - 7 . 28 ( m , 2h ). according to manipulation similar to example 37 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) reacted with benzenesulfonyl chloride ( 81 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ), intermediate was harvested by column chromatography , again added fumaric acid ( 27 mg , 0 . 23 mmol ) to give target compound 40 ( 123 mg , 51 %). ms m / z ( esi ): 468 . 4 ( m + 1 ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ) δ 1 . 87 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 07 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 58 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 03 - 3 . 16 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 22 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 44 - 3 . 51 ( m , 4h ), 3 . 55 ( m , 1h ), 3 . 92 ( m , 1h ), 4 . 33 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 29 ( m , 2h ), 7 . 66 ( m , 3h ), 7 . 89 ( m , 2h ). according to manipulation similar to example 37 , tertbutyl ( r )- 1 -( 2 , 4 , 5 - trifluorophenyl )- 4 -(( 3as , 6as )- hexahydropyrrolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyrrol - 1 ( 2h )- yl )- 4 - oxybutan - 2 - ylcarbamate 1f ( 200 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ) reacted with p - tosyl chloride ( 87 mg , 0 . 46 mmol ), intermediate was harvested by column chromatography , again added fumaric acid ( 27 mg , 0 . 23 mmol ) to give target compound 41 ( 131 mg , 53 %). ms m / z ( esi ): 482 . 4 ( m + 1 ), 504 . 4 ( m + na ). 1 h nmr ( cd 3 od , 600 mhz ): δ 1 . 86 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 07 ( m , 1h ), 2 . 44 ( d , 3h ), 3 . 18 ( m , 3h ), 3 . 39 - 3 . 51 ( m , 5h ), 3 . 54 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 97 ( m , 2h ), 4 . 32 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 65 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 20 - 7 . 33 ( m , 2h ), 7 . 52 ( d , 2h ), 7 . 76 ( d , 2h ). determination of dpp - iv - inhibiting activity could be performed by common methods . dpp - iv was pure enzyme expressed by using baculovirus expressing system and purified . both k m and k cat of pure enzyme were consistent with references , suggested that dpp - iv pure enzyme obtained by expression and purification was totally normal in enzymic properties . the reaction system was carried out in buffer of ph7 . 5 and the substrate was alanine - proline - 7 - amino - 4 - methylcoumarin ( ala - pro - amc ). dpp - iv could degradate substrate ala - pro - amc to give product amc . amc , excited by 355 nm of ultraviolet light , could generate emitted light at 460 nm . the dpp - iv activity could be determined by dynamic detecting the increasing speed of fluorescence value at 460 nm . thoroughly mixed test compounds , enzyme and reaction buffer , preincubated the mixture for 15 minutes at 37 ° c . and then primed reaction by adding substrate , successfully detecting fluorescence value at 460 nm for 5 minutes . at the same time , set the blank control group without substrate and solvent control group with dmso replacing test compound , as well as positive control group of vildagliptin ( laf - 237 ) and sitagliptin ( mk - 0431 ) [ bioorg . med . chem . lett ., 2005 , 15 , 4770 - 4773 ]. all final reaction volumes were 100 μl . each concentration of each sample consisted of parallel wells in triplate . firstly , calculated the increment of fluorescence intensity per unit time during the initial speed of enzyme ( unit : rfu / sec ) which can be used to express initial speed , then calculated activity percentage of sample in each concentration group as follows : wherein , v sample represents initial speed of sample in each concentration group , v dmso represents initial speed of dmso group . logarithm concentration was plotted versus activity percentage , and then calculated fitting curve by nonlinear regression from which ic 50 value was calculated . the molecular structural formulas of representive compounds of the present invention and the results of bioactivity test of compounds were shown in table 2 . the data in table 2 showed that the inhibiting activity against dpp - iv of compounds of the present invention was significantly stronger than that of vidagliptin , in which the inhibiting activity of some compounds were superior than that of sitagliptin . in particular , dpp - iv inhibiting activity of compound 26 was 30 times higher than that of vildagliptin , 8 times higher than that of sitagliptin . these results suggested that the compounds of the present invention had better bioactivity compared with existing drugs . recent studies found that there were some proteins ( dash ) which had activity and / or structure similar to dpp - iv , including dpp8 , dpp9 , fap and the like . preclinical studies showed that inhibition of the activity of these dash members would lead to toxicity , even to death . so , for the treatment of diabetes , it &# 39 ; s very important to screen dpp - iv inhibitor with high selectivity and efficacy . the recombinant proteins of dppiv , dpp8 , dpp9 and fap were expressed by using insect expression system ( purchased from shanghai jinmai biotechnology co . ltd ). the activities of these 5 enzymes were detected by using fluorescence substrate . the inhibiting effect of compound was observed through detecting the inhibition of different compound against enzymatic activity . the employed positive reference drug was vildagliptin ( laf237 ). the experimental method was according to the method disclosed in reference j . med . chem . 2006 , 49 , 3520 - 3535 . the results were shown in table 3 and 4 . the data in table 3 and 4 showed that the selective ratios of compound 8 , 20 and 26 for dpp8 , dpp9 and fap were all higher than that of positive drug valdagliptin , suggested that the compounds of the present invention had better safety than the existing positive control drugs , and were more suitable to be used to treat or prevent diseases associated with dipeptidyl peptidase iv than the existing drugs , such as diabetes . in vivo pharmacokinetic study of compound 8 and 20 in rats 12 healthy , male sd rats with 200 - 220 g body weight were assigned randomly to 3 groups ( 4 in each group ), particular assignment was shown in the table below : rats were fasted for 12 h before test with free access to water and uniformly fed at 2 h after administration . time points of blood collecting and samples treatment : 0 . 3 ml blood was drawn through mice post - glomus venous plexus at 0 . 25 , 0 . 5 , 1 . 0 , 2 . 0 , 3 . 0 , 4 . 0 , 5 . 0 , 7 . 0 , 9 . 0 and 24 hours post - administration , placed in heparinized test tube , centrifuged at 3000 rpm / min for 10 minutes , separated plasma , frozen in refrigerator at − 20 ° c . unchanged drug concentration in plasma was determined by liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry method . table 5 showed that compound 8 and 20 had larger in vivo exposure ( auc ) and longer in vivo half - life ( t 1 / 2 ) than positive control drug sitagliptin after gavages administration of 20 mg / k dose in rats , suggested the compound of the present invention had better in vivo pharmacokinetics properties than the currently marketed drug sitagliptin . 70 male clean - grade icr mice with 20 . 0 - 24 . 0 g body weight were provided by experimental animal center of zhejiang university . production license number of experimental animal : scxk [ zhe ] 2007 - 0039 ; use license number of experimental animal : syxk ( zhe ) 2007 - 0098 . feeding condition for animals : met the requirement for experimental facility of spf grade animals , temperature at 20 - 25 ° c ., humidity of 0 - 70 %, illuminating condition was alternately 12 hours of brightness and 12 hours of darkness , ventilation rate was 10 - 20 times per hour , free access to water ( city drinking water ), illumination was 12 h / 12 h of alternating light and dark at day and night respectively . 50 male clean - grade mice passing quarantine with 20 . 0 - 24 . 0 g body weight were randomly divided into 5 groups which included solvent control group , model group , compound dose group ( 3 . 0 mg / kg ) respectively , 10 per group . mice in each group were fasted for 12 hours and then 0 . 08 ml blood was drawn by cutting tail . serum was collected and used to determinating fasting blood glucose value . after drawing blood , mice in each dose group were administrated by gavage with different drug solution of corresponding dose and mice in solvent control and model group were administrated with distilled water of equal volume , wherein administration volume was 0 . 2 ml / 10 g . 0 . 08 ml blood was drawn from each group at 60 minutes post - administration to determine the blood glucose value at 60 minutes post - administration . after drawing blood , 5 . 0 mg / kg glucose was administrated by gavage to each group except for solvent control group , wherein administration volume was 0 . 2 ml / 10 g , and then blood was drawn at 20 min , 40 min , 60 min , 120 min after administration of glucose respectively , blood was centrifugated at 6000 rpm for 10 min to separate serum for determining the blood glucose value at each time point , area under curve of blood glucose was calculated on the basis of blood glucose concentration . table 6 showed that inhibition rate of compound 8 and 20 for blood glucose auc of normal icr rats at 3 mg / kg dose were 63 . 0 % and 38 . 3 respectively , significantly superior to sitagliptin , suggested that the compounds of the present invention had stronger in vivo glucose - decreasing activity than the currently marketed drug . according to traditional method , various ingredients of pharmaceutical composition described above , after mixing , were loaded into conventional gelatine capsule to give 1000 capsules . according to similar method , the capsules of compound 8 were produced respectively . according to traditional method , various ingredients of pharmaceutical composition described above , after mixing , were loaded into conventional gelatin capsule to give 1000 capsules . according to similar method , the capsules of compound 20 were produced respectively . all the references mentioned in the invention are incorporated herein by reference , as if each reference was individually incorporated herein by reference . in addition , it should be understood that various changes or modifications can be made to the invention by those skilled in the art after reading foregoing teaching , these equivalents also fall within the scope defined by the appended claims . | 2 |
the following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure , application , or uses . it should be understood that throughout the drawings , corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features . fig1 shows a substantially square functional frame 10 in which a cover plate 12 as well as a reflector 14 are held in a suitable manner . the functional frame 10 has a peripheral side wall which extends perpendicular to the cover plate 12 . in two mutually oppositely disposed side walls , two respective latch receivers 16 are formed which are located in the end regions of the respective side walls so that ultimately one latch receiver 16 is present in each corner region of the functional frame 10 . in an alternative embodiment of the invention , two respective latch receivers 16 could also be formed at all four sides of the functional frame 10 . each latch receiver 16 has a move - in track 18 as well as a move - out track 20 between which a latch position 22 is formed . the move - in track 18 has a funnel - like expanded portion 24 in its upper region via which latch elements 26 of a wire spring 28 can be inserted into the move - in track 18 in the relaxed state of the wire spring 28 , initially without deformation of the same . the embodiment of the wire spring 28 will be explained in the following with reference to the coordinate system drawn in fig1 . the axes x and y of this coordinate system span that plane in which the cover plate 12 extends . the axis z extends perpendicular to this plane . the wire spring 28 has a central spring portion 30 which extends in the direction of the axis y and is bent in the manner of a coil in order thus to amplify the spring effect . the spring portion 30 is adjoined at both sides by two wire portions 32 which extend in a straight direction obliquely upwardly within the plane spanned by the axes y and z and which are angled in their end region remote from the spring portion 30 such that they extend parallel to the axis y . connection regions 34 respectively adjoin the ends of the wire portions 32 remote from the spring portion 30 and extend parallel to the axis x , outwardly seen from the reflector 14 . a wire limb 36 in each case in turn adjoins the connection regions 34 and extends downwardly parallel to the axis z starting from the respective connection region 34 and in each case supports a latch element 26 at its lower end . the latch element 26 extends parallel to the axis inwardly toward the reflector 14 . the total wire spring 28 with spring portion 30 , wire portions 32 , connection regions 34 , wire limbs 36 and latch elements 26 is produced from a single wire piece which is bent in each case in the desired manner and has elastic properties so that it in particular returns to its original shape again after a deformation of the spring portion 30 taking place in moderation . the cooperation between the two wire springs 28 and the four latch receivers 16 described in the following in connection with fig2 a to d makes it possible that the functional frame 10 can be released from or coupled to a lamp housing , not shown in fig1 , parallel to the direction z so that a light source extending along the direction z can be moved into and out of a rear reflector opening 38 , without the reflector 14 and the light source colliding with one another . fig2 a to d illustrate that the latch receivers 16 each have an arcuate inwardly arched move - in track 18 beneath the funnel - like expanded portion 24 , said move - in track continuing obliquely upwardly outwardly in a hook form after reaching a lower end point 40 until a latch position 22 disposed approximately beneath the expanded portion 24 is reached . a first portion of a move - out track 20 , which extends up to a further lower end point 42 , then obliquely downwardly outwardly adjoins the latch position 22 . starting from this further lower end point 42 , the move - out track 20 in turn continues obliquely upwardly outwardly so that it ends in each case outside the expanded portions 24 . in the region of the further lower end point 42 , the move - out track 20 has a step 44 which is configured such that the region of the move - out track 20 disposed after the step 44 in the direction of the arrows drawn in fig2 a is disposed lower , i . e . closer to the reflector 14 , than the region of the move - out track 20 located in front of the step 44 . the wire spring 28 is coupled in the already explained manner to a housing frame not shown in fig1 and 2 a - d for reasons of clarity . on the introduction of the functional frame 10 into this housing frame , the wire spring 28 is located in its relaxed position shown in fig2 a so that the two latch elements 26 are located directly above the expanded portions 24 . if the functional frame 10 is now moved upwardly in the direction of the housing frame or in the direction of the wire spring 28 , the latch elements 26 move into the expanded portions 24 and from there along the triangular arrows drawn in fig2 a through the first portion of the move - in track 18 . in this way , the latch elements 26 are moved closer to one another due to the shape of the move - in track 18 so that the spring portion 30 arches upwardly in accordance with fig2 b and the two ends 46 of the spring portion 30 abut the upper edge 48 of the functional frame 10 and thus act on it with pressure . the last - named effect also exists when the latch elements 26 in accordance with fig2 b are located at the lower end point 40 of the move - in track 18 . in this position , the two wire limbs 36 are inclined to one another and the spring portion 30 continues to arch upwardly . to move the functional frame 10 out of its position shown in fig2 a into the position in accordance with fig2 b , it is necessary to press it upwardly against the force of the spring portion 30 in the direction of the housing . this movement is then ultimately bounded by the cooperation of the latch elements 26 with the lower end points 40 of the move - in tracks 18 , whereupon the functional frame 10 can be let go of by the fitter . this then has the effect that , due to the pressure action induced by the spring portion 30 or its ends 46 , the functional frame 10 is moved downwardly , with the spring portion 30 simultaneously relaxing a little so that the wire limbs 36 with the latch elements 26 arranged thereon are pivoted outwardly somewhat . the latch elements 26 thus then move into the latch position 22 in accordance with fig2 c . in this position , the downward movement of the functional frame 10 is bounded by the cooperation of the latch elements 26 and the latch positions 22 . the wire limbs 36 are only slightly mutually inclined and the spring portion 30 is only slightly upwardly arched . in this position in accordance with fig2 c , however , the ends 46 of the spring portion 30 still also exert a specific pressure onto the upper edge 48 of the functional frame 10 such that the functional frame 10 is clamped and fixed in this position so - to - say between the latch elements 26 and the ends 46 of the spring portion 30 . if now the functional frame 10 is again pressed upwardly by the fitter to release the functional frame 10 from the housing ( not shown ) or from the wire springs 28 , the latch elements 26 first abut the slope 50 of the move - out track 20 , with this slop 50 then guiding the latch elements 26 to the lower end point 42 of the move - out track 20 . the latch elements 26 spring over the steps 44 directly in front of this lower end point 42 so that the latch elements 26 latch behind the steps 44 . this latching procedure is achieved in that the base of the move - out track 20 is elevated in front of the step 44 so that the latch elements 26 press onto the base of the move - out track 20 due to the elasticity of the wire springs 28 and thus spring behind the step 44 onto the base of the move - out track 20 disposed lower there . if the latch elements 26 are located at the lower end points 42 of the move - out tracks 20 , the spring portion 30 is again arched somewhat more pronouncedly than shown in fig2 c so that the functional frame 10 is again pressed somewhat downwardly over the ends 46 of the spring portion 30 after ending of the pressure application by the fitter . the latch elements 26 move obliquely upwardly within the move - out tracks 20 . due to the oblique configuration of the move - out tracks 20 , the functional frame 10 can , however , not fall down in an unintended manner since it continues to be held by the latch elements 26 which contact the inner sides of the move - out track 20 . only when the functional frame is actively pulled downwardly by the fitter does a spreading open of the wire springs 28 take place in which the latch elements 26 are moved further apart . this movement can be seen from fig2 d . if this movement is continued beyond the position shown in fig2 d , the latch elements 26 ultimately move completely out of the move - out tracks 20 in the arrow direction so that the functional frame 10 is completely released from the wire springs 28 . after this complete release , the wire springs 28 again spring back into their position in accordance with fig2 a . fig3 a shows , in a perspective view , a lamp housing 52 having a housing base 54 disposed against the main direction of illumination . in the main direction of illumination , the lamp housing 52 has a housing frame 56 which is made in one piece with the remaining housing part . fastening means 58 are provided at the lamp housing 52 and the lamp housing can be fixed in a suspended ceiling , for example , by means of them . two cut - outs 60 which are substantially in the shape of a circle sector and in which the wire limbs 36 of the wire springs 28 are received are provided at two oppositely disposed sides of the housing frame 56 of which only one can be seen in fig3 a . in the lower region of the cut - outs 60 , guide slots 62 are formed which have the shape of an arc of a circle so that the latch elements 26 connected to the wire limbs 36 can move in the guide slots 62 such as was explained in connection with fig2 a to d . since the latch elements 26 are located within the guide slots 62 , since the wire limbs 36 contact the outer side of the housing frame 56 and since the wire portions 32 connected to the wire limbs 36 via the connection regions 34 and with the spring portion 30 ( not visible in fig3 a ) lie on the inner side of the housing frame 56 , it is ensured that the wire spring 28 is fixed in the desired position without additional fastening means at the housing frame 56 . the just explained position of the wire portions 32 as well as of the spring portion 30 can be seen from fig3 b in which the lamp housing 52 , including the housing frame 56 , is shown in transparent form . it is , however , also possible to fasten the connection regions 34 of the wire spring 28 to the housing frame 56 in order thus to ensure a particularly good movability of the latch elements 26 within the guide slots 62 . such a fastening can , for example , be achieved with a cover metal sheet 70 ( see fig3 a , b ), by means of which the connection regions 34 are clamped between the housing frame 56 and the cover metal sheet 70 . it can furthermore be seen from fig3 b that the functional frame 10 is introduced inwardly into the housing frame 56 and the spring portions 30 act on the upper edge of the functional frame 10 . fig4 shows the functional frame 10 in accordance with fig1 in a perspective view from obliquely below , with , here , however , in contrast to fig1 , two mutually spaced apart lug - like flexible holding elements 64 being provided at a side of the functional frame 10 which has no latch receivers 16 . the holding elements 64 extend perpendicular away from the said side of the functional frame 10 . at their end remote from the functional frame 10 , the holding elements 64 each have a longitudinal slot 66 as well as two outwardly facing hook - like elements 68 which serve for the anchorage of the holding elements 64 in the lamp housing 52 ( fig3 b ). when the functional frame 10 is released from the housing frame 56 and pulled out of it in the already explained manner , the holding elements 64 are simultaneously also pulled so far out of the housing frame 56 in accordance with fig5 until the hook elements 68 abut the housing frame 56 in the position shown in fig5 and thus prevent a further movement of the holding elements 64 . in this position , the functional frame 10 can now be let go of by the fitter , whereupon it pivots away from the housing frame 56 due to the flexibility of the holding elements 64 , as is shown in fig6 . in the position in accordance with fig6 , the interior of the lamp housing 52 can be accessed freely and without problem , for example for the purpose of changing a light source . after such a changing of a light source , the functional frame 10 is simply gripped again by the fitter and is moved into the housing frame 56 , with simultaneously a pushing of the holding elements 64 into the cut - outs of the housing frame 56 provided for this purpose taking place in a compulsory manner . the pressing of the functional frame 10 into the housing frame 56 is continued for so long until the latch elements 26 of the wire springs 28 latch into the latch positions 22 . fig7 shows an embodiment of the invention modified with respect to fig3 b . a substantial difference consists here in the form of the wire spring 28 ′ which , unlike fig3 b , does not have any middle spring portion 30 and also no wire portion 32 extending obliquely thereto . the spring 28 ′ is rather bent substantially in a u shape and is fastened to the housing 54 ′ by means of two respective fixing lugs 72 in its two corner regions . the wire limbs 36 are also pivotable in this embodiment such that the latch elements connected to them can move freely inside the guide slots 62 . on such a movement of the wire limbs 36 , however , the portion of the wire spring 28 ′ connecting the two wire limbs 36 to one another does not move . as a result of the described shape of the wire spring 28 ′, no pre - tension is exerted on the functional frame 10 on the introduction of the same into the housing 54 ′ as is given by the spring portion 30 in accordance with fig3 b . to nevertheless achieve such a pre - tension , respective spiral springs 74 are attached to the four corner regions of the housing 54 ′ and these spiral springs project out of corresponding cut - outs of the housing 54 ′ in the direction of the functional frame 10 . on the introduction of the functional frame 10 into the housing 54 ′, these spiral springs 74 ′ are pressed together so that the effect of the pre - tensioning described in connection with fig3 b is also effected here . in a corresponding manner , the spiral springs 74 also ensure that the functional frame 10 is pressed out of the housing 54 ′ on a release of the functional frame from the housing 54 ′. the description is merely exemplary in nature and , thus , variations that do not depart from the gist of the present disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the invention . such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure . | 5 |
the figures illustrate embodiments of pneumatically actuated sliding - caliper disc brakes . such a brake has a caliper 1 the two arms of which extend around a brake rotor 2 . respective brake heads ( 3 , 4 ) on the two sides of the brake rotor are guided and supported in a brake bracket ( not shown ) or in the caliper 1 . caliper 1 itself is slidably mounted so as to be translatable in the direction perpendicular to the face of the rotor 2 . one side of the caliper 1 bears an application mechanism 5 . the application mechanism 5 has a lever 6 with pivot axis a extending essentially parallel to the midplane 7 of the rotor 2 . in the brake shown in fig1 the pivot axis a of lever 6 is fixed . however , the invention is not limited to this embodiment . the invention may be used with brakes in which the pivot axis of the brake lever changes position with increasing application ( advancement and force of the brake head ). the brake lever 6 is fixed to an application shaft 8 so as to extend radially therefrom . the lever 6 and shaft 8 are disposed inside the housing of the caliper 1 . the application shaft 8 extends along the pivot axis a , and bears a cam contour , arranged such that , when the shaft 8 is rotated along its longitudinal axis a relative movement of the caliper 1 and the brake head 3 in the axial direction of the brake rotor 2 results . in the process , the application force is transmitted from the application shaft 8 to the brake head 3 via thrust shafts ( 9 , 10 ) ( fig2 ). the thrust shafts ( 9 , 10 ) are disposed in the interior of the housing of a thrust head assembly 11 . the invention is not limited to this embodiment , but may be used with brakes in which a single thrust shaft is disposed centrally in the thrust head assembly , or with brakes having one or two thrust shafts but lacking the thrust head assembly . in such brakes , the adjustable thrust shafts are accommodated in the caliper housing . in the region toward the brake disc , the application mechanism 5 has a compression spring 12 which is ( directly or indirectly ) braced against the caliper housing in order to pre - stressingly urge the application mechanism 5 , with lever 6 , toward the idle position of the mechanism . the free end of the lever 6 has a head with a preferably cup - shaped ( or spherical ) recess 13 which serves as a bearing element for a coupling member for transmitting force from a pneumatic cylinder unit 16 to the brake lever 6 . in the exemplary embodiments illustrated , the coupling member is in the form of a piston plunger 17 . various other coupling configurations may be employed for coupling to the lever 6 . it may be seen from fig1 and 3 that the caliper housing 1 has a mounting region 14 with an opening 15 in the housing . the axis b of opening 15 is oriented such that force is transmitted from the pneumatic cylinder unit 16 mounted on region 14 to the free end of the lever 6 with a force transmission vector which continuously approaches the axis b of opening 15 , and continuously approaches the perpendicular to the brake lever 6 . the mounting region 14 serves for fastening the pneumatic cylinder unit 16 to the caliper housing 1 . since the force is transmitted between the cylinder apparatus 16 and the application mechanism 5 via the piston plunger 17 , the cylinder apparatus 16 may be mounted in an attitude with respect to the brake axis ( or the main plane 7 of the rotor 2 ) which attitude ranges from approximately parallel to approximately perpendicular to , the axis ( or plane 7 ). the mounting may be direct or via an extension piece . as mentioned above , accordingly to the invention , a seal 18 is provided which seals the ring - shaped space between the lever 6 and the region of the caliper housing 1 which surrounds the lever 6 . fig4 a through 11 illustrate different embodiments of the inventive seal , showing different dispositions , fastenings , and other features . in the figures which have &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; b &# 34 ; versions , the &# 34 ; a &# 34 ; versions represents a brake without an incorporated pneumatic cylinder unit , and the &# 34 ; b &# 34 ; version represents a brake with such a cylinder . in the &# 34 ; b &# 34 ; versions , a second seal is provided , in the interior of the pneumatic cylinder enclosure . this seal extends into the region between the caliper housing 1 and the pneumatic cylinder , at the mounting surface between the housing 1 and the pneumatic cylinder . in fig4 a - 11 , the caliper housing opening has a ring - shaped recess 19 which is open toward the pneumatic cylinder 16 and serves for fixing the seal element 18 . the seal 18 has a generally circular transverse cross section . the outer edge 18a of the seal is fastened in recess 19 and extends axially outward from said recess 19 , toward the pneumatic cylinder unit 16 , and additionally has at least one additional ring - shaped sealing surface 18b which extends into the mounting region 14 where the mounting surfaces between the caliper housing 1 and the pneumatic cylinder 16 are disposed . to improve the seal quality , at the additional ring - shaped sealing surface 18b may extend radially to a substantial degree ( fig1 , 10 , 11 ). the axial sealing surface 18a and / or the radial sealing surface 18b provide ( s ) additional sealing capability between the mounting surfaces , over and above that provided by the sealing system already present in the pneumatic cylinder 16 , which additional sealing capability contributes to brake reliability and reliably excludes entry of moisture , soils , and the like from the exterior through the mounting region between the caliper housing 1 and the pneumatic cylinder 16 . the inner edge of the seal element 18 ( cf . outer edge mentioned above ) has a fixing region 20 which , in the exemplary embodiments illustrated , is fixed to the brake lever 6 or the piston plunger 17 , or between abutting surfaces of these two elements . an elastic middle region 21 is provided between the outer and inner edges of the seal element 18 , which region is dimensioned such that it can at least follow the entire excursion of the head of the brake lever 6 and piston plunger 17 generally along axis b , when the brake is actuated . in fig1 the advanced position of the lever 6 is shown in dashed lines . in fig4 a to 6b , the elastic middle region 21 is shown as a &# 34 ; rolling bellows &# 34 ;, and in fig7 as a folding sleeve . other configurations are possible as well , for the middle region 21 . the configuration chosen must provide sufficient elasticity to allow the seal to be maintained over the excursion of the lever 6 and plunger 17 . a metal ring 19a is applied to the outer edge 18a of the seal element 18 such that the material of the edge region is compressed into the ring - shaped recess 19 to securely hold the outer edge 18a in place and provide a durable seal . obviously , alternative holding means may be employed which provide secure fixing and sealing . according to fig8 a and 9b , the seal element 18 in the form of a rolling bellows or folding sleeve has a metal cup 22 in its center region which can be inserted and held in the spherical recess 13 ( or other suitably shaped contour ) in or on the brake lever 6 and / or piston plunger 17 . according to fig5 a to 7 , when the application mechanism 5 is in its idle position , the seal element 18 extends outside the caliper housing 1 . an advantage of this is that , if the pneumatic cylinder unit 16 is removed , no recesses of element 18 will be present in the interior of the caliper housing which can accumulate soils , water , or the like . this configuration is particularly advantageous if the piston plunger 17 extends along axis b , through the opening 15 of the caliper housing 1 and toward the pneumatic cylinder unit 16 , and is coupled to the end of the brake lever 6 , such that the inner edge of the seal element 18 can be fixed to the plunger structure at a location ( 20 ) which is generally outside the caliper housing . this will avoid any recesses in the seal element 18 which would be vulnerable to accumulation of soils , water , or the like , particularly if , e . g ., as in fig6 a and 6b , the pneumatic cylinder unit 16 is mounted on the caliper in an orientation which is generally perpendicular to the brake axis . when one replaces ( or partially disassembles ) a pneumatic cylinder unit 16 thus mounted , necessitating a period of time in which the caliper housing opening 15 is left exposed to the exterior , the seal 18 prevents penetration of soils , moisture , and the like through the opening 15 in the caliper housing and into the interior of the brake . without the seal 18 , such contamination would be highly likely . when the system is in the assembled state , the function of the seal element 18 is simple . seal 18 is fixed at locations near the caliper housing opening 15 and on the brake lever 6 and / or on the piston plunger 17 . when the brake is actuated , the force transmission from the pneumatic cylinder unit 16 to the application mechanism 5 proceeds approximately parallel to the axis b . the inner edge of the seal 18 follows the movement of the lever 6 and / or plunger 17 , expanding and contracting according to its configuration and position ( the configuration of the seal element being , e . g ., that of a rolling bellows or folding sleeve ). fig1 and 11 illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention in which the seal element 18 is fixed only to the caliper housing 1 , in the region of the opening 15 . the seal is not fixed to the brake lever 6 or the coupling member 17 . in fig1 the lever 6 is in its idle position , generally at the right end of its excursion . the position in fig1 is also the idle position . in this rest position ( fig1 and 11 ), a ring - shaped wiper region or counter - sealing region 23 of lever 6 rests against a ring - shaped compressive sealing surface 18c of seal 18 . counter - sealing region 23 encircles the recess 13 in lever 6 . preferably , the seal element 18 is elastic in the region of its compressive sealing surface 18c , in order to ensure contact over its full surface , and a good seal . the holding ring 19a serves to hold the seal element 18 in place in the recess 19 . a positioning extension 19b on holding ring 19a extends into an axial recess 24 in the caliper housing 1 . in this way , the seal element 18 can be installed in only one angular position around axis b of the caliper housing opening 15 . this is important because , due to the mechanical conditions of the swinging of lever 6 , it is advantageous for the seal element 18 to have a configuration which is eccentric with respect to the center axis b of the caliper housing opening 15 ( see fig1 ). the wiper region or counter - sealing region 23 may be used by itself or in combinations with other seal configurations described above . for example , it may cooperate with the inner circumference of the other seal configurations described above , providing additional sealing capability . finally , in order to provide durable protection , the seal 18 is preferably comprised of material ( s ) which is / are not susceptible to degradation from external influences . the inventive features disclosed in the specification , claims , and drawings may generally be employed individually or in combination , in their various embodiments , for implementing the invention . s interface between brake application mechanism 5 and actuating device 17 | 5 |
the embodiments of the present invention will next be explained with reference to the drawings . contents of the present invention will next be explained in detail with reference to the drawings . [ 0029 ] fig1 a is a typical view of an ink jet print head in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention . a discharging port is directed downward in fig1 b . in fig1 a and 1b , a substrate 4 has an ink supplying port end 3 constructed by a through port formed in a long groove shape . electrothermal converting elements 1 as discharging energy generating elements are arranged in a zigzag shape every one column on both sides of the ink supplying port end 3 in its longitudinal direction . a covering resin layer 6 as an ink flowing path wall for forming an ink flowing path is arranged on this substrate 4 . a discharging port plate 5 having a discharging port 2 is arranged on this covering resin layer 6 . further , a long projection 7 in an arranging direction of the electrothermal converting elements is arranged just above the ink supplying port end 3 on an inner surface of the discharging port plate 5 . here , an edge of the ink supplying port end 3 is shown by a straight line in fig1 a and 1b , but there is also a case in which this edge is actually more or less curved ( by about several μm ) from the problem of a manufacturing method . since the projection 7 has a tapering shape , no wall of the projection 7 is strictly perpendicular to the discharging port plate 5 and the projection 7 has the same height h as the covering resin layer 6 . it is preferable that the projection 7 is longer . however , the length of the projection 7 may be also set to be short . further , the covering resin layer 6 and the projection 7 are shown as separate members , but can be simultaneously formed as the same member by forming this covering resin layer 6 on the substrate 4 by a technique such as spincoat , etc . the substrate 4 is fixed by a supporting member 9 and an ink supplying port 8 is arranged between the ink supplying port end 3 of the substrate 4 and the supporting member 9 . an unillustrated round hole flowing path for supplying ink to the ink supplying port 8 is formed in the supporting member 9 . the movement of a residual bubble in each of the ink jet print head of the present invention and a conventional ink jet print head will next be explained . first , in the conventional construction ( fig7 a and 7b ), when an electrothermal converting element 1 is heated by applying an electric signal to this element and a bubble is generated , an ink droplet 10 is discharged from the discharging port 2 and a high speed ink flow is simultaneously generated from the ink flowing path to the ink supplying port end 3 . a fine residual bubble is included in this ink flow and is conveyed to the ink supplying port . when this ink flow reaches a portion of the ink supplying port end 3 , an eddy is caused in a corner portion of the ink supplying port and this eddy portion tends to be stagnated . when the bubble stays in this stagnant portion , this bubble is attached to an ink supplying port wall face 12 so that this bubble is not easily removed from the ink supply port wall face 12 . then , this bubble is grown every time the fine residual bubble is attached to this bubble . a bubble having several hundred μm in diameter is finally formed . when a plurality of such bubbles having several hundred μm in diameter exist within the ink supplying port 8 , the bubbles block the ink supplying path in a wide range so that the effect of a common ink flowing path portion is greatly reduced and the ink supply becomes insufficient . in contrast to this , in the construction of the present invention , a high speed ink flow directed from the ink flowing path to the ink supplying port end 3 hits against a wall face of the projection 7 so that the direction of the high speed ink flow is changed to a downward direction in fig1 a and 1b ( an arrow mark in these figures ). thus , a speed component in a common liquid chamber direction is given to the ink flow . this ink flow includes small bubbles such as a residual bubble generated by cavitation caused by the high speed ink flow and a bubble , etc . discharged from the discharging port at an ink discharging time . these small bubbles are collected and grown within the ink supplying port 8 so that a bubble 11 is formed . upward force in fig1 a and 1b is applied to the bubble near the supplying port by the high speed ink flow near the ink supplying port . as a result , the bubble 11 pushed and flowed by the high speed ink flow is attached to a wall portion separated from the supplying port and is grown . accordingly , an influence of bubbles on the ink supply is small even when many big bubbles exist . therefore , no ink supplying defect is caused even when the size of a bubble is increased in comparison with the conventional case . when the distance l between a longitudinal wall of the projection 7 and the edge of the ink supplying port end 3 is excessively increased , the speed of the ink flow is reduced and hydrodynamic force applied to the bubble is reduced so that the above effect is weakened . when the distance l is extremely smaller than the height h , this small portion becomes a resistance so that this resistance has a bad influence on refill characteristics . accordingly , it is not preferable that the distance l is extremely smaller than the height h . in fig1 a and 1b and subsequent figures , an electric wiring for operating the electrothermal converting element 1 , etc . are not illustrated . in this embodiment , a silicon substrate ( wafer ) is used as a material of the substrate 4 , but the present invention is not particularly limited to this case . glass , ceramics , plastic , or a metal , etc . may be also used as the substrate if the electrothermal converting element 1 as an ink discharging generating element is constructed by this substrate and this substrate constitutes a supporting body of the discharging port plate 5 as a material layer forming the ink discharge port 2 , and this substrate can function as one portion of an ink flowing passage constructional member . [ 0035 ] fig6 a to 6 g ( cross - sectional views taken along line 6 a - 6 a of fig1 a ) show a manufacturing method of the ink jet print head in the present invention . in this embodiment , a desirable number of electrothermal converting elements 1 are first arranged on the substrate 4 shown in fig1 a and 1b . next , as shown in fig6 b , a soluble resin layer 13 is formed on the substrate 4 including the electrothermal converting elements 1 . as shown in fig6 c , an ink flow path pattern is formed in this resin layer 13 . at this time , a pattern for providing a rib structure is formed on an upper face of the resin layer 13 corresponding to a forming portion of the ink supplying port 8 ( see fig6 e ). further , a covering resin layer 6 is formed on the above soluble resin layer 13 as shown in fig6 d . an ink discharge port 2 is formed in the covering resin layer 6 ( see fig6 e ). it is sufficient to form the ink discharge port 2 by a conventional technique . for example , the ink discharge port 2 can be formed by any technique such as etching using o 2 plasma , excimer laser boring , exposure using an ultraviolet ray , a deep - uv ray , etc . the ink supplying port 8 is next formed in the substrate 4 . the ink supplying port 8 is formed by chemically etching the substrate . more concretely , a silicon ( si ) substrate is used as the substrate 4 , and the ink supplying port 8 is formed by anisotropic etching using a strong alkali solution such as koh , naoh , tmah , etc . ( see fig6 g ). at this time , the ink supplying port can be also formed before an ink flowing path pattern and a pattern for providing the rib structure are formed as shown in fig6 b and 6c and the ink discharge port is formed as shown in fig6 d and 6e . however , the rib structure as shown in the present invention can be achieved by forming a soluble resin layer on a flat face and forming a pattern and further forming a covering resin layer on this pattern as shown above . after the ink flowing path pattern , the pattern providing the rib structure and the ink discharge port are formed , it is considered to use a mechanical means such as a drill , etc . and light energy such as a laser , etc . as a means for forming the ink supplying port . however , there is a possibility of damaging the previously formed ink flowing path pattern , etc . in these techniques . accordingly , it is difficult to adopt these techniques . therefore , it is optimal to form the ink supplying port by chemical etching , especially , anisotropic etching of the silicon substrate . subsequently , as shown in fig6 g , the ink flowing path can be formed by eluting the soluble resin layer 13 . at this time , the rib structure is formed on the ink supplying port end 3 . finally , the ink jet print head is completed by making an unillustrated electric junction for operating each of the electrothermal converting element 1 . the present invention has excellent effects in the recording head of a bubble jet system among the ink jet print head . the present invention is particularly optimal for a recording head manufactured by a method described in each of japanese patent application laid - open nos . 4 - 10940 , 4 - 10941 and 4 - 10942 . in each of these publications , a driving signal corresponding to recording information is applied to an electrothermal converting element and thermal energy providing a sudden rise in temperature exceeding nuclear boiling of ink is generated from the electrothermal converting element . thus , a bubble is formed within the ink and is communicated with the external air and an ink liquid droplet is discharged . in the above method , a small ink liquid droplet ( equal to or smaller than 50 pl ) can be discharged and the ink liquid in front of a heater is discharged . therefore , the ink liquid droplet is stabilized in volume and speed without any influence of temperature so that an image having a high quality can be obtained . the present invention is also effective as a recording head of a full line type capable of simultaneously recording an image over the entire width of a sheet of recording paper . further , the present invention is effective in a color recording head in which the recording head is integrally formed or plural recording heads are combined with each other . next , an ink jet print head having the following construction is manufactured as the ink jet print head corresponding to the above first embodiment . namely , the ink jet print head has an ink supplying port 8 constructed by a through port formed in the shape of a long groove having 155 μm × 11 mm in size . a substrate 4 has 128 electrothermal converting elements 1 as discharging energy generating elements on both sides of the ink supplying port 8 in its longitudinal direction . these electrothermal converting elements 1 are arranged in a zigzag shape at a pitch of 300 dpi every one column . a covering resin layer 6 having a height h = 12 μm and a discharging port plate 5 having a thickness of 9 μm are formed on the substrate 4 . thus , the ink jet print head in this embodiment is made . the distance l between the ink supplying port end 3 and a wall of the above projection 7 in its longitudinal direction is changed to 12 , 16 . 5 and 27 . 5 μm so that three kinds of ink jet print heads are made . first , a solid black printing operation is performed by using these three kinds of ink jet print heads . thereafter , a collecting situation of bubbles is observed from a front face of the discharging port plate after the full black printing operation . in a conventional example , bubbles exist only near the ink supplying port . however , in each of the three kinds of ink jet print heads in the first embodiment , bubbles exist in a deep portion of a common liquid chamber so that bubble separating effects obtained by the projection can be confirmed . a continuation time of the solid black is measured at a discharging frequency of 10 khz , and the ink jet print head in this embodiment and the conventional ink jet print head are compared with each other and are evaluated . table 1 shows measured and evaluated results . the continuation time in the ink jet print head in this embodiment is twice or more in any case in comparison with the conventional case . further , it is preferable to set the distance l to be shorter . [ 0043 ] fig2 a is a typical view of an ink jet print head in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention . a discharging port is directed downward in fig2 b . the ink jet print head in this embodiment differs from that in the first embodiment only in the shape of a projection 7 in fig2 a and 2b . the projection 7 has a length of 70 μm in a longitudinal direction b and a thickness t of 15 μm . one projection 7 is arranged with respect to each ink flowing path . the distance l between an ink supplying port end 3 and a wall coming in contact with an ink flow at a discharging time is set to 27 . 5 μm . a longitudinal length of the ink flowing path is set to be equal to or greater than a width of the ink flowing path such that a direction of the ink flow generated at the discharging time can be effectively changed . thus , effects similar to those in the first embodiment can be obtained even when the shape of the projection 7 is different from that in the first embodiment . [ 0047 ] fig3 a is a typical view of an ink jet print head in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention . in fig3 b , a discharging port is directed downward . the ink jet print head in this embodiment differs from that in the first embodiment only in the shape of a projection 7 in fig3 a and 3b . the projection 7 is entirely parallel to a ridgeline of an ink supplying port end 3 , but is not parallel to the ridgeline in each ink flowing path unit . for example , a shift in parallel with the ridgeline is 20 μm in a near portion and 35 μm in a far portion . thus , a clearance required to supply ink can be secured even when the ridgeline of the ink supplying port end 3 is not a straight line , but is locally vibrated . here , it is preferable that the area s of a portion shown by an oblique line is larger than the cross section of an ink flowing path . thus , effects similar to those in the first embodiment can be obtained even when the shape of the projection 7 is different from that in the first embodiment . [ 0051 ] fig4 a is a typical view of an ink jet print head in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention . in fig4 b , a discharging port is directed downward . in the ink jet print head in this embodiment , the shape of an ink flowing path differs from that in the first embodiment in that two ink flowing paths are arranged with respect to one discharging port . an outlet of each ink flowing path onto an ink supplying port side has an angle with respect to an ink supplying port . further , the shape of the projection 7 differs from that in the first embodiment in fig4 a and 4b . as shown in fig4 a and 4b , the projection 7 is perpendicular to a central axis of the ink flowing path . since the projection 7 is perpendicular to the central axis of the ink flowing path , an ink flow generated from an electrothermal converting element to the ink supplying port side at a discharging time is received from a front face so that the ink flow can be efficiently directed and guided to a wall face side of the ink supplying port . thus , effects similar to those in the first embodiment can be obtained even when the shape of the projection 7 is different from that in the first embodiment . in this embodiment , the surface of a projecting portion is set to have a lyophilic ink property so as to further preferably prevent the attachment of a bubble in a state in which the surface of the projection portion includes the surface of a discharging port plate ( an ink supplying port projecting area of the discharging port plate ) on an ink flowing path side just above the ink supplying port . since this portion is set to have the lyophilic ink property , it is greatly reduced that the bubble is attached to the discharging port plate and an end tip of the projection . if the bubble is attached , the bubble is separated from an end tip portion of the projection and stays in the ink supplying port of the ink jet print head or is again dissolved into ink in an intermediate glowing process of the bubble in which no bubble yet has an influence on ink droplet discharge . namely , in the construction in this embodiment , no residual bubble is easily attached to the discharging port plate and the projecting portion in comparison with the conventional case . further , even if the residual bubble is grown , the residual bubble is sucked into an ink flowing path so that no ink within the ink flowing path is divided into pieces . accordingly , this construction does not easily cause a phenomenon in which the supply of the ink to the ink flowing path becomes insufficient and the ink within the ink jet print head becomes empty by communication with the atmosphere . in the ink jet print head in this embodiment , for example , an inner surface of the discharging port plate 5 and the projecting portion 7 can be formed by lyophilic ink processing through the supplying port 3 from a rear face of the substrate 4 in the first embodiment . concretely , as shown in fig8 a and 8b , a lyophilic ink coating 20 can be formed on the inner surface of the discharging port plate 5 including the projection 7 by using a suitable means such as oxidizing processing of the inner surface of the discharging port plate 5 including the projection 7 using an ozone gas , or sputtering of an inorganic oxide ( sio 2 , al 2 o 3 , etc .) having the lyophilic ink property , etc . since the lyophilic ink coating 20 is thus formed on the inner surface of the discharging port plate 5 including the projection 7 , it is possible to obtain further excellent effects of the bubble attachment prevention in comparison with the first embodiment . in this embodiment , the lyophilic ink coating is applied to the construction of the first embodiment as an example . however , this embodiment is not limited to this case . this embodiment also includes that the lyophilic ink coating is applied to the ink jet print head having another projecting shape . [ 0059 ] fig5 is a schematic perspective view of an ink jet printing device to which the ink jet print head of the present invention can be mounted . in fig5 a lead screw 52 having a spiral groove 53 is rotatably pivoted in a body frame 51 . the lead screw 52 is moved in association with normal and reverse rotations of a drive motor 59 and is rotated through driving force transmission gears 60 , 61 . further , a guide rail 54 for slidably guiding a carriage 55 is fixed to the body frame 51 . an unillustrated pin engaged with the spiral groove 53 is arranged in the carriage 55 . the carriage 55 can be reciprocated in the directions of arrows a and b in fig5 by rotating the lead screw 52 by rotation of the drive motor 59 . a paper pressing plate 72 presses a recording medium 90 against a platen roller 73 in a moving direction of the carriage 55 . an ink jet print head cartridge 80 is mounted to the carriage 55 . the ink jet print head cartridge 80 is constructed by integrating one of the ink jet print heads described in the above first to fifth embodiments with an ink tank . this ink jet print head cartridge 80 is fixedly supported by the carriage 55 through a positioning means and electric contacts arranged in the carriage 55 , and is detachably attached to the carriage 55 . photocouplers 57 , 58 constitute a home position detecting means for confirming the existence of a lever 56 of the carriage 55 in this area and reversely rotating the drive motor 59 , etc . a cap member 67 for capping a front face ( an opening face of a discharging port ) of the ink jet print head is supported by a supporting member 62 . further , a sucking means 66 is arranged to perform a sucking restoring operation of the ink jet print head through an opening 68 within the cap . a supporting plate 65 is attached to a body supporting plate 64 . a cleaning blade 63 slidably supported by this supporting plate 65 is moved in forward and backward directions by an unillustrated driving means . no shape of the cleaning blade 63 is limited to the illustrated one , but a well - known shape can be applied . a lever 70 is arranged to start the sucking restoring operation of the ink jet print head . the lever 70 is moved in accordance with the movement of a cam 71 coming in contact with the carriage 55 , and driving force from the driving motor 59 is controlled by well - known transmission means such as a gear , latch switching , etc . these capping , cleaning and sucking restoring processings are performed in respective corresponding positions by an operation of the lead screw 52 when the carriage 55 is moved to a home position side area . if desirable operations are performed in well - known timing , each of these operations can be applied to this embodiment . the ink jet printing device explained above has a recording signal supplying means for giving a recording signal for operating an electrothermal converting body of the mounted ink jet print head to the ink jet print head . the ink jet printing device also has a control section for controlling an operation of this ink jet printing device . since one of the ink jet print heads described in the above first to fifth embodiments is mounted to the ink jet printing device in this embodiment , a discharging direction of ink is stabilized . as a result , a shift in attaching position of an ink droplet to a recording medium is reduced so that an image having a high quality , etc . can be recorded . in this embodiment , the ink jet print head cartridge 80 is detachably mounted to the carriage 55 as an example . however , this embodiment is not limited to this case . for example , only an ink tank may be detachably mounted by integrating the ink jet print head with the carriage 55 . as explained above , in accordance with the present invention , the bad influence of a bubble left within the ink jet print head on ink droplet discharge is relaxed . accordingly , it is possible to provide an ink jet print head in which the ink droplet is stably discharged with high reliability . further , since it is not necessary to often perform restoring processing , throughput is improved and an ink consuming amount is reduced . | 1 |
while the present invention has been described with reference to specific methods , devices and systems , it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention . in addition , many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation , material , composition of matter , process , process step or steps , to the objective , spirit and scope of the present invention . all such modifications are intended to be within the scope of the claims appended hereto . methods recited herein may be carried out in any order of the recited events which is logically possible , as well as the recited order of events . where a range of values is provided herein , it is understood that each intervening value , to the tenth of the unit of the lower limit unless the context clearly dictates otherwise , between the upper and lower limit of that range and any other stated or intervening value in that stated range , is encompassed within the invention . the upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may independently be included in the smaller ranges and are also encompassed within the invention , subject to any specifically excluded limit in the stated range . where the stated range includes one or both of the limits ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also included in the invention . unless defined otherwise , all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs . although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can also be used in the practice or testing of the present invention , the methods and materials are now described . it must be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims , the singular forms “ a ”, “ an ”, and “ the ” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise . it is further noted that the claims may be drafted to 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 . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig1 , fig1 is a schematic of an electronic communications network 2 communicatively coupled with an ingestible device 4 ( hereinafter “ iemd ” 4 ) wherein the iemd 4 has been ingested within a patient &# 39 ; s body 6 . a patient transceiver 8 is configured to receive a wireless transmission from the iemd 4 that includes an ingestible event datum m , or “ iem m ”. alternatively , the patient transceiver 8 may be configured to acquire communicated information comprising an iem m , or a datum of an iem m , via the electronic communications network 2 or an aspect device or source 6 - 24 communicatively coupled with or comprised within the electronic communications network 2 . the iemd 4 gathers , collects , and / or generates ingestion data via various methods , e . g ., ingestion timing , contact with alimentary system substances , sampling , etc . further , various ingestible event marker data source devices iemd 4 communicate the iem m data via various methods , e . g ., wireless methods , conductive methods via body tissue , etc . the following are examples of the ingestible devices 300 a . a pharma - informatics system described in pct / us2006 / 016370 , filed apr . 28 , 2006 , includes compositions , systems and methods that allow for the detection of the actual physical delivery of a pharmaceutical agent to the body 6 are provided . embodiments of the compositions include an identifier and an active agent . a system described in pct / us2008 / 52845 , filed feb . 1 , 2008 , includes an iemd 4 referred to therein as an ingestible event marker iem and patient transceiver 8 referred to therein as a personal signal receiver . aspects of data transmitted from the iemd 4 may include an identifier , which may or may not be present in a physiologically acceptable carrier . the identifier is characterized by being activated upon contact with a target internal physiological site of the body 6 , such as digestive tract internal target site . the patient transceiver 8 may be configured to be associated with a physiological location , e . g ., inside of or on the body 6 , and to receive a signal from the iemd 4 . during use , the iemd 4 broadcasts a signal which is received by the patient transceiver 8 . the ingestion data associated with the electronic communications network 2 ( hereinafter “ network ” 2 ) include personal patient data , e . g ., physiologic data generated by the iemd 4 . examples are derived metrics , e . g ., processed physical data to derive various metrics such as time of ingestion data ; combined metrics , e . g ., derived metrics combined with other derived metric data such as time of ingestion data combined with data identifying the ingested substance ; and patient data , e . g ., derived metrics and / or combined metrics aggregated with various physiologic data such as time of ingestion data combined with data identifying the ingested substance and physiologic data such as ecg data , temperature , etc . embodiments of activation component based on battery completion formats employ a battery that includes , when completed , a cathode , an anode , and an electrolyte , where the electrolyte is made up , at least in part , by fluid present at the target physiologic site ( stomach fluid present in the stomach , where the stomach is the target physiological site ). for example , when a stomach fluid activated iem is ingested , it travels through the esophagus and proceeds to enter the stomach . the cathode and anode provided on the iem do not constitute a full battery . however , when the cathode and anode are exposed to stomach fluid , the stomach fluid acts as the electrolyte component of the battery and completes the battery . therefore , as the iem contacts the target site , a power source is provided which activates the identifier . the data signal is then transmitted . in certain embodiments , the iemd is dimensioned to be orally ingestible , e . g ., either by itself or upon combination with a physiologically acceptable carrier component of the composition so as to produce a composition that can be readily administered to a subject in need thereof . as such , in certain embodiments , the identifier element is dimensioned to have a width ranging from about 0 . 05 to about 2 or more mm , e . g ., from about 0 . 05 mm to about 1 mm , such as from about 0 . 1 mm to about 0 . 2 mm ; a length ranging from about 0 . 05 to about 2 or more mm , e . g ., from about 0 . 05 mm to about 1 mm , such as from about 0 . 1 mm to about 0 . 2 mm and a height ranging from about 0 . 05 to about 2 or more mm , e . g ., from about 0 . 1 mm to about 1 mm , such as from about 0 . 05 mm to about 0 . 3 mm , including from about 0 . 1 mm to about 0 . 2 mm . in certain embodiments the identifier is 1 mm3 or smaller , such as 0 . 1 mm3 or smaller , including 0 . 2 mm3 or smaller . the identifier element may take a variety of different configurations , such as but not limited to : a chip configuration , a cylinder configuration , a spherical configuration , a disc configuration , etc ., where a particular configuration may be selected based on intended application , method of manufacture , etc . a controlled activation ingestible identifier described in pct patent application pct / us07 / 82563 , filed oct . 17 , 2007 , includes ingestible compositions such as pharma - informatics enabled compositions . the controlled activation ingestible identifiers include a controlled activation element that provides for activation of the identifier in response to the presence of a predetermined stimulus at a target site of interest . a life cycle pharma informatics system described in u . s . patent provisional application ser . no . 61 / 034 , 085 , filed mar . 5 , 2008 includes rfid and conductive communications technology combined with medication and / or medication packaging such that the medication can be tracked for the duration of its existence . the system further allows in - body data transmissions while addressing the potential privacy and signal degradation concerns associated with rfid technology . additional examples of ingestible identifiers of interest include those described in examples of different types of identifiers of interest include , but are not limited to , those identifiers described in pct application serial no . pct / us2006 / 016370 published as wo / 2006 / 116718 ; pct patent application serial no . pct / us2007 / 082563 published as wo / 2008 / 052136 ; pct patent application serial no . pct / us2007 / 024225 published as wo / 2008 / 063626 ; pct patent application serial no . pct / us2007 / 022257 published as wo / 2008 / 066617 ; pct patent application serial no . pct / us2008 / 052845 published as wo / 2008 / 095183 ; pct patent application serial no . pct / us2008 / 053999 published as wo / 2008 / 101107 ; pct patent application serial no . pct / us2008 / 056296 published as wo / 2008 / 112577 ; pct patent application serial no . pct / us2008 / 056299 published as wo / 2008 / 112578 ; and pct patent application serial no . pct / us2008 / 077753 ; the disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference . the patient transceiver 8 may be or comprise an electronic communications device configured for receipt of wireless transmissions from the iemd 4 and optionally comprising , for example , ( a .) an information appliance ; ( b .) a television set - top box ; ( c .) a vaio fs8900 ™ notebook computer marketed by sony corporation of america , of new york city , n . y ., ( d .) a sun sparcserver ™ computer workstation marketed by sun microsystems of santa clara , calif . and running a linux ™ or a unix ™ operating system ; ( e .) a wireless communications enabled personal computer configured for running windows xp ™ or vista ™ operating system marketed by microsoft corporation of redmond , wash . ; ( f .) a powerbook g4 ™ personal computer as marketed by apple computer of cupertino , calif . ; ( g .) an iphone ™ cellular telephone as marketed by apple computer of cupertino , calif . ; and / or ( h .) a personal digital assistant enabled for wireless communications . the electronic communications network 2 may be or comprise , for example , in whole or in part , a telephony network 2 a , a wireless communications network , a computer network , and / or the internet 2 b . the patient transceiver 8 is communicatively coupled with a patient management data system 10 ( hereinafter , “ pmds ” 10 ) via the electronics communications network 2 . the patient transceiver 8 may be communicatively coupled with the electronics communications network 2 ( hereinafter , “ the network ” 2 ) by a hard wire connection and / or a wireless communications mode with a first network transceiver 12 , wherein the first network transceiver 12 is communicatively coupled with the network 2 by a hard wire connection . a patient messaging module 14 is additionally coupled with the network 2 , wherein the patient messaging module 14 enables a clinician or an automated information system ( not shown ) to transmit recommendations to the patient regarding medicinal ingestion , patient behavior and therapeutic activity . the patient messaging module 14 and / or the pdms transceiver 8 may be communicatively coupled with the network 2 by means of a hard wire connection and / or a wireless communications mode with a second network transceiver 16 , wherein the first network transceiver 12 is communicatively coupled with the network 2 by a hard wire connection . it is understood that the patient messaging module 14 may be comprised within the pmds 10 , and that the patient messaging module 14 and / or the pmds 10 may comprise or be comprised within a unified or distributed electronic information technology system configured for communication via the network 2 and optionally comprising , for example , ( a .) an information appliance ; ( b .) a television set - top box ; ( c .) a vaio fs8900 ™ notebook computer marketed by sony corporation of america , of new york city , n . y ., ( d .) a sun sparcserver ™ computer workstation marketed by sun microsystems of santa clara , calif . and running a linux ™ or a unix ™ operating system ; ( e .) a wireless communications enabled personal computer configured for running windows xp ™ or vista ™ operating system marketed by microsoft corporation of redmond , wash . ; ( f .) a powerbook g4 ™ personal computer as marketed by apple computer of cupertino , calif . ; ( g .) a mobile or cellular digital telephone ; ( h .) an iphone ™ cellular telephone as marketed by apple computer of cupertino , calif . ; and / or ( i .) a personal digital assistant enabled for wireless communications . a patient input device 18 is additionally coupled with the network 2 , wherein the patient input device 18 enables a patient or caregiver ( not shown ) to transmit reports and information regarding patient adherence or non - adherence to recommended therapy ; patient behavior ; patient physical , mental , or emotional condition ; risk taking or risk seeking behavior by the patient ; and therapeutic activity of the patient . the patient input device 18 may be included within the patient transceiver 8 , and / or may comprise or be comprised within an electronic communications device , or a unified or distributed electronic information technology system configured for communication via the network 2 and optionally comprising , for example , ( a .) an information appliance ; ( b .) a television set - top box ; ( c .) a vaio fs8900 ™ notebook computer marketed by sony corporation of america , of new york city , n . y ., ( d .) a sun sparcserver ™ computer workstation marketed by sun microsystems of santa clara , calif . and running a linux ™ or a unix ™ operating system ; ( e .) a wireless communications enabled personal computer configured for running windows xp ™ or vista ™ operating system marketed by microsoft corporation of redmond , wash . ; ( f .) a powerbook g4 ™ personal computer as marketed by apple computer of cupertino , calif . ; ( g .) an iphone ™ cellular telephone as marketed by apple computer of cupertino , calif . ; ( h .) an iphone ™ cellular telephone as marketed by apple computer of cupertino , calif . ; and / or ( i .) a personal digital assistant enabled for wireless communications . a first vital parameter monitor 20 , or “ first sensor ” 20 , is coupled with the patient &# 39 ; s body 6 and may be or comprise , for example , a motion detector , a heart rate monitor , a blood pressure monitor , a respiration monitor , and / or a patient skin electrical current conductivity monitor . a second vital parameter monitor 22 , or “ second sensor ” 22 , is coupled with the patient &# 39 ; s body 6 and may additionally be or comprise , for example , a motion detector 23 , a heart rate monitor , a blood pressure monitor , a respiration monitor , and / or a patient skin electrical current conductivity monitor . the motion detector 23 is communicatively coupled to the analysis module and the pmds 10 whereby the pmds 10 incorporates a patient motion datum generated by and communicated from the motion detector 23 in an analysis of at least one health parameter of a patient . the motion detector 23 may be , comprise , or comprised within , for example , a cellular telephone , an accelerometer and / or a global positioning signal device . a third vital parameter monitor 24 is positioned remotely from the patient &# 39 ; s body 6 , and is configured to monitor a vital parameter of the patient &# 39 ; s body 6 by remote sensing , for example , sound detection , air pressure variation , light energy reflection , and / or heat detection . the third sensor 24 may be or comprise a motion detector , for example , a heart rate monitor , a blood pressure monitor , a respiration monitor , and / or a patient skin electrical current conductivity monitor . a system described in pct / us2008 / 52845 , filed feb . 1 , 2008 , includes an iemd 4 referred to therein as an ingestible event marker iemd 4 and patient transceiver 8 referred to therein as a personal signal receiver . aspects of iem m data transmitted from the iemd 4 and / or sensors 20 , 22 , 23 and 24 may include an identifier ( sometimes , for example , referred to herein as an “ ingestible event marker ”, an “ ionic emission module ”, and / or an “ iem ”), which may or may not be present in a physiologically acceptable carrier . the identifier is characterized by being activated upon contact with a target internal physiological site of a body , such as digestive tract internal target site . the patient transceiver 8 may be configured to be associated with a physiological location , e . g ., inside of or on the body , and to receive a signal from the iemd 4 and / or sensors 20 , 22 , 23 and 24 . during use , the iemd 4 and / or sensors 20 , 22 , 23 and 24 broadcasts signals that are received by the patient transceiver 8 . the ingestion data associated with the network 2 include personal data , e . g ., physiologic data generated by the iemd 4 and / or sensors 20 , 22 , 23 and 24 . examples are derived metrics , e . g ., processed physical data to derive various metrics such as time of ingestion data ; combined metrics , e . g ., derived metrics combined with other derived metric data such as time of ingestion data combined with data identifying the ingested substance ; and patient data , e . g ., derived metrics and / or combined metrics aggregated with various physiologic data such as time of ingestion data combined with data identifying the ingested substance and physiologic data such as ecg data , temperature , etc . a controlled activation ingestible identifier described in pct / us07 / 82563 , filed oct . 17 , 2007 , includes ingestible compositions such as pharma - informatics enabled compositions . the controlled activation ingestible identifiers include a controlled activation element that provides for activation of the identifier in response to the presence of a predetermined stimulus at a target site of interest . a life cycle pharma informatics system described in u . s . patent application ser . no . 61 / 034 , 085 , filed mar . 5 , 2008 includes rfid and conductive communications technology combined with medication and / or medication packaging such that the medication can be tracked for the duration of its existence . the system further allows in - body data transmissions while addressing the potential privacy and signal degradation concerns associated with rfid technology . the computer architecture shown in fig2 illustrates the aspects of the pmds 10 , including a central processing unit 26 ( hereinafter , “ cpu ”), a system memory 28 , including a random access memory 30 ( hereinafter , “ ram ”) and a read - only memory ( hereinafter , “ rom ”) 32 , and a power and communications system bus 34 that couples the system memory 28 to the cpu 26 . a basic input / output system 36 containing the basic software - encoded instructions and routines that help to transfer information between elements within the pmds 10 , such as during startup , is stored in the rom 20 . the pmds 10 further includes a system software 38 and a database management system 40 ( hereinafter “ dbms ” 40 ), which will be described in greater detail below , stored in the system memory 28 and / or a computer - readable medium 42 . a media writer / reader 44 is bi - directionally communicatively coupled to the cpu 26 through the power and communications system bus 34 ( hereinafter “ the bus ” 34 ). the media writer / reader 44 and the associated computer - readable media 42 are selected and configure to provide non - volatile storage for the pmds 10 . although the description of computer - readable media 42 contained herein refers to a mass storage device , such as a hard disk or cd - rom drive , it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that computer - readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by the pmds 10 . by way of example , and not limitation , computer - readable media 42 may comprise computer storage media and communication media . computer storage media includes volatile and non - volatile , removable and non - removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer - readable instructions , data structures , program modules or other data . computer storage media includes , for example , but is not limited to , ram , rom , eprom , eeprom , flash memory or other solid state memory technology , cd - rom , digital versatile disks (“ dvd ”), or other optical 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 be accessed by the pmds 10 . the computer - readable medium 42 may comprise machine - readable instructions which when executed by the pmds 10 to cause the pmds 10 to perform one or more steps as described in the figures and enabled by the present disclosure . the bus 34 further bi - directionally communicatively couples a network interface 46 , a user input interface 48 , a user audio input interface 50 , and a video screen interface 52 with the cpu 26 and the system memory 28 . the video screen interface 52 directs visual presentations of data on a visual display screen 54 and bi - directionally communicatively couples the visual display screen 54 with the cpu 26 via the communications bus 34 . the user input interface 48 couples a user input device 56 , for example , an electronic keyboard , a computer mouse , a computer trackball , or a computer mouse pad , with the cpu 26 via the communications bus 34 and enables the clinician to input icon selections , commands and data to the pmds 10 . the icon selections may be chosen from images presented on the visual display screen 54 . the audio input interface 50 couples a user audio input device 58 , for example an audio microphone , with the cpu 26 via the communications bus 34 and enables the clinician to input vocal input that communicates icon selections , commands and data to the pmds 10 , and / or digitized representations of verbal expressions . the digitized representations of verbal expressions may be transmitted via the network interface 46 to enable voip communications with the patient input device 18 and / or the patient transceiver 8 . an audio output interface 60 communicatively coupled with the communications bus 34 receives digitized verbal information , for example , voip messages , from the network 2 via the network interface 46 and drives the audio output device 62 to audibly output verbal message derived from the digitized verbal communications . an audio / text converter module 64 ( 1 .) converts digitized audio data into textual data for storage in a patient record r . 0 ; and ( b .) converts text data into audio data representative of vocalizations of the source text data . the converted text data may be received via the bus 34 and from the system memory 28 or the network 2 , or generated by the cpu 26 . a wireless interface 66 enables bi - directional communication between the bus 34 and a wireless transceiver 68 , whereby the pmds 10 may communicate via the wireless and / or hard wired telephony network 2 a with an element 8 - 16 to the network 2 . it is understood that the additional elements 8 and 12 - 16 of the network 2 may include one , several or all of the aspects 26 - 68 of the pmds 10 . it is further understood that the pmds 10 may optionally , additionally or alternatively be configured to acquire a communicated information comprising an iem m , or a datum of an iem m , via the electronic communications network 2 or an aspect device or source 6 - 24 communicatively coupled with or comprised within the electronic communications network 2 . fig3 is an illustration of the system software 38 of the pmds 10 of fig1 and 2 . an operating system 70 enables a voip client software module 72 to provide voice data to the network 2 by directing the audio input driver 74 to digitize acoustic signals detected by the audio input device 58 to form a digitized voice record and transmit the digitized voice record to the patient transceiver 8 and or the patient input device 18 via the network 2 . it is understood that the first network transceiver 12 and / or the second network transceiver 16 may facilitate the transmission of voice communications between the pmds 10 and the patient transceiver 8 and / or the patient input device 18 . an audio output driver 76 processes digitized acoustic signals received from the network 2 and directs the audio output interface 60 and the audio output device 62 to derive and broadcast acoustic signals from the received digitized acoustic signals for hearing by the clinician . a display driver 78 directs the video interface 52 and the video screen 54 to visually present information received from , or derived from inputs derived from the network 2 , the patient transceiver 8 , the patient input device 18 , the first network transceiver 12 , the second network transceiver 16 , a graphical user interface driver 80 of the pmds 10 , the audio input device 58 and / or the input device 56 . a web browser 82 may enable the pmds 10 to visually display information received from the internet 2 b . the user record r . 0 and a plurality of user records r . 1 - r . n are stored in a patient database 84 of the dbms 40 . a text editor 86 and an email client 87 separately or in combination enable the clinician to , for example , prepare text messages , and / or to include reminder messages for medication ingestion , for transmission via the network 2 and to the patient transceiver 8 and or the patient input device 18 . it is understood that the first network transceiver 12 and / or the second network transceiver 16 may facilitate the transmission of text messages between the pmds 10 and the patient transceiver 8 and / or the patient input device 18 . it is understood that the additional elements 8 and 12 - 16 of the network 2 may include one , several or all of the software aspects 70 - 86 of the pmds 10 . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig4 a , fig4 a is an illustration of the representative first patient record r . 0 the format of which may be followed in whole or in part by one or more of the remaining patient records r . 1 - r . n . a first record identifier r . 0 . id uniquely identifies the first record r . 0 within the pmds 10 and a patient identifier r . 0 . pid identifies the patient associated with the first record r . 0 . a network patient address r . 0 . addr identifies a network address of the patient transceiver 8 and / or the patient input device 18 to which electronic messages , for example , email messages , may be sent . a patient telephone number r . 0 . addr . t identifies a telephone number used to establish a telephonic communications session during which a text message or a voice communication maybe accomplished . one or more medication records r . 0 . mr . 0 - r . 0 . mr . n specify one or more medicines prescribed to the patient . a medication reminder flag r . 0 . fm indicates whether the patient is to be reminded by the pmds 10 to ingest or otherwise apply a medication . one or more behavior records r . 0 . bhr . 0 - r . 0 . bhr . n specify one or more behaviors prescribed to the patient . a behavior remind flag r . 0 . fb indicates whether the patient is to be reminded by the pmds 10 to engage in ( or to avoid ) a specified behavior . a patient history data retains information associated with the patient and may include records of receipt of attestations from the patient and receipt of ingestible event data iem m . a patient activity data r . act retains information describing expected types of patient activities and expected times of the patients may be engaging in each expected activities . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig4 b , fig4 b is an illustration of the representative first medication record r . 0 . mr . 0 . a first medication record identifier rm . id uniquely identifies the first medication record r . 0 . mr . 0 within the pmds 10 , and the patient identifier r . 0 . pid identifies the patient associated with the first medication record r . 0 . mr . 0 . a medication identifier med . id identifies the medication and dosage thereof associated with the first medication record r . 0 . mr . 0 . a dosage data med . d indicates what dosage of the identified medication is to be ingested or applied . an application schedule med . s indicates when the associated medication is prescribed to be ingested or otherwise applied . a first remind flag flag 1 indicates if the patient shall be reminded to apply or ingest the associated medication before the next prescribed time , wherein the reminder may be sent at approximately a first remind time period tr 1 before the next prescribed time . a first remind medication text txt 1 ( hereinafter , “ first remind text ” tr 1 ) is a prerecorded text message that may be sent prior to the scheduled time of ingestion or application as a reminder message to the patient to encourage ingesting or applying the associated medication . a second remind flag flag 2 indicates if the patient shall be reminded to ingest the medication associated with the first medication record r . 0 . mr . 0 in the event that an ingestion event datum iem m has not been received by the network 2 within a second remind tr 2 time after a prescribed ingestion time has passed . a second remind text txt 2 is a prerecorded text message that may be sent after a scheduled time as a reminder message to the patient to encourage ingesting or applying the associated medication identified by the medication identifier med . 0 . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig4 c , fig4 c is an illustration of the representative first behavior record r . 0 . bhr . 0 . a first behavior record identifier r . bhr . id uniquely identifies the first behavior record r . 0 . bhr . 0 within the pmds 10 , and the patient identifier r . 0 . pid identifies the patient associated with the first behavior record r . 0 . bhr . 0 . a behavior identifier bhr . id identifies the behavior associated with the first behavior record r . 0 . bhr . 0 . a behavior description text bhr . d includes a textual description of a behavior recommended to be engaged in or avoided . a behavior application schedule bhr . s indicates when the associated behavior is prescribed to be ingested or otherwise applied . a first behavior remind flag bflg 1 indicates if the patient shall be reminded to perform or avoid the associated behavior before the next prescribed time , wherein the reminder may be sent at approximately a trb 1 time period before the next prescribed time . a first behavior text txt 1 b is a prerecorded text message that may be sent prior to the scheduled time of ingestion or application as a reminder message to the patient to encourage performing , or alternatively avoided , the behavior identified by the behavior identifier bhr . id . a second behavior remind flag bflg 2 indicates if the patient shall be reminded to perform , or alternatively avoid , the behavior associated with the first behavior record r . 0 . bhr . 0 if an attestation by the patient has not been received by the network 2 within a time after a prescribed time of performance has passed . a second behavior text txt 2 b is a prerecorded text message that may be sent , for example , after a scheduled time of behavior performance , or alternatively , a behavior avoidance , as a reminder message to the patient to encourage performing , or alternatively avoid performing , the associated behavior identified by the behavior identifier bhr . id . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig4 d , fig4 d is an illustration of the representative patient history data h . d of the first record r . 0 . the patient history data h . d includes , for example , ( a .) a plurality of marker record h . m 0 - h . mn of previously received ingestion markers iem m , ( b .) a plurality of attestation records h . pa 0 - h . pan containing notations of attestations received from the patient , and ( c .) a plurality of text message records h . t 0 - h . tn of previously transmitted text messages sent to the patient transceiver 8 and / or the patient input device 18 . the received patient attestation records h . pa 0 - h . pan may include , for example , notations of attestations of performed behaviors , attestations of applications or ingestions of medicines , and / or attestations of avoided behaviors . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig5 , fig5 is an illustration of additional aspects of the method of the present invention , wherein a patient is treated for a health condition . in step 502 a database record r . 0 is initiated in the pmds 10 identifying the patient . the patient is evaluated in step 504 and diagnosed in step 506 . a patient activity model is generated in step 508 wherein the daily activity of the patient is included in a software - encoded portion of the database record r . 0 . medications and behaviors are prescribed in step 510 and the prescribed medications and behaviors are stored in the database record r . 0 . the patient is counseled and advised of the prescribed medications and behaviors as stored in the database record r in step 514 . the receipt of ingestion markers iem m transmitted from one or more iemd &# 39 ; s 4 and measurements and transmissions of the sensors 20 , 22 , 23 and 24 are received by the patient transceiver 8 and transmitted to the pmds 10 via the network 2 and the patient record r . 0 is updated with the received parametric data in step 516 . attestations by the patient , for example , of ( a .) changes in patient activity varying from the activity model of step 508 ; ( b .) adherence and non - adherence to prescribed medication ingestion schedule by the patient ; and ( c .) performance and non - performance of prescribed patient behaviors are received via the patient input device 18 and by the pmds 10 via the network 2 in step 518 . the information received in steps 516 and 518 are evaluated by a clinician or an expert information technology system ( not shown ) in step 520 in view of other information included in the patient record r . 0 . the clinician or the expert information technology system may update the patient diagnosis in step 522 , and may further determine in step 524 whether to cease treatment of the patient . when the clinician or expert system determines in step 824 that the current treatment cycle of the patient shall cease , the patient is informed of the cessation of treatment , and the database record r . 0 is updated with a notice of treatment termination , in step 526 . the treatment is ended in step 528 . when the clinician or expert system determines in step 524 that the current treatment cycle of the patient shall continue , the clinician or expert system determines by analysis of the patient record r . 0 , or one or more additional patient records r . 0 - r . n and optionally in consultation with the patient , determines in step 530 whether to increase or decrease medication dosage or frequency . when the clinician or expert system determines in step 530 to increase or decrease medication dosage or frequency , the patient is informed of the prescription change and the pharmacy is updated in step 534 . the clinician or expert system determines by analysis of the patient record r . 0 , and optionally in consultation with the patient determines in step 536 whether to alter prescribed or recommended behaviors . the patient is informed in step 538 of any alterations or additions of prescribed or recommended behaviors . the pmds 10 determines by analysis of the patient record r . 0 , in step 542 whether to remind the patient to , for example , ingest or apply a medication , or engage in a prescribed or recommended behavior , and the patient is reminded in step 542 to , for example , ingest or apply a medicine , or engage in a prescribed or recommended behavior . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig6 , fig6 is an illustration of other aspects of the method of the present invention , wherein certain behavior of the patient is denoted . in step 602 the patient receives a prescription of medications and behaviors . it is understood that a prescription of medication may include both the medication to be ingested and a schedule for ingesting the prescribed medications . the patient reports a schedule of expected activities via the patient input device 18 to the pmds 10 in step 604 . the schedule of expected activities , for example , may include work sessions , such as manual labor , expense report authoring , staff meetings , customer interaction periods , negotiations sessions , employee review meetings , sales forecast development , and presentations . the expected activities reported by the patient in step 604 are integrated into a patient record r . 0 of the patient database 84 by means of the patient input device 18 and the network 2 . the patient positions one or more sensors 20 , 22 , 23 and 24 in step 606 to enable the sensors 20 , 22 , 23 and 24 to detect one or more vital parameters of the patient . the patient ingests an iemd 4 wherein the iemd 4 transmits an ingestion report with a marker datum iem m in step 608 . the patient may further adhere to behaviors in step 612 as suggested in the prescription received in step 602 , and report adherence in step 612 with suggested behaviors , to include one or more ingestions of an iemd 4 . the patient may elect to cease following medical advice in step 614 , and for example , to cease ingesting iemd &# 39 ; s 4 , may proceed on to report cessation of adherence to the pmds 10 by means of the patient input device 18 and the network 2 in step 616 . the patient may cease implementing the prescriptive behaviors in step 618 . alternatively , the patient may determine to proceed from step 614 to step 620 and to query the pmds 10 to determine whether the prescription assigned by the pmds 10 has been modified . when the patient determines in step 620 that the assigned prescription has not been modified , the patient proceeds from step 620 back to step 608 . when the patient determines in step 620 that the assigned prescription has been modified , the patient proceeds from step 620 back to step 602 to receive and review the modified assigned prescription . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig7 , fig7 describes a process implemented by the pmds 10 in communication with the network 2 , the sensors 20 , 22 , 23 and 24 and the iemd 4 . in step 702 , the pmds 10 receives a marker datum iem m of an ingestion report transmitted from the iemd 4 . in step 704 , the pmds 10 compares the medicine identified by the marker datum iem m and the time of receipt of the marker datum iem m with the medication records r . 0 . mr . 0 - r . 0 . mr . n . the pmds 10 determines in step 7 . 06 whether the marker datum iem m received step 7 . 02 is compliant with a medication record r . 0 . mr . 0 - r . 0 . mr . n . when the pmds 10 determines in step 7 . 06 that receipt of the marker datum iem m of step 7 . 02 is noncompliant with a medication record r . 0 . mr . 0 - r . 0 . mr . n , the pmds 10 records the instant receipt of the marker datum iem m in the patient history data h . d as a noncompliant event and issues and transmits a patient notice of nonadherence in step 710 to the patient transceiver 8 and / or the patient input device 18 . when the pmds 10 determines in step 7 . 06 that receipt of the marker datum iem m of step 7 . 02 is compliant with a medication record r . 0 . mr . 0 - r . 0 . mr . n , the pmds 10 updates patient history data h . d in step 712 with a notation of adherence . the pmds 10 proceeds from either step 710 or 712 to step 714 and to perform alternate computational operations . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig8 , fig8 is a process chart of a method in which a clinician or an expert system monitors a vital parameter of the patient and suggest via the network 2 a therapeutic behavior intended to improve the health of the patient . in step 802 the pmds 10 receives vital parameter data from one or more sensors 20 , 22 , 23 and 24 . in step 804 the pmds 10 compares the vital parameter data received in step 802 with a range of healthy values of the instant vital parameter , for example , heart rate , blood pressure , respiration rate , respiration intensity , and electrical skin conductivity . the pmds 10 determines in step 806 whether the vital data received in step 802 falls within the healthy range of the instant vital parameter as stored in the pmds 10 or elsewhere in the network 2 . when the pmds 10 determines in step 806 that the vital data received in step 802 does not falls within the healthy range of the instant vital parameter , the pmds 10 proceeds from step 806 to step 808 and correlates the time of the receipt of the vital parameter data with the activity schedule of patient activity data r . act of one or more patient records r . 0 - r . n associated with the patient . in step 810 the pmds 10 selects a therapeutic behavior intended to encourage the patient to maintain the vital parameter referenced in step 802 within the healthy range selected in step 802 . the therapeutic behavior selected in step 810 may be provided by a clinician by input to the pmds 10 or by means of the patient - messaging module 14 . when the vital parameter referenced in step 802 is hypertension of the cardiovascular system , the selected therapeutic behavior may be or include , for example , listening to calming music , performing meditation , and / or physical exercise . in step 812 the therapeutic behavior is prescribed to the patient in view of a patient activity associated in the patient activity data r . act with the time of the receipt of the vital parameter data received in step 802 . a patient behavior suggestion is transmitted from the pmds 10 and / or the patient messaging module 14 in step 814 , wherein the suggestion advises the patient to engage in the therapeutic behaviors selected in step 810 at times correlated with patient behavior correlated in step 808 and reported in the patient activity data r . act . the pmds 10 proceeds from step 816 and to perform alternate or additional computational operations . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig9 , fig9 is a process chart of a method of the pmds 10 to determine if and when to send a text or audio message to the patient transceiver 8 and / or the patient input device 18 . in step 902 the pmds accesses one or more patient records r . 0 - r . n . the pmds 10 determines in step 904 whether an ingestion of a medicine has been prescribed to the patient . when the pmds determines in step 904 that the patient has not been prescribed to ingest a medication , the pmds 10 proceeds on from step 904 to step 906 and to perform alternate or additional computational operations . when the pmds determines in step 904 that the patient has been prescribed in a medication record r . 0 . mr . 0 - r . 0 . mr . n of a patient record r . 0 - r . n to ingest an iemd 4 containing a medication , the pmds 10 proceeds on from step 904 to step 908 , and to examine the first remind flag flag 1 of the instant medication record r . 0 . mr . 0 - r . 0 . mr . n . when the first remind flag flag 1 indicates an instruction to remind the patient of a recommended medication ingestions . when the first remind flag flag 1 indicates an instruction to remind the patient of prescribed medicine ingestion recommendations , the pmds 10 proceeds from step 908 to step 910 . the pmds 10 calculates the next scheduled time for an iemd 4 ingestion in step 910 by analyzing information of the application schedule med . s and calculates the next scheduled ingestion time tnext . the pmds 10 reads the first remind time period tr 1 from the medication record r . 0 . mr . 0 - r . 0 . mr . n accessed in step 908 . the pmds 10 accesses the real time clock 27 determines the current real time tactual in step 914 , and calculates the time difference tdelta between the current time tactual and the next scheduled ingestion time tnext . the pmds 10 determines in step 918 whether the time difference tdelta is less than the first remind time period tr 1 . when the pmds 10 determines in step 918 that the time difference tdelta is not less than the first remind time period tr 1 , the pmds 10 proceeds from step 918 to step 906 . when the pmds 10 determines in step 918 that the time difference tdelta is less than the first remind time period tr 1 , the pmds 10 proceeds from step 918 to step 920 and selects the first remind text txt 1 from the medication record r . 0 . mr . 0 - r . 0 . mr . n accessed in step 908 , and transmits the first remind text txt 1 to the patient transceiver 8 and / or the patient input device 18 in step 922 . the pmds 10 proceeds from either step 922 or step 906 to step 924 and to determine whether to cease monitoring for transmissions of markers iem m from the iemd 4 and the sensors 20 , 22 , 23 and 24 . when the pmds 10 determines to continue monitoring the sensors 20 , 22 , 23 and 24 and for transmissions of markers iem m from the iemd 4 , the pmds 10 proceeds from step 924 to step 902 . when the pmds 10 determines to cease monitoring the sensors 20 , 22 , 23 and 24 and for transmissions of markers iem m from the iemd 4 , the pmds 10 proceeds from step 924 to step 926 perform alternate or additional computational operations . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig1 , fig1 is a process chart of a method of the pmds 10 to determine if and when to send a text or audio message to the patient transceiver 8 and / or the patient input device 18 when an ingestion marker datum iem m is not received approximately when a marker datum iem m would be received when the iemd 4 is ingested prescribed . in step 1002 the pmds accesses one or more patient records r . 0 - r . n . the pmds 10 determines in step 1004 whether an ingestion of a medicine has been prescribed to the patient . when the pmds determines in step 1004 that the patient has not been prescribed to ingest a medication , the pmds 10 proceeds on from step 1004 to step 1006 and to perform alternate or additional computational operations . when the pmds determines in step 1004 that the patient has been prescribed in a medication record r . 0 . mr . 0 - r . 0 . mr . n of a patient record r . 0 - r . n to ingest an iemd 4 containing a medication , the pmds 10 proceeds on from step 1004 to step 1008 , and to examine the second remind flag flag 2 of the instant medication record r . 0 . mr . 0 - r . 0 . mr . n . when the second remind flag flag 2 indicates an instruction to remind the patient of a recommended medication ingestion when an ingestible event marker datum iem m has not been received as would be when an iemd 4 had been ingested as directed by the medication record r . 0 . mr . 0 - r . 0 . mr . n of step 1004 . when the second remind flag flag 2 indicates an instruction to remind the patient of a tardiness in following prescribed medicine ingestion as prescribed , the pmds 10 proceeds from step 1008 to step 1010 . the pmds 10 calculates the next scheduled time for an iemd 4 ingestion in step 1010 by analyzing information of the application schedule med . s and calculates the next scheduled ingestion time tnext . the pmds 10 accesses the real time clock 27 determines the current real time tactual in step 1012 , and calculates the time difference tover between the current time tactual and the scheduled ingestion time tnext in step 1014 . the pmds 10 reads the second remind time period tr 2 in step 1016 from the medication record r . 0 . mr . 0 - r . 0 . mr . n accessed in step 1008 . the pmds 10 determines in step 1018 whether the time difference tover calculated in step 1014 is less than the second remind time tr 2 of step 1016 . when the pmds 10 determines in step 1018 that the time difference tover is less than the second remind time tr 2 , the pmds 10 proceeds from step 1018 to step 1006 . when the pmds 10 determines in step 1018 that the time difference tdelta is not less than the second remind time tr 2 , the pmds 10 proceeds from step 1018 to step 1020 and selects the second remind text txt 2 from the medication record r . 0 . mr . 0 - r . 0 . mr . n accessed in step 1008 , and transmits the second remind text txt 2 to the patient transceiver 8 and / or the patient input device 18 in step 1022 . the pmds 10 proceeds from either step 1022 or step 1006 to step 1024 and to determine whether to cease monitoring for transmissions of markers m from the iemd 4 and the sensors 20 , 22 , 23 and 24 . when the pmds 10 determines to continue monitoring the sensors 20 , 22 , 23 and 24 and for transmissions of markers m from the iemd 4 , the pmds 10 proceeds from step 1024 to step 1002 . when the pmds 10 determines to cease monitoring the sensors 20 , 22 , 23 and 24 and for transmissions of markers m from the iemd 4 , the pmds 10 proceeds from step 1024 to step 1026 perform alternate or additional computational operations . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig2 a , 4b , 4c , and 4d , the audio / text converter module 64 is configured to convert digitized audio data received from the patient transceiver 8 , the patient input device 18 , the patient messaging module 14 , the first network transceiver 12 and / or the second network transceiver 16 into textual data for storage in a patient record r . 0 , for example in the patient history data h . d , the patient activity data r . act , the first remind text txt 1 , the second remind text txt 2 , the first behavior remind text txt 1 b and the second behavior remind text txt 2 b , and / or the behavior description text bhr . d . the audio / text converter module 64 is further configured to convert text data into digitized audio data representative of vocalizations of the source text data from the pmds 10 and / or the patient messaging module 14 and for transmission of the digitized audio data representations to the patient transceiver 8 and / or the patient input module 18 . the text data and the digitized audio data may be received via the bus 34 and from the system memory 28 or the network 102 , or generated by the cpu 26 . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig1 , fig1 is a schematic of a patient coupled with a plurality of biometric sensors and in communication with a cellular telephone , other mobile computational devices and information technology networks . in one example , it is a schematic of a patient 88 with a blood pressure sensor 90 wrapped around a right arm 92 , a wireless heart rate sensor 94 in contact with a right leg 96 , a wireless body temperature sensor 98 positioned within a left ear canal 100 , and a respiration monitor 102 positioned at a patient &# 39 ; s mouth and nose area 104 . these sensors are bi - directionally communicatively coupled to a first network computer 106 . to illustrate , biometric data may include body related data , e . g ., temperature , ph factor , pulse rate , and ingestion data may include event and / or medication related data , e . g ., nature , type of medication , dosage , time at which ingestion took place , adherence to prescription , level of adherence to prescription , etc ., communicated to a wireless communications device or receiver , e . g ., computer , patch receiver , etc . the biometric data may include , for example , a unique identifier which may be compared to various data , e . g ., genetic profile data , emotional data , and other data . such data may be associated with one or more of a variety of devices , e . g ., cellular phone , wireless computer , pda , and wireless comms system or receiver for validation purposes . a database computer 108 , or “ db computer ” 108 , and a medical diagnostic computational system 110 ( hereinafter , “ diagnostic system ” 110 ) are bi - directionally communicatively coupled with the network 2 . a software - encoded database may be associated with the database computer 108 and may include current and historical data pertaining to the patient 88 . the historical data includes , for example , medical record ( s ), health record ( s ), or medical chart ( s ) which are systematic documentation of a patient &# 39 ; s medical history and care . the term “ medical record ” is used both for the physical information for the patient and for the body of information which comprises the total of each patient &# 39 ; s health history . the network 2 is bi - directionally and communicatively coupled with a telephonic network , represented by telephony network 2 a and with other forms of telecommunication devices , e . g ., fax etc , represented by , telecommunications network 112 ( hereinafter “ telco ” 112 ). communication devices , for example , a digital cellular telephone 114 , a wireless enabled network computer 116 and a wireless enabled personal digital assistant ( pda ) 118 are further bi - directionally communicatively coupled with the network 2 via a wireless communications system 120 ( hereinafter “ wireless comms system ” 120 ). it is understood that the definition of the term “ computer ” as used in the present disclosures includes , for example , digital cellular telephones , personal digital assistants , network computer , computer workstations , automated database systems , servers , and web servers . in another aspect , one or more sensors 20 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 94 , 98 , and / or 102 may be conductively or communicatively coupled to a patch receiver 122 , positioned on the skin or subcutaneously or as a wristband or any such wearable device . the patch receiver 122 in turn may be communicatively coupled to the first network computer 106 . the first network computer 106 is bi - directionally communicatively coupled to electronics communications network 2 . the network 2 may further facilitate a two - way communication with the internet 2 b . an iemd 4 optionally includes a medicine 126 . the iemd 4 is an in - body device as disclosed herein . examples of in - body devices include , but are not limited to : implantable devices , e . g ., implantable therapeutic devices , such as but not limited to stents , drug delivery devices , orthopedic implants , implantable diagnostic devices , e . g ., sensors , biomarker recorders , etc . ; ingestible devices such as the iemd 4 described in the preceding references ; etc . in various aspects , the biometric data may be communicated to and / or from one or more receiving devices ( not shown ), for example , a biometric data receiver such as the computer 106 , etc . the biometric receiver 106 , 114 , 116 , 118 and 120 may be embodied in various ways , for example , as the cellular telephone 114 , the wireless computer 116 , the personal digital assistant 118 , and / or a personal receiver such as an implantable receiver , a semi - implantable receiver , and an externally applied device such as the personal signal patch receiver 122 . the patch receiver is a personal receiver that may be removably affixed to the person &# 39 ; s person , apparel , or personal equipment , for example , by an adhesive , a clip , a fabric , or other suitable attachment means known in the art . to illustrate one exemplary application of the method of the present invention , a patient 88 may ingest the iemd 4 integrated with medicine 126 . the iemd 4 may communicate data that includes biometric data and ingestion data . the biometric data may include body related data , for example , temperature , ph factor , pulse rate , and ingestion data may include event and / or medication related data , for example , nature , type of medication , dosage , time at which ingestion took place , adherence to prescription , level of adherence to prescription , etc ., communicated to a wireless communications device 114 , 116 , 118 , and 120 , or receiver , for example , computer 106 , patch receiver , etc . the biometric data may include , for example , a unique identifier which may be compared to various data , for example , genetic profile data , emotional data , and other data . such data may be associated with one or more of a variety of devices , for example , the cellular phone 114 , the wireless computer 116 , pda 118 , and the wireless comms system 120 or receiver for validation purposes . the biometric data reception may be affected or effected by one or more receiving devices , for example , personal signal receivers such as patch receivers that are removably attachable externally to the patient 88 or a non - human body ; or comprised within a subcutaneous device , an implantable devices , and / or various external devices , for example , devices which are or are not designed for attachment or other permanent or semi - permanent contact with the body , for example , the cellular telephone 114 . an ingestible event marker system is described in the patent application pct / us2008 / 52845 and includes an iemd 4 and a personal patch signal receiver 122 . the patch receiver 122 includes , for example , devices capable of at least receiving data and / or signals , etc . patch receivers 122 may be attachable , for example , permanently or removably attachable externally to a human body or a non - human body . for example , the patch receiver 122 may include the receiver and an adhesive layer to provide for attachment to and removal from the patient 88 . alternatively , the patch receiver 122 may be implantable or semi - implantable , for example , subcutaneous implantation . the wireless communications system 120 , the cellular telephone 114 , the wireless computer 116 , and / or the personal digital assistant 118 , may include systems , subsystems , devices , and / or components that receive , transmit , and / or relay the biometric data . in various aspects , the wireless communications system 120 communicably interoperates with a receiver 37 such as the patch receiver 120 and a communications network 2 such as the internet 2 b . examples of wireless comms systems 120 are computers , for example , servers , personal computers , desktop computers , laptop computers , intelligent devices / appliances , etc ., as heretofore discussed . in various aspects , the wireless communications system 120 may be embodied as an integrated unit or as distributed components , for example , a desktop computer and a mobile telephone in communication with one another and in communication with a patch receiver and the internet 2 b . further , various aspects of the network include combinations of devices . for example , one such combination is a receiver 122 such as the patch receiver 122 in communication with the portable digital assistant 118 or the mobile telephone 114 . thus , for example , the patch receiver 122 wirelessly transmits biometric data received from the iemd 4 to the cellular telephone 114 having a receiver and a software agent available thereon . the cellular telephone 114 receives the biometric data transmitted by the iemd 4 . in one scenario , the patient 88 ingests prescription medication 126 in conjunction with an iemd 4 . the iemd 4 identifies various information , for example , the medication type and dosage and transmits this information in a biometric data transmission via , for example , a conductive transmission to the patch receiver 120 , which may be removably attached to the patient 88 . the patch receiver 122 transmits the biometric data to , for example , the cellular telephone 114 , the wireless computer 116 , the personal digital assistant 118 , and / or the wireless comms device 120 as the case may be . for ease of description , the in - body devices of the invention will now be further described in terms of configurations having current path extender capabilities such as those provided by a skirt ( not shown ) where the skirt is part of the iemd 4 , for example , the wireless iemd 4 . one or more iemd 4 may be or comprise a composition that includes in certain configurations a vehicle , where the vehicle may or may not include an active agent such as the medicine 126 . iemds 4 of interest include those described in pct application no . pct / us2006 / 016370 filed on apr . 28 , 2006 titled “ pharma - informatics system ”; pct application no . pct / us2007 / 022257 filed on oct . 17 , 2007 titled “ in - vivo low voltage oscillator for medical devices ”; pct application no . pct / us2007 / 82563 filed on oct . 25 , 2007 titled “ controlled activation ingestible identifier ”; u . s . patent application ser . no . 11 / 776 , 480 filed jul . 11 , 2007 titled “ acoustic pharma informatics system ”; pct / us2008 / 52845 filed on feb . 1 , 2008 titled “ ingestible event marker systems ”; patent application no . pct / us08 / 53999 filed feb . 14 , 2008 titled “ in - body power source having high surface area electrode ”; u . s . patent application ser . no . 12 / 238 , 345 filed sep . 25 , 2008 titled “ in - body device with virtual dipole signal amplification , the disclosures of which applications are herein incorporated by reference . the iemd 4 communicates , e . g ., generates , alters , produces , emits , etc ., a communication upon contact of the iemd 4 with a target physiological location ( or locations ) depending on the particular configuration of the iemd 4 . the iemd 4 of the present compositions may vary depending on the particular configuration and intended application of the composition . as such , variations of iemds 4 may communicate , for example , communicate a unique identifier , when activated at a target site , for example , when the instant iemd 4 contacts a target surface or area within the patient &# 39 ; s body 6 , for example , a physiological , site and / or alters a current when in contact with a conducting fluid , for example , gastric acid in the stomach . depending on the configuration , the target physiological site or location may vary , where representative target physiological sites of interest include , for example , but are not limited to : a location in the alimentary system , such as the mouth , esophagus , stomach , small intestine , large intestine , etc . in certain configurations , the iemd 4 is configured to be activated upon contact with fluid at the target site , for example , stomach fluid , regardless of the particular composition of the target site . in some configurations , the iemd 4 is configured to be activated by interrogation , following contact of the composition with a target physiological site . in some configurations , the iemd 4 is configured to be activated at a target site , wherein the target site is reached after a specified period of time . depending on the needs of a particular application , the communication of an ingestible event marker datum iem m associated with the event marker iemd 4 , for example , altered current , an rfid signal , etc ., may be generic such as a communication that merely identifies that the composition has contacted the target site , or may be unique , for example , a communication which in some way uniquely identifies that a particular event marker datum iem m from a group or plurality of different markers m in a batch has contacted a target physiological site . as such , the iemd 4 may be one that , when employed with a batch of unit dosages , for example , a batch of tablets , is associated with a communication which cannot be distinguished from the signal emitted by the iemd 4 of any other unit dosage member of the batch . in yet other configurations , each member of the batch has an iemd 4 that is associated with a unique communication , at least with respect to all the other ingestible event markers of the members of the batch . for example , each wireless ingestible device iemd 4 of the batch emits a signal that uniquely identifies that particular wireless ingestible device in the batch , at least relative to all the other ingestible event markers m of the batch and / or relative to a universe of ingestible event markers m . in one configuration , the communication may either directly convey information about a given event , or provide an identifying code , which may be used to retrieve information about the event from a database , for example , a database linking identifying codes with compositions . the iemd 4 may generate a variety of different types of signals as a marker datum iem m , including , for example , but not limited to : rf signals , magnetic signals , conductive ( near field ) signals , acoustic signals , etc . of interest in certain configurations are the specific signals described in the pct application serial no . pct / us2006 / 16370 filed on apr . 28 , 2006 ; the disclosures of various types of signals in this application being specifically incorporated herein by reference . the transmission time of the iemd 4 may vary , where in certain configurations the transmission time may range from about 0 . 1 microsecond to about 48 hours or longer , for example , from about 0 . 1 microsecond to about 24 hours or longer , for example from about 0 . 1 microsecond to about 4 hours or longer , for example from about 1 sec to about 4 hours , including from about 1 minute to about 10 minutes . depending on the given configuration , the iemd 4 may transmit a given signal once . alternatively , the iemd 4 may be configured to transmit a signal with the same information , for example , identical signals , two or more times , where the collection of discrete identical signals may be collectively referred to as a redundant signal . various configurations of elements are possible , e . g ., dissimilar materials 124 a , 124 b . when in contact with a conducting fluid , a current is generated . a control device 124 c may alter the current . the altered current may be detectable , for example , by a receiving device , etc ., and associated with a communication providing a unique iem , etc ., as previously discussed . the dissimilar materials making up the electrodes can be made of any two materials appropriate to the environment in which the identifier will be operating . the dissimilar materials are any pair of materials with different electrochemical potentials . for example , in some configurations where the ionic solution comprises stomach acids , electrodes may be made of a noble metal , e . g ., gold , silver , platinum , palladium or the like , so that they do not corrode prematurely . alternatively , for example , the electrodes can be fabricated of aluminum or any other conductive material whose survival time in the applicable ionic solution is long enough to allow the identifier to perform its intended function . suitable materials are not restricted to metals , and in certain configurations the paired materials are chosen from metals and non - metals , for example , a pair made up of a metal ( such as mg ) and a salt . with respect to the active electrode materials , any pairing of substances , for example , metals , salts , or intercalation compounds , that have suitably different electrochemical potentials ( voltage ) and low interfacial resistance are suitable . various other configurations may include other communication - related components , for example , an rfid signal generator , etc . in various aspects , the iemd 4 communicates an ingestion alert when the medicine 126 is dissolved within a gastrointestinal pathway of the patient 88 . the iemd 4 is configured to transmit the ingestion alert as a wireless transmission that is detectable by , for example , the cellular telephone 114 , the wireless enabled network computer 116 , the wireless enabled personal digital assistant 118 , and / or the wireless comms system 120 . in addition , the wireless heart rate sensor 94 , the wireless body temperature sensor 98 , and / or the respiration monitor 16 are optionally configured to transmit biometric measurements in a wireless transmission that is detectable by , for example , the cellular telephone 114 , the wireless enabled network computer 116 , the wireless enabled personal digital assistant 118 and / or the wireless comms system 120 . the wireless transmissions , for example , of the iemd 4 , the wireless heart rate sensor 94 , the wireless body temperature sensor 98 , and / or the respiration monitor 102 alternately or additionally are or comprise radio frequency wave or pulse transmissions and / or light wave or pulse transmissions . information regarding alternate configurations of the pharmaceutical composition 40 and the iemd 4 are disclosed in united states patent application publication no . 20080284599 , published on nov . 20 , 2008 titled “ pharma - informatics system ”, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety and for all purposes in this document . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig1 , fig1 is an illustration of a display screen 128 of the cellular telephone 114 , the wireless enabled network computer 116 and / or the wireless enabled personal digital assistant 118 wherein a plurality of icons 129 - 136 are available for user selection . in one configuration , the display screen 128 is a touch screen and the icons 129 - 136 are selected by the application of the patient 88 of finger pressure or body heat . in other configurations , alternately or additionally the patient 88 may select one or more icon by positioning a cursor 138 over an icon 129 - 136 and selecting the icon 129 - 136 over which the cursor 138 is positioned by means of an input device 140 of , for example , the cellular telephone 114 , the wireless enabled network computer 116 and / or the wireless enabled personal digital assistant 118 . the medicine cursor 138 is selected by the patient 88 to indicate a taking of the medicine 126 , for example by an oral or nasal ingestion of one or more pharmaceutical compositions 122 , a topical application of the medicine 126 , or injection or other introduction of the medicine 126 to the patient 88 . accomplishment icon 130 is selected by the patient 88 to indicate an achievement or an engagement in an activity , for example an athletic session , exercise or event , a hobby , a meditation session , a therapeutic practice or exercise , a leisure activity , a recreational activity , a rehabilitative activity , a period of sleep , a meal consumption , a liquid ingestion , an erotic thought , erotic act , or an occurrence of an aspect of menstruation . each emotion icon 129 - 136 is selected by the patient 88 to indicate a perception of an associated emotion or a psychological state by the user , for example an emotion or psychological state of happiness , appreciation , kindness , love , joy , fondness , bliss , anger , fear , dread , loathing , anxiety , jealousy , envy , contempt , resentment , perceived pain , perceived pleasure , confidence , insecurity , optimism , pessimism , patience , impatience , attraction , repulsion , clarity , confusion , encouragement , discouragement , a romantic sensation , a sexual arousal , or an erotic sensation . each sad icon 134 - 135 is selected by the patient 88 to report an occurrence of an undesirable event or condition , for example nausea , diarrhea , anxiety , physical pain , bleeding , or a loss of balance . an external icon 136 may be selected by the patient 88 to indicate a perception of an event or condition external to the patient 88 , for example an inbound phone call or a visit from a friend . it is understood that each icon 129 - 136 may be individually associated with a single emotion , perception , event , process or condition . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig1 , fig1 is a schematic diagram of the cellular telephone 114 . it is understood that the network computer 106 , the wireless enabled network computer 116 , the wireless enabled personal digital assistant 118 and the wireless comms system 120 may comprise one or all of the elements of the cellular telephone 114 . the cellular telephone 114 includes a central processing unit 142 , or “ cpu ” 142 and a firmware 144 . the firmware 144 further includes a set of software - encoded instructions comprising a mobile basic input output system 146 used to boot - up the cellular telephone 114 . a power and communications bus 148 ( or “ mobile bus ” 148 ) bi - directionally communicatively couples the cpu 142 , the firmware 144 , a display device interface 150 , the input device 140 , a telephone audio output module 152 , a wireless network interface 154 , a global positioning system module 156 , a telephone system memory 158 , a telephone media writer / reader 160 , a date time circuit stamp 162 , a telephone audio input module 164 , a telephone mechanical vibration module 166 , a small message service module 168 , and an accelerometer 170 . the display interface 150 bi - directionally communicatively couples a display module 172 comprising a telephone display screen 174 with the communications bus 148 . the telephone audio output module 152 accepts digitized information from the bus 148 and derives and generates an audible sound wave output therefrom . an electrical power battery 176 provides energy to the elements 142 - 174 of the cellular telephone 114 via the mobile bus 148 . the wireless network interface 154 bi - directionally communicatively couples the electronics communications bus 146 and the network 2 . the system memory 158 is a random only access memory wherein a mobile telephone system software 178 is maintained and optionally edited or modified by deletion , addition or update of software - encoded instructions . the global positioning system module gps ( hereinafter “ gps module ” 156 ) is a communications device that communicates with a global positioning system that comprises earth - orbiting satellites and allows the gps module 156 to determine coordinates of the location of the gps module 156 on the earth &# 39 ; s surface . the date / time circuit 162 is bi - directionally communicatively coupled with the communications bus 148 and provides a digitized date time stamp data when polled by the telephone cpu 142 . the date / time circuit 162 further generates time pulses and synchronizing signals that the telephone cpu 142 and the cellular telephone 114 generally , apply to measure the passage of time , time period durations , and to schedule alarms and alerts . the telephone media writer / reader 160 is configured to read , and optionally write , machine readable , computer executable software encoded instructions from a computer program product 180 . the telephone media writer / reader 160 and the associated computer program product 180 are selected and configured to provide non - volatile storage for the cellular telephone 114 . although the description of computer program product 180 contained herein refers to a mass storage device , for example a hard disk or cd - rom drive , it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that computer program product 160 can be any available media that can be accessed by the digital telephone 114 . by way of example , and not limitation , computer program product 180 may be or comprise computer operable storage medium 182 and communication media . computer operable storage media 182 include , for example , volatile and non - volatile , removable and non - removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer - readable instructions , data structures , program modules or other data . computer operable storage media include , for example , but are not limited to , ram , rom , eprom , eeprom , flash memory or other solid state memory technology , cd - rom , digital versatile disks (“ dvd ”), or other optical 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 be accessed by the cellular telephone 144 . the computer program product 180 may comprise machine - readable instructions within a computer operable storage medium which when executed by the computer to cause the computer to perform one or more steps as described in the figures and enabled by the present disclosure , and / or generate , update , maintain and apply one or more data structures . the input device 140 may be or comprise a character input keypad 184 and / or a mouse 186 , or other point and click selection or data input device known in the art . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig1 , fig1 is a schematic diagram of the mobile telephone system software 178 of the cellular telephone 114 . a mobile device operating system 188 acts as a control layer between the hardware elements 142 - 186 of the cellular telephone 114 and the mobile system software 178 of the cellular telephone 114 . a network communications software 190 enables the wireless network interface 154 to bi - directionally couple the network 2 with internal communications bus 148 and the cpu 142 . a mobile display device driver 192 enables the cpu 142 to direct the state of the telephone display screen 128 to include the rendering of the icons 129 - 136 . a mobile input device driver 194 enables the cpu 142 to accept , execute and interpret commands , instructions , data and selections from the input device 140 . a mobile reader driver 196 enables the cpu 140 to accept , execute and interpret software encoded programs , commands , instructions , data and selections from the computer program product 180 . a graphical user interface driver 198 , or “ mobile gui ” 198 , enables the cellular telephone 114 to visually render data , for example , to render the icons 129 - 136 . the mobile telephone system software 178 further includes a data base management system 98 ( hereinafter , “ mobile dbms ” 200 ) storing a plurality of records 202 . a - 202 . n . and a plurality of logged event data 204 . a - 204 . n ( hereinafter , “ log ” 204 . a - 205 . n ). the system software 178 further comprises a plurality of software applications 206 . a - 206 . n . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig1 , fig1 illustrates a first aspect of a method wherein an exemplary process is represented . in the process of fig1 , the cellular telephone 114 powers up in step 1600 and displays one or more icons 129 - 136 in step 1602 . the computer determines in step 1604 whether the patient 88 has selected an icon 129 - 136 . when the cellular telephone 114 determines in step 1604 that the patient 88 has selected an icon 129 - 136 , the cellular telephone 114 proceeds on to step 1606 to form an exemplary record 202 . a and store the record 202 . a in the dbms 188 , wherein the record 202 . a includes an icon identifier and a date / time stamp data generated by the date time circuit 162 and related to the time of selection of the icon 129 - 136 . the cellular telephone 114 determines in step 1608 whether or not to display the information contained or associated with the exemplary record 202 . a in a graphical representation on the display screen 128 . the cellular telephone 114 renders information of the record 202 . a in a visually presented temporal relationship with information contained within or associated with the plurality of logged event data 204 . a - 204 . n . the cellular telephone 114 alternately displays the graphical representation , such as an exemplary graph 181 of fig1 , in step 1610 , or proceeds on to step 1612 . the cellular telephone 114 determines in step 1612 to return or continue to display the icons 129 - 136 in step 1602 , or to proceed on to step 1614 and cease displaying the icons 129 - 136 in step 1612 and to continue on to perform alternate computational processes . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig1 a and 17b , fig1 a is an illustration of the exemplary record 202 . a that includes an icon identifier 202 . a . 1 . the date time stamp 202 . a . 2 is generated by the date time circuit 162 . the icon identifier 202 . a . 1 associates the exemplary record 202 . a with an icon 29 - 36 . fig1 b is an illustration of the exemplary log event data 204 . a that includes a biometric identifier 204 . a . 1 , a measured biometric value 204 . a . 2 and an event date time stamp 204 . a . 3 related to the time of recordation of the event biometric value 204 . a . 2 . in certain exemplary methods , the biometric identifier 204 . a . 1 may associate the exemplary log data 204 . a . with a measurement , for example , of a heart rate , a blood pressure , a body temperature , and / or a respiration , wherein the measured biometric value 204 . a . 2 may be a numeric value of the biometric parameter identified by the biometric identifier 204 . a . 1 of the exemplary log data 204 . a . an optional record information 202 . a . 3 includes additional information provided by the patient 88 via the input module 140 , by uploading from a computer program product 180 and / or by downloading from the network 2 . the record information 202 . a . 3 may include textual information entered from a computer keyboard 184 or mouse 186 . according to even other additional or alternate methods , the record information 202 . a . 3 may optionally be input to the cellular telephone 114 via an audio input module 164 that accepts sound waves and generates digitized recordings therefrom , wherein the digitized recordings may be stored as audio data in the record information 202 . a . 3 . in addition , the audio input and / or a textual interpretation of sound waves received by the audio input module 122 and thereupon stored as text data in the record information 202 . a . 1 . when the icon identifier 202 . a . 1 indicates that the identified icon 132 - 136 specifies an accomplishment , or the record information 202 . a . 3 indicates that that the comprising exemplary record 202 . a identifies an accomplishment , the exemplary record 202 . a is defined as an accomplishment record 202 . a , and the exemplary record information 202 . a . 3 is defined as an accomplishment information 202 . a . 3 . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig1 , fig1 illustrates a graph 206 wherein a plurality of event log data 204 . a - 204 . n that each datum includes a beats per minute measurement value as the biometric value 204 . a . 2 - 204 . n . 2 . each biometric value 204 . a . 2 - 204 . n . 2 is plotted within the graph 206 according to its value along a heart rate axis 208 . a and the value of the date time stamp 204 . a . 3 - 204 . n . 3 of the same event log data 204 . a - 204 . n along a time axis 208 . b . in addition , one or more records 202 . a - 202 . n are plotted as events along the same time axis 208 . b , wherein the quality associated with each displayed record 202 . a - 202 - n is presented along the time axis 208 . b . the patient 88 may thus review the graph 206 and observe the temporal relationship between each event documented by a record 202 . a - 202 . n and the biometric data measurement values 204 . a . 2 - 204 . n . 2 contained in the plurality of event log data 204 . a - 204 . n . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig1 , fig1 is an illustration of an additional or alternate method , wherein the cellular telephone 114 transmits in step 1902 the exemplary record 202 . a via the network 2 to the data base system 108 and / or the diagnostic system 110 . in step 1904 the cellular telephone 114 receives a digitized message that includes a medical advice content via the network 2 . the cellular telephone 114 displays the medical guidance content in the display screen 128 in step 1906 . in a yet other aspect of the method of the fig1 , the medical guidance content is rendered as an audible signal output through the audio output module 152 . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig2 , fig2 is an illustration of a still additional or alternate aspect of the method of the of fig2 wherein the cellular telephone 114 receives one or more event logs 204 . a - 204 . n in step 2002 via the network 2 . the cellular telephone 114 then stores the one or more event logs 204 . a - 204 . n in the mobile dbms 200 in step 2004 . the one or more event logs 204 . a - 204 . n received in step 2002 will then be included in the next calculation of the graph 206 in the next execution of step 1610 . it is understood that the one or more event logs 204 . a - 204 . n received in step 2002 may include biometric measurement values 204 . a . 2 - 204 . n . 2 that are measures , for example , of heart rate , blood pressure , respiration or body temperature . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig3 and 21 , fig2 illustrates a still other additional or alternate method , wherein gps data collected from the cellular telephone 114 of the patient 88 are used to determine the current and relative level of social interaction in which the patient 88 is engaging . in step 2102 the cellular telephone 114 is associated with the patient 88 . in step 2104 the communications traffic of the cellular telephone 114 is monitored and each phone call is recorded in a session record 210 . a - 210 . n of the patient database 40 of the pmds 10 . the monitoring of the use of the cellular phone 114 may be accomplished by a telecommunications carrier from whom the patient 88 receives a communications enabling service and / or by monitoring by the wireless comms system 120 . the session records 210 . a - 210 . n and the patient database are transmitted to , stored in , and made accessible for review to a diagnostician at the diagnostic system 110 and / or the data base computer 108 in step 2106 . the diagnostician determines in step 2108 that the level of social interaction indicates an increased risk of degradation in the state of mental health of the patient 88 , the diagnostician then determines in step 2110 whether or not to issue an alarm to alert the patient 88 or third parties of a potential decline in mental health . an alarm is transmitted to and rendered in step 2112 by the cellular telephone 114 in optional step 1012 . additionally or alternatively , the diagnostician may in step 2114 generate a therapeutic recommendation , e . g ., a diagnosis of , study of , analysis of , determination of or a prescription regarding , one or more health issues of the patient 88 in step 2114 , and optionally the medical advice generated in step 2114 is transmitted to and rendered by the cellular telephone 114 in step 2116 . it is understood that either or both the alarm transmitted and rendered in step 2112 and the advice transmitted and rendered in step 2116 may optionally , alternatively or additionally be sent to and rendered by the cellular telephone 114 , the first network computer 106 , the wireless - communications enabled network computer 116 and / or the wireless - communication enabled personal digital assistant 118 in whole or in part . referring to fig1 , 15 and 21 , it is understood that the cellular telephone 114 may have a plurality of pre - recorded ringtone records 212 . the alarm of step 2112 may be rendered by the cellular telephone 114 generating a sound energy as derived from a digitized alarm tone record 214 , wherein the sound generated is distinctive to the patient 88 from the sounds generated by the cellular telephone by rendering from one of the ringtones records 212 . alternatively or additionally , the alarm of step 2112 may direct the cellular telephone 114 to energize the vibration module 166 with the aim to attract the attention of the patient 88 . the medical advice transmitted and received by the cellular telephone 114 in step 2116 may be included in whole or in part in an audio message 216 that may be rendered by audible output module 152 for the patient 88 to listen to , and / or by a textual message 218 that the patient 88 may read from the display screen 128 . additionally or alternatively , the textual message 218 , some or all of the therapeutic advice of step 2116 , and / or the alarm 2112 may be transmitted to the cellular telephone 114 by means of a text messaging service or a small message service as received and rendered by the sms module 168 of the cellular telephone 114 and enabled via the telco 112 by a telephone services provider , for example , at & amp ; t ™ text messaging service or small message service provider . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to the fig3 and 22 , in yet another alternate or additional method , the diagnostician applies in the process of fig2 an activity monitor process of the diagnostic system 110 to generate a communications activity baseline 220 of telephone communications and compares the baseline with a calculation of recent telephone communications to generate a current communications frequency to determine if the current telephone use of the patient 88 is indicative of an increased risk of the patient entering into a declining state of mental health , for example , in certain circumstances , decreased sociability may be an early indicator of declining mental state or other conditions . in step 2202 the diagnostic system 110 counts the number of phone calls c 1 placed by the patient 88 over a first length of time t 1 , for example , over the preceding three months . in step 2204 the diagnostic system 110 calculates a baseline ratio r 1 of placed phone calls c 1 as divided the first length of time t 1 . the baseline ratio r 1 is thus one instantiation of the communications activity baseline 220 . in step 2206 the diagnostic system 110 determines the number of telephone calls c 2 placed by the patient 88 over a shorter and more recent second period of time t 2 , for example , over the most recent five - day period . in step 2208 the diagnostic system then calculates a current ratio r 2 equal to the number of more recently placed phone calls c 1 as divided the second length of time t 2 . in step 2210 the diagnostic system 110 divides the current ratio r 2 by the baseline ratio r 1 and determines whether the result of this division is less than a first indicator value v 1 of , for example , 0 . 70 . in one exemplary application of the process of fig2 , the first indicator value v 1 is 0 . 70 , the first ratio r 1 indicates the number of telephone calls placed by the patient 88 via the cellular telephone 114 per unit time during the most recent three months , and the second ratio r 2 indicates the number of telephone calls placed by the patient 88 via the cellular telephone 114 per unit time during the most recent five day period , whereby if the frequency of phone call placed by the patient 88 dips below 70 % of the frequency of telephone calls exhibited by the patient 88 in the most recent three month period , the diagnostic system 110 issues an alert to patient 88 in step 2212 as described above in the process of fig2 . it is understood that the alert of step 2212 may be issued by either direction of the diagnostician or by an automatic activity monitor logic 223 of the diagnostic system 110 . it is further understood that the activity monitor logic 223 may calculate c 1 and / or c 2 by calculated number of telephone calls placed from the cellular telephone 114 summed with the number of telephone calls received through the cellular telephone 114 . it is further understood that the activity monitor logic 223 may calculate c 1 and / or c 2 by including the number of attempted telephone calls placed from the cellular telephone 114 . it is further understood that the activity monitor logic 223 may calculate c 1 and / or c 2 by additionally or alternately by counting the number of text messages sent to and / or from the cellular telephone 114 . it is further understood that the diagnostician may provide therapeutic guidance to the patient 88 as an element of the transmitted alarm of step 2212 in steps 2210 through 2216 , as per steps 2112 through 2116 of fig2 . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig2 , fig2 is a schematic of a diagnostic system software 222 of the diagnostic system 110 . the diagnostic system software 222 includes a diagnostic system operating system 224 and the patient dbms 40 that stores a plurality digitized software encoded records of one or more ringtones records 212 , alarm tone records 214 , audio message records 216 , and / or text messages 218 that may be transmitted via the network 2 to the cellular telephone 114 . the patient dbms 40 may include a plurality of call records 226 . a - 226 . n , a plurality of gps records 228 . a - 228 . n , a plurality of text messages records 230 . a - 230 . n and the gps baseline data 220 . the plurality of call records 226 . a - 226 . n , plurality of gps records 228 . a - 228 . n and plurality of text message records 218 may be provided to the diagnostic system 110 via the network 2 by the telco 112 and / or the telecommunications network services provider . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig2 a , 24b and 24c , fig2 a is a schematic diagram of an exemplary first phone call record 224 . a selected from the plurality of call records 226 . a - 226 . n provided by or the via the telco 112 by the telephone services provider . each phone call record 226 . a - 226 . n contains information related to an individual communication session that is enabled by the network 2 . it is understood that a communication session may be enabled by the internet 2 b by voice over internet protocol technology and / or by the telephony network 2 b . the information contained within the plurality of phone call records 226 . a - 226 . n may be provided by or via the telco 112 by the telephone services provider in whole or in part . the exemplary first call record 226 . a relates to a first communications session , for example , an “ instant communications session ”. a phone identifier 226 . a . 1 identifies the cellular telephone 114 . the phone identifier 226 . a . 1 may be , for example , a telephone number or a network address , or may be another telephone ( not shown ) or a network address of a computer 106 , 116 . a second phone identifier 226 . a . 2 identifies a second telephone ( not shown ) or a computer 106 or 116 . it is understood that the second phone identifier 226 . a . 2 may be a telephone number or a network address , or may be a reference number to the second telephone or a computer 106 or 116 that is issued to protect the privacy of another party . an origin flag 226 . a . 3 indicates whether the instant communications session was initiated by the means of either ( a .) the cellular telephone 114 , or ( b .) the computer 106 or other computer 116 . a call start data 226 . a . 4 identifies the start time of the instant communications session . a call duration data 226 . a . 5 documents the length of time of the instant communications session . a gps data 226 . a . 6 includes a global position system data that indicates the location of the cellular telephone 114 at the start time of the instant communications session or at a moment during the duration of the instant communications session . the gps data 226 . a . 6 may be generated by the gps module 156 of the cellular telephone 114 in concert with information received from a global positioning system . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig2 b , fig2 b is a schematic diagram of an exemplary first gps record 228 . a . a phone identifier 228 . a . 1 identifies the cellular telephone 114 . a gps sampling data 228 . a . 2 includes a global position system data that indicates the location of the cellular telephone 114 . a gps time data 228 . a . 3 indicates a time and date that the gps sampling data 228 . a . 2 was acquired by the cellular telephone 114 . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig2 c , fig2 c is a schematic diagram of an exemplary first text message record 228 . a selected from the plurality of text session records 230 . a - 230 . n . each text record 230 . a - 230 . n contains information related to an individual texting session that is enabled by the network 2 . it is understood that a communications session may be enabled by the internet 2 b by various technologies , for example , voice over internet protocol ( voip ) technology , the telephony network 2 a , etc . the information contained within the plurality of text records 230 . a - 230 . n may be provided by or via the telco 112 by the telephone services provider in whole or in part . the exemplary text session record 230 . a relates to a first text session , i . e ., an “ instant text session ”. a phone identifier 230 . a . 1 identifies the cellular telephone 114 . a second phone identifier 230 . a . 2 identifies a second telephone ( not shown ) or a computer 106 or 116 that participated in the instant text message . a text time data 230 . a . 3 identifies a time of initiation or completion of the instant text message session . an origin flag 230 . a . 4 indicates whether the instant communications session was initiated by the means of either , for example , ( a .) the cellular telephone 114 , or ( b .) the computer 106 or other computer 116 . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig2 , fig2 illustrates a still other additional or alternate method , wherein gps data collected from the cellular telephone 114 of the patient 88 is used to determine the current and relative level of social interaction in which the patient 88 is engaging . in step 2502 the cellular telephone 114 is associated with the patient 88 and monitored . the gps module 156 of the cellular telephone 114 is periodically sampled and each sampled gps datum is recorded in an individual gps record 228 . a - 228 . n of the patient dbms 40 . the monitoring of the use of the cellular phone 114 may be provided by or via the telco 112 by the telephone services provider in whole or in part , for example , in step 2504 during a phone session , from which the patient 88 receives a text enabling service and / or by monitoring by the wireless comms system 120 , etc . the gps records 228 . a - 228 . n and the patient database 40 are transmitted to , stored in , and made accessible for review to a diagnostician at the diagnostic system 110 and / or the data base computer 108 . the diagnostician determines in step 2508 that the level of social interaction indicates an increased risk of degradation in the state of mental health of the patient 88 , the diagnostician then determines in step 2510 whether or not to issue an alarm to alert the patient 88 or third parties of a potential decline in mental health . an alarm is transmitted to and rendered in step 2512 by the cellular telephone 114 in optional step 2512 . additionally or alternatively , the diagnostician may in step 2514 generate a therapeutic recommendation , for example , a diagnosis of , or a prescription regarding , one or more health issues of the patient 88 in step 2514 , and optionally the medical advice generated in step 2516 is transmitted to and rendered by the cellular telephone 114 . it is understood that either or both the alarm transmitted and rendered in step 2512 and the advice transmitted and rendered in step 2516 may optionally , alternatively or additionally be sent to and rendered by the cellular telephone 114 , the first network computer 106 , the wireless - communications enabled network computer 116 and / or the wireless - communication enabled personal digital assistant 118 in whole or in part . it is understood that the cellular telephone 114 may have a plurality of pre - recorded standard ringtones records 212 . the alarm of step 2112 may be rendered by the cellular telephone 114 generating a sound energy as derived from an alarm tone record 212 , wherein the sound generated is distinctive to the patient 88 from the sounds generated by the cellular telephone 114 by rendering from one of the ringtones records 214 . alternatively or additionally , the alarm of step 2512 may direct the cellular telephone 114 to energize the vibration module 166 with the aim to attract the attention of the patient 88 . the medical advice transmitted and received by the cellular telephone 114 in step 2516 may be included in whole or in part in an audio message record 216 that may be rendered by audible output module 152 for the patient 88 to listen to , and / or by a textual message record 230 that the patient 88 may read from the display screen 128 . additionally or alternatively , the textual message 230 , some or all of the therapeutic advice of step 2116 , and / or the alarm 2112 may be transmitted to the cellular telephone 114 by means of a text messaging service or a small message service as received and rendered by an sms module 168 of the cellular telephone 114 and may be provided in whole or in part by or via the telco 112 by the telephone services provider . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to the fig2 , in yet another additional or alternate method , the diagnostician applies a mobility monitor logic 232 of the diagnostic system 110 to generate the gps baseline 220 derived from the telephone gps information of the plurality of gps records 226 . a - 226 . n and compares the gps baseline 220 with a more recent plurality of gps readings to determine if the mobility of the patient 88 is indicative of an increased risk of the patient entering into a reduced state of mental health . in step 2602 the diagnostic system 110 examines the gps records 228 . a - 228 . n containing gps information collected over an extended length of time t 3 , for example , over the preceding three months . in step 2604 the diagnostic system 110 calculates the gps mobility baseline 220 indicative of the movement presented by the patient 88 during the extended time c 3 , for example , an extended mobility value m 1 . in one alternate aspect of the method of fig2 , the mobility baseline 220 is automatically calculated by ( a .) selecting a plurality of gps records 228 . a - 228 . n ; ( b .) ordering the gps records 228 . a - 228 . n in order of the gps time data 228 . a . 3 - 228 . n . 3 ; ( c .) calculating the distance between each ordered gps records 228 . a - 228 . n by straight line measurements between succeeding each ordered gps location data 228 . a . 2 - 228 . n . 2 ; ( d .) summing the distances measured in the previous step ; and dividing the distance measurement by a length time measured between the earliest gps time data 228 . a . 3 - 228 . n . 3 and the most recent gps time data 228 . a . 3 - 228 . n . 3 of the selected plurality of gps records 228 . a - 228 . n . in step 2604 the diagnostic system 110 examines the gps records 228 . a - 228 . n containing gps information collected over a shorter and recent mobility period of time t 4 , for example , over the most recent five day period , and calculates a recent mobility value m 1 in step 2604 . in step 2606 the diagnostic system 110 examines the gps records 228 . a - 228 . n containing gps information collected over a greater period of time and calculates an extended time period mobility value m 2 in step 2608 the diagnostic system 110 calculates a current mobility ratio r 3 equal to the recent mobility value m 1 divided by the extended mobility value m 2 . in step 2610 the diagnostic system 110 compares the current mobility ratio r 3 to a level l . in one exemplary application of the measurement of the patient &# 39 ; s recent mobility dips below 70 % the patient &# 39 ; s estimated mobility as expressed by the mobility baseline 220 , the diagnostic system 110 issues an alert to patient 88 in step 2612 as described above in the process of fig2 . it is understood that the alert of step 2612 may be issued by either direction of the diagnostician or by the mobility monitor logic 232 . it is further understood that the diagnostician may provide therapeutic guidance to the patient 88 as an element of the transmitted alarm of step 2612 in steps 2620 through 2216 , and as per steps 2512 through 2520 of fig2 . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig2 , fig2 is a process chart of an even other additional or alternate method , wherein the cellular telephone 114 is programmed to render a distinctive ringtone record 212 , alarm tone record 214 , audio message record 216 , and / or text message record 218 to alert the patient 88 to take a medication , engage in a medically recommended behavior , or cease a behavior . in step 2702 the cellular telephone 114 determines if a programmer , for example , the patient 88 , the diagnostician , a health care provider , or other party , has input a command to place the cellular phone 114 into an alert programming mode . when the cellular telephone 114 determines in step 2702 that the programmer has input a programming command , the cellular telephone 114 proceeds to step 2704 and accepts a selection of an alert selection from the programmer , where the alert selection may be indicated from a group including for example , but not limited to , a distinctive ringtone record 212 , alarm tone record 214 , audio message record 216 , and / or text message record 218 . in step 2706 the cellular telephone 114 accepts an alert time from the programmer which indicates at which time the cellular telephone 114 is to render the selected alert . the cellular telephone 114 proceeds from step 2706 to step 2708 to access the date / time circuit 162 and in step 1610 to determine whether the alert time has passed . when the cellular telephone 114 determines in step 2710 that the alert time has occurred , the cellular telephone 114 proceeds on to step 712 and renders the selected alarm , wherein such rendering may include an excitation of , for example , the vibration module 166 , a sound generated from ringtone record 212 , alarm tone record 214 , and / or audio message record 216 by means of the audio output module 152 , and / or text message record 218 by means of the display device 156 . the cellular telephone 114 proceeds from either step 2710 or step 2712 to determine whether to cease the alert cycle in step 2714 . when the cellular telephone 114 determines in step 2714 to cease the alert cycle of steps 2708 and 2710 , the cellular telephone 114 proceeds on to step 2716 and performs additional or alternate computational operations , which may include a return to step 2702 at a later time . when the cellular telephone 114 determines in step 2714 to continue to execute the alert cycle of steps 2708 through 2714 , the cellular telephone 114 proceeds on to step 2718 and performs additional or alternate computational operations before performing another comparison of the programmed alert time of step 2710 with the real time as indicated by a current output of the date / time circuit 162 execution of step 2708 . it is understood that the alert rendered in step 2710 may encourage the patient to inhale a second medication 240 or to apply a topical medication 242 to a skin area 244 of the patient 88 . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig2 , fig2 illustrates a still further alternate additional or alternate method , wherein the cellular phone 114 is programmed to remind the patient 88 to take , for example , ingest , inhale , insert or topically apply , etc ., one or more medications 126 . the phone 114 initializes a resting time variable td to a current date and time reading received from the date / time circuit 162 in step 2802 . the phone 114 then proceeds to step 2804 to perform alternate computational operations , and periodically returns to step 2806 to determine whether to query the accelerometer 170 to determine whether the accelerometer 170 has detected motion since the most recent execution of step 2802 . when the phone 114 determines in step 2806 that the accelerometer 170 indicates motion of the phone 114 since the most recent execution of step 2802 , the phone 114 proceeds on to step 2808 to determine whether the time elapsed between the current value of the resting time variable td and a newer and actual date and time reading ta received from the date / time circuit 162 is greater than a sleep time value ts , for example , wherein the sleep time value is a value preferably between the time durations of four hours and eight hours . when the phone 114 determines in step 2808 that the accelerometer 170 has not detected motion for a period of time greater than the sleep time value ts , the phone 114 proceeds on to step 2810 and to render an alert to encourage the patient 88 to take one or more medications , e . g ., medicine 126 , 240 and 242 . it is understood that the motion detector 23 of fig1 may be , include , or be comprised within , an accelerometer 170 , a gps module 156 , or a cellular telephone 114 . when the cellular telephone 114 determines in step 2808 that the alert time has occurred , the cellular telephone 114 proceeds on to step 2810 and renders the selected alarm , wherein such rendering may include , for example , an excitation of the vibration module 166 , a sound generated from ringtone record 212 , alarm tone record 214 , and / or audio message record 216 by means of the audio output module 152 , and / or text message record 218 by means of the display device 156 . the cellular telephone 114 proceeds from either step 2810 or step 2812 to determine whether to cease the alert cycle of steps 2800 through 2812 . when the cellular telephone 114 determines in step 2812 to cease the alert cycle of steps 2800 through 2812 , the cellular telephone 114 proceeds on to step 2814 and performs additional or alternate computational operations , which may include a return to step 2802 at a later time . referring now generally to the figures and particularly fig2 , fig2 is a schematic of a first exemplary patient record 232 . a selected from a plurality of patient records 232 . a . 1 - 232 . a . n that are stored in the patient dbms 40 and / or the mobile dbms 200 as stored in the cellular telephone 114 , the db computer 108 , and / or the diagnostic system 110 . the first exemplary patient record 232 . a includes a patient identifier 232 . a . 1 , a phone identifier 232 . a . 2 , a biometric data field 232 . a . 3 , an ingestion record 232 . a . 4 , a patient reminder instructions data field 232 . a . 5 , and a behavior data field 232 . a . 6 . the patient identifier 232 . a . 1 uniquely identifies the patient 88 to the dbms 178 and 206 . the phone identifier 232 . a . 2 uniquely identifies the phone 114 to the dbms 178 and 206 . the biometric data field 232 . a . 3 includes biometric data received from the sensors 20 - 23 and 98 - 104 with associated time date stamps generated by the time / date circuit 162 wherein each date time stamp individually identifies the time of generation of an associated biometric datum . the ingestion record 232 . a . 4 includes data identifying medicines taken , for example , inhaled , applied , inserted , ingested , etc ., with associated time date stamps generated by the time / date circuit 162 wherein each date time stamp individually identifies the time of generation of a comprising ingestion record . the patient reminder instructions data field 232 . a . 5 includes instructions directing the phone 114 to when and how to render an alert to encourage the patient 88 to perform a specified meditative practice , a relaxation practice , and / or a therapeutic behavior . the behavior data field 232 . a . 6 includes data noting a performance of a meditative practice , a relaxation practice , a therapeutic behavior , and / or other practice or behavior of the patient 88 , with associated time date stamps generated by the time / date circuit 162 wherein each date time stamp individually identifies the time of the referenced performance or behavior . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig3 , fig3 illustrates an even additional or alternate method , wherein a patient record 232 . a - 232 . n is applied by the phone 114 to record biometric data received from one or more sensors 20 - 23 and 98 - 104 and to send alerts to encourage the patient 88 to perform meditative exercises , relaxation exercises , or other therapeutic behaviors . in step 3002 the phone 114 receives notice of a taking of a medication , e . g ., medicine 126 , 240 or 242 , and records the medicine application datum with an associated time date stamp in the ingestion records data field 232 . a . 4 of the exemplary first patient record 232 . a . in step 3004 the phone 114 issues an alert to the patient in accordance with information stored in the reminder message instructions 232 . a . 5 . in step 3006 the phone 114 receives a biometric datum received from one or more sensors 20 - 23 and 98 - 104 , and records the received biometric datum with an associated time date stamp in the biometric data field 232 . a . 3 . it is understood that the biometric datum might be ( a .) a measure of blood pressure or hypertension generated by and received from the blood pressure sensor 90 ; ( b .) a measure of heart rate generated by and received from the heart rate sensor 94 ; ( c .) a measure of body temperature generated by and received from the temperature sensor 98 ; and / or ( d .) a measure of respiration generated by and received from the respiration sensor 102 . in step 3008 , the data stored in the exemplary first patient data record 232 . a is visually presented to the patient 88 via the display screen 128 by the gui driver 198 and optionally as described in reference to fig1 . this presentation of step 3008 is executed with the intent to provide feedback to the patient 88 of the effect that the behavior of the patient 88 is having on the physiological state of the patient 88 , whereby the patient 88 is encouraged to follow the practices . e . g ., making a pause , avoiding a situation , taking a pill , etc ., to achieve a prescribed behavior , e . g ., cool , calm , composed , etc ., and behavior specified by the reminder message instructions 232 . a . 5 . the phone 114 determines in step 3010 whether to continue performing the cycle of steps 3000 through 3008 , or to proceed on to alternate computational processes of step 3014 . when the phone 114 determines in step 3010 to continue performing the cycle of steps 3000 through 3008 , the phone proceeds on to step 3012 and to determine whether instructions to the patient 88 of a dosage of a medicine 126 , 240 and 242 , a schedule of taking a medicine 126 , 240 and 242 , or a recommended patient practice or behavior . when a therapeutic alteration is determined in step 3012 , the phone 114 proceeds on to step 3016 and to alter information stored in the reminder message instructions 232 . a . 5 . the phone 114 then proceeds from step 3016 on to step 3002 . it is understood that the biometric datum received in one or more executions of step 3006 may be received by ( a .) wireless transmissions from the wireless comms system 120 , and / or a wireless enabled sensor 20 - 23 , 90 , 94 , 98 and 102 ; and / or ( b .) a hardwired connection with the network 2 . it is further understood that a notice of an ingestion of the composition device 122 may be received by the phone 114 as transmitted wirelessly from the iemd 4 and / or the wireless comms system 120 . it is additionally understood that the alteration of information stored in the reminder message instructions 232 . a . 5 as performed in step 3016 may be directed and provided by a health care professional as input from the db computer 108 and / or the diagnostic system 110 . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig3 , fig3 describes another additional or alternate method , wherein high stress events that occur routinely in the life of the patient are identified and the phone 114 is programmed to encourage the patient 88 to follow or perform therapeutic or prescribed steps or instructions to reduce the harmful impact of the stress inducing events . in step 3102 a plurality of patient records 232 . a - 232 . n are formed by observing and storing the readings of the sensors 20 - 23 , 90 , 94 , 98 and 102 . in step 3104 patient activity logs 168 are formed and populated with data , wherein the patient 88 records time and dates and descriptions of daily events experienced by the patient 88 . the patient activity logs 168 may be populated from inputs by the patient 88 to the phone 114 , the pda 118 , and / or the wireless computer 116 . the diagnostician or other health care professional analyzes the plurality of patient logs 232 a - 232 n in comparison with the patient records 232 . a - 232 . n to isolate and find patterns between sensory indications of physiological stress experienced by the patient 88 and predictable events in the life of the patient , e . g ., meetings with supervisors , subordinates , or family members . the diagnostician or health care professional then determines those events that can be anticipated and lead to high stress conditions for the patient 88 in step 3108 . the diagnostician then programs the phone 114 to issue a message to the patient prior to one or more anticipated stress - inducing event . the diagnostician or health care professional programs the phone 114 in step 3110 via the diagnostic system 110 and the network 2 . the diagnostician or health care professional determines in step 3112 whether to continue the loop of steps 3102 to 3112 or to proceed on to alternate processes of step 3114 . fig2 is a schematic of an exemplary patient activity log 232 a that includes the patient id 232 . a . 1 , the phone id 232 . a . 2 , and a plurality of activity notes 232 a . 1 - 232 a . n . each activity note 232 a . 1 - 232 a . n contains a notation by the patient 88 of the date , time and nature of an activity experienced by the patient 88 , e . g ., arrival at work , commuting experiences , physical exercise , social interactions , and work related behavior . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig3 , fig3 describes a yet additional or alternate method , wherein the diagnostician analyzes information about diagnostic test results , genetic test results , patient records 232 . a - 232 . n , patient activity logs 232 a - 232 n , and other information to develop and prescribe therapy . one or more diagnostic tests are performed in step 3202 . the results of these diagnostic tests are stored in the diagnostic system 110 in step 3204 in one or more diagnostic test records 236 . a - 236 . n . one or more genetic tests are performed in step 3206 . the results of these genetic tests are stored in the diagnostic system 110 in step 3208 in one or more genetic test records 252 . a - 252 . n . the diagnostician then analyzes the diagnostic test records 236 . a - 236 . n , the genetic test records 252 . a - 252 . n , the patient records 232 . a - 232 . n , the patient activity logs 232 a - 232 n , and other information in step 3210 by means of the diagnostic system 110 . the diagnostician then updates a therapeutic plan in step 3212 , and programs the cell 114 to transmit alerts and alarms to the patient 88 in step 3314 that are designed to encourage the patient 88 to comply with the prescribed therapy of step 3312 . the diagnostician or health care professional determines in step 3316 whether to continue the loop of steps 3302 to 3316 or to proceed on to alternate processes of step 3318 . fig3 is a schematic of an exemplary first diagnostic test record 236 . a that includes the patient id 232 . a . 1 , the phone id 232 . a . 2 , and a plurality of diagnostic test notes 236 . a . 1 - 236 . a . n . each diagnostic test note 236 . a . 1 - 236 . n contains information identifying a diagnostic test , a time and date of the diagnostic test , and the results of the diagnostic test . fig3 is a schematic of an exemplary first genetic test record 238 . a that includes the patient id 232 . a . 1 , the phone id 232 . a . 2 , and a plurality of genetic test notes 238 . a . 1 - 238 . a . n . each genetic test note 238 . a . 1 - 238 . n contains information identifying a genetic test , a time and date of a performance of the genetic test , and the results of the genetic test . fig3 is a schematic illustrating the diagnostic system software 222 as containing the patient records 232 . a - 232 . n , the patient activity logs 234 . a - 234 . n , the diagnostic records 236 . a - 236 . n and the genetic records 238 . a - 238 . n . fig3 is a schematic of the patient 88 being monitored by additional sensors 240 and 242 . an impedance sensor 240 is in contact with a second skin area 244 of the patient . the impedance sensor 240 is configured and positioned to detect variations in dermal impedance of the patient 88 that are generally determined by sweat forming on the second skin area 244 . an electrocardiograph sensor 242 ( or “ ecg sensor ” 242 ) is configured and positioned relative to the patient 88 to measure the electrical activity of the heart 246 of the patient 88 . fig3 is a schematic diagram of the exemplary heart rate sensor 94 . the heart rate sensor 94 includes a biometric detector 94 a , a logic circuit 94 b , a wireless interface 94 c , a signal emitter 94 d , and a battery 94 e that are all mounted onto a flexible band 94 f . the biometric sensor 94 a monitors and measures the heart rate of the patient 88 and communicates the heart rate measurement to the logic circuit 94 b . the logic circuit 94 b formats and populates a biometric data message and directs the wireless interface 94 c to transmit the biometric message in a wireless transmission via the emitter 94 d . it is understood that the emitter 94 d may be a radio wave antenna or a light pulse emitter . the emitter 94 d is configured to transmit the biometric message for successful reception by the phone 114 , the wireless computer 116 , the pda 118 and / or the wireless comms system 120 . the battery 94 e provides electrical power to the biometric detector 94 a , the logic circuit 94 b , the wireless interface 94 c and the signal emitter 94 d . a first strap 94 g and a second strap 94 h are each separately coupled with the flexible band and enable the heart rate sensor to be detachably coupled to the patient 88 . a first hook and loop fabric strip 941 and a second hook and loop fabric strip are positioned to detachably engage and hold the flexible band 94 e against a skin area 163 and 176 of the patient 88 . alternatively or additionally an adhesive strip 94 l of the flexible band 94 f is configured and positioned to enable detachable placement of the flexible band against a skin area 163 and 164 of the patient 88 . it is understood that the illustration of the heart sensor 94 of fig3 is exemplary and is descriptive in part of other sensors 20 - 23 , 94 , 98 , 102 , 240 and 242 . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig3 , fig3 illustrates another still additional or alternate method , wherein the diagnostician receives and analyzes information and advises the patient 88 with therapeutic guidance . in step 3902 the phone 114 receives accelerometer data from the accelerometer 170 . the phone 114 transmits the received accelerometer data to the diagnostic system 110 in step 3904 , wherein the accelerometer data is stored in a movement record 248 . a - 248 . n . the diagnostic system 110 calculates a walking gait of the patient 88 by analyzing a plurality of movement records 248 . a - 248 . n and stores the gait calculation in step 3906 . the phone 114 receives skin impedance data from the impedance sensor 240 and transmits the received impedance data to the diagnostic system 110 in step 3908 . the phone 114 receives electrocardiograph data from the ecg sensor 242 and transmits the received electrocardiograph data to the diagnostic system 110 in step 3910 . the phone 114 receives body temperature data from the temperature sensor 98 and transmits the received body temperature data to the diagnostic system 110 in step 3912 . the diagnostic system 110 displays the gait calculated and the data received in steps 3904 , and 3908 - 3912 to the diagnostician in step 3914 on the display screen 128 as rendered by the gui driver 176 . the diagnostician analyzes the displayed information and communicates diagnostic information , prognostic information , and therapeutic guidance to the patient in step 3916 via the network 2 . the diagnostician determines in step 3918 whether to continue the loop of steps 3902 through 3918 or to proceed on to alternate activities of step 3920 . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig2 and 40 , fig4 illustrates another even additional aspect of a method , wherein the patient is encouraged by yet other engagement modalities to adhere to a prescribed ingestion of the medicine 126 . in step 4002 the phone 114 determines whether the iemd 4 has emitted an ingestion signal . when the phone 114 determines in step 4002 that the iemd 4 has emitted an ingestion signal , the phone 114 informs the db computer 108 via the network 2 in step 4004 an ingestion signal has been received . the db computer 108 then updates a virtual pet status in step 4006 in accordance with the information transmitted in step 4004 . the virtual pet status is an aspect of a virtual pet personality software 254 is maintained by a virtual world web service 256 that is hosted on a virtual world services server 258 . the virtual world services server 258 is accessible to the phone 114 through the network 2 , and the virtual pet personality software 254 maintains status and conditions on the basis of instructions from the virtual world web service 256 and from the patient 88 and the db computer 108 as delivered via the network 2 to the virtual world services server 256 . the db computer 108 further determines in step 4008 whether with the information transmitted in step 4004 in combination with additional information related to the patient and stored in the patient data base 40 indicates that the patient 88 has earned a reward or achieved a new reward state or level . when the db computer 108 determines in step 4008 that the patient 88 has earned a reward , the reward is issued in step 4010 . the reward of step 4010 may be as modest as directing the phone 114 to vibrate , visually display a congratulations message , and / or render a pleasant audible tone or musical tune . the reward of step 4010 may also include making provisions for delivery of a physical coin , medallion , or crystal . the reward of step 4010 may alternatively or additionally include ( a .) providing the patient 88 with a ringtone data or file ; ( b .) rewarding the patient 88 with a music download service at no extra charge ; and / or ( c .) a delivery of a hard copy note of congratulations . in various aspects , the rewards may be provided by , or otherwise associated with , one or more reward / incentive sources . such sources may include , for example , proprietary reward systems , e . g ., developed in conjunction with or for aspects of the invention , and existing reward systems , e . g ., commercial incentive or reward systems such as point systems , coupon systems , etc ., associated with one or more independent providers . in optional step 4012 the db computer 108 informs an online community of the achievement and / or status of the patient 88 via the network 2 . the db computer 108 in step 4014 whether to continue the loop of steps 4002 through 4014 or to proceed on to perform alternate computational activities of step 4016 . referring now generally to the figures and particularly to fig4 , fig4 illustrates another even additional process wherein the patch receiver 122 is attached or coupled to the patient 88 , or clothing or personal equipment of the patient 88 in step 4102 . the biometric data received by the patch receiver 122 is monitored during a first time period t 1 in step 4104 . the biometric data received in step 4104 is stored in the patient database 40 in step 4106 . the biometric data received by the receiver patch 122 is then monitored during a second time period t 2 in step 4108 . in step 4110 the biometric data received by the path receiver 122 e . g ., from the one or more iemd 4 , during the first time period t 1 and second time period t 2 is compared by a diagnostician and / or the activity monitor logic 223 . the diagnostician and / or the activity monitor logic 223 then determines in step 4112 whether a predetermined action shall be taken at least partly on the basis of the comparison of step 4112 of the behavior of the one or more iemd 4 that transmit an ingestible event marker datum iem m during the first time period t 1 and the second time period t 2 . the predetermined action , such as transmitting an alert to the patient 88 via the cellular telephone 114 or informing a healthcare provider of the state of the patient 88 , is affected in step 4114 . in various aspects , a system is provided , for example and as illustrated in fig4 , a system 4200 may include a biometric information module 4202 to receive biometric information associated with an ingestible event marker datum iem m ; an analysis module 4204 to analyze the biometric information ; and a determination module 4206 to determine a therapeutic recommendation at least partly on the basis of the analysis . biometric information includes any data and / or information associated with living being , e . g ., physiologic information such as heart rate , blood pressure , etc . ; suba skilled artisan will recognize that the modules may be standalone or integrated in various combinations . further , one or more modules may be implemented as software modules , as hardware , as circuitry , etc . fig4 illustrates a unified system 4300 to facilitate adherence to a treatment plan which may include a biometric information module 4202 to receive biometric information associated or contained within an ingestible event marker datum iem m ; an analysis module 4204 to analyze the biometric information ; and the determination module 4206 to determine a therapeutic recommendation at least partly on the basis of the analysis . the patient management data system 10 is optionally comprised within the unified system 4300 and may be communicatively coupled with all other parts of the unified system 4300 via a communications bus 4302 . further , one or more modules 4202 , 4204 , 4206 and pmds 10 may be implemented as software modules , as hardware , as circuitry , etc . referring now to fig2 , in certain alternate configurations , the unified system 4300 may be , in whole or in part , comprised within the pmds 10 . in addition , one or more modules may be associated with one or more devices . to illustrate , a receiver or computer may be associated with the biometric information module 4202 of the unified system 4300 . one or more modules 4202 , 4202 , 4206 and pmds 10 may be associated with a computer , a network , the internet 2 b , the telephony network 2 a , a database computer 108 , a database 40 , an ingestible event device iemd 4 , an ingestible event marker datum iem m , a receiver , e . g ., a receiver associated with an iemd 4 or other device , a wireless computer 116 ; a temperature sensor , a respiration sensor , a pressure sensor , a heart sensor , and / or other devices and systems . while the present invention has been described with reference to specific methods , devices and systems , it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention . in addition , many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation , material , composition of matter , process , process step or steps , to the objective , spirit and scope of the present invention . all such modifications are intended to be within the scope of the claims appended hereto . the foregoing disclosures and statements are illustrative only of the present invention , and are not intended to limit or define the scope of the present invention . the above description is intended to be illustrative , and not restrictive . although the examples given include many specificities , they are intended as illustrative and not limiting . those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just - described systems and methods can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention . therefore , it is to be understood that the present invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein . the scope of the present invention as disclosed and claimed should , therefore , be determined with reference to the knowledge of one skilled in the art and in light of the disclosures presented above . | 0 |
referring now to fig1 a feeding device ( 1 ) consists of a storage drum ( 2 ), a winding - on device or orbiting feeder tube ( 3 ) and an electric motor ( 4 ). a yarn ( f ) being supplied to the orbiting feeder tube ( 3 ) driven by the electric motor ( 4 ) is wound onto the storage drum ( 2 ). this storage drum is a stationary storage drum maintained in a stationary position with respect to its environment by a magnetic means ( not shown here ). devices of this type are known per se in the art . for purposes of the present disclosure , it should be noted that this art is exemplified by u . s . pat . nos . 3 , 455 , 241 , 4 , 226 , 379 , 3 , 776 , 480 and 3 , 843 , 153 . the feeding device ( 1 ) is provided with a storage sensor ( 5 ) located close to the generally cylindrical surface of the storage drum ( 2 ). this storage sensor ( 5 ) can be a so - called maximum sensor preferably consisting of a light - emitting device and a light sensing device . this storage sensor ( 5 ) generates a signal indicating the amount of yarn stored on the drum , i . e . the number of turns of yarn wound onto the drum . based on this signal , a storage control unit ( 7 ) controls the operation of the electric motor ( 4 ) in such a way that there is continuously a sufficient amount of yarn available on the yarn storage drum ( 2 ). storage control units ( 7 ) are per se known in the art . for purposes of the present disclosure , it should be noted that this art is exemplified by german offenlegungsschrift no . 2908743 , french publication no . 1562223 and pct application ser . no . pct / ep83 / 00121 owned by the assignee of the present application . as shown in fig1 there is disposed a yarn sensing means ( 6 ) at the withdrawal end of the storage drum arranged such that the yarn is passing its detection area during withdrawal from the drum ( 2 ). this yarn sensing means preferably consists of a single yarn sensor ( 6 ) producing pulse signals , each pulse signal indicating that the yarn ( f ) passes a detection area of the yarn sensor ( 6 ). this sensor ( 6 ) could also be located in front of the withdrawal end of the storage drum , but has to be arranged such that the yarn is passing its detection area during withdrawal from the storate drum ( 2 ). a yarn stopping device ( 10 ) located at the withdrawal end of the storage drum ( 2 ) consists of an actuator means comprising a plurality of electromagnetic coils ( 11 ), a plurality of coil cores ( 12 ), each of the electromagnetic coils ( 11 ) being wound around a coil core ( 12 ) supported on a balloon limiting ring ( 13 ) consisting of two u - shaped rings covering said plurality of electromagnetic coils ( 11 ). said balloon limiting ring ( 13 ) is fixedly secured to the environment of the feeding device ( 1 ), for example , to a base plate thereof . a ring - shaped guiding portion ( 16 ) is connected to with withdrawal end of the storage drum ( 2 ). said guiding portion ( 16 ) supports a plurality of yarn stopping elements , each of said yarn stopping elements consisting of a metal ball ( 14 ) movably disposed in a radial bore ( 15 ) provided in the guiding portion ( 16 ). as shown in fig3 and 4 , the respective electromagnetic coils ( 11 ) and associated cores ( 12 ) are arranged opposite to said bores ( 15 ). the balloon limiting ring ( 13 ) and the guiding portion ( 16 ) define a gap ( 18 ) being preferably in the order of 1 - 2 millimeters . the yarn ( f ) passes said gap when being withdrawn from the storage drum . a permanent magnet ( 17 ) is located at one end of each bore ( 15 ) for moving said metal ball ( 14 ) back into said bore ( 15 ) after switching off an actuation current fed to the respective electromagnetic coils ( 11 ). as shown in fig3 and 4 , ball ( 14 ) is attracted by the magnetic force of coil ( 11 ) when switching on the actuation current fed to coil ( 11 ). the width of the gap ( 18 ) corresponds to the radius of the metal ball ( 15 ). when the coil ( 11 ) is not activated , the permanent magnet ( 17 ) will attract the metal ball ( 14 ), so that the ball will be completely positioned inside the bore ( 15 ), so that the yar ( f ) can be freely withdrawn in the axial direction from the storage drum ( 2 ). the magnetic force of each electromagnetic coil ( 11 ) is chosen such that this force will overcome the attraction force of the permanent magnet ( 17 ) when feeding the actuation current to the coil ( 11 ). the metal ball ( 14 ) will thereby move outwardly in the radial direction of the bore ( 15 ) and come into contact with the free end of the coil core ( 12 ). in this condition , approximately half of the metal ball locks the gap ( 18 ) for the passage of the yarn ( f ) in such a way that the withdrawal of the yarn ( f ) from the storage drum ( 2 ) is terminated . when switching off the actuation current fed to the coil ( 11 ), the tension in the yarn ( f ) being pulled at the beginning of the weft yarn insertion co - acts with the magnetic force of the permanent magnet ( 17 ) such that the metal ball ( 14 ) will return to its starting position so as to come into contact with the permanent magnet ( 17 ). as the tension of the yarn co - acts with the magnetic force of the permanent magnet ( 17 ) due to the shape of the metal ball ( 14 ), the holding force of the permanent magnet ( 17 ) can be relatively low . hence , only a small portion of the attracting force generated by the electromagnetic coil ( 11 ) is required for overcoming the magnetic force of the permanent magnet ( 17 ). for this reason the yarn stopping device ( 10 ) in accordance with the present invention works faster than prior art devices using stopping elements ( 14 ) which are needle - shaped or pin - shaped . for further enhancing the operation of the yarn stopping device ( 10 ), a thin plate of non - magnetic material can be positioned at the outer end of the permanent magnet ( 17 ) and / or on the free end of the coil core ( 12 ) for eliminating a magnetic sticking or &# 34 ; adhesion &# 34 ; between the metal ball ( 14 ) and the permanent magnet ( 17 ) and / or the coil core ( 12 ). the stopping element ( 14 ) can also have the form of a short - cylindrical pin with a plain inner end directed to the permanent magnet ( 17 ) and a rounded , preferably semi - sperical outer end . referring now to fig5 the control device ( 8 ) will be hereinafter descibed in detail . the control device ( 8 ) comprises a calculating means ( 20 ) which is a standard microprocessor . the microprocessor ( 20 ) is preferably a microprocessor of the type 8748 , manufactured by the &# 34 ; intel &# 34 ; corporation . the yarn sensor ( 6 ) is connected to an input ( 21 ) of a yarn sensor interface circuit ( 22 ). the yarn sensor interface circuit ( 22 ) essentially consists in an operational amplifier ( 23 ) connected through a diode ( 24 ) and a resistor ( 25 ) in parallel connection to diode ( 24 ) to an inverter gate ( 26 ), the output thereof being connected to input pins nos . 1 and 6 of the microprocessor ( 20 ). the input terminals of the inverter gate ( 26 ) are connected to ground via a capacitor ( 27 ). the gain of the operational amplifier ( 23 ) can be adjusted by a variable gain control resistor ( 28 ) connected to the operational amplifier ( 23 ). when a pulse is generated by the yarn sensor ( 6 ), it will be current - amplified by the operational amplifier ( 23 ). the output current of the operational amplifier ( 23 ) passes the diode ( 24 ) and charges the capacitor ( 27 ). when the pulse signal goes back to zero potential , the capacitor ( 27 ) is discharged through resistors ( 25 ), ( 29 ) and ( 30 ) to ground . due to the switching threshold of the inverter gate ( 26 ), only pulses of a pre - determined voltage are detected , so that the yarn sensor interface circuit ( 22 ) disregards small noise voltages . as the capacitor can be quickly charged through diode ( 24 ) and is only slowly discharged through resistors ( 25 ), ( 29 ) and ( 30 ), short input pulses are transformed to longer output pulses as generated by gate ( 26 ). such a broadening of the very short input pulses enables the microprocessor ( 20 ) to reliably detect the input pulses . the microprocessor ( 20 ) is supplied with pulse signals generated by a crystal resonator ( 31 ) connected to input pins nos . 2 and 3 of the microprocessor . a trigg - input ( 32 ) receives a signal picked up at the main shaft of the loom . this signal is applied to the input of an opto - electronical coupling element ( 33 ), the output thereof being connected to pin no . 39 of the microprocessor ( 20 ). the trigg - signal serves to synchronize the operation of the loom with the operation of the microprocessor ( 20 ) controlling the yarn storing , feeding and measuring device ( 1 ). more particularly , the occurrence of the trigg - signal indicates that the next weft yarn is to be inserted . a reset input ( 34 ) is connected through a reset input interface circuit ( 35 ) to input pin no . 5 of the microprocessor ( 20 ). each time the main power of the device is switched on , a reset pulse is fed to the reset input ( 34 ) so as to reset the microprocessor ( 20 ) for ensuring that the calculation carried out by the microprocessor ( 20 ) begins with the first step of the programme . input pins no . 7 , 20 and 25 of the microprocessor ( 20 ) are connected to ground . pins nos . 12 - 19 of the microprocessor ( 20 ) are connected through a sil - resistor network ( 36 ) to a + 5 volt potential . said sil - resistor network ( 36 ) consists of eight resistors , each of them connecting one of these input pins with the + 5 volt potential . hence , each of the input pins nos . 12 - 19 of the microprocessor ( 20 ) usually have a potential of + 5 volts . input pins nos . 16 - 19 are connectable to ground via a so - called dip - switch ( 37 ). input pin no . 19 of the microprocessor ( 20 ) is connected to a test - switch ( 38 ), wherein the second input terminal of said test - switch ( 38 ) is connected to ground . by adaptively setting the dip - switch ( 37 ) and by opening and closing of the test switch ( 38 ) a desired bit - combination can be fed to input pins nos . 16 - 19 of the microprocessor ( 20 ) causing the actuation and deactuation of a respective group of stopping devices ( 10 ) by switching on or switching off an actuation current fed to their associated electromagnetic coils ( 11 ). by doing so , it is possible to check the correct operation of the respective yarn stopping devices . such a checking can be considered as a test - operation of the respective yarn stopping devices . there is provided a yarn length setting switch ( 39 ), preferably consisting of three bcd - switches ( 40 - 42 ), each bcd - switch ( 40 - 42 ) having four input terminals and one output terminal . each of the bcd - switches can be set to a decimal number from zero - 9 . this decimal number is converted by the respective bcd - switch ( 40 - 42 ) such that the corresponding one of its four input terminals is connected to its output terminal in accordance with the bcd - code . when for example setting one of the bcd - switches ( 40 - 42 ) to the decimal number 5 , then its first and third input terminal is connected to its output terminal , wherein its second and fourth input terminal is disconnected from the output terminal . the respective first input terminals of the bcd - switches ( 40 - 42 ) are connected via diodes to input pin no . 12 of the microprocessor ( 20 ), the respective second input terminals of the bcd - switches ( 40 - 42 ) are connected via diodes to input pin no . 13 of the microprocessor ( 20 ), the respective third input terminal of the bcd - switches ( 40 - 42 ) are connected via diodes to input pin no . 14 of the microprocessor ( 20 ) and the respective fourth input terminals of the bcd - switches ( 40 - 42 ) are connected via diodes to input pin no . 15 of the microprocessor ( 20 ). the respective output terminals of the bcd - switches ( 40 - 42 ) are connected to input pins nos . 36 - 38 of the microprocessor ( 20 ). due to the provision of the sil - resistor netowrk ( 36 ), each of the input pins nos . 12 - 15 of the microprocessor ( 20 ) are in their normally &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; state . usually , although the input pins nos . 36 - 18 of the microprocessor ( 20 ) are in the normally &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; state . for reading the bcd - value of one of the switches ( 40 - 42 ), the microprocessor ( 20 ) pulls down the voltage of one of its input pins nos . 36 - 38 . for example , for reading the bcd - value of bcd - switch ( 40 ), the microprocessor sets its input pin no . 36 to zero potential , i . e . to the &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; logical state . in case the decimal number selected by switch ( 40 ) is &# 34 ; 5 &# 34 ; the voltage of input pins nos . 12 and 14 of the microprocessor ( 20 ) will be pulled down to zero potential , i . e . to the &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; logical state , wherein the logical state of input pins nos . 13 and 15 remains at &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; logical state . reference numeral 43 designates a reset line ( 43 ) connected through a reset interface circuit ( 44 ) to a reset input pin no . 4 of the microprocessor ( 20 ). each time the main power of the loom is switched on , a pulse signal is fed to the reset line ( 43 ) for resetting the microprocessor ( 20 ). in other words , this reset line guarantees that the microprocessor begins to carry out the control programme with the first step after switching on the main power of the loom . output pins nos . 27 - 34 of the microprocessor ( 20 ) are connected to input pins nos . 1 - 8 of an amplifier circuit ( 45 ), this amplifier circuit ( 45 ) having eight output terminals number 11 - 18 , each of these output terminals being associated to a respective input pin . when receiving an input signal of &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; logical state at its input pins nos . 1 - 8 , the amplifier circuit ( 45 ) connects the corresponding output terminal to a voltage source having a potential of - 35 volts . each of the output terminals nos . 11 - 18 of the amplifier circuit ( 45 ) is connected to three electromagnetic coils ( 11 ). twenty - four electromagnetic coils ( 11 ) associated to twenty - four yarn stopping devices ( 10 ) are arranged as a matrix having eight rows and three columns . the respective output terminals of the electromagnetic coils ( 11 ) arranged in one column are connected to a respective one of three output lines ( 46 - 48 ). output pins nos . 22 - 24 are connected to respective first input terminals of nand - gates ( 49 - 51 ), the respective second input terminal of these nand - gates ( 49 - 51 ) being connected to output pin no . 21 of the microprocessor ( 20 ). the output terminals of the nand - gates ( 49 - 51 ) are respectively connected through current amplifier circuits ( 52 - 54 ) to a respective pair of input pins nos . 1 - 6 of a amplifier circuit ( 35 ). this amplifier circuit ( 55 ) includes three pairs of output terminals nos . 11 - 16 , each pair being connected to a respective one of the lines ( 46 - 48 ). when receiving a &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; logical signal at one of its pairs of input terminals , the amplifier circuit ( 55 ) connects the corresponding pair of output terminals to a voltage source having a + 5 volt potential . due to the above described circuit arrangement , the microprocessor ( 20 ) is enabled to energize one of the twenty - four electromagnetic coils ( 11 ) by generating a high output signal at one of the output pins nos . 27 - 34 determining the row of the coil ( 11 ) to be actuated , by generating an enable - signal at its output pin no . 21 and by generating a &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; output signal at one of its output pins nos . 22 - 24 selecting the column of the electromagnetic coil ( 11 ) to be actuated . the above described matrix - arrangement allows to actuate one electromagnetic coil ( 11 ) among the twenty - four electromagnetic coils ( 11 ) with only eleven output pins nos . 22 - 24 , 27 - 34 . the microprocessor ( 20 ) generates a stobe - signal at its output pin no . 21 causing the periodical switching on and off of the actuation current flowing through the selected one of the electromagnetic coils ( 11 ). by strobing the actuation current it is possible to reduce the average power consumption , although a high magnetic actuation force generated by the selected electromagnetic coil ( 11 ) can be maintained due to the high peak - value of the actuation current . it has turned out that a high magnetic force as generated by the determined electromagnetic coil ( 11 ) is only necessary for moving the stopping element ( 14 ) into the actuated position . such a high magnetic force is generated during the first peak of the subsequent row of peaks of the actuation current fed to said coil ( 11 ). the average magnetic holding force corresponding to the average level of the subsequent peaks of the actuation current can be chosen to be essentially lower for maintaining the actuated stopping element ( 14 ) in the &# 34 ; yarn stop &# 34 ; position . by adaptively choosing the time relationship between &# 34 ; on &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; off &# 34 ; periods of time of the actuation current it is possible to adapt the time - dependency of the magnetic force as generated by the actuation current flowing through the determined electromagnetic coil ( 11 ) to the required time - dependency of the actuation force of the corresponding yarn stopping device ( 10 ). output pin no . 34 of the microprocessor ( 20 ) is connected through a current amplifier ( 56 ) to a light - emitting element ( 57 ), which in turn is connected to ground via a resistor ( 58 ). the light - emitting element ( 57 ) actuates an opto - sensitive switching element ( 59 ) actuating a stop - motion - relay ( not shown here ) of the weaving machine . output pin no . 35 of the microprocessor ( 20 ) is connected through a current amplifier ( 60 ) to a light - emitting element ( 61 ), which in turn is connected via a resistor ( 62 ) to ground . the light - emitting element ( 61 ) actuates an opto - sensitive switching element ( 63 ), which in turn is connected to a relay controlling the operation of the valve of the main jet nozzle of the loom ( not shown here ). the amplifier circuit ( 45 ) is a standard - circuit element of the type &# 34 ; udn 2580a &# 34 ;. the amplifier circuit ( 35 ) is also a standard - circuit element of the type &# 34 ; ucn 2002a &# 34 ;. both amplifier circuits are available from &# 34 ; sprague &# 34 ; corporation . referring now to fig6 there is shown a flow - diagram of the control - programme stored in the read - only memory of the microprocessor ( 20 ). when receiving a reset - signal , the microprocessor ( 20 ) is reset so as to start the carrying out of the programme with the first instruction thereof , being the &# 34 ; start &# 34 ; instruction . at programme step no . 1 , the microprocessor ( 20 ) actuates a predetermined yarn stopping device ( 10 ) for locking the yarn ( f ) in its start position . preferably , said stopping device ( 10 ) is selected such that its angular position is 180 ° offset with respect to the angular position of the yarn sensor ( 6 ). the microprocessor ( 20 ) stores the number or the angular position of said stopping device in a pre - determined storage cell of its ram . at programme step no . 2 , the microprocessor ( 20 ) consecutively reads the bcd - code of the switches representing the desired weft yarn length and stores the corresponding bcd - codes in pre - determined storage cells of its ram . at programme step no . 3 , the microprocessor ( 20 ) transfers or converts the bcd - codes representing the desired weft yarn length to a digital value corresponding to the number of revolutions and 1 / 24 revolutions , wherein this digital value represents the revolutions of the withdrawal point of the yarn during the withdrawal of the desired weft yarn length . it is also possible to express said desired weft yarn length by a value corresponding to the time required for withdrawing said desired weft yarn length . at programme step no . 4 is a waiting routine , causing the microprocessor ( 20 ) to await the receipt of a trigg - signal from the weaving machine before going to programme step no . 5 . this waiting routine is realised by a programme loop periodically checking whether the trigg - signal occurs . if said condition is fulfilled , the microprocessor continues with the programme step no . 5 . at programme step no . 5 , the microprocessor generates a &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; signal at its output pin no . 35 for actuating the relay controlling the valve of the main jet nozzle in the weaving machine . at programme step no . 6 , the stopping device ( 10 ) actuated during programme step no . 1 is deactuated for releasing the yarn ( f ). at programme step no . 7 , the microprocessor ( 20 ) checks whether the yarn passes the yarn sensor by repeatedly checking the logical states of its input pins nos . 1 and 6 . if this condition is fulfilled , the microprocessor ( 20 ) continues with programme step no . 8 . at programme step no . 8 , the microprocessor ( 20 ) begins with the measuring of the time lapsing since the generation of the pulse signal indicating that passing of the yarn through the detection area of the yarn sensor ( 6 ). at programme step no . 9 , the microprocessor ( 20 ) again carries out a waiting loop corresponding to the waiting loop of programme step no . 7 . as soon as the yarn has passed the yarn sensor ( 6 ), microprocessor ( 20 ) continues with the programme step no . 10 . at programme step no . 10 , the microprocessor ( 20 ) stores the time between two subsequent pulse signals as received from yarn sensor ( 6 ). the microprocessor ( 20 ) then starts again to measure the time . at programme step no . 11 , the microprocessor ( 20 ) calculates at which yarn position the main jet nozzle is to be switched off . at programme step no . 12 , the microprocessor ( 20 ) calculates at which yarn position the stopping device ( 10 ) determined during programme step no . 3 is to be actuated . at programme step no . 13 , the microprocessor ( 20 ) calculates the momentary position of the yarn based on the actual yarn withdrawal speed being measured during programme step no . 10 . at programme step no . 14 , the microprocessor ( 20 ) checks whether the calculated , momentary position of the yarn as determined during programme step no . 13 equals the yarn position determined during programme step no . 11 . if this condition is fulfilled , the microprocessor ( 20 ) continues with programme step no . 15 . if not , it continues with programme step no . 16 . at programme step no . 15 , the microprocessor ( 12 ) switches off the main jet nozzle by pulling down its output pin no . 35 to zero potential . at programme step no . 16 , the microprocessor ( 20 ) checks whether the calculated , momentary position of the yarn as determined during programme step no . 13 corresponds to the yarn position as calculated during programme step no . 12 . if so , the microprocessor ( 20 ) goes to programme step no . 23 . otherwise , it continues with carrying out programme step no . 17 . at programme step no . 17 , the microprocessor ( 20 ) checks whether the calculated position as determined during programme step no . 13 is close to the position of the yarn sensor ( 6 ). by doing so , a time - window is realised . in case this condition is not fulfilled , the microprocessor ( 20 ) goes back to programme step no . 13 . it it is fulfilled , it continues with programme step no . 18 . at programme step no . 18 , the microprocessor ( 20 ) agan checks whether the yarn has passed the yarn sensor ( 6 ). this programme step corresponds to programme step no . 7 . if this condition is fulfilled , the microprocessor ( 20 ) continues with programme step no . 19 . otherwise , it continues with programme step no . 20 . at programme step no . 19 , the microprocessor ( 20 ) stores the measured time between two subsequent pulse signals as received from yarn sensor ( 6 ) and goes back to programme step no . 13 . at programme step no . 20 is a safety - routine for checking whether a yarn breakage occurred . this safety - routine is realised by comparing the calculated time with a time threshold which is only exceeded in case of a yarn breakage . in other words , the microprocessor ( 20 ) checks whether the measured time lapsed since the last passing of the yarn through the detection area of the yarn sensor ( 6 ) exceeds a time threshold . if this condition is not fulfilled , the microprocessor ( 20 ) continues with programme step no . 18 , wherein otherwise it goes to programme step no . 21 . at programme step no . 21 , the weaving machine is stopped since a yarn breakage has occurred . for this purpose , the microprocessor ( 20 ) generates a &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; logical potential signal at its output pin no . 34 . at programme step no . 22 , the microprocessor ( 20 ) goes back to the start - instruction of the programme when having received a reset - signal . at programme step no . 23 , the microprocessor ( 20 ) actuates the stopping device ( 10 ) for stopping the yarn withdrawal . furthermore , the microprocessor ( 20 ) stores the number of the actuated stopping device in a pre - determined storage cell of its ram . at programme step no . 24 , the microprocessor ( 20 ) checks whether the trigg - signal as received at programme step no . 4 has disappeared in the meantime . as soon as the trigg - signal disappears , the microprocessor goes to programme step no . 25 . at programme step no . 25 , the microprocessor ( 20 ) carries out a programme step corresponding to programme step no . 2 . at programme step no . 26 , the microprocessor ( 20 ) carries out a programme step corresponding to programme step no . 3 . at programme step no . 27 is a waiting routine for repeatedly checking whether a trigg - signal is fed to the trigg - input ( 32 ). such a trigg - signal indicates that the loom is ready for the insertion of a further weft yarn . as soon as the trigg - signal is generated , the microprocessor ( 20 ) goes to programme step no . 28 . at programme step no . 28 , the microprocessor ( 20 ) switches on the main jet nozzle of the weaving machine by generating a &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; logical potential signal at output pin no . 35 . at programme step no . 29 , the microprocessor ( 20 ) deactuates the stopping device actuated when carrying out the programme step no . 23 . the microprocessor ( 20 ) then goes back to programme step no . 11 . | 3 |
with reference to the accompanying drawings and particularly fig2 a trimming apparatus 200 comprises a base 210 , a rail 220 , a carriage 230 slidably mounted on the rail , a selector 270 , a cover 240 , and a lever 250 . the present invention is a multi - functional trimmer apparatus including a plurality of different trimming blades , wherein the trimming blades are rotatably connected to the selector 270 . the selector 270 is ergonomically shaped to conform to the user &# 39 ; s thumb and index fingers . the cover 240 includes an observation window 260 for viewing a graphic indication on the selector 270 of one of the several trimming blades being utilized by the trimming apparatus 200 . the rotary blade cartridge assembly 280 or magazine , shown in fig3 a and 3 b , 8 , and 9 , is fixed in relation to the selector 270 . the rotary blade cartridge assembly 280 has a hole 289 that mounts and is free to rotate on a boss 232 that extends out from the body of the carriage 230 . circular protrusions or bosses 285 , 286 , 287 , or 288 , respectively , from the surface of the rotary blade cartridge 280 mate up with holes on the inner surface of the selector 270 . the rotary blade cartridge assembly 280 rotates with the selector knob 270 as the user turns the selector knob to choose the required trimming blade . the rotary blade cartridge assembly 280 is made up of four trimming blades 281 , 282 , 283 , and 284 , respectively , which may be free to rotate on their own axes within the rotary blade cartridge assembly 280 . the ability of the trimming blades 281 , 282 , 283 , and 284 , respectively , to freely rotate allows for a reduction in the friction generated between the selected trimming blade and the material to be cut , perforated , or scored . the resultant reduction in friction with the use of rotating trimming blades helps alleviate the problem of piling up ( i . e . material jamming ) in relation to a conventional paper cutter employing a fixed non - rotating blade . the first trimming blade 281 ( fig4 a ) is a rotary cutter , and has a sharp perimeter 291 ( see fig4 b ). when the present trimming apparatus 200 is switched to the trimming blade 281 , the rotary cutter is capable of rotating on the material on the base 210 , and cutting the material apart with a straight edge as the carriage is slide along the rail . the second trimming blade 282 ( fig5 a ) is a rotary gear - shaped blade , and has a sharp saw - tooth perimeter 292 ( see fig5 b ). when the trimming apparatus 200 is switched to this trimming blade 282 , this gear shaped blade rotates on the material on the base 210 , and makes a perforation cut on the material as the carriage is slid along the rail . the third trimming blade 283 ( fig6 a ) is a rotary wavy - line cutter , and its perimeter 293 ( see fig6 b ) is sharp and wavy . when this trimming apparatus 200 is switched to trimming blade 283 , the sharp and wavy blade rotates on the material on the base 210 , cutting the material apart in a wavy curve as the carriage slides along the rail . the fourth trimming blade 284 ( fig7 a ) is a rotary blunt blade 294 having an arcuate perimeter ( see fig7 b ) which forms a folding line on the material as the carriage slides along the rail . the first embodiment of the cartridge embodying the present invention illustrated in fig8 employs a lever mechanism 250 to lock the selector 270 and rotary blade assembly 280 in a user chosen position . the lever 250 is normally biased by a loading spring 251 in a down position , such that a tongue 254 inserts itself into one of the slots 271 , 272 , 273 , or 274 , respectively , located on the selector knob 270 assembly . however , the lever 250 is free to pivot about pin 253 , and when the user requires the use of a different trimming blade than the one presently employed , the user applies downward pressure on the tab 252 to overcome the bias of the loading spring 251 thereby lifting the tongue 254 out of the present slot 271 that the tongue 254 had been resting in . with the lever mechanism 250 in the up position the selector 270 and the rotary blade cartridge assembly 280 is free to rotate . therefore , the user is able to turn the selector 270 and the rotary blade cartridge assembly 280 until the desired blade is in position . when the required trimming blade is in position , the user releases the downward pressure applied to the knob 252 , of the lever mechanism 250 , and the selector 270 and the rotary blade cartridge assembly 280 will be re - locked with the tongue 254 reinserted into one of the slots 271 , 272 , 273 , or 274 located on the selector 270 assembly . the second embodiment of the present invention illustrated in fig9 and 10 employs a series of engagement pins 1341 , 1342 , 1343 , and 1344 , respectively , slots 1371 , 1372 , 1373 , and 1374 , respectively , and a spring loaded selector 1370 to lock the rotary blade cartridge assembly 1380 in a user selectable position . the selector 1370 is normally biased to press outwardly through the hole 1345 on the cover 1340 by a compression spring 1335 , such that all four slots 1371 , 1372 , 1373 , 1374 are engage with all four of the engagement pins 1341 , 1342 , 1343 , 1344 , located on the inner surface 1346 of the cover assembly 1340 . when a different trimming blade 1381 , 1382 , 1383 , or 1384 is required the user pushes the selector knob 1370 inward toward the carriage 1330 to overcome the outward bias of the spring 1335 , and disengage all four pins 1341 , 1342 , 1343 , and 1344 from the four slots 1371 , 1372 , 1373 , and 1374 . with inward pressure applied to the selector 1370 , the user is free to rotate the selector 1370 until the desired trimmer blade 1381 , 1382 , 1383 , or 1384 is in position . when one of the required trimmer blades 1381 , 1382 , 1383 , or 1384 is in position , the user removes the applied inward pressure to the selector knob 1370 , and the four engagement pins 1341 , 1342 , 1343 , and 1344 , located on the inner surface 1346 of the cover assembly 1340 engage in an indexable manner corresponding to the blade selection , with the four slots 1371 , 1372 , 1373 , 1374 of the selector knob 1370 , thereby re - locking both the selector knob 1340 and the rotary blade cartridge assembly 1380 . an observation window 1360 located on the cover 1340 provides the user with a graphic indication of which one of the trimmer blades 1381 , 1382 , 1383 , or 1384 is exposed and available to cut , perforate , or score the target material . when the blades in the magazine 280 become worn or if a blade is broken , the entire magazine , with its blades in place , may be easily removed and replaced , without danger to the user of unintended cuts . those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention . accordingly , the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the appended claims . | 8 |
the reaction of the present invention cannot be performed in an apparatus made of a conventional metal since iodine is used and the reaction proceeds at relatively high temperature . thus , it is preferable to perform the present reaction in a reactor made of glass under atmospheric pressure . the reasons for conducting the present reaction in the presence of a perhalogenated solvent are as follows : in the present reaction , the reaction temperature is raised to approximately a decomposition temperature of the metal salt such as a carbonate . at such a temperature , iodine sublimates . thus , not only iodine tends to block a line of the reaction system , but also a large amount of excess iodine should be used . in addition , when any hydrogen atom is contained in the solvent compound , a hydrogen terminated compound instead of an iodine terminated one may be formed . also , in the presence of water , a hydrogenated compound may be produced . by the selection of a suitable perhalogenated solvent having a suitable boiling point , the reaction temperature can be kept constant , the blockage due to sublimation and the subsequent solidification of iodine can be prevented with reflux of the solvent , and the production of the hydrogen terminated compound can be prevented . the boiling point of the perhalogenated solvent is usually in the range of from 180 ° to 260 ° c . and preferably in the range of from 200 ° to 240 ° c . the preferable perhalogenated solvents are , for example , perchlorobutadiene , perfluoropolyether oil , a solvent for vps ( vapor phase soldering ), etc . in particular , perchlorobutadiene is preferable due to the large solubility of i 2 therein . when an amount of perchlorobutadiene is increased , a higher yield can be achieved even when the excessive amount of iodine is in the range of from 1 . 1 to 2 . 0 times the stoichiometric amount of iodine . the reaction temperature depends on the solvent . usually it is in the range of from 180 ° to 260 ° c . and preferably in the range of from 200 to 240 ° c . from the point of the decomposition temperature , a potassium carbonate is particularly preferred . an amount of the carbonate to be used is from 1 . 1 to 10 times by molar and preferably from 1 . 5 to 5 times by molar relative to the acid halide as the as the starting material . the reasons why the acid halide is used as a starting material are as follows : when a carboxylic acid is used , water is produced and the yield is decreased . further , it is very difficult to remove water from the formed salt . during the present reaction , an acid fluoride of the decomposed product is by - produced , which can again be reacted with iodine and the carbonate to produce the iodine terminated compound substantially stoichmetrically . wherein rf is a perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoropolyether group and x is fluorine or trifluoromethyl group . in particular , the process according to the present invention is suitable for the production of the polyfluoroiodide from the acid halide of the polyfluoropolyether . the polyfluoropolyether is a compound which has an acid halide group ( s ) at one end or both ends and which has a polymer chain comprising repeating units of the formula : wherein a , b , c , d , e and f are 0 or a positive integer , and satisfy inequalities of 223 a + b + c + d + e + f ≦ 200 and 1 ≦ a + c + d + f , respectively . further , the polyfluoropolyether may be a compound , of for example krytox ( trade mark ) available from du pont , comprising a repeating unit of the formula : ## str1 ## and a compound , of for example fomblin ( trade mark ) available from montefluos . the reaction of the present invention proceeds according to the reaction equations as follows : according to the present invention , it is possible to produce the iodide commercially through only one pot reaction under atmospheric pressure in the glass reactor without corrosion . with the perhalogenated solvent having a suitable boiling point , the reaction temperature can be kept constant . with the reflux of the solvent , the blockage due to the solidification of iodine may be prevented . further , the production of the hydrogen terminated compound may be prevented . with the use of an excess amount of the carbonate of the alkali metal or the alkaline earth metal relative to the acid halide , the production of the hydrogen terminated compound or the acid fluoride is prevented to increase the yield of the desired polyfluoroiodide . the present invention will be hereinafter explained further in detail by following examples . twenty ml of well dried hexachloro - 1 , 3 - butadiene , 0 . 6 gram of potassium carbonate powder ( 4 . 4 millimole ) and 3 . 3 grams of iodine ( 13 millimole ) were supplied in a 100 ml four necked flask in a stream of nitrogen and then heated to 200 ° c . with stirring . then , 12 grams of the acid fluoride of the perfluoropolyether of the formula : wherein n is 34 on the average ( 2 . 1 millimole ) was dropwise added into the flask . after the addition of the acid fluoride , the mixture was heated at reflux at 210 ° to 220 ° c . after 7 hours , the reaction solution was analyzed with an infrared spectrometer and the chart from the infrared spectrometer showed absorption due to the carbonyl group disappeared but absorption due to the c - i bonds appeared at 910 cm - 1 . after the reaction mixture was recovered from the flask and filtered , the solvent was removed with a separatory funnel and dried off under vacuum to obtain 12 . 1 grams of the product . in the nmr and ir analyses , any impurity ( a carboxylic acid terminated compound , an acid fluoride or a hydrogen terminated compound ) was not detected , and the iodine terminated compound was detected . in 150 ml of hexafluoro - 1 , 3 - butadiene in a 500 ml four necked flask , 12 . 0 grams of potassium carbonate powder ( 8 . 7 × 10 - 2 mole ) and 52 grams of iodine ( 0 . 2 mole ) were dispensed in a stream of nitrogen . then , 120 grams of the acid fluoride of the formula : wherein n is 10 on the average ( 0 . 03 mole ) was dropwise added while the temperature of the mixture was kept at 210 ° to 220 ° c . after six hours , disappearance of absorption due to the carbonyl group in the ir chart was confirmed . then , the reaction solution was purified as in example 1 to obtain 120 grams of the product . the yield was 95 %. the product was identified to be a compound of the formula : in a 100 ml four necked flask , 24 ml of hexachloro - 1 , 3 - butadiene and 2 . 49 grams of iodine ( 9 . 84 × 10 -- 3 mole ) were charged in a stream of nitrogen and mixed to obtain a solution . then , 0 . 68 gram of potassium carbonate ( 4 . 92 × 10 - 3 mole ) was added to the solution and heated to 210 ° c . wherein n is 21 ( 3 . 28 × 10 - 3 mole ) was dropwise added into the flask . after the dropping , the mixture was further heated at reflux . after about seven hours , the reaction solution was analyzed with ir and it was confirmed that there is no absorption due to the carbonyl group in the chart . the reaction solution was purified as in example 1 to obtain 12 . 1 grams of the product . the yield was 98 %. when analyzed with ir and nmr , it is identified that the iodine terminated compound was stoichiometrically produced . | 2 |
the fungal strains used in this invention were derived by uv mutagenesis of fusarium sporotrichioides nrrl 3299 ( atcc 24043 ) deposited with the ars culture collection , peoria , ill . this strain was originally isolated from corn in france . microconidia are obtained for mutagenesis as follows . frozen glycerol stocks of conidia are inoculated , after thawing , on agar plates , which are then incubated for several days . this results in cultures which produce primarily one - and two - celled microconidia . the microconidia thus obtained are then exposed to uv light and incubated in the dark for several days . surviving colonies are then screened for t - 2 production using the monoclonal antibody technique developed by hunter et al . and modified by beremand [ k . w . hunter et al ., appl . environ . microbiol . 49 : 168 - 172 ( 1985 ), and m . n . beremand , appl . environ . microbial . 53 : 168 - 172 ( 1987 )]. mutants which are blocked or altered in the biosynthesis of t - 2 toxin are selected and further examined for the production of other trichothecene compounds . using the above technique , two novel mutant species were discovered which produce relatively large quantities of rare trichothecenes and related materials . mutant strain nrrl 18339 produces 15 - deacetylcalonectrin ( compound 1 ) and 3 , 15 - dideacetylcalonectrin ( compound 2 ). strain nrrl 18340 accumulates trichodiene ( compound 3 ) and does not produce any 12 , 13 - epoxytrichothecenes . these two mutant species are deposited with the ars culture collection , peoria , ill . to prepare quantities of the heretofore rare trichothecene derivatives , conidial suspensions are prepared from 1 - to 2 - week - old cultures grown on solid media . a growth medium comprising glucose , 5 - 10 %, preferably 5 %; yeast , 0 . 1 - 0 . 2 %, preferably 0 . 1 %; peptone , 0 . 1 - 0 . 2 %, preferably 0 . 1 %, is prepared and inoculated with conidia to a level of 10 3 - 10 5 , preferably 5 × 10 4 per ml . the cultures are incubated from 5 to 14 days , preferably 14 days , at 25 °- 30 ° c ., preferably 28 ° c . analyses indicate 100 to 1000 μm / l of products are produced under the above conditions . the trichothecenes and trichodiene may be isolated by standard techniques such as solvent extraction of the culture , including both cellular material and growth media , and subsequent purification by chromatographic procedures . analysis of samples by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry ( gc / ms ) verified that the compound produced by mutant nrrl 18340 was trichodiene . small quantities of compounds 1 and 2 were isolated by preparative thin layer chromatography from a 7 - day - old 25 ml liquid shake culture of mutant nrrl 18339 . analysis of these compounds by gc / ms demonstrated that both compounds contained the 12 , 13 - epoxy - trichothec - 9 - ene nucleus and thus confirmed that they were trichothecenes . the chemical ionization mass spectra of trimethylsilyl - derivatized and underivatized samples further revealed that compound 1 contained a free hydroxyl group and an acetate , while compound 2 contained 2 hydroxyl groups . the structures of compounds 1 and 2 were determined by nmr analysis of larger amounts of these compounds which were purified from the culture filtrate of a 4 l liquid fermentation of strain nrrl 18339 . based on the 1 h and 13 c - nmr spectra , compounds 1 and 2 were identified as 15 - deacetylcalonectrin ( decal ) and 3 , 19 - dideacetylcalonectrin ( didecal ). both compounds contain 2 less oxygen moieties than found in t - 2 toxin . finally , gc and gc / ms analyses of crude ethyl acetate extracts of nrrl 18339 revealed that this mutant produces small amounts of t - 2 toxin . thus nrrl 18339 appears to be a slightly leaky mutant . liquid cultures were left intact or separated by filtration into mycelia and filtrate fractions prior to extraction with ethyl acetate . gc analysis of these samples demonstrated that all of the t - 2 toxin produced by the wild type parent was excreted into the medium ( table 1 ). in contrast , 100 % of the trichodiene produced by nrrl 18340 remained associated with the mycelia . the calonectrin analogues produced by nrrl 18339 displayed an intermediate response : 60 to 70 % of these two compounds was isolated from the culture filtrate , and the remaining 30 to 40 % was isolated from the mycelial fraction . measurement of radial colony growth rate on v8 - juice agar and m - 100 minimal medium revealed that the mutant strains were protographic and that they retained wild type growth rates . likewise , growth of the mutants in liquid shake cultures , as measured by mycelial dry weights , was indistinguishable from that of the wild type parent . gross morphology of the mutant and the wild type cultures were the same for all strains growing on solid and liquid media . without desiring to be bound by any theory of operation , it is believed that the inability of the mutant to produce t - 2 toxin is associated with changes in conidiation . both mutants produce two - to sixfold fewer conidia than the wild type parent when grown on v - 8 juice agar medium . in addition , the nontrichothecene , trichodiene accumulating mutant also produces conidia with an altered morphology . a diagnostic species trait of f . sporotrichioides is the formation of napiform or pear - shaped microconidia . mutant nrrl 18340 fails to make napiform conidia when grown on v8 - juice agar . the inability to make napiform conidia can be reversed when nrrl 18340 is grown in the presence of exogeneously supplied t - 2 toxin . furthermore , t - 2 toxin appears to be required during conidiation . table i______________________________________localization of trichodiene and trichothecenes accumulated bywild type and mutant strains of fusarium sporotrichioidesgrown in liquid shake cultures . sup . anrrl 18340 nrrl 18339 nrrl 3299 trichodiene didecal 15 - decal t - 2 toxinsample ( μg / ml ) ( μg / ml ) ( μg / ml ) ( μg / ml ) ______________________________________whole 126 127 80 265culturemycelia 122 39 30 0filtrate 0 88 50 292______________________________________ . sup . a yepd5g media was inoculated to a final density of 5 - 7 × 10 . sup . 4 conidia per ml and incubated 7 to 8 days at 28 ° c . and 180 - 200 rpm . nrrl 18340 conidia formed in the absence of t - 2 toxin are not converted to pear - shaped conidia by subsequent incubation ( for up to 24 hrs ) with t - 2 toxin . addition of t - 2 toxin to the wild type and mutant nrrl 18339 also appears to stimulate production of napiform conidia in these strains . addition of t - 2 toxin does not , however , restore the level of conidia production in either nrrl 18340 or nrrl 18339 to that observed for the wild type parent . the above results provide the first indication that trichothecenes may play a role in fungal development . the following examples are intended only to further illustrate the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention which is defined by the claims . microconidia of fusarium sporotrichiodes nrrl 3299 ( atcc 24043 ) were obtained from v - 8 agar plates that were incubated for 4 days following inoculation with approximately 2 . 5 × 10 6 freshly thawed conidia from frozen (- 70 ° c .) glycerol stocks . this procedure yielded primarily one - and two - celled microconidia , with approximately 65 % of the total being one - celled . the microconidia were exposed to uv light ( 254 nm ) on agar plates until 90 % kill was achieved [ see j . avalos et al ., appl . ( environ . microbiol . 49 : 187 - 191 ( 1985 ) and beremand , supra ]. the uv - treated plates were immediately placed in the dark and incubated for 2 to 3 days in the growth chamber . to screen for t - 2 toxin production , a portion of each surviving colony was transferred to a well in a 96 - well microtiter plate ( falcon 3072 ; becton dickinson labware , oxnard , calif .) containing 150 μl of yepd - 5g per well . the plates were sealed with parafilm to reduce evaporation and were incubated at 28 ° c . at 50 to 60 rpm on a minishaker ( dynatech laboratories , inc ., alexandria , va .). after 4 to 5 days , the fungal mat was removed from each well with a toothpick to yield a cleared supenatant . the supernatants were stored at - 20 ° c . til the immunoassays were performed . for the immunoassays , each microtiter plate contained a blank control well ( which yielded an a 410 value for media only ), a positive control well ( which yielded an a 410 value for a t - 2 toxin standard solution containing 2 × 10 4 t - 2 ), and 94 test samples ( culture filtrates ). colonies which produced test samples that yielded an a 410 value either equal to that of the blank control or significantly higher than that of the t - 2 control were scored as potential toxin mutants . to screen for auxotrophy , strains were tested for their ability to grow on m - 100 minimal medium . competitive inhibition enzyme - linked immunoassays ( cieias ) were performed with affinity - purified monoclonal antibody 15h6 as described by hunter et al ., supra , except that methanol could be omitted from the phosphate - buffered saline - tween 20 solution without consequence . a fraction of the culture supernatant , the t - 2 standard solution , or the control medium ( 50 μl ) was mimed in polystyrene microtiter plates ( falcon 3190 ) with 50 μl of 15h6 monoclonal antibody diluted to 5 μg / ml in phosphate - buffered saline containing 0 . 05 % tween 20 . following incubation for 1 hr at room temperature , fractions ( 50 μl ) of these samples were transferred to the wells of round - bottom polyvinyl microtiter plates ( dynatech ) coated with t - 2 - bovine serum albumin ( 10 μg / ml in 0 . 1 m tris hydrochloride [ ph 8 . 2 ]; sigma chemical co ., st . louis , mo .) by overnight incubation at 4 ° c . after 30 min of incubation at room temperature , the wells were washed five times with phosphate - buffered saline - 0 . 05 % tween 20 and successively incubated with rabbit anti - mouse kappa light chain antiserum ( icn immuno chemicals , elkhart , ind . ), goat anti - rabbit immunoglobulin g - alkaline phosphate conjugate ( sigma ), and enzyme substrate ( p - nitrophenylphosphate ; sigma ) as described previously ( 9 ). assays were measured at 410 nm on an automatic microtiter plate reader ( dynatech ). cultures were grown on v - 8 agar medium slants or plates on an alternating 12 - hr 25 ° c . light / 20 ° c . dark schedule . for long - term storage , strains were maintained on v - 8 agar slants at 4 ° c . and were stored as conidial suspensions in 10 to 15 % ( vol / vol ) glycerol at - 90 ° c . for all assays , fresh transfers of the strains were obtained from stock cultures stored at 4 ° c . trichothecene production was measured in liquid shake cultures . conidial suspensions were prepared from 1 - to 2 - week - old cultures grown on v - 8 juice agar plates . 2 . 8 - liter fernbach flasks containing 1 l of 5 % glucose - 0 . 1 % yeast extract - 0 . 1 % peptone were inoculated with conidia to a final concentration of 10 4 per ml . cultures were incubated at 200 rpm on a gyratory shaker . incubation was continued as described above for a total of 7 days , at which time the products were isolated and analyzed . trichothecenes and trichodiene were identified and quantitated by gas chromatography ( gc )- mass spectrometry ( ms ) with a mass spectrometer ( tsq46 ; finnegan ). electron ionization ( ei ) spectra ere obtained at 70 v . chemical ionization ( ci ) spectra were recorded at a measured source temperature of 100 ° c . isobutane ( 0 . 3 torr ) was the reagent gas . conventional mass spectra were obtained by operating the first two quadrupoles in the all - pass mode and scanning the third quadrupole . in tandem ms experiments , the protonated molecule ( mh + ) was selected by quadrupole 1 , and daughter fragments were formed in quadrapole 2 by collision with argon ( 1 mtorr and 20 v ). the resulting daughter ions were mass analyzed by the third quadrupole . gc / ms analyses were made on either a capillary or a packed column . a fused silica capillary column ( 30 m by 0 . 25 mm ; db - 1 ; j & amp ; w scientific , rancho cordova , ca ) was used . the linear flow rate of helium in the column was 50 cm / s . the injection port temperature was held at 250 ° c . samples were injected in the split mode with a split ratio of approximately 90 : 1 . the outlet of the capillary column was directly coupled into the source of the mass spectrometer . the packed column was a glass column ( 2 m × 2 mm ) packed with 1 % ov - 1 on 100 - 200 mesh chromosorb w . the flow rate was 20 ml / min , and the column was coupled to the mass spectrometer via a glass jet separator . trimethylsilyl derivatives were made from 50 - μl portions of the culture media extracts by evaporation of the ethyl acetate under nitrogen and the addition of 50 μl of tri - sil / tbt ( pierce chemical co ., rockford , ill .). the samples were held at 50 ° c . for 1 hr before 1 μl was analyzed by gc / ms . for capillary gc / ms , the starting gc temperature was 180 ° c . at 2 min after injection , the column was heated at 6 ° c ./ min to a final temperature of 270 ° c . ; it was then held at this temperature . when used in the ci mode , the mass spectrometer was scanned from 90 to 700 daltons . in the ei mode , the mass spectrometer was scanned from 40 to 700 daltons . repetitive scans of 1 s were acquired , and gc peaks were detected from the reconstucted ion chromatogram and were identified by comparison with standards . for a more rapid quantitative method , the packed column was programmed from 200 °- 250 ° c . at 10 ° c ./ min . the protonated molecular ion and the most intense ion for the compounds of interest were monitored in the selected ion mode . response factors were determined from linear regression of the response from injection of known amounts of these compounds across the range of 1 ng to 10 μg and were used to quantitate the amount of individual trichothecenes in the samples . the total analysis time with the packed column was less than 6 min per sample . the culture extracts were analyzed for trichodiene without derivatization . the samples were injected into packed or capillary columns at 120 ° c . and after 5 min the column oven temperature was raised to 250 ° c . at 4 ° c ./ min . trichodiene was identified in the culture extracts based on comparison the ei and ci mass spectra and the daughter ion spectrum of the protonated molecule with those for the chemically synthesized and the biosynthetically produced standards [ van middlesworth et al ., j . chem . soc . chem . commun . 1986 : 1156 - 1157 ]. the ei spectrum ( fig1 ) had a peak molecular ion ( m / z 204 ) the most abundant fragment at m / z 109 was created by cleavage between the two rings . the intense dimethyl cyclohexadiene fragment at m / z 108 arose from the transfer of a hydrogen to the vinyl group and cleavage between the two rings . the isobutane ci spectrum ( fig1 ) of trichodiene has an intense protonated molecule ( m / z 205 ) and two intense fragments at m / z 95 and m / z 109 which resulted from cleavage between the two rings . the daughter spectrum of the protonated molecule had only two abundant fragments , the m / z 109 and m / z 95 ions . the retention times and mass spectra for the trichodiene standard and for trichodiene in the ancymidol - treated in the ancymidol - treated cultures were identical . close examination of ci spectra from chromatograms of extracts from ancymidol - treated cultures revealed a complex pattern of minor sesquiterpenoid components with signals at m / z 205 . however , none of these minor components had intense m / z 109 signals or any detectable daughters of the m / z 205 parent at m / z 109 in ms / ms scans . quantitation of the amount of trichodiene in ancymidol - treated culture extracts was based on the use of external standards . for quantitative analyses , three ions , m / z 205 ( mh + ), m / z 109 , and m / z 95 , were measured by selected ion monitoring in the ci mode . the size of the m / z 109 fragment was used to determine the amount of trichodiene in the culture extracts . the response of the m / z 109 signal at the proper retention time for trichodiene was linear across the range from 1 ng to 2 μg . typical coefficients of variation for replicate analyses were between 8 and 15 %. a 4 - l culture of the mutant nrrl 18339 was extracted twice with an equal volume of ethyl acetate . the combined extracts were evaporated to dryness and resuspended in 20 ml of ethyl acetate . this extract was separated on a preparative silica cartridge using a waters prepmaster liquid chromatograph . the column was eluted with ch 2 cl 2 / methanol ( 98 / 2 ). eighteen 500 - ml fractions were collected . then the column was washed with 500 ml of methanol . the separation was monitored by tlc . fractions 7 and 8 , which contained compound 1 ( below ), were combined for additional purification . compound 2 ( below ) was found by ilc to be in the methanol ( fraction 19 ). this fraction was reapplied to the silica cartridge and eluted with ch 2 cl 2 / methanol ( 95 / 5 ). fourteen 500 - ml fractions were collected and then the column was washed with 500 ml of methanol . compound 2 was shown to be in fractions 4 and 5 , which were combined for further purification . ## str1 ## the combined fractions containing compound 1 were purified further by hplc on a whatman pac column . the separation was developed on an analytical column ( 20 cm × 4 . 6 mm ) and then preparative separations were made using the &# 34 ; magnum - 9 &# 34 ; column ( 50 cm × 9 . 4 mm ). the eluting components were detected with a differential refractometer . compound 1 , 37 mg , was isolated from repeated injections of portions of the fraction containing it . the solvent was hexane / ethyl acetate ( 60 / 40 ). it eluted as a peak with a retention of about 3 column volumes . compound 2 , 26 mg , was isolated from fractions containing it . hexane / ethyl acetate ( 25 / 75 ) was the solvent . each of three flasks containing autoclaved rice ( 333 g ) was inoculated with an 11 - ml aliquot of a 48 - hr - old liquid shaker culture which had been inoculated with 5 × 10 4 conidia of the mutant nrrl 18340 and incubated for 2 weeks at 28 ° and 200 rpm . the entire culture was extracted three times with three volumes of ethyl acetate . the combined ethyl acetate extracts were evaporated to yield an oily residue which was applied to a 3 - in pad of silica gel in a scintered glass funnel ( 7 . 0 cm × 9 . 5 cm id ). the trichodiene was eluted from the gel with hexane and was present in the first 700 ml collected . a total of 10 g of trichodiene was thus obtained . ## str2 ## it is understood that the foregoing detailed description is given merely by was of illustration and that modification and variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . | 8 |
the embodiment according to the invention allows transmission of the torque into the fastening points of the shock absorbers in order to attain the high level of absorption of the unbalance . the stress on the plastic and ultimately the magnitude of the transmittable torque can be adjusted precisely and reliably by means of the sleeve or by the collar of the screw or nuts . the forces are absorbed or transmitted via frictional grip to the insides of the joint pieces shaped onto the suds container . this is done via the prestressing force of the screw . as a result of this defined prestressing , the plastic is stressed only to the extent that it can withstand while experiencing little or no lasting deformation , and additionally a torque can be transmitted over the surface . it is advantageous in the case of the so - called cage solution that the use of this type of connection accounts for a reduction of parts and installation time since no washers are needed between the fastening eye of the vibration absorber and the inner surfaces of the joint pieces . for this purpose , an s - shaped molded part with flush bores is integrated into the area of the adjacent joint pieces in order to transmit the shock absorber torque . in this context , the first arched area is configured to be u - shaped and is arranged between the joint pieces or between the inner plastic surfaces of the joint pieces , whereby the second arched area is arranged so as to overlap one of the free joint pieces . owing to this design , the molded part can be easily inserted and positioned . in an embodiment , a holding device is arranged on the second arched area that extends beyond one of the flush leg bores and it serves to hold the nuts of a screw shaft that traverses the bores of the joint pieces as well as the molded part . as a result , the nuts are secured against turning when the fastening element is tightened via the screw shaft . here , the holding device is configured for a square nut . in an embodiment , the joint pieces form a bearing block that essentially has a u - shape . this results in a particularly stable and reliable fastening of the vibration absorber . especially in order to absorb the torque forces in the area of the bearing block , the flush bores of the first arched area — which fits into the u - shape of the bearing block between the joint pieces — each have a diameter that matches the inner diameter of the fastening eye . this is particularly advantageous if the fastening eye contains an elastically mounted articulated bushing , thus preventing that this bushing can press or eat into the plastic of the joint pieces . consequently , a firm contact surface is created that can also be tightened accordingly with the screw bolt . in an embodiment , the flush bore of the second arched area — which overlaps one of the flush bores of the one joint piece end — has a correspondingly larger diameter than the bores in the joint piece . this is employed to position a flanged sleeve in the bores of the molded part and legs on the nut side that serves to bridge the diameter difference in the screw shaft . in order to be able to exert sufficient force onto the bearing block , the screw head of the screw shaft has an enlarged contact surface . the screw shaft as such is configured in such a way that the screw head is followed by an area that corresponds to the diameter of the bore in the joint piece that is followed by the shaft whose diameter corresponds to the inner diameter of the fastening eye or of the articulated sleeve , to the diameters of the bores of the first arched area as well as to the diameter of the flanged sleeve . in an embodiment , the screw shaft is fitted on the area with the larger diameter with a channel or else provided with a channel at the transition area to the area with the larger diameter . in an embodiment , the molded part is made of a single piece of bent metal , so that , as a result of the insertion of the molded part , the nut is secured and the bearing block is also tightened . then all that is necessary is for the screw shaft to be inserted in order to tighten the entire fastening system by means of the screw head . in an embodiment , the molded part is resilient so that it is held in position in the u - shaped area due to the clamping effect against the inside of the joint pieces . as a result , it cannot be lost during the installation after it has been inserted into the bearing block . in another embodiment , the second arched area of the molded part is resilient so that it overlaps the outside of the free joint piece end with a clamping effect . as a result , during the installation , the predefined position of the molded part in the bearing block is retained and the molded part is securely held . in an embodiment , the sides of the joint pieces facing the inside each have a guide projection by means of which the first arched area of the s - shaped molded part can be positioned . consequently , the molded part is reliably secured against turning . the insertion of the molded part is likewise facilitated by this guide . in an embodiment , the free edges of the joint pieces have an insertion slant on their insides . this makes it easier to insert the shock absorber eye into the first arched area of the molded part . in an embodiment , external guide webs are installed on the joint piece that is enclosed by the second arched area , and the holding device and / or the nut can be inserted and positioned between said guide webs . in this context , the cage - like holding device is guided into the correct position for the nuts while it is being inserted , whereby the webs prevent the nuts from turning along during the screwing procedure . in another embodiment , an indentation into which the crown area of the second arched area can be inserted is arranged as a coding means on the free end of the joint piece for the second arched area . this indentation is only situated on this one joint piece and it is configured in such a way that the nut only comes to lie flush with the bore once the crown area has been completely inserted into the indentation . this prevents the molded part from being installed backwards . fig1 shows a schematic diagram of a suds container 1 made of plastic for a washing machine 2 in whose horizontal axis 3 a driven washing drum 4 is mounted so as to rotate . the suds container 1 made of plastic is arranged so as to vibrate inside the machine housing 5 , whereby at least one vibration absorber 6 is provided on a bearing block 7 on the suds container 1 made of plastic . as can be clearly seen in the schematic diagram , the bearing block 7 essentially has a u - shape through whose joint pieces 8 and 9 flush bores 10 and 11 run , which can be better viewed in the detailed view in fig2 . according to fig3 , the fastening eye 13 or an articulated bushing 12 elastically mounted therein is arranged between the joint pieces 8 and 9 . owing to the elastically mounted articulated bushing 12 , a vibration - damped pivot axis is formed inside the fastening eye 13 . for purposes of affixing the vibration absorber 6 , a fastening element 14 that traverses the bores 10 and 11 ( fig2 ) as well as the articulated bushing 12 is arranged on the bearing block 7 . fig3 shows that , for purposes of force transmission or in order to transmit a high shock - absorber torque onto the inner plastic surfaces of the joint pieces 8 and 9 in the area of the bearing block 7 , an s - shaped molded part 15 with flush bores 16 and 17 is integrated into the bearing block 7 , and the first arched area 18 of this s - shaped molded part , which matches the u - shape of the bearing block 7 , is arranged between the insides of the joint pieces 8 and 9 , whereby the second arched area 19 extends so as to overlap — on the outside — one of the free joint piece ends , here 8 . this yields a molded part 15 that , on the one hand , fits positively between the joint pieces 8 and 9 and that , on the other hand , is secured against turning by the overlapping second arched area 19 , whereby it is also ensured that this design also achieves a self - holding of the molded part 15 in the shaped - on bearing block 7 , thus allowing easy installation of the parts needed to complete the fastening element . in this context , the molded part 15 is made of a single piece of bent metal , whereby the resilient property of the metal provides a clamping effect of the first arched area 18 between the joint pieces 8 and 9 and / or of the second arched area 19 on the outside around the free end of the one joint piece 8 . here , a holding device 20 configured as a cage for a nut 21 is arranged on the second arched area 19 that especially protrudes beyond one of the bores in the flush joint piece . the screw shaft 22 that traverses the bores 10 and 11 of the joint pieces 8 and 9 is screwed into this nut 21 . the holding device 20 , especially as shown in fig4 , is configured to accommodate a square nut 21 . as can be seen in fig3 , an elastically mounted articulated bushing 12 is situated in the fastening eye 13 , whereby here , an elastomer ring 23 is pressed around the articulated bushing 12 around which the fastening eye 13 of the shock absorber 6 then lies . this gives rise to an enclosed articulated bushing 12 which especially transmits a torque in a vibration - damped manner to the joint pieces 8 and 9 . fig4 depicts a side view of the outside of the joint piece 8 , showing that the second arched area 19 at least partially overlaps the joint piece on the outside . the cage - like holding device 20 is arranged on or shaped in one piece onto this second arched area 19 . the square nut 21 , into whose threaded opening the free shaft end 29 protrudes or is screwed in , is placed into this holding device and it is fastened or supported via the fastening eye 13 ( fig3 ) of the shock absorber 6 located behind the joint piece 8 . on the free end of this joint piece 8 , there is also an indentation 32 as a coding means that is situated in the crown area of the second arched area 19 . the indentation 32 is only placed on this one joint piece 8 and it is configured in such a way that the nut 21 only comes to lie flush with the bore once the crown area has been completely inserted into the indentation 32 . if the molded part is mounted backwards , then the crown area lies on the free end of the joint piece 9 without an indentation . in this case , the nut 21 is not positioned so as to be flush with the bore 11 ( fig2 ) in the joint piece 9 . with this incorrect positioning of the molded part 15 , the screwing operation is not possible . particularly in order to be able to systematically transmit the tightening forces onto the articulated bushing 12 or onto the inner surfaces of the plastic joint pieces 8 and 9 , the flush bores 16 and 17 of the first arched area 18 , which fits into the u - shape of the bearing block 7 between the legs 8 and 9 , each have diameters d 1 that correspond to the inner diameter d 2 of the articulated bushing 12 . this can be clearly seen in fig3 , whereby essentially a flush alignment exists between the inner diameter d 2 and the diameter d 1 . the flush bore 24 of the second arched area 19 , which extends so as to overlap one of the flush bores , here 10 , of the joint piece 8 , has a correspondingly larger diameter d 3 than the bores d 4 in the joint piece . it can be seen in fig3 that a flanged sleeve 25 is arranged in the bore 24 on the nut side and in the bore 10 of the joint piece , here 8 , said flanged sleeve bridging the diameter difference between d 1 , d 2 and d 3 , d 4 relative to the screw shaft 22 . as can be seen in fig3 , the screw head 26 of the screw shaft 22 has an enlarged contact surface 27 that brings about sufficient screwing or tightening force onto the outer surface of the joint piece 9 . here , the screw head 26 is followed by an area 28 that corresponds to the diameter area d 4 of the bore in the joint piece which is followed by the shaft 22 whose diameter corresponds to the inner diameter d 2 of the articulated bushing 12 , to the diameters d 1 of the bores 16 and 17 of the first arched area 18 as well as to that of the flanged sleeve 25 . as can also be seen in fig3 , the screw shaft 22 is provided with a channel 30 at the transition area to the area 28 of the screw head 26 , whereby the shaft 22 has a larger diameter d 2 as it continues towards the end . it goes without saying that , prior to the fastening , first the molded part 15 is inserted into the bearing block 7 . then the flanged sleeve 25 is fitted onto the joint piece 8 , before the fastening eye 13 with its elastically mounted articulated bushing 12 is inserted between the joint pieces 8 , 9 in such a way that the screw shaft 22 can be put through the flush bores 10 and 11 . once this has been done , all that is left is to insert a nut 21 into the cage - like holding device 20 that self - tightens when the screw head 26 is tightened . the holding device 20 is configured in such a way that the nut 21 can be first inserted in a pre - latching position and positioned together with the molded part 15 in or on the bearing block 7 . the tightening of the parts ensures a vibration - damped torque . here , the forces are transmitted by the articulated bushing 12 directly onto the molded part 15 which , in turn , transfers the forces over a large surface onto the inner surfaces of the joint pieces 8 , 9 . therefore , this molded part 15 especially has the advantage that high tightening forces can be transmitted to a bearing block 7 made of plastic or to the joint pieces 8 and 9 . fig5 once again shows an isolated sectional view of the fastening eye 13 of the vibration absorber 6 in which the elastic ring 23 lies into which , in turn , the articulated bushing 12 is integrated which is traversed by the screw shaft 22 . behind the fastening eye 13 , part of the first arched area 18 of the molded part 15 ( fig3 ) can be seen that provides the lateral contact surface of the fastening eye 13 or of the articulated bushing 12 on the joint piece 8 . fig6 shows a top view of the bearing block 7 in the form of a sectional view . all information on direction relates to the normal operating position of the washing machine . guide projections 30 are arranged on the free edge on the inner surfaces of each of the joint pieces 8 and 9 . behind the guide projections is the first arched area 18 of the molded part 15 ( fig3 ). moreover , insertion slants 33 that make it easier to insert the fastening eye 13 or the articulated bushing 12 are arranged on the free ends of the joint pieces 8 and 9 . in addition , the first arched area 18 is prevented from turning around the screw shaft 22 that acts like an axis . on the outside of the joint piece 8 , which is enclosed by the second arched area 19 ( fig3 ), there are two guide webs 31 that run essentially parallel . the holding device 20 with the nut 21 is inserted between these guide webs 31 . in addition to providing good guidance , this approach also secures the nut 21 against turning when the screw shaft 22 is being screwed in . the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein . | 5 |
the invention comprises ( a ) a breathing bag adapted to change volume in a horizontal direction predominantly and ( b ) a means for positioning the breathing bag such that horizontal expansion continues to occur regardlessof the diver &# 39 ; s orientation or attitude in the water . more particularly , in one embodiment , the breathing bag design is a flat bladder shape , constrained on the flat sides by a housing or container andoriented horizontally such that the flat sides are parallel to the horizon . the inlet / outlet opening is on the cylindrical or curved surface of the bag , and bag expansion and volume change can occur in a horizontal direction almost completely . whatever vertical component may exist is minimized by having a large , flat horizontal surface to the bag , so that for a given tidal volume of breathing , for example , the bag moves a minimal distance vertically . in another preferred design , the housing is the same , but the bag has a tubular , spiral shape . this bag expands and contracts in a horizontal plane defined by the upper and lower plates of the housing . one end of thebreathing bag tube is closed and the other connected to a 90 degree rotatable joint which is connected to a completely ( 360 degree ) rotatable collar . a servo - mechanism senses the position of the bag and adjusts the bag to keep it in a horizontal position , regardless of the orientation of the diver . having described the invention , the following examples are given to illustrate specific applications of the invention including the best mode now known to perform the invention . there may be other ways to do the basic tasks of the present invention , once the invention is known , thus these specific examples are not intended to limit the scope of the invention described in this application . to keep the breathing bag horizontal in the water , its position in space must be sensed by a 3 - axis position indicator located within or on the breathing bag housing of the uba . position indicators are more common to the aerospace art , particularly airplanes with pitch ( up and down at the head ), yaw ( side - to - side ) and roll axes and displays common in the cockpit . a position indicator adapted for use underwater is described hereas an example : three pressure transducers are placed in a horizontal plane on the breathing bag housing , and pitch , roll and yaw are determined by the different readings on these transducers . for example , the north transducer reads pressure a , the west transducer reads pressure b , and theeast transducer reads pressure c . if a = b = c , the diver is horizontal ( pressure is relative to a common point on the uba , preferably in the center ). if b & gt ; c and both greater than a , then the diver is pitched down atthe head and rolling to the right . the degree to which this is true dependson the magnitude of the pressure signals . many other combinations could be discussed , but the principle is clear . this provides a signal for corrective action to be taken by the servo - mechanism to right the breathing bag housing to the horizontal position . the pressure transducers may be of any type current in the diving art , suchas the metal diaphragm differential pressure cells manufactured by validyneengineering corporation , northridge , calif ., or a miniaturized piezoelectric device adapted for use underwater , or pressure transducers whose working principles can be adapted for underwater use . these transducers sense differential pressure by deflection of a diaphragm or stretching of a thin film of material , which changes the resistance or other electrical properties of the material ; these in turn can be sensed as a voltage or current change . the microprocessor can be any adaptation of similar units nowadays commonly used in automobiles to monitor engine function and effect changes in the operating variables . the appropriate circuit design simply needs to be carried out and the unit programmed to obtain the desired functional performance . this is well within the skill of the present electronic art . with reference to fig1 basic elements of the uba and features of the present invention are shown . the diver breathes on mouthpiece . [ 1 ]. breathing gas circulates through hose [ 2 ]; arrows show direction of gas motion . the co 2 from the diver &# 39 ; s exhale gas is absorbed in canister [ 3 ], make - up oxygen is added by oxygen bottle [ 4 ] as needed . the breathingbag [ 5 ] provides a capacitance in the system . the uba housing [ 6 ] is generally porous to water , so all the elements are in a water environment . diluent gas bottle [ 7 ] for adjusting volume in the breathing bag is also shown . with respect to the elements of the present invention , the breathing bag housing [ 8 ] has a disc or coin shape , circular in one plane and thin in the depth dimension . a preferred diameter is in the range 12 - 15 inches andthickness about 2 - 3 inches to provide enough volume ( about 3 - 5 liters ) for tidal volume excursions in the diver &# 39 ; s breathing pattern . the breathing bag housing is moveable and rotatable through joint [ 9 ] and servo - motor [ 10 ], which also contains a microprocessor or computer function . anti - collapse structure shown as perforated tube [ 16 ] prevents total collapse of the bag . other structures , such as wire grid works modeled after devices used to prevent tennis dome collapse or other gas bag collapse can be substituted . fig1 ( a ) shows a detail of one embodiment ofa moveable and rotatable joint . joint is rotatable 360 degrees through collar [ 11 ] and the breathing bag housing can be raised through 90 degreesthrough hinge pin [ 12 ]. alternatively , it may be preferred to design this joint with a full 180 degree capability for easier positioning of the breathing bag housing whenthe diver is almost prone , facing up . in these cases , it would be desirableto have an extension capability in the tube that contains the rotatable collar , so that the uba housing can be safely cleared . the alternative is to design the length of the tube such that the breathing bag housing clears the uba for all 360 degrees . the joint may be a complex assembly ofseveral single moveable joints rotating in one plane only , or may be a ball - type joint completely rotatable in all directions . the specifics of the joint design are within the skill of the art . only typical examples are presented here . the position of the bag is sensed by a 3 - axis orientation indicator [ 13 ], whose signal is sent to the servo - motor and control computer / microprocessor [ 10 ]. fig2 shows how the breathing bag housing would look under different conditions of diver orientation . in fig2 ( a ) the diver and uba are upright , and the breathing bag housing [ 8 ] is horizontal as shown . in fig . 2 ( b ) the diver and uba are in the prone position , and the breathing bag housing [ 8 ] is close to the back of the diver . in fig2 ( c ) the diver and uba are prone on the side , and the breathing bag will extend outward from the back as shown . in fig2 ( d ) the diver and uba are semi - prone , facing up . the bag assumes the horizontal position shown , clearing the uba housing . alternatively , a protective , porous , rigid , second housing [ 15 ], illustrated in fig2 ( a ) and 2 ( c ), can surround the bag movement area . thehousing [ 15 ] can be any rigid , porus , protective structure such as wire grid etc . well known from similar structures in the art . fig3 shows a schematic of the spiral breathing bag [ 5 ] and housing [ 8 ]. the spiral bag needs a mechanism to keep one end collapsed , yet extensible . collapsed part of the breathing bag [ 14 ] is shown in fig3 also , for a volume of air that does not fill the complete volume of the tubular , spiral breathing bag . keeping one end collapsed is accomplished by an axial flat - wire spring imbedded in the bag material , for example , but other ways known to the art may also be used . the spring must be of a stiffness to substantially retract the bag under zero pressure differential , yet allow expansion without much pressure differential . the pressure differential for expansion vs . the amount expansion is the elastic characteristic of the bag . this should be kept below about 2 - 3 inches of water for the purposes of this invention , preferably below 1 inch of water equivalent pressure . when the bag of fig3 inflates or deflates , it moves in a spiral path and expands horizontally . thus the housing must be porous to allow movement ofwater therethrough and rigid to contain the ultimate expansion of the bag . as long as the housing or restrictive structure of the discs is kept horizontal , the elastance of this system is minimal . horizontal placement is accomplished by the servomechanism and microprocessor adjusting the rotatable joints . in an especially preferred embodiment , the bag is bladder - shaped , as shown in fig1 and thin and circular like a short cylinder . preferably , the bag has a mesh tube or other porous structure inserted inside to prevent collapse of the walls when evacuated . this function is provide in uba &# 39 ; s ofthe art in many similar ways . thus , minimal elastance is produced from a large , flat surface kept in a horizontal orientation . changes in volume ofthe bag due to a tidal breath , for example , result in a relatively small change in vertical dimension . we estimate this to be about 2 - 3 inches , typically , and preferably about 1 inch . the breathing bag housing is rigid and porous and should not need any further protection . however , because it is moveable and protruding , a second housing may be desired . this housing should also be rigid and porous , but must be large enough to contain all possible configurations ofthe breathing bag housing . this adds a large bubble on the divers back which may limit access to narrow passageways , but will provide protection from snagging or bumping of the bag housing on foreign objects . one way the size of this second housing can be reduced is to give the rotatable joint [ 11 ] moveable as well as extensible capability . this is done by the joint being mounted on tracks and moved by another motor controlled by themicroprocessor or computer . these and other variations are well within the current skill of the electronic and mechanical arts . obviously , many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings . it is therefore to be understoodthat , within the scope of the appended claims , the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described . | 0 |
the present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings , in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown . the 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 concept of the invention to those skilled in the art . in the drawings , the thicknesses sizes of layers and regions are exaggerated for clarity . like reference numerals in the drawings denote like elements . a semiconductor substrate described in the present specification denotes not only the semiconductor substrate itself , but also a structure in / on which the semiconductor substrate is formed by various processes . it will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “ connected ” or “ coupled ” to another element , it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present . in contrast , when an element is referred to as being “ directly connected ” or “ directly coupled ” to another element , there are no intervening elements present . as used herein , the term “ and / or ” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items and may be abbreviated as “/”. it will be understood that , although the terms first , second , etc . may be used herein to describe various elements , these elements should not be limited by these terms . these terms are only used to distinguish one element from another . for example , a first region / layer could be termed a second region / layer , and , similarly , a second region / layer could be termed a first region / layer without departing from the teachings of the disclosure . the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention . as used herein , the singular forms “ a ”, “ an ” and “ the ” are intended to include the plural forms as well , unless the context clearly indicates otherwise . it will be further understood that the terms “ comprises ” and / or “ comprising ,” or “ includes ” and / or “ including ” when used in this specification , specify the presence of stated features , regions , integers , steps , operations , elements , and / or components , but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features , regions , integers , steps , operations , elements , components , and / or groups thereof . embodiments of the present invention may be described with reference to cross - sectional illustrations , which are schematic illustrations of idealized embodiments of the present invention . as such , variations from the shapes of the illustrations , as a result , for example , of manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances , are to be expected . thus , embodiments of the present invention should not be construed as limited to the particular shapes of regions illustrated herein , but are to include deviations in shapes that result from , e . g ., manufacturing . for example , a region illustrated as a rectangle may have rounded or curved features . thus , the regions illustrated in the figures are schematic in nature and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention . unless otherwise defined , all terms ( including technical and scientific terms ) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs . it will be further understood that terms , such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries , should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and / or the present application , and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein . fig2 a illustrates a memory module 200 according to some embodiments of the present invention . fig2 b illustrates a memory module 250 according to other embodiments of the present invention . referring to fig2 a , the memory module 200 may include a substrate 210 and a stacked memory 230 . the substrate 210 may be a printed circuit board ( pcb ). the stacked memory 230 may include an interface chip if and a plurality of memory chips me_ 1 , me_ 2 , me_ 3 , and me_ 4 . the interface chip if is configured to transmit signals therefrom to selected ones of the memory chips me_ 1 , me_ 2 , me_ 3 , and me_ 4 , and to transmit signals that are received from the memory chips me_ 1 , me_ 2 , me_ 3 , and me_ 4 to other external circuitry ( e . g ., to a processor controller ). when the memory module 200 is configured as a fully buffered dual in - line memory module ( fbdimm ), the interface chip if may be configured as an advanced memory buffer ( amb ) chip . each of the memory chips me_ 1 , me_ 2 , me_ 3 , and me_ 4 includes a memory core that includes a plurality of memory cells . for example , the memory chips me_ 1 , me_ 2 , me_ 3 , and me_ 4 may be configured as dynamic random access memory ( dram ). the interface chip if may therefore include a memory core that includes of a plurality of memory cells . accordingly , the interface chip if can be configured to not only transmit and receive signals with the memory chips me_ 1 , me_ 2 , me_ 3 , and me_ 4 , but it can also store data in it &# 39 ; s internal memory core . hereinafter , an interface chip if may or may not include the memory core . although fig2 a illustrates that the four memory chips me_ 1 , me_ 2 , me_ 3 , and me_ 4 are stacked on the interface chip if , it is to be understood that any number of memory chips can be stacked on the interface chip if in accordance with various other embodiments . referring to fig2 b , the memory module 250 may include a substrate 260 and a stacked memory 280 . in contrast to the memory module 200 of fig2 a , a plurality of memory chips me_ 1 through me_ 8 are stacked on opposite surfaces of the substrate 260 in the memory module 250 of fig2 b . in detail , an interface chip if is attached to one side of the substrate 260 , the memory chips me_ 1 , me_ 2 , me_ 3 , and me_ 4 are stacked on an opposite surface of the interface chip if from the substrate 260 , and the memory chips me_ 5 , me_ 6 , me_ 7 , and me_ 8 are stacked on the opposite surface of the interface chip if . similarly , as described above with reference to fig2 a , any number of memory chips can be stacked on the interface chip if in accordance with various other embodiments . fig3 is a block diagram of a semiconductor memory device 300 according to some embodiments of the present invention . referring to fig3 , the semiconductor memory device 300 may include first through mth memory modules 310 _ 1 , 310 _ 2 , . . . 310 — m , and a controller 350 . each of the first through mth memory modules 310 _ 1 , 310 _ 2 , . . . , 310 — m may include a corresponding substrate from among first through mth substrates 330 _ 1 , 330 _ 2 , . . . , 330 — m , and corresponding n stacked memories from among first through nth stacked memories sme_ 11 , sme_ 12 , . . . , sme_mn . that is , the first memory module 310 _ 1 may include the first substrate 330 _ 1 and the first through nth stacked memories sme_ 11 , sme_ 12 , . . . , sme_ 1 n . the mth memory module 310 — m may include the mth substrate 330 — m and the first through nth stacked memories sme_m 1 , sme_m 2 , . . . , sme_mn . similarly , each of the other memory modules may also include a corresponding substrate and first through nth stacked memories . the first through nth stacked memories sme_ 11 , sme_ 12 , . . . , sme_mn included in the first through mth memory modules 310 _ 1 , 310 _ 2 , . . . , 310 — m may be realized as illustrated in fig2 a or 2 b . that is , although not shown , the first stacked memory sme_ 11 connected to the first substrate 330 _ 1 may include a first interface chip connected to the first substrate 330 _ 1 , and a plurality of memory chips stacked on the first interface chip in the vertical direction . also , the nth stacked memory sme_ 1 n connected to the first substrate 330 _ 1 may include an nth interface chip connected to the first substrate 330 _ 1 , and a plurality of memory chips stacked on the nth interface chip in the vertical direction . similarly , the other stacked memories may include an interface chip and a plurality of memory chips . the controller 350 can exchange a signal , e . g ., an address , a command , and / or data , with the first through mth memory modules 310 _ 1 , 310 _ 2 , . . . , 310 — m . that is , the controller 350 can control the first through nth stacked memories sme_ 11 , sme_ 12 , . . . , sme_mn connected to the respective substrates 330 _ 1 through 330 — m by exchanging the signal with the first through nth stacked memories sme_ 11 , sme_ 12 , . . . , sme_mn . the controller 350 transmits a signal to the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_ 11 connected to the first substrate 330 _ 1 . if the signal is related to the first memory module 310 _ 1 , the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_ 11 transmits the signal to the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 connected to the first substrate 330 _ 1 . if the signal is related to the second memory module 310 _ 2 , the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_ 11 does not transmit the signal to the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 , but instead transmits it to the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_ 21 connected to the second substrate 330 _ 2 . the interface chip of the nth stacked memory sme_ 1 n connected to the first substrate 330 _ 1 transmits the signal to the controller 350 . for example , in order to read data from the second stacked memory sme_ 12 connected to the first substrate 330 _ 1 , the controller 350 transmits a read command for reading the data from the second stacked memory sme_ 12 to the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_ 11 connected to the first substrate 330 _ 1 . the read command is related to the first memory module 310 _ 1 , and thus , the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_ 11 does not transmit the read command to the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_ 21 connected to the second substrate 330 _ 2 , but instead transmits it to the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 connected to the first substrate 330 _ 1 . the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 receives the read command and transmits it to a corresponding ( addressed ) memory chip among the stacked memory chips on the second stacked memory sme_ 12 , and the corresponding memory chip performs a read operation . the data read through the read operation is transmitted to the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 , the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 transmits the read data to the interface chip of the third stacked memory sme_ 13 , and then , the interface chip of the third stacked memory sme_ 13 transmits it to the interface chip of the fourth stacked memory sme_ 14 . continuing the above exemplary operation , the read data is eventually transmitted to the interface chip of the nth stacked memory sme_ 1 n , and then , the interface chip of the nth stacked memory sme_ 1 n transmits it to the controller 350 . in order to read data from the nth stacked memory sme_mn connected to the mth substrate 330 — m , the controller 350 transmits a read command for reading the data from the nth stacked memory sme_mn to the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_ 11 connected to the first substrate 330 _ 1 . since the read command is related to the nth memory module 310 — n , the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_ 11 does not transmit the read command to the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 connected to the first substrate 330 _ 1 , but instead transmits it to the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_ 21 connected to the second substrate 330 _ 2 . likewise , the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_ 21 transmits the read command to the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_ 31 connected to the third substrate 330 _ 3 . such forwarding operations are performed by subsequent exemplary numbered substrates to cause the read command to be transmitted to the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_m 1 connected to the mth substrate 330 — m . the read command is related to the nth stacked memory sme_mn of the mth memory module 310 — m , and thus , the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_m 1 transmits the read command to the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_m 2 connected to the mth substrate 330 — m . such signal forwarding operations are sequentially performed to cause the read command to be transmitted to the interface chip of the nth stacked memory sme_mn connected to the mth substrate 330 — m . the interface chip of the nth stacked memory sme_mn receives the read command and transmits it to a corresponding ( address ) memory chip among the stacked memory chips on the nth stacked memory sme_mn , and the memory chip performs a read operation . the data read through the read operation is transmitted to the interface chip of the nth stacked memory sme_mn , and the interface chip of the nth stacked memory sme_mn transmits the read data to the interface chip of the nth stacked memory connected to the m − 1th substrate . then , the interface chip of the nth stacked memory connected to the m − 1th substrate transmits the read data to the interface chip of the nth stacked memory connected to the m − 2th substrate . through the above operation , the read data is transmitted to the interface chip of the interface chip of the nth stacked memory sme_ 1 n connected to the first substrate 330 _ 1 , and the interface chip of the nth stacked memory sme_ 1 n transmits the read data to the controller 350 . performing this exemplary signal transmission may reduce power consumption when transmitting a signal within the same memory module , and thereby reduce power consumption by the semiconductor memory device 300 . for example , assume that a first signaling mode is used when a signal is transmitted within the same memory module and a second signaling mode is used when a signal is exchanged between the controller 350 and a memory module or between memory modules . in this case , it may be possible to reduce power consumption in the semiconductor memory device 300 by setting power consumption in the first mode to be less than in the second mode . the first or second mode may be selected for use via a register setting . that is , the stacked memories may be manufactured to operate according to both the first and second modes , and the first or second mode may be selected for use via the register so that the selected mode can be used in conjunction with a port of each of the stacked memories . for example , it is assumed that a single signal is exchanged in the first signaling mode , and a pair of differential signals are transmitted in the second signaling mode . in this case , differential signals are exchanged between the controller 350 and the first memory module 310 _ 1 since the second mode is used therebetween . in sharp contrast , a single signal is transmitted between the interface chips of the first and second stacked memory sme_ 11 and sme_ 12 of the first memory module 310 _ 1 since the first signaling mode is used therebetween , which may thereby reduce the power consumption in the semiconductor memory device 300 . likewise , the differential signals are exchanged between the controller 350 and the first memory module 310 _ 1 since the second signaling mode is used therebetween , and the single signal is exchanged between memory modules , e . g ., the first memory module 310 _ 1 and the second memory module 310 _ 2 , since the first mode is used therebetween , which may thereby reduce power consumption in the semiconductor memory device 300 . as another example , it is assumed that the amplitude of a signal that is transmitted according to the first mode is smaller than that of a signal that is transmitted according to the second mode . in this case , the amplitude of a signal transmitted from the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_ 11 of the first memory module 310 _ 1 to the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 is smaller than that of a signal transmitted between the controller 350 and the first memory module 310 _ 1 , which may thereby reduce power consumption in the semiconductor memory device 300 . similarly , the amplitude of a signal exchanged between memory modules , e . g ., the first memory module 310 _ 1 and the second memory module 310 _ 2 , is smaller than that of a signal exchanged between the controller 350 and the first memory module 310 _ 1 , which may thereby reduce power consumption in the semiconductor memory device 300 . the interface chips and / or the controller 350 may be connected to one another in a daisy chain fashion . also , the interface chips , e . g ., the interface chips of the first stacked memory sme_ 11 and the second stacked memory sme_ 12 , may be connected to one another within the same module not only in a daisy chain configuration but also in a fly - by configuration . fig4 is a block diagram of semiconductor memory device 400 according to other embodiments of the present invention . referring to fig3 and 4 , the semiconductor memory device 400 may include first through mth memory modules 410 _ 1 , 410 _ 2 , . . . , 410 — m , and a controller 450 . the first through mth memory modules 410 _ 1 , 410 _ 2 , . . . , 410 — m may be configured in a similar way to the first through mth memory modules 310 _ 1 , 310 _ 2 , . . . , 310 — m illustrated in fig3 . the controller 450 can exchange a signal , e . g ., an address , a command , and / or data , with the first through mth memory modules 410 _ 1 , 410 _ 2 , . . . , 410 — m . that is , the controller 450 can control the first through nth stacked memories sme_ 11 through smn_mn connected to substrates 430 _ 1 through 430 — m by exchanging the signal with the first through nth stacked memories sme_ 11 through smn_mn . the controller 450 transmits a signal to an interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_ 11 connected to the first substrate 430 _ 1 . the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_ 11 transmits the signal to an interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 connected to the first substrate 430 _ 1 . that is , the signal is transmitted to an interface chip of a stacked memory corresponding to the signal , and the signal output from the corresponding stacked memory is transmitted to the controller 450 via the same path through which the signal was transmitted . for example , in order to read data from the second stacked memory sme_ 12 connected to the first substrate 430 _ 1 , the controller 450 transmits a read command for reading the data from the second stacked memory sme_ 12 to the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_ 11 connected to the first substrate 430 _ 1 . since the read command is related to the second stacked memory sme 430 _ 2 , the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_ 11 transmits the read command to the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 connected to the first substrate 430 _ 1 . the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 receives the read command and transmits it to a corresponding ( addressed ) memory chip from among stacked memory chips mounted thereon , and the memory chip performs a read operation . the data read through the read operation is transmitted to the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 . the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 transmits the read data to the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_ 11 , and the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_ 11 transmits it to the controller 450 . for example , in order to read data from the nth stacked memory sme_mn connected to the mth substrate 430 — m , the controller 450 transmits a read command for reading the data from the nth stacked memory sme_mn to the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_ 11 connected to the first substrate 430 _ 1 . since the read command is related to the nth stacked memory sme_mn , the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_ 11 transmits the read command to the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 connected to the first substrate 430 _ 1 . likewise , the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 transmits the read command to the interface chip of the third stacked memory sme_ 13 . such forwarding operations are sequentially performed to cause the read command to be transmitted to an interface chip of the nth stacked memory sme_ 1 n connected to the first substrate 430 _ 1 . the interface chip of the nth stacked memory sme_ 1 n connected to the first substrate 430 _ 1 transmits the read command to an interface chip of the second substrate 430 _ 2 connected to the first stacked memory sme_ 21 . such forwarding operations are sequentially performed to cause the read command to be transmitted to an interface chip of the nth stacked memory sme_mn connected to the mth substrate 430 — m . the interface chip of the nth stacked memory sme_mn receives the read command and transmits it to a corresponding memory chip from among stacked memory chips mounted thereon , and the corresponding memory chip performs a read operation . the data read through the read operation is transmitted to the interface chip of the nth stacked memory sme_mn , the interface chip of the nth stacked memory sme_mn transmits the read data to an interface chip of the n − 1th stacked memory connected to the mth substrate 430 — m , and then , the interface chip of the n − 1th stacked memory connected to the mth substrate 430 — m transmits the read data to an interface chip of the n − 2th stacked memory connected to the mth substrate 430 — m . such forwarding operations are sequentially performed to cause the read data to be transmitted to the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_ 11 connected to the first substrate 430 _ 1 via the same path in which the read command was received . then , the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_ 11 transmits the read data to the controller 450 . fig5 is a block diagram of a semiconductor memory device 500 according to other embodiments of the present invention referring to fig3 through 5 , the semiconductor memory device 500 may include first through mth memory modules 510 _ 1 , 510 _ 2 , . . . , 510 — m , and a controller 550 . the first through mth memory module 510 _ 1 , 510 _ 2 , . . . , 510 — m may be configured in a similar way to the first through mth memory modules 310 _ 1 , 310 _ 2 , . . . , 310 — m illustrated in fig3 . the controller 550 can exchange a signal , such as an address , a command , and / or data , with the first through mth memory module 510 _ 1 , 510 _ 2 , . . . , 510 — m . that is , the controller 550 can control the first through nth stacked memories sme_ 11 through sme_mn that are respectively connected to substrates 530 _ 1 through 530 — m by exchanging the signal with the first through nth stacked memories sme_ 11 through sme_mn . the controller 550 exchanges a signal with an interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 connected to the first substrate 530 _ 1 . although fig5 illustrates that the controller 550 directly exchanges a signal with the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 connected to the first substrate 530 _ 1 , it is not limited thereto and may instead directly exchange a signal with an interface chip of a stacked memory other than the first stacked memory sme_ 11 or the nth stacked memory sme_ 1 n , which is connected to the first substrate 530 _ 1 . if the signal is related to the first memory module 510 _ 1 , the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 exchanges the signal with the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_ 11 or the third stacked memory sme_ 13 connected to the first substrate 530 _ 1 . if the signal is related to the second memory module 510 _ 2 , the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 exchanges the signal with an interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 22 connected to the second substrate 530 _ 2 . although fig5 illustrates that the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 directly exchanges a signal with the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 22 connected to the second substrate 530 _ 2 , it is not limited thereto and may instead directly exchange the signal with an interface chip of another stacked memory connected to the second substrate 530 _ 2 . for example , in order to read data from the third stacked memory sme_ 13 connected to the first substrate 530 _ 1 , the controller 550 transmits a read command for reading the data from the third stacked memory sme_ 13 to the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 connected to the first substrate 530 _ 1 . since the read command is related to the third stacked memory sme_ 13 of the first memory module 510 _ 1 , the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 does not transmit the read command to the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 22 connected to the second substrate 530 _ 2 but transmits it to the interface chip of the third stacked memory sme_ 13 connected to the first substrate 530 _ 1 . the interface chip of the third stacked memory sme_ 13 receives the read command and transmits it to a corresponding memory chip from among stacked memory chips , and the corresponding memory chip performs a read operation . the data read through the read operation is transmitted to the interface chip of the third stacked memory sme_ 13 , the interface chip of the third stacked memory sme_ 13 transmits the read data to the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 , and then , the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 transmits the read data to the controller 550 . for example , in order to read data from the nth stacked memory sme_mn connected to the mth substrate 530 — m , the controller 550 transmits a read command for reading the data from the nth stacked memory sme_mn to the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_ 11 connected to the first substrate 530 _ 1 . since the read command is related to the nth memory module 510 — n , the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 does not transmit the read command to the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_ 11 or the third stacked memory sme_ 13 connected to the first substrate 530 _ 1 but transmits the read command to the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 22 connected to the second substrate 530 _ 2 . likewise , the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 22 transmits the read command to the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 32 connected to the third substrate 530 _ 3 . such 40 operations are sequentially performed to cause the read command to be transmitted to the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_m 2 connected to the mth substrate 530 — m . since the read command is related to the nth stacked memory sme_mn of the mth memory module 510 — m , the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_m 2 does not transmit the read command to the interface chip of the first stacked memory sme_m 1 but transmits it to the interface chip of the third stacked memory sme_m 3 . such porting operations are sequentially performed to cause the read command to be transmitted to the interface chip of the nth stacked memory sme_mn connected to the mth substrate 530 — m . the interface chip of the nth stacked memory sme_mn receives the read command and transmits it to a corresponding memory chip from among the stacked memory chips , and the corresponding memory chip performs a read operation . the data read through the read operation is transmitted to the interface chip of the nth stacked memory sme_mn , the interface chip of the nth stacked memory sme_mn transmits the read data to the interface chip of the n − 1th stacked memory connected to the mth substrate 430 — m , and then , the interface chip of the mth substrate 430 — m connected to the n − 1th stacked memory transmits the read data to the interface chip of the n − 2th stacked memory connected to the mth substrate 430 — m . such forwarding operations are sequentially performed to cause the read data to be transmitted to the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_m 2 connected to the mth substrate 530 — m . the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_m 2 transmits the read data to the interface chip of the second stacked memory connected to the m − 1th substrate , and the interface chip of the second stacked memory connected to the m − 1th substrate transmits the read data to the interface chip of the second stacked memory connected to the m − 2th substrate . through these operations , the read data is transmitted to the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 connected to the first substrate 530 _ 1 , and the interface chip of the second stacked memory sme_ 12 transmits the read data to the controller 550 . as illustrated in fig3 , 4 , and 5 , according to various embodiments of the present invention , it may be possible to reduce power consumption in the semiconductor memory devices 400 and 500 by reducing power consumption when transmitting a signal within the same memory module . that is , as described above , the exemplary first operational mode is used when a signal is exchanged within the same memory module , and the exemplary second operational mode is used when a signal is exchanged between the controller 450 ( or 550 ) and a memory module or between memory modules , which may thereby reduce power consumption in the semiconductor memory device 400 ( or 500 ). the first mode and the second mode may operate as described above . the interface chips and / or the controller 450 ( or 550 ) may be connected to one another in a daisy chain configuration . the memory modules illustrated in fig3 through 5 may be configured as fbdimms . in this case , a signal exchanged between a controller and a memory module or between memory modules may be subject to an fbdimm protocol complying with one or more specifications from the joint electron device engineering council ( jedec ). however , the various embodiments are not limited to of a signal within the same memory module subject to the fbdimm protocol according to the jedec . accordingly , various embodiments of a semiconductor memory device include a memory module in which a plurality of memory chips are stacked , and which are configured so as to potentially reduce not only power consumption when exchanging a signal within the memory module but also potentially reduce the length of a communication channel through which the signal is transmitted . while this invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims . | 7 |
compounds of this invention are prepared according to the procedures defined herein as method a and described in u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 081 , 131 , 5 , 079 , 247 , 4 , 728 , 663 , and 4 , 261 , 896 , which are hereby incorporated herein by reference . in addition , compounds of this invention can be prepared according to methods b and c as described in scheme i , where r 1 , r 2 , r 3 , r 4 , r 5 and q are hereinbefore defined . referring to method b , a substituted benz [ cd ] indol - 2 ( 1h )- one 1 and amine 2 where r 3 , r 5 and q are hereinbefore defined were stirred in hexamethyldisilazane for 1 to 4 hours at 120 - 130 ° c . in the presence of p - toluenesulfonic acid monohydrate to give amine 3 . alternatively , using method c , a solution of substituted benz [ cd ] indol - 2 ( h ) one 1 in tetrahydrofuran was stirred at room temperature for 1 to 4 hours in the presence of a methylene chloride solution of triethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate followed by the addition of solid na 2 co 3 and amine 2 and continued stirring at room temperature for 18 to 24 hours to afford amine 3 . reaction of amine 3 where r 5 is h , with sodium hydride in a polar solvent which includes but is not limited to n , n - dimethylformamide in the presence of potassium iodide followed by the addition of r 1 z where z is a leaving group which includes halogen , triflate , mesylate , tosylate , methyl sulfamyl , tolene sulfamyl and the like at 0 to 20 ° c . for to up 18 hours affords amine 4 . the ability of the compounds of this invention to inhibit fptase was evaluated in the standard pharmacological in vitro test procedures described below . data for representative examples is summarized in table i and table ii . enzyme test procedure : the fptase inhibition in vitro assay was performed according to the method as described by james , g . l ., brown , m . s ., and goldstein , j . l ., methods in enzymology , 1995 , 255 , 38 - 46 ; and garcia , m . a ., et al ., j . biol . chem ., 1993 , 268 , 18415 - 18420 . materials — purified fptase ( moomaw , j . f . and casey , p . j ., j . biol . chem ., 1992 , 267 , 17438 - 17443 ), purified his 6 - ras , inhibitor compounds at 10 mg / ml or 10 mm in 100 % dmso , 3 h - fpp ( 50 , 000 dpm / pmol ) amersham , tca / sds ( 6 %/ 2 %), tca ( 6 %), glass fiber filters ( 0 . 22 - 0 . 45 m ), vacuum manifold or 96 well filtration plates . methods — 1 . dilute fptase inhibitors from stock solutions to 2 . 5 × in 2 . 5 % dmso , 10 mm dtt , 0 . 5 % octyl - b - glucoside . 2 . solution # 1 is added to fptase reaction in a volume of 20 ml . 3 . standard reaction mix , 50 ml , contains 50 mm tris ( 7 . 5 ), 10 mm zncl 2 , 3 mm mgcl 2 , 20 mm kcl , 5 mm dtt , 0 . 2 % octyl - b - glucoside , 1 % dmso , 40 mm his 6 - ras , 10 ng fptase , and various concentrations of fptase inhibitors . 4 . incubate for 30 - 90 min at 25 ° c . 5 . stop reactions with tca / sds ( 6 %/ 2 %), hold at 4 ° c . for 45 - 60 min . 6 . filter by manifold or 96 well plate , wash filter 3 - 5 × with tca ( 6 %). 7 . add scintillant to filters , measure 3 h - fpp incorporation into ras protein . analysis of results — percent inhibition by test compounds is determined by the following : cell - based test procedure : the tumor inhibition in vitro assay was performed according to method as described by p . skehan , r . storeng , d . scudiero , a . monks , j . mcmohan , d . vistica , j . warren , h . bokesh , s . kenney , and m . r . boyd , j . natl . cancer instit ., 1990 , 82 ( 13 ), 1107 - 1112 ; l . v . rubinstein , r . h . shoemaker , k . d . paull , r . m . simon , s . tosini , p . skehan , d . a . scudiero , a . monks , and m . r . boyd , j . natl . cancer instit ., 1990 , 82 ( 13 ), 1113 - 1118 ; a . monks , et al ., j . natl . cancer instit ., 1991 , 83 , 757 - 766 ; m . r . boyd and k . d . paull , drug development res ., 1995 , 34 , 91 - 109 ; and s . p . fricker and r . g . buckley , anticancer research , 1996 , 16 , 3755 - 3760 . materials — cell lines : human tumor cell lines dld - 1 and lovo ; ras - transformed rat fibroblast cell lines , rat - h - ras and rat - k - ras ( growth inhibited by standard fptase inhibitors ), and the parent cell line rat - 2 ( resistant to standard fptase inhibitors ). cell media : rpmi 1640 ( or dmem medium and mccoy &# 39 ; s medium ) with 10 % fetal bovine serum supplemented with l - glutamine and pennicilin / streptomycin . compounds : supplied usually as a 10 mm stock in 100 % dmso . normal saline : 150 mm nacl trichloroacetic acid ( tca ): 50 % ( w / v ) in water . sulforhodamine ( srb ): 0 . 4 % ( w / v ) in 1 % acetic acid . tris base : 10 mm in water . methods — cells are plated at 2000 cells per well , per 200 μl media , and allowed to adhere overnight at 37 ° c . at 24 h post plating , compounds are added directly at a volume of 0 . 5 μl . compound is first diluted in dmso to generate concentrations of compound or reference standard of : 1 , 5 , 10 and 25 μm . dilutions can be made in an identical 96 well plate so that compounds can be added using a multichannel micropipettor set at 0 . 5 μl . the cells are then incubated for four days after which the media is removed using a 12 well manifold by first tipping the plate forward at a 45 degree angle and then inserting the manifold in an upright orientation to prevent the tips of the manifold from disturbing cells at the bottom of the plate . 200 μl of normal saline is then added to each well using an 8 well multichannel pipettor , followed by the careful addition of 50 μl of 50 % tca . the plates are then incubated for 2 h at 4 ° c ., after which the supernatant is removed using the same technique as above and the plates washed twice with 200 μl water . the plates are then air dried and 50 μl of srb stock solution is carefully added so that the entire bottom of each well is covered . this again can be used using an 8 well multichannel pipettor . the srb is incubated with fixed cells for 15 min at room temperature , after which the srb is removed with the manifold as described above and the plates washed twice with 350 μl of 1 % acetic acid per well each time . the plates are then air dried after which the bound srb is released from protein by the addition of 200 μl of tris base . resolubilizing the srb is aided by placing the plates on a rotator for 15 - 30 min . the absorbence of each well is determined at 550 or 562 nm using a microtiter plate reader . analysis of results — each compound or dilution thereof is performed in triplicate . outliers are identified by visual inspection of the data . each plate should have a control ( vehicle only ). a standard curve is constructed by plotting the concentration of compound against the average absorbance calculated at that concentration . a curve is plotted and the concentration at which the curve passes through the 50 % absorbance mark seen in the control well is the ic 50 calculated for that compound . based on the results of these standard pharmacological test procedures , the compounds of this invention are useful as agents for treating , inhibiting or controlling ras - associated diseases by inhibiting farnesyl - protein transferase enzyme , when administered in amounts ranging from about 10 to about 200 mg / kg of body weight per day . a preferred regimen for optimum results would be from about mg to about 100 mg / kg of body weight per day and such dosage units are employed that a total of from about 100 mg to about 1000 mg of the active compound for a subject of about 70 kg of body weight are administered in a 24 hour period . the dosage regimen for treating mammals may be adjusted to provide the optimum therapeutic response . for example , several divided doses may be administered daily or the dose may be proportionally reduced as indicated by the exigencies of the therapeutic situation . a decidedly practical advantage is that these active compounds may be administered in any convenient manner such as by the oral , intravenous , intramuscular or subcutaneous routes . the active compounds may be orally administered , for example , with an inert diluent or with an assimilable edible carrier , or they may be enclosed in hard or soft shell gelatin capsules , or they may be compressed into tablets or they may be incorporated directly with the food of the diet . for oral therapeutic administration , these active compounds may be incorporated with excipients and used in the form of ingestible tablets , buccal tablets , troches , capsules , elixirs , suspensions , syrups , wafers and the like . such compositions and preparations should contain at least 0 . 1 % of active compound . the percentage of the compositions and preparations may , of course , be varied and may conveniently be between about 2 % to about 60 % of the weight of the unit . the amount of active compound in such therapeutically useful compositions is such that a suitable dosage will be obtained . preferred compositions or preparations according to the present invention are prepared so that an oral dosage unit form contains between 10 and 1000 mg of active compound . the tablets , troches , pills , capsules and the like may also contain the following : a binder such as gum tragacanth , acacia , corn starch or gelatin ; excipients such as dicalcium phosphate ; a disintegrating agent such as corn starch , potato starch , alginic acid and the like ; a lubricant such as magnesium stearate ; and a sweetening agent such as sucrose , lactose , or saccharin may be added or a flavoring agnet such as peppermint , oil of wintergreen or cherry flavoring . when the dosage unit form is a capsule , it may contain , in addition to materials of the above type , a liquid carrier . various other materials may be present as coatings or to otherwise modify the physical form of the dosage unit . for instance , tablets , pills or capsules may be coated with shellac , sugar or both . a syrup or elixir may contain the active compound , sucrose , as a sweetening agent , methyl and propylparabens as preservatives , a dye and flavoring such as cherry or orange flavor . of course , any material used in preparing any dosage unit form should be pharmaceutically pure and substantially non - toxic in the amounts used . in addition , these active compounds may be incorporated into sustained - release preparations and formulations . these active compounds may also be administered parenterally or intraperitoneally . solutions or suspensions of these active compounds as a free base or pharmacologically acceptable salt can be prepared in water suitably mixed with a surfactant such as hydroxypropylcellulose . dispersions can also be prepared in glycerol , liquid polyethylene glycols , and mixtures therof in oils . under ordinary conditions of storage and use , these preparations contain a preservative to prevent the growth or microorganisms . the pharmaceutical forms suitable for injectable use include sterile aqueous solutions or dispersions and sterile powders for the extemporaneous preparation of sterile injectable solutions or dispersions . in all cases , the form must be sterile and must be fluid to the extent that easy syringability exists . it must be stable under the conditions of manufacture and starage and must be prepared against the contaminating action of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi . the carrier can be a solvent or dispersion medium containing , for example , water , ethanol , polyol ( e . g ., glycerol , propylene glycol and liquid poly - ethylene glycol ), suitable mixtures thereof , and vegetable oils . the following examples are representative compounds of this invention which are useful in inhibiting fptase . the compounds of this invention were prepared by the procedures of method a , known in the art , and described in u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 081 , 131 , 5 , 079 , 247 , 4 , 728 , 663 , and 4 , 261 , 896 , or according to the procedures of examples 20 - 22 ( methods b and c ). the product of the example was prepared using the procedure of method a and additionally prepared using the procedure of method b as described in example 21 and the procedure of method c as described in example 23 . the product of the example was prepared using the procedure of method a and additionally prepared using the procedure of method b as described in example 21 and the procedure of method c as described in example 23 . method 1 . following the procedure of examples 3 - 16 , 18 , 19 , from patents listed above . method 2 . synthesis from product of example 21 : to a stirred suspension of nah ( 60 % in mineral oil , washed with hexane and dried in vacuum ; 60 mg , 1 . 5 mmol ) in dmf ( 3 . 5 ml ), the compound from example 21 ( n -[ 3 -( 1h - imidazol - 1 - yl )- propyl ]- 6 - iodo - benz [ cd ] indol - 2 - amine ; 300 mg , 0 . 75 mmol ) was added at 0 °. the resulting mixture was stirred for 30 min at 0 ° and ki ( 20 mg , 0 . 12 mmol ) and 4 - chlorobenzyl chloride ( 145 mg , 0 . 9 mmol ) were added at the same temperature . the reaction mixture was warmed up to 20 ° during 30 min and stirred for an additional 40 min at the same temperature . water ( 10 ml ) was added and the mixture was extracted with etoac ( 40 ml ). the organic solution was washed with water ( 2 × 15 ml ) and brine ( 2 × 15 ml ) and dried over mgso 4 . filtration and evaporation provided the crude amidine . crystallization from etoac - hexane gave 270 mg ( 68 %) of a yellow solid which was characterized as [ 1 -( 4 - chloro - benzyl )- 6 - iodo - 1h - benzo [ cd ] indol - 2 - ylidene ]-( 3 - imidazol - 1 - yl - propyl )- amine : mp 146 - 1480 ; nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ 2 . 23 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 76 ( t , j = 6 . 8 , 2h ), 4 . 16 ( t , j = 7 . 4 , 2h ), 5 . 11 ( s , 2h ), 6 . 40 ( d , j = 8 . 47 , 1h ), 6 . 85 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 03 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 26 ( m , 4h ), 7 . 39 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 70 ( m , 1h ), 8 . 83 ( m , 2h ), 8 . 88 ( d , j = 9 . 2 , 1h ). ms m / z 527 and 529 (( m + h calcd . for c 24 h 20 clin 4 526 and 528 . method a . following example 17 or method a . in example 2 , from patents listed above . method b . 6 - iodo - 1h - benzo [ cd ] indol - 2 - one ( 1 . 1 g , 3 . 73 mmol ), 1 -( 3 - aminopropyl )- imidazole ( 1 . 2 g , 9 . 6 mmol ) and p - toluenesulfonic acid monohydrate ( 0 . 1 g , 0 , 52 mmol ) were stirred in hexamethyldisilazane ( 5 ml ) for 2 h at 130 °. the reaction mixture was cooled down to 25 ° and water ( 40 ml ) was added . the resulting mixture was extracted with etoac ( 2 × 40 ml ). the combined organic solution was washed with water ( 20 ml ), and brine ( 2 × 20 ml ), and dried over mgso 4 . filtration and evaporation provided the crude amidine . crystallization from etoac - ether gave 1 . 57 g ( 80 %) of an orange colored solid which was characterized as n -[ 3 -( 1h - imidazol - 1 - yl )- propyl ]- 6 - iodo - benz [ cd ] indol - 2 - amine : mp 185 - 188 °; nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ 2 . 30 ( m , 2h ), 3 . 64 ( t , j = 7 . 2 , 2h ), 4 . 18 ( t , j = 7 . 9 , 2h ), 6 . 90 ( d , j = 8 . 1 , 1h ), 7 . 04 ( m , 2h ), 7 . 60 ( s , 1h ), 7 . 67 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 84 ( m , 2h ), 8 . 05 ( d , j = 7 . 6 , 1h ); ms m / z 403 ( m + h calcd . for c 17 h 16 in 4 403 ). the product of the example was additionally prepared using the procedures of method c as described in example 23 . the product of the example was prepared using the procedures of method a . the product of the example was also prepared using the procedures of method b as described in example 21 . 6 - iodo - 1h - benzo [ cd ] indol - 2 - one ( 0 . 2 g , 0 . 68 mmol ), benzylamine hydrochloride ( 0 . 195 g , 1 . 36 mmol ) and p - toluenesulfonic acid monohydrate ( 0 . 01 g , 0 . 052 mmol ) were stirred in hexamethyldisilazane ( 0 . 45 ml ) for 3 h at 130 °. workup as before provided the crude product . crystallization from etoac - ether gave 0 . 172 g ( 66 %) of a dark yellow solid : mp 160 - 163 °; nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ 4 . 90 ( s , 2h ), 6 . 99 ( d , j = 7 . 3 , 1h ), 7 . 36 ( m , 3h ), 7 . 46 ( m , 2h ), 7 . 62 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 78 ( m , 1h ), 7 . 87 ( m , 2h ). ms ( ei ) m / z 385 ( m + h calcd . for c 18 h 14 in 2 385 ). the product of the example was additionally prepared using the procedures of method c as described in example 23 . the product of the example was prepared using the procedures of method a . the product of the example was also prepared using the procedures of method b as described in example 21 . method c . to a stirred solution of 1h - benzo [ cd ] indol - 2 - one ( 0 . 15 g , 0 . 89 mmol ) in thf ( 1ml ), a 1 . 0 m solution of triethyloxonium tetraflouroborate in ch 2 cl 2 ( lml , 1 . 0 mmol ) was added at 25 ° and the resulting mixture was stirred for 3 h at the same temperature . solid na 2 co 3 ( 0 . 212 g , 2 . 0 meq ) and a solution of α , α - farnesyl amine ( 0 . 22 g , 1 . 0 mmol ) in thf ( 1 ml ) were added at 25 ° and the reaction mixture was stirred for 18 h at the same temperature . ethyl acetate ( 30 ml ) was added and the mixture was washed with water ( 2 × 10 ml and dried over mgso 4 . filtration and evaporation provided the crude product . chromatography on silica gel , eluting with etoac - hexane ( 1 : 1 ), gave 0 . 27 g ( 61 %) of a yellow oil which was identified as ( 1h - benzo [ cd ] indol - 2 - ylidene )-[( e , e )- 3 , 7 , 11 - trimethyl - 2 , 6 , 10 - dodecatrien - 1 - yl ]- amine : nmr ( cdcl 3 ) δ 1 . 59 ( s , 3h ), 1 . 60 ( s , 3h ), 1 . 68 ( d , j = 0 . 4 , 3h ), 1 . 76 ( s , 3h ), 1 . 93 - 2 . 20 ( m , 8h ), 4 . 34 ( d , j = 6 . 7 , 2h ), 4 . 96 - 5 . 04 ( m , 2h ), 5 . 48 ( m , 1h ), 6 . 96 - 8 . 12 ( m , 7h ). ms ( ei ) m / z 373 ( m + h calcd . for c 26 h 33 n 2 373 ). | 0 |
polyhydroxyalkanoic acid polyesters are derived from the copolymerization of at least one unsaturated hydroxy fatty acid with a hydroxyalkanoic acid . the hydroxyalkanoic acid preferably has from 2 - 6 carbon atoms . suitable hydroxyalkanoic acids include , but are not limited to , lactic acid , glycolic acid , 4 - hydroxybutanoic acid , and 5 - hydroxypentanoic acid . in a preferred embodiment , the hydroxyalkanoic acid is lactic acid . enantiomerically pure pla is a semi - crystalline polymer with t g of about 55 ° c . and t m of about 180 ° c . the degree of crystallinity and the melting point of pla polymers can be reduced by random copolymerization with other comonomers , which leads to the disturbance of the crystallization ability of the pla segments . for example , glycolide , ε - caprolactone , δ - valerolactone , 1 , 5 - dioxepan - 2 - one ( dxo ) and trimethylene carbonate ( tmc ) are frequently used as comonomers in order to change the thermal properties of pla . in a preferred embodiment , the unsaturated hydroxy fatty acid is ricinoleic acid . ricinoleic acid is a common c 18 fatty acid with a cis - configured double bond at the 9 position and a hydroxyl group at the 12 position ( cis - 12 - hydroxyoctadeca - 9 - enoic acid ). it is produced from the hydrolysis of castor oil and it is available as castor oil hydrolizate with a ricinoleic acid content of up to 85 % and the remainder being mostly monocarboxylic acids such as oleic and stearic acid as well as other components . any therapeutic , prophylactic or diagnostic agent can be incorporated into matrix . agents that can be incorporated into the polymer include , but are not limited to , naleptic agents ; analgesic agents ; anesthetic agents ; antiasthmatic agents ; antiarthritic agents ; anticancer agents ; anticholinergic agents ; anticonvulsant agents ; antidepressant agents ; antidiabetic agents ; antidiarrheal agents ; antiemetic agents ; antihelminthic agents ; antihistamines ; antihyperlipidemic agents ; antihypertensive agents ; anti - infective agents , antiinflammatory agents ; antimigraine agents ; antineoplastic agents ; antiparkinsonism drugs ; antipruritic agents ; antipsychotic agents ; antipyretic agents ; antispasmodic agents ; antitubercular agents ; antiulcer agents ; antiviral agents ; anxiolytic agents ; appetite suppressants ; attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder drugs ; cardiovascular agents including calcium channel blockers , antianginal agents , central nervous system (“ cns ”) agents , beta - blockers and antiarrhythmic agents ; central nervous system stimulants ; diuretics ; genetic materials ; hormonolytics ; hypnotics ; hypoglycemic agents ; immunosuppressive agents ; muscle relaxants ; narcotic antagonists ; nicotine ; nutritional agents ; parasympatholytics ; peptide drugs ; psychostimulants ; sedatives ; steroids ; smoking cessation agents ; sympathomimetics ; tranquilizers ; vasodilators ; beta - agonist ; tocolytic agents and combinations thereof . an effective amount of these agents can be determined by one of ordinary skill in the art . factors to consider in determining a therapeutically effective amount include age , weight and physical condition of the person to be treated ; type of agent used , type of polymer used ; and desired release rate . typically , between about 0 . 01 % ( w / w /) and 80 % ( w / w ), more typically between 0 . 1 and 20 - 50 % ( w / w ) of the active agent is incorporated into the polymer . the agent may be incorporated alone or with standard excipients , such as surfactants , plasticizers , pigments , colorants , stabilizing agents , glidants , etc . the formulation may also be coated with a sustained or delayed release coating and / or an enteric coating in the case of oral formulations . a plasticizer is normally present to reduce the fragility of the coating , and will generally represent about 10 wt . % to 50 wt . % relative to the dry weight of the polymer . examples of typical plasticizers include , but are not limited to , polyethylene glycol , propylene glycol , triacetin , dimethyl phthalate , diethyl phthalate , dibutyl phthalate , dibutyl sebacate , triethyl citrate , tributyl citrate , triethyl acetyl citrate , castor oil and acetylated monoglycerides . a stabilizing agent is preferably used to stabilize particles in the dispersion . typical stabilizing agents are nonionic emulsifiers such as sorbitan esters , polysorbates and polyvinylpyrrolidone . glidants are recommended to reduce sticking effects during film formation and drying , and will generally represent approximately 25 wt . % to 100 wt . % of the polymer weight in the coating solution . one effective glidant is talc . other glidants such as magnesium stearate and glycerol monostearates may also be used . pigments such as titanium dioxide may also be used . small quantities of an anti - foaming agent , such as a silicone ( e . g ., simethicone ), may also be added to the coating composition . copolyesters based on purified ricinoleic ( ra ) and lactic ( la ) acids with different ra : la ratios were synthesized by ( a ) thermal polycondensation ; and ( b ) transesterification of high molecular weight poly ( lactic acid ) with ricinoleic acid and repolymerization . these methods are described in scheme 1 . thermal polycondensation resulted in random p ( la - ra ) copolyesters of molecular weights between 3 , 000 and 20 , 000 . polymers containing 20 % or more ra were liquids at room temperature . 1 h - nmr spectroscopy analysis coupled with information from dsc allowed determination of the polymer structure . p ( la - ra ) s with different pla block lengths were synthesized by a two - step polycondensation to yield viscous liquid to viscous semi - solid materials ( scheme 2 ). transesterification of high molecular weight pla with pure ricinoleic acid and repolymerization of those oligomers by condensation resulted in multiblock p ( pla - ra ) copolyesters of molecular weights between 6000 and 40 , 000 . the polymers with 50 % ra were liquids at room temperature . 1 h - nmr spectroscopy analysis coupled with information from dsc allowed determination of the polymer structure . controlled release devices are typically prepared in one of several ways . for example , the polymer can be melted , mixed with the active substance and cast or injection molded into a device . such melt fabrication require polymers having a melting point that is below the temperature at which the substance to be delivered and polymer degrade or become reactive . the device can be prepared by solvent casting where the polymer is dissolved in a solvent and the drug dissolved or dispersed in the polymer solution and the solvent is then evaporated . solvent processes require that the polymer be soluble in organic solvents . another method is compression molding of a mixed powder of the polymer and the drug or polymer particles loaded with the active agent . the polymeric compositions described herein can be used as degradable carriers for treating local diseases such as cancer , bacterial and fungi local infections and pain . for most regional drug delivery , the drug should be administered for a period of weeks to months . site - specific chemotherapy that provides high drug concentrations for an extended time period in the diseased site is an effective way of treating remnant infected cells after resection of the infected area such as solid tumors . typically the formulation is administered by injection and / or implantation , intramuscularly , subcutaneously , intraperitoneally , and / or intratumor ( before , during or after tumor resection ) of specific interest is the application of these polymers for site - specific chemotherapy for the treatment of solid tumors including : squamous cell carcinoma ( scc ) of the head & amp ; neck , prostate cancer , and sarcomas for intratumoral injection or insertion . cancer of the head and neck accounts for about 40 , 000 new cases every year in the united states , which is about 5 % of all new cancer cases in the united states . unlike other solid tumors , the most common manifestation of recurrence of head and neck cancer is regional , that is , recurrence in the neck . a prospective device based on the polymers of this invention is a pasty or liquid polymeric implant , made of a biodegradable polymer matrix loaded with an anticancer agent . the anticancer agent , such as cisplatin or paclitaxel , is homogeneously dispersed into the polymer matrix . the active drug is released in a controlled manner to the surrounding tissue , when placed in contact with body fluids , while the polymer carrier is eliminating - by slow degradation . the implant , in a form of an injectable liquid or paste , is injected into the tumor or inserted into the tumor site during the surgical procedure of tumor removal . the implant provides a high dose of anti - cancer drug for an extended period of time , typically days , weeks or months , in the tumor site , with minimal systemic drug distribution , thus , providing a localized treatment of the residual tumor cells as a complementary drug therapy to the surgery . the same concept of long term drug delivery to specific diseased body sites applies also to other solid tumors , local infections such as osteomyelitis - bone infection , local anesthetic delivery for cancer or aids patients and drugs that control tissue growth such as heparin and steroids for treating restenosis and keloids . crude ricinoleic acid was purchased from acros ( 85 % pure ) ( geel , belgium ), l - lactic acid ( l - la ) and dl - lactic acid ( dl - la ) were purchased from j . t . baker [ deventer , netherlands ]. d - lactic acid was prepared from the hydrolysis of d - lactide in water . d - lactide was purchased from purac biochem ( gorinchem , netherlands ),. pure ricinoleic acid (& gt ; 95 % content with the rest is fatty acid mixture ) was prepared from the purification of crude ricinoleic acid by chromatography or by precipitation of the potassium salt of ricinoleic acid in ethanol and extraction with solvents such as acetonitrile followed by solvent evaporation . alternatively , pure ricinoleic acid is prepared by hydrolysis of castor oil in an ethanolic solution of koh and extraction and acidification with hcl aqueous solution . ir spectra were performed on monomer and polymer samples cast on nacl plates from ch 2 cl 2 solutions on a bruker vector 22 system ft - ir . uv spectra were taken on a kontron instruments uvicon model 930 ( msscientific . berlin , germany ). thermal analysis was determined on a mettler ta 4000 - dsc differential scanning calorimeter ( mettler - toledo . schwerzzenbach , schweiz ), calibrated with zn and in standards , at a heating rate of 10 ° c ./ min under nitrogen atmosphere . melting temperatures of the co - polyesters was determined also by fisher scientific melting point apparatus ( usa ). molecular weights of the co - polyesters were estimated on a gel permeation chromatography ( gpc ) system consisting of a waters 1515 isocratic hplc pump , with 2410 refractive index detector ( ri ) ( waters , m a ), a rheodyne ( coatati , calif .) injection valve with a 20 μl loop . samples were eluted with chloroform through a linear styrogel column , 500 å - pore size ( waters , m a ) at a flow rate of 1 ml / min . the molecular weights were determined relative to polystyrene standards ( polyscience , warrington , pa .) with a molecular weight range of 500 to 20 , 000 using breeze 3 . 20 version , copyright 2000 waters corporation computer program . the lactic and ricinoleic acids release was determined by hplc using c18 reverse - phase column ( lichrocart ® 250 - 4 , lichrospher ® 100 , 5 μm ). lactic acid was eluted with a solution of 0 . 1 % h 3 po 4 in ddw at a flow rate of 1 ml / min and uv detection at 210 nm . ricinoleic acid was eluted with a solution of acetonitrile : 0 . 1 % h 3 po 4 in ddw 65 : 35 v / v , at flow rate of 1 . 4 ml / min and uv detection at 210 nm . the hydrolysis was conducted in 0 . 1m phosphate buffer ( ph 7 . 4 ) at 37 ° c . with a constant shaking of 100 rpm . 1 h - nmr and 13 c - nmr spectra ( in cdcl 3 ) were recorded on a varian 300 mhz and 500 mhz spectrometers using tms as internal standard ( varian inc ., palo alto , calif .). optical rotations of polymers were determined by an optical activity ltd polarimeter ( cambridgeshire , england ) using 10 mg / ml polymer solutions in chcl 3 . viscometry of the polymers in dichloromethane was measured in cannon - ubbelohde 75 micrometer dilution viscometer . afflux times were measured at four concentrations at 25 ° c ., and the data was analyzed by standard methods . p ( l - la : ra ) and p ( d - la : ra ) with different la : ra ( w / w ) ratios were prepared by two step thermal polycondensation according to the following procedure . a 250 ml round - bottomed flask , equipped with a dean - stark trap , a reflux condenser and a cacl 2 drying tube was charged with pure ricinoleic acid and leophylized lactic acid in appropriate ratios ( total amount of both acids was 20 g ) and 150 ml of toluene . the acid mixture was dried overnight with refluxing toluene to remove trace amount of water . the toluene was removed and the temperature was raised gradually to 180 ° c . the acids were condensed for 3 hours . in the second step , the temperature was decreased to 150 ° c . and the reaction flask was connected to an oil pump where the condensation was continued under a vacuum of 0 . 3 mmhg for an additional 12 hours . each step was followed by gpc analysis of samples to determine the molecular weight of the forming polymers at each time period . all polymers were characterized by gpc , 1 h - nmr , ir , dsc , m . p , cannon - ubbelolohde 75 dilution viscometer and specific optical rotation . 1 h - nmr ( cdcl 3 , p ( la - ra ) 60 : 40 , δ ): 5 . 45 - 5 . 30 ( 2h , m , c9 - 10 , — ch ═ ch —), 5 . 20 - 5 . 02 ( 1h , q , ch — ch3 , la ), 4 . 94 - 4 . 86 ( 1h , m , c12 hc — o —), 2 . 38 - 2 . 24 ( 2h , m c2 — ch 2 , and 2h , m , c11 — ch 2 ), 2 . 01 ( 2h , m , c8 — ch 2 ), 1 . 68 - 1 . 50 ( 2h , m , c3 — ch 2 , 2h , m , c13 — ch 2 , and 3h , d , — ch3 , la ), 1 . 34 - 1 . 25 ( 16h , m , c4 - 7 and c14 - 17 ) and 0 . 868 ( 3h , t , c18 — ch3 ) ppm . 1 h - nmr ( cdcl 3 , 100 % pra , δ ): 5 . 44 - 5 . 30 ( 2h , m , c9 - 10 , — ch ═ ch —), 4 . 873 ( 1h , m , c12 hc — o —), 2 . 309 ( 2h , t , c2 — ch 2 ), 2 . 194 ( 2h , t , c11 — ch 2 ), 2 . 01 ( 2h , m , c8 — ch 2 ), 1 . 603 ( 2h , m , c3 — ch 2 ), 1 . 446 ( 2h , m , c13 — ch 2 ), 1 . 291 ( 16h , m , c4 - 7 and c14 - 17 ) and 0 . 862 ( 3h , t , c18 — ch 3 ) ppm . 1 h - nmr ( cdcl 3 , pla , δ ): 5 . 16 - 5 . 15 ( 1h , q , ch — ch3 ), 1 . 58 - 1 . 56 ( 3h , d , — ch3 , la ) ppm . polymers with molecular weights in the range 2000 to 11000 were obtained . all polymers possess typical ir absorption at 1748 cm − 1 corresponding to the ester carbonyl stretching bands . 1 h nmr spectra of the polymers fit their composition . the molecular weights , thermal properties , specific optical rotation of the polymers , and their intrinsic viscosity are summarized in table 1 . copolymerization processes did not affect the optical purity of the plas . there is correlation between intrinsic viscosity and p ( la - ra ) molecular weight and content . all the liquid polymers had an intrinsic viscosity ( in dichloromethane ) between 0 . 10 and 0 . 16 dl / g ( table 1 ). solid polymers were found to be more viscous in the same conditions . all p ( la : ra ) s with up to 20 % ra w / w had an intrinsic viscosity between 0 . 14 and 0 . 27 dl / g . ra and la acids were condensed at 180 ° c . for 3 hours . a 250 ml round - bottomed flask , equipped with dean - stark , reflux condenser and cacl 2 drying tube was charged with pure ricinoleic acid and pla ( l - pla : mn = 41 , 000 ; mw = 91 , 000 ) in desired ratios ( w / w total amount of both compounds was 10 g ) and 100 ml toluene . the ingredients were dried overnight by refluxing toluene to remove trace amounts of water . toluene was removed and transesterification proceeded for 12 hours at 150 ° c ., followed by gpc and 1 h - nmr analysis . the reaction was stopped as soon as the product achieved minimal constant molecular weight . repolymerization was carried - out by thermal polycondensation . the reaction flask was connected to an oil pump and heated to 150 ° c . under a vacuum of 0 . 3 mmhg for additional 10 hours , followed by gpc . all polymers were characterized by gpc , 1h - nmr , ir , dsc , m . p , cannon - ubbelolohde 75 dilution viscometer and specific optical rotation . 1 h - nmr ( p ( la - ra ) 60 : 40 , δ ): 5 . 47 - 5 . 29 ( 2h , m , c9 - 10 , — ch ═ ch —), 5 . 20 - 5 . 00 ( 1h , q , ch — ch3 , la ), 4 . 90 - 4 . 87 ( 1h , m , c12 hc — o —), 2 . 38 - 2 . 24 ( 2h , m , c2 — ch 2 , and 2h , m , c11 — ch 2 ), 1 . 99 ( 2h , m , c8 — ch 2 ), 1 . 66 - 1 . 40 ( 2h , m , c3 — ch 2 , 2h , m , c13 — ch 2 , and 3h , d , — ch3 , la ), 1 . 30 - 1 . 24 ( 16h , m , c4 - 7 and c14 - 17 ) and 0 . 866 ( 3h , t , c18 — ch 3 ). the molecular weight after 12 hours of transesterification fit the expected molecular weight reduction . at this stage , the system was connected to a high vacuum oil pump and repolymerization process started . the repolymerization condensation was continued until no additional increase in polymer &# 39 ; s molecular weight was observed . it was found that for all pla : ra ratio aaaab blocks were connected during repolymerization reaction . the molecular weights and melting temperatures of the p ( pla - ra ) are shown in table 2 . polymers with molecular weights in the range of 5000 to 11000 were obtained . there is a correlation between intrinsic viscosity and the p ( la - ra ) s molecular weight . dsc revealed crystalline structure for polyester synthesized by transesterification and by rop ( fig1 ). for polyesters synthesized by random condensation only p ( la - ra ) 90 : 10 w / w contained crystalline areas . this information is correlated with the 1h - nmr analysis where polymers containing relatively long la blocks obtain crystallize areas . in p ( la - ra ) s , only la blocks are able to crystallize . ricinoleic acid structure is sterrically hindered where ra blocks form non - crystalline brushlike domains along the polymer chain , thus increasing the ra content decreased the melting point and the crystallinity of the polymers . fig1 shows the crystalline structure , as determined by dsc , for different polyhydroxyalkanoic acid polyesters synthesized by transesterification and ring - opening polymerization ( rop ): ( a ) 100 % pla ; ( b ) p ( la - ra ) 90 : 10 w / w ; ( c ) p ( la - ra ) 80 : 20 w / w ; ( d ) p ( la - ra ) 70 : 30 w / w ; ( e ) p ( la - ra ) 60 : 40 w / w ; ( f ) p ( la - ra ) 50 : 50 w / w . graphs 1 and 3 in fig1 show that polymers possessing sufficiently long la blocks form detectable crystalline domains in the polymer . in contrast , graphs 2 c - f in fig1 show that copolymers with an ra content of at least 20 % do not have la blocks long enough to form detectable crystalline area in the polymer . l - lactic acid and ricinoleic acid based copolyesters were synthesized by melt condensation and transesterification of high molecular weight poly ( lactic acid ) ( pla ) with ricinoleic acid and repolymerization by condensation to yield random and block copolymers of molecular weights between 3 , 000 and 6 , 000 . in order to correlate between the copolyesters synthesized by polycondensation and transesterification , p ( la - ra ) s with different pla blocks were synthesized . the relative degree of crystallinity of those copolyesters depends directly on the pla block size , which is the only difference between the corresponding polymers . 1h - nmr spectroscopy analysis coupled with information from dsc allowed correlation between the degree of crystallinity and pla block size . p ( l - la - ra ) s and corresponding enantiomeric d - pla were mixed together in acetonitrile solution to form stereocomplexes . stereocomplex formation was dependant on the size of pla block in the p ( l - la - ra ) s , with block length of at least 10 la units required to form a stereocomplex . the formed stereocomplexes exhibited higher crystalline melting temperature than the enantiomeric polymers , which indicate stereocomplex formulation . copolyesters of la - ra with different la : ra ratios were prepared by ring opening polymerization ( rop ). a solution of l - lactide ( la ) and ricinoleic acid lactone ( ra ) was dried by evaporating the toluene over 4 hours . tin octanoate ( sn ( oct ), 60 mg ) was added as a catalyst , and the solution was allowed to react at 135 ° c . after 4 hours a sample was removed for molecular weight determination . the reaction was stopped after 24 hours and the molecular weight of the polymer formed was determined . all polymers were characterized by 1h - nmr , gpc , ir , dsc and specific optical rotation . 1h - nmr ( 50 % l - pla - ra , δ ): 5 . 45 - 5 . 33 ( 2h , m , c9 , c10 , — ch ═ ch —), 5 . 19 - 5 . 12 ( 1h , q , ch — ch3 , la ), 4 . 93 - 4 . 89 ( 1h , m , c12 hc — o —), 3 . 66 - 3 . 58 ( 1h , m , — ch — oh , ra ) 2 . 28 - 2 . 227 ( 2h , m , c2 — ch2 , and 2h , m , c11 — ch2 ), 2 . 01 ( 2h , m , c8 — ch2 ), 1 . 68 - 1 . 50 ( 2h , m , c3 — ch2 , 2h , m , c13 — ch2 , and 3h , d , — ch3 , la ), 1 . 34 - 1 . 29 ( 16h , m , c4 - 7 and c14 - 17 ) and 0 . 865 ( 3h , t , c18 — ch3 ). low molecular weight polyesters , p ( l - la : ra ) 80 : 20 with different size , time - dependent la blocks were prepared by a two step thermal polycondensation according to the following procedure : a 250 ml round - bottomed flask , equipped with a dean - stark apparatus , reflux condenser and cacl2 drying tube , was charged with 16 g lyophilized l - lactic acid and 150 ml toluene . the lactic acid solution was dried overnight with refluxing toluene to remove water traces , then the toluene was removed and the temperature was raised gradually to 180 ° c . the reaction was continued for 0 . 5 , 1 . 5 and 3 hours to obtain different size pla blocks . the molecular weight of the forming polymers was determined by gpc . in the second step , 4 g of pure , dry ricinoleic acid was dissolved in 50 ml toluene and was added to the pla flasks . toluene was removed and the temperature was raised gradually to 180 ° c . the reaction was continued for 4 hours and then connected to an oil pump where the condensation was continued under a vacuum of 0 . 3 mmhg for additional 12 hours . each step was followed by gpc analysis of samples removed from the reaction flasks to determine the molecular weight of the forming polymers at each time period . all polymers were characterized by gpc , 1h - nmr , ir , dsc and specific optical rotation . 1h - nmr ( cdcl3 , p ( la - ra ) 1 . 5 h prepolymerization ; 80 : 20 , δ ): 5 . 45 - 5 . 30 ( 2h , m , c9 - 10 , — ch ═ ch —), 5 . 20 - 5 . 02 ( 1h , q , ch — ch3 , la ), 4 . 94 - 4 . 86 ( 1h , m , c12 hc — o —), 2 . 38 - 2 . 24 ( 2h , m , c2 — ch2 , and 2h , m , c11 — ch2 ), 2 . 01 ( 2h , m , c8 — ch2 ), 1 . 68 - 1 . 50 ( 2h , m , c3 — ch2 , 2h , m , c13 — ch2 , and 3h , d , — ch3 , la ), 1 . 34 - 1 . 25 ( 16h , m , c4 - 7 and c14 - 17 ) and 0 . 868 ( 3h , t , c18 — ch3 ) ppm . polymers with molecular weights in the range of 3000 to 5000 were obtained . all polymers possess typical ir absorption at 1748 cm − 1 corresponding to the ester carbonyl stretching bands . the molecular weights , thermal properties , specific optical rotation of the polymers , and their intrinsic viscosity are summarized in table 3 . there was a correlation between the intrinsic viscosity and p ( la - ra ) molecular weight . stereocomplexes were prepared by mixing the acetonitrile solutions of the enantiomers and collecting the precipitated stereocomplexes . stereocomplex formation was tested for all p ( la - ra ) s synthesized by transesterification , polycondensation and polycondensation with initial pla blocks . in a typical experiment , p ( l - la - ra ) 70 : 30 ( 500 mg ) having a number average molecular weight of 5800 and d - pla ( 350 mg ) ( 1 : 1 w / w ratio of plas ) having a number average molecular weight of 3000 were dissolved separately in acetonitrile ( 2 ml ). the solutions were mixed together for 4 min by vortex apparatus followed by mixing at 37 ° c . for an additional 4 hours at 100 r / min . the solutions were left at room temperature without stirring overnight . the stereocomplex powder was collected by filtration . the filtrate was poured onto a glass petry dish to allow solvent evaporation . the precipitates were characterized by dsc and sem . l - lactic acid and ricinoleic acid based copolyesters were synthesized by ring opening polymerization , melt condensation and transesterification ( as described in the previous examples ) of high molecular weight poly ( lactic acid ) ( pla ) with ricinoleic acid and repolymerization by condensation to yield random and block copolymers of molecular weights between 3 , 000 and 13 , 000 . the lactic and ricinoleic acids release was determined by hplc using c18 reverse - phase column ( lichrocart ® 250 - 4 , lichrospher ® 100 , 5 μm ). lactic acid was eluted with a solution of 0 . 1 % h3po4 in ddw at a flow rate of 1 ml / min and uv detection at 210 nm . ricinoleic acid was eluted with a solution of acetonitrile : 0 . 1 % h3po4 in ddw 65 : 35 v / v , at a flow rate of 1 . 4 ml / min and uv detection at 210 nm . the hydrolysis was conducted in 0 . 1m phosphate buffer ( ph 7 . 4 ) at 37 ° c . with a constant shaking of 100 rpm . triamcinalone and 5fu concentrations in solution during drug release , were determined by uv detection at 242 nm and 267 nm , respectively . 1h - nmr and 13c - nmr spectra ( in cdcl3 ) were recorded on a varian 300 mhz and 500 mhz spectrometers using tms as internal standard ( varian inc ., palo alto , calif .). optical rotations of polymers were determined on an optical activity ltd polarimeter ( cambridgeshire , england ) using 10 mg / ml polymer in chcl3 solution . viscosity of the polymers in dichloromethane was measured in a cannon - ubbelohde 75 micrometer dilution viscometer . afflux times were measured for four concentrations at 25 ° c ., the data were analyzed for viscosity data by standard methods . the hydrolysis of the copolyester was evaluated by placing cubic samples of each solid copolyester ( 3 × 3 × 3 mm , 70 mg ) in 10 ml 0 . 1 m phosphate buffer ph 7 . 4 at 37 ° c . with constant shaking ( 100 rpm ). the liquid polymers were injected into the phosphate buffer solution (˜ 70 mg of each polymer ) for in vitro degradation studies . to avoid saturation of the solution , the phosphate buffer solution was replaced periodically with a fresh buffer solution . at each time point , a polymer sample was taken out of the buffer and vacuum dried at room temperature overnight . the hydrolysis of the polymer was monitored by weight loss of the sample ( fig2 ), release of lactic acid ( fig3 ), and change in polymer molecular weight as determined by gpc ( fig4 ). fig2 shows that all polymers exhibited an almost zero - order weight loss , with a 20 - 40 % loss after 60 days of incubation . fig3 shows that lactic acid release to the degradation solution is proportional to the weight loss of the polymer samples . fig4 shows the main decrease in molecular weight was observed during the first 20 days , followed by a slow degradation phase which kept the mn at 4000 - 2000 for another 40 days . triamcinalone and 5fu ( 10 wt %) were incorporated in the p ( l - la - ra ) s and pra by mixing the drug in the polymer melt and then injecting the viscous melt (˜ 70mg ) into 100 ml buffer phosphate solution ( 0 . 1 m , ph 7 . 4 ). drug release studies were conducted in phosphate buffer ( 0 . 1m , ph 7 . 4 ) at 37 ° c . with continuous shaking ( 100 rpm ). at each time point , the solution was replaced with a fresh buffer and drug - analysis was performed . triamcinalone and 5fu concentrations in the solution were determined by uv detection at 242 nm and 267 nm , respectively . the release of triamcinalone and 5fu is shown in fig5 and 6 . the release of triamcinalone and 5fu is faster from the liquid pra and condensated p ( la - ra ) 60 : 40 then from pasty p ( pla - ra ) 60 : 40 , synthesized by transesterification . it is understood that the disclosed invention is not limited to the particular methodology , protocols , and reagents described as these may vary . it is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only , and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention which will be limited only by the appended claims . those skilled in the art will recognize , or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation , many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described herein . such equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the following claims . | 0 |
one of the challenges faced by the development of the present invention was to obtain a stable compound of fluoroquinolone , with high purity , with physicochemical properties suitable for preparing a pharmaceutical composition and which improves the existing forms in terms of stability , solubility and / or dissolution rate . due to the complexity of the interactions in a solid structure , the final structure and thus the properties of the new solid forms are impossible to predict theoretically , so that a number of experiments had to be carried out to find the compounds described herein . the complex co - crystals of the present invention , in the preferred embodiment , are formed from fluoroquinolone - halide salt and neutral co - former , both being solids at room temperature . the nsf obtained from the combination of these solids , consist of an aggregate in which the components of the fluoroquinolone salt and the neutral co - former molecule interact through hydrogen bonding , van der waals or electrostatic interactions . the new solid form obtained in the present invention offer the advantage of generating solid active ingredients with improved physicochemical properties , such as improved solubility , stability or easy - flowing properties . the present invention started from a fluoroquinolone salt which may be , for example , ciprofloxacin or moxifloxacin in its hydrochloride form . moxifloxacin hydrochloride was reacted with a variety of possible co - formers in the presence of solvents such as tetrahydrofuran ( thf ), methanol ( meoh ), dimethyl sulfoxide ( dmso ), dimethylformamide ( dmf ), acetone , acetonitrile or water . in the preferred embodiment saturated solutions of the respective co - formers were prepared , to which small amounts of solid moxifloxacin hydrochloride were added under constant agitation . the added solid is dissolved and additions are interrupted due to the appearance of a new insoluble solid form in the dissolution medium . from these reactions several possible combinations among moxifloxacin , coformer and solvent were carried out . the product of these reactions was characterized by x - ray powder diffraction assay . this test showed that nsf were generated either as solvates , hydrates and co - crystals . from the results of these tests it was concluded that the formation of co - crystals is neither simple nor predictable . the new solid phases that form an aggregate with moxifloxacin hydrochloride can be obtained by several methods such as grinding , the solid phase transformation ( slurry ) and / or crystallization of saturated solutions . in the present invention was carried out with the following co - formers , among others : aliphatic carboxylic acids , aromatic carboxylic acids , hydroxybenzoic aromatic acids , hydroxycarboxylic acids , polyols ( aromatic polyols ), benzamide derivative , benzyl alcohol , dextrins , amino acid derivatives , disaccharides , polysaccharides , monosaccharides and / or polyphenols such as gallic acid ( known as gallates ), flavones , cinnamic acid and its derivatives such as quercetin , catechin , epigallocatechin and / or resveratrol . in the early tests of the present invention new solid forms ( nsf ) were obtained , which were stable with co - formers such as glycolic acid , 3 - hydroxybenzoic and 4 - hydroxybenzoic acid . these nsf obtained correspond to compounds wherein the neutral co - former has a hydroxyl group and a carboxylic acid , some of them also contain a phenyl as part of their structure . additionally , and in order to define the structural diversity of the co - formers that generate co - crystals , other reactions were carried out , now with hydroxycarboxylic acids and aromatic and aliphatic dicarboxylic acids such as benzoic acid , phthalic , isophthalic , terephthalic , and trans - cinnamic , which did not generate a nsf as product . other reactions were performed with aromatic monocarboxylic acids with two or three hydroxyl groups , such as vanillic acid , 2 , 4 - dihydroxybenzoic acid , 2 , 5 - dihydroxybenzoic acid , 3 , 4 - dihydroxybenzoic , 3 , 5 - dihydroxybenzoic acid and gallic acid . nsf were obtained with these co - formers , with the exception of vanillic acid . in order to determine whether the replacement of a carboxylic acid instead an amide group in the 4 - hydroxybenzoic acid and salicylic acid influenced the obtention of nsf , the corresponding benzamides ( 4 - hydroxybenzamide and salicylamide ) were examined . also , 4 - aminobenzoic acid and 4 - hydroxybenzyl alcohol were tested . similarly , analogs of nicotinamide and isonicotinamide were used , in which the amino group was replaced by the carboxylic group , generating the respective nicotinic and isonicotinic acids . additionally , picolinic acid was included to complete the study on this type of compounds . the study also included the 2 - hydroxynicotinic and cathecol , in order to explore the need of the phenyl group and the carboxylic acid in the structure of the co - formers . resorcinol was used additionally as co - former , performing crystallization in saturated solution in methanol . when working with aliphatic chain compounds , nsf were expected to be obtained by using dicarboxylic acids such as fumaric acid , adipic acid and pimelic acid , as stated by s . l . childs et . al . [ j . am chem soc 2004 , 126 , pp . 13335 ]. as a result of working with aliphatic compounds , nsf were obtained with glycolic acid but not with the dicarboxylic acids . other aliphatic carboxylic acids were tested , expecting for nsf formation , however , the novel forms were neither obtained with lactic acid nor glycine . for aliphatic polyols xylitol and l - ascorbic acid , in both dmso and dmf , nsf were not obtained . nsf were obtained with malic acid and d - tartaric acid , again reflecting that the formation of nsf is not predictable . likewise and in order to determine the nsf formation with other molecules containing other types of donors for hydrogen bonding and aside from terminal carboxylic and hydroxyl groups , amino acids such as l - aspartic acid and l - glutamine were tested , as well as polyols such as cathecol , xylitol and ascorbic acid . the result was the formation of nsf only with cathecol , but not with xylitol or ascorbic acid . based on the results obtained for moxifloxacin hydrochloride , the ciprofloxacin hydrochloride salt was tested , and in this case it was reacted with a limited range of neutral co - formers , specifically those containing aromatic hydroxycarboxylic groups and aromatic diols in the presence of solvents such as tetrahydrofuran ( thf ), methanol ( meoh ), dimethyl sulfoxide ( dmso ), dimethylformamide ( dmf ), acetone , acetonitrile or water . in the preferred embodiment nsf were obtained in combination with the co - formers 3 - hydroxybenzoic acid , 4 - hydroxybenzoic acid , 2 , 5 - dihydroxybenzoic acid , 3 , 4 - dihydroxybenzoic acid , 3 , 5 - dihydroxybenzoic acid , 2 , 4 - dihydroxybenzoic acid , or 2 , 4 - dihydroxybenzoic acid . within this group nsf were not obtained when using 2 - hydroxybenzoic acid or 2 , 6 - dihydroxybenzoic in combination with ciprofloxacin hydrochloride . additionally , nsf were generated from the combination with cathecol , resorcinol or hydroquinone . crystallization experiments with aromatic carboxylic acids , such as phthalic acid and terephthalic acid in meoh and dmso respectively , showed by means of the x - ray powder diffraction analysis that in both cases the solid obtained by the method of crystallization from saturated solutions corresponds exactly to moxifloxacin hcl , which means that no nsf was generated . similar results were obtained for the trans - cinnamic acid , in which case the reactions were carried out with meoh and dmso . crystallization experiments with nicotinic acid , isonicotinic , picolinic acid and 2 - hydroxynicotinic acid showed diffraction patterns similar to moxifloxacin hcl and its corresponding hidrosolvate . these obtained results ruled out the formation of nsf by the crystallization of the solutions with these coformers . these tests demonstrate that the crystallization reactions to form co - crystals are impossible to predict . crystallization processes performed with hydroxybenzoic acids gave different results , for example for crystallization of saturated solutions of 4 - hydroxybenzoic acid in methanol resulted in a new phase , as shown in fig1 . similarly using methanol or thf , nsf were obtained with the co - formers 3 - hydroxybenzoic acid ( fig1 ), 2 , 4 - dihydroxybenzoic acid ( fig1 ), 2 , 5 - dihydroxybenzoic acid ( fig6 a , 6b and 6c ), 3 , 4 - hydroxybenzoic acid ( fig1 a and 12b ) and 3 , 5 - hydroxybenzoic acid ( fig1 ). from the reactions between moxifloxacin hcl and 4 - hydroxybenzoic acid , the formation of stable co - crystals was obtained . this was confirmed by x - ray powder diffraction ( xrd ) analysis , differential scanning calorimetry / thermogravimetric analysis ( dsc / tga ), and infrared spectrum ( ft - ir ), as illustrated in the annexed figures . fig3 shows the x - ray powder diffraction pattern of the co - crystal of moxifloxacin hcl with 4 - hydroxybenzoic acid . fig2 shows a dsc - tga thermal analysis of the co - crystal of moxifloxacin hcl with 4 - hydroxybenzoic acid . fig4 shows the nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum ( nmr ) of the 13 c core in solid - state ( 13 c cp - mas nmr ) of : a ) moxifloxacin nsf ; b ) the physical mixture in the molar ratio 1 to 1 of moxifloxacin hcl / 4 - hydroxybenzoic acid ; and c ) moxifloxacin nsf with 4 - hydroxybenzoic acid . fig5 shows the asymmetric unit of the crystalline structure of moxifloxacin hcl co - crystal with 4 - hydroxybenzoic acid , obtained by x - ray diffraction of the monocrystal . fig7 and 9 show the dsc - tga thermal analysis , the tf - ir infrared spectrum and the asymmetric unit of the crystalline structure of moxifloxacin hcl co - crystal with 2 , 5 - dihydroxybenzoic acid . in the crystallization of saturated solutions in thf in the case of gallic acid , the diffraction pattern corresponds to the one of moxifloxacin hcl , whereas for the 3 , 5 - dihydroxybenzoic acid a nsf with a high degree of amorphicity was obtained . when the crystallization of saturated solutions was carried out in methanol , the powder diffraction pattern obtained showed an nsf either for both gallic acid ( fig1 ) and 3 , 5 - dihydroxybenzoic acid ( fig1 ). resorcinol also generated a co - crystal ( fig1 ), as well as glycolic acid ( fig1 ), dl - malic acid ( fig1 ) and d - tartaric acid ( fig1 ). crystallizations with aromatic hydroxibenzamides also showed positive results . the x - ray powder diffraction pattern analysis corresponding to 4 - hydroxybenzamide in thf shows the formation of a new phase ( fig2 ). crystallization of saturated solutions of 4 - aminobenzoic acid in methanol also generated a co - crystal ( fig2 ), as well as with 4 - hydroxybenzyl alcohol ( fig2 ). crystallizations between ciprofloxacin hcl and 4 - hydroxybenzoic acid resulted in stable nsf , characterized by an x - ray diffraction pattern different to the one of the starting materials ( fig2 ). when employing combinations with other hydroxycarboxylic acids or aromatic polyols , nsf were generated . for example , nsf were obtained from ciprofloxacin hydrochloride in combination with the co - formers 3 - hydroxybenzoic acid ( fig2 ), 2 , 3 - dihydroxybenzoic acid ( fig2 ), 2 , 4 - dihydroxybenzoic acid ( fig2 ), 2 , 5 - dihydroxybenzoic acid ( fig2 ), 3 , 4 - dihydroxybenzoic acid ( fig2 ), 3 , 5 - dihydroxybenzoic acid ( fig2 ), cathecol ( fig3 ), resorcinol ( fig3 ) or hydroquinone ( fig3 ). in the preferred embodiment of the present invention , as a result of experimentation nsf of moxifloxacin and ciprofloxacin were obtained . some examples are shown hereinbelow . the combination of the moxifloxacin salt with a chemical compound of aliphatic hydroxycarboxylic acids such as glycolic acid , d - tartaric acid or malic acid , among others . the combination of the moxifloxacin salt with a chemical compound of derivatives of hydroxycarboxylic acids and aromatic analogs such as 3 - hydroxybenzoic acid , 4 - hydroxybenzoic acid , 2 , 5 - dihydroxybenzoic acid , 3 , 4 - dihydroxybenzoic acid , 3 , 5 - dihydroxybenzoic acid , gallic acid , 2 , 4 - dihydroxybenzoic acid , 4 - hydroxybenzamide , 4 - aminobenzoic acid and others . the combination of the moxifloxacin salt with a chemical compound of the aromatic polyol kind , such as cathecol , resorcinol or 4 - hydroxybenzyl alcohol , among others . the combination of the moxifloxacin salt with a chemical compound of a derivative of hydroxycarboxylic acids and aromatic analogues such as 3 - hydroxybenzoic acid , 4 - hydroxybenzoic acid , 2 , 5 - dihydroxybenzoic acid , 3 , 4 - dihydroxybenzoic acid , 3 , 5 - dihydroxybenzoic acid 2 , 4 - dihydroxybenzoic acid , 2 , 3 - dihydroxybenzoic among others . the combination of the moxifloxacin salt with a chemical compound of the aromatic polyol kind , such as cathecol , resorcinol or hydroquinone , among others . the ciprofloxacin and moxifloxacin nsf obtention process can additionally start from a salt different from the hydrochloride salt , where the chlorine can be substituted by another halogen . the selected moxifloxacin salt is combined with any of the aforementioned co - formers . | 2 |
in the drawing figures , dimensions may be exaggerated for clarity of illustration . it will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “ on ” another element , it can be directly on the other element , or one or more intervening elements may also be present . it will also be understood that when an element is referred to as being “ under ” another element , it can be directly under , or one or more intervening elements may also be present . it will also be understood that when an element is referred to as being “ between ” two elements , it can be the only element between the two elements , or one or more intervening elements may also be present . like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout . fig1 illustrates a perspective view of a battery module according to a first embodiment . referring to fig1 , the battery module 100 may include a battery unit 101 . the battery unit 101 may include one or more electrode assemblies 102 . a positive electrode terminal 103 and a negative electrode terminal 104 may protrude from the battery unit 101 . a washer 106 , a nut 107 , and an insulator 105 may be connected to each of the positive electrode terminal 103 and the negative electrode terminal 104 . in the battery module 100 , a plurality of the battery units 101 may be connected together . for example , the battery units 101 may be electrically connected in series . the battery units 101 may be alternately arranged so that adjacent terminals of adjacent battery units have opposite polarities . the positive electrode terminal 103 of one battery unit 101 may be connected to the negative electrode terminal 104 of another , adjacent battery unit 101 via a bus bar 108 . in an implementation , the positive electrode terminal 103 of the one battery unit 101 and the negative electrode terminal 104 of the other battery unit 101 may be connected to each other by the bus bar 108 with nuts 109 screwed thereon to secure the bus bar 108 . fig2 illustrates a cross - sectional view of a battery unit cut along a line i - i of fig1 . fig3 illustrates aspects of an electrode assembly . referring to fig2 and 3 , the battery unit 101 may include the at least one electrode assembly 102 , as well as a case 110 including the at least one electrode assembly 102 . a cap assembly 111 may be installed on the case 110 . as shown in fig3 , the electrode assembly 102 may include a positive plate 112 and a negative plate 113 . a separator 114 may be interposed between the positive plate 112 and the negative plate 113 . the positive plate 112 , the separator 114 , and the negative plate 113 may be rolled to form a jelly - roll type electrode assembly . two or more such jelly - roll type electrodes may be housed in the case 110 . for the positive plate 112 , a positive active material layer 112 b may be formed on at least one surface of a positive current collector 112 a . further , a positive electrode uncoated part 112 c , on which the positive active material layer 112 b is not formed , may be provided on one edge of the positive current collector 112 a , e . g ., along a longitudinal direction thereof . for the negative plate 113 , a negative active material layer 113 b may be formed on at least one surface of a negative current collector 113 a . further , a negative electrode uncoated part 113 c , on which a negative active material layer 113 b is not formed , may be formed on one edge of the negative current collector 113 a , e . g ., along a longitudinal direction thereof . the uncoated part 113 c of the negative plate 113 may be opposite to the uncoated part 112 c of the positive plate 112 , such that the positive electrode uncoated part 112 c and the negative electrode uncoated part 113 c are arranged at edges that are opposite to each other in a width direction of the electrode assembly 102 . the electrode assembly 102 may be inserted into the case 110 such that the positive electrode uncoated part 112 c and the negative electrode uncoated part 113 c are disposed on left and right sides of the electrode assembly 102 , respectively . the positive electrode uncoated part 112 c may be electrically connected to a positive electrode current collector plate 115 . the negative electrode uncoated part 113 c may be electrically connected to a negative electrode current collector plate 116 . an end of the positive electrode current collector plate 115 and an end of the negative electrode current collector plate 116 may be located in the upper space s in the case 110 , the space s being formed between the electrode assembly 102 and the cap assembly 111 . the positive electrode uncoated part 112 c may be combined to the positive electrode current collector plate 115 , and the negative electrode uncoated part 113 c may be combined to the negative electrode current collector plate 116 , respectively , using , e . g ., ultrasonic welding . the case 110 may be formed of a metal , e . g ., aluminum , an aluminum alloy , nickel - plate steel , etc . in another implementation , the case 110 may be formed of an electrically insulating material . the case 110 may or may not be polarized , i . e ., the case 110 itself may or may not form part of the electrical circuit of the battery . the size of the case 110 may be such that at least one electrode assembly 102 may be included therein . the case 110 may have a square shape or another suitable shape . the cap assembly 111 may include a cap plate 112 that seals an upper opening 110 b of the case 110 . a bottom surface of the cap plate 112 may be combined to the case 110 along edges of an upper part of the case 110 and may seal an inner space of the case 110 . the cap plate 112 may include a safety vent 123 . the safety vent 123 may open , e . g ., irreversibly , to rapidly discharge gas out from the case 110 when an internal pressure of the case 110 is excessively increased . the cap plate 112 may include an electrolyte injection hole 124 for injecting an electrolyte into the case 110 . the electrolyte injection hole 124 may include a pin 125 that seals the electrolyte injection hole 124 after injection of an electrolyte . the positive electrode current collector plate 115 may be electrically connected to the positive electrode terminal 103 , which may be formed of a bolt . the positive electrode terminal 103 may protrude past a hole in the cap plate 112 by a predetermined amount from inside the case 110 . at the hole of the cap plate 112 through which the positive electrode terminal 103 protrudes , the insulator 105 and a seal gasket 117 may be respectively inserted thereon and thereunder , to insulate the positive electrode terminal 103 from the cap plate 112 . the positive electrode terminal 103 may extend through the insulator 105 and the seal gasket 117 . a washer 106 and a nut 107 may be placed onto the positive electrode terminal 103 protruding from the cap plate 112 and screwed thereon . the bus bar 108 may be fixed to the positive electrode terminal 103 protruding from the nut 107 so as to electrically connect to an adjacent battery unit 101 . the nut 109 may be screwed on the bus bar 108 and thus the bus bar 108 may be fixed on the positive electrode terminal 103 . the positive electrode current collector plate 115 may be fixed on the positive electrode terminal 103 in the upper space s of the case 110 , e . g ., by caulking and laser welding . an insulating case 118 may be further installed around the positive electrode terminal 103 by being interposed between the positive electrode current collector plate 115 and the cap plate 112 . the negative electrode current collector plate 116 may be electrically connected to the negative electrode terminal 104 , which may be formed of a bolt . the negative electrode terminal 104 may protrude past a hole in the cap plate 112 by a predetermined amount from inside of the case 110 . an insulator 105 , a seal gasket 117 , and an insulating case 118 may be installed between the negative electrode terminal 104 and the cap plate 112 for insulating the negative electrode terminal 104 from the cap plate 112 . the at least one electrode assembly 102 may be installed in the battery unit 101 . a bottom retainer 400 may be installed at a bottom of the case 110 in order to prevent movement of the electrode assembly 102 , which will be described more fully below . fig4 illustrates a cross - sectional view of a battery unit cut along a line ii - ii of fig1 . fig5 illustrates a partial perspective view of the battery unit of fig4 . hereinafter , connections regarding a positive plate are described in the current embodiment ; however , the current embodiment may be also applied to a negative plate . as shown in fig4 and 5 , the electrode assembly 102 is included in the case 110 . the electrode assembly 102 according to the current embodiment includes a first electrode assembly 102 a and a second electrode assembly 102 b . however , the current embodiment is not limited thereto , and one or more electrode assemblies 102 may be included in the case 110 . the positive electrode current collector plate 115 may include a plurality of collector leads , e . g ., first and second positive electrode current collector leads 115 a and 115 b , as well as a positive electrode current collector connector 115 c that connects the positive electrode current collector leads 115 a and 115 b . the first positive electrode current collector lead 115 a may be electrically connected to the first electrode assembly 102 a and the second positive electrode current collector lead 115 b may be electrically connected to the second electrode assembly 102 b . the first positive electrode current collector lead 115 a and the second positive electrode current collector lead 115 b may be connected to a positive electrode current collector of the first electrode assembly 102 a and a positive electrode current collector of the second electrode assembly 102 b , respectively , using , e . g ., ultrasonic welding . the first positive electrode current collector lead 115 a and the second positive electrode current collector lead 115 b may be connected to the positive electrode current collector at one edge of the first electrode assembly 102 a and the positive electrode current collector at one edge of the second electrode assembly 102 b , respectively . the first positive electrode current collector lead 115 a and the second positive electrode current collector lead 115 b may be integrally connected to each other by the positive electrode current collector connector 115 c in the upper space s in the case 110 . the positive electrode current collector connector 115 c may be bent with respect to the first positive electrode current collector lead 115 a and the second positive electrode current collector lead 115 b . the positive electrode terminal 103 may be fixed to an upper surface of the positive electrode current collector connector 115 c , e . g ., by caulking and laser welding . an insulator 105 , a seal gasket 117 , and an insulating case 118 may be installed around the positive electrode terminal 103 for insulating the positive electrode terminal 103 from the cap plate 112 . the first electrode assembly 102 a and the second electrode assembly 102 b may be secured by the connections of the first positive electrode current collector lead 115 a , the second positive electrode current collector lead 115 b , the positive electrode current collector connector 115 c , and the positive electrode terminal 103 in the upper space s in the case 110 , which may help to prevent movement of the internal components of the battery unit 101 . the bottom retainer 400 may be installed at the bottom of the case 110 in order to prevent the first electrode assembly 102 a and the second electrode assembly 102 b from moving . the bottom retainer 400 may be configured as a plate having ends that contact outer side surfaces of the electrode assembly 102 a and / or 102 b . the bottom retainer 400 may be a plate having ends that are bent upward to positively engage the electrode assembly 102 a and / or 102 b , to thus positively engage the electrode assembly 102 a and / or 102 b and resist lateral motion thereof . in an implementation , the bottom retainer 400 may be a preformed and / or solid piece , and may thus provide a more positive engagement with the electrode assembly 102 a and / or 102 b than , e . g ., a foam piece . the bottom retainer 400 may be an integral member , and may be formed by , e . g ., thermoforming a plastic material , stamping a metal material , etc . the bottom retainer 400 may include a first bottom 401 and a second bottom 402 . the first bottom 401 and the second bottom 402 may be flat plates extended from one side to the other side along the bottom of the case 110 . a first transformed part 403 inclined by a predetermined angle towards an upper direction may be formed at an edge of the first bottom 401 , and may extend along the longitudinal direction of the first bottom 401 . in an implementation , opposing first transformed parts 403 may be integrally connected with the first bottom 401 along edges of the first bottom 401 , such that the first electrode assembly 102 a is located in an inner space formed by combining the first bottom 401 and the first transformed parts 403 . a second transformed part 404 inclined by a predetermined angle towards an upper direction may be formed at an edge of the second bottom 402 , and may extend along the longitudinal direction of the second bottom 402 . in an implementation , opposing second transformed parts 404 may be integrally connected with the second bottom 402 along edges of the second bottom 402 , such that the second electrode assembly 102 b is located in an inner space formed by combining the second bottom 402 and the second transformed parts 404 . the first bottom 401 and the second bottom 402 may disposed apart from one another , and may be integrally connected to each other at a part 405 . the part 405 may be positioned where the first electrode assembly 102 a and the second electrode assembly 102 b are contacted with each other . accordingly , the bottom retainer 400 may span and stabilize the first electrode assembly 102 a and the second electrode assembly 102 b , wherein the first electrode assembly 102 a and the second electrode assembly 102 b may be in the inner space formed by combining the first bottom 401 and the first transformed parts 403 and the inner space formed by combining the second bottom 402 and the second transformed parts 404 , respectively . the size of the inner space formed by combining the first bottom 401 and the first transformed parts 403 , and the size of the inner space formed by combining the second bottom 402 and the second transformed parts 404 , respectively , may be such that lower parts of the first electrode assembly 102 a and lower parts of the second electrode assembly 102 b are forcibly fixed thereto . the bottom retainer 400 may be separate from the electrode assembly 102 and the bottom surface 110 a of the case 110 . the bottom retainer 400 may not be fixed to the electrode assembly 102 or the bottom surface 110 a of the case 110 . the bottom retainer 400 may be held in place due to being pressed between the electrode assembly 102 and the bottom surface 110 a of the case 110 , but may float therebetween . lengths , i . e ., longitudinal dimensions , of the first bottom 401 and the second bottom 402 may be long enough to cover lengths of the first electrode assembly 102 a and the second electrode assembly 102 b . moreover , the height of the first transformed parts 403 and the second transformed parts 404 may be high enough to include predetermined areas of the lower parts of the first electrode assembly 102 a and the second electrode assembly 102 b therein . the bottom retainer 400 may be formed of a material that may deform when the first electrode assembly 102 a and the second electrode assembly 102 b are inserted thereon , for example , an elastomer such as silicone or rubber , or a polymer resin such as poly propylene ( pp ). the battery unit 101 is inserted into the case 110 as illustrated in fig6 a while the first electrode assembly 102 a and the second electrode assembly 102 b are respectively electrically connected to the positive electrode terminal 103 and the negative electrode terminal 104 protruding through the cap plate 112 . the bottom retainer 400 may first be installed at the bottom of the case 110 . then , the lower part of the first electrode assembly 102 a may be located in the inner space formed by combining the first bottom 401 and the first transformed parts 403 , and the lower part of the second electrode assembly 102 b may be located in the inner space formed by combining the second bottom 402 and the second transformed parts 404 . as illustrated in fig6 b , when the electrode assembly 102 is installed on the bottom retainer 400 , the lower part of the first electrode assembly 102 a may deform a part of the bottom retainer 400 where the first bottom 401 and the first transformed parts 403 are connected to each other , and the lower part of the second electrode assembly 102 b may deform a part of the bottom retainer where the second bottom 402 and the second transformed parts 404 are connected to each other . as illustrated in fig6 a and 6b , the electrode assembly 102 , when forcibly fixed to the bottom retainer 400 as represented by an arrow in fig6 a , deforms the bottom retainer 400 such that the first transformed parts 403 and the second transformed parts 404 of the bottom retainer 400 are elastically deformed on the left and right sides of the case 110 , as represented by dashed lines in fig6 b . in an implementation , the first transformed parts 403 and the second transformed parts 404 contact inner walls of the case 11 . the first electrode assembly 102 a and the second electrode assembly 102 b are elastically supported by the first transformed parts 403 and the second transformed parts 404 . accordingly , the first electrode assembly 102 a and the second electrode assembly 102 b may not be moved . fig7 illustrates a cross - sectional view of a battery unit according to another embodiment . like reference numerals to those in the previous drawings denote like elements having the same functions . referring to fig7 , the first electrode assembly 102 a and the second electrode assembly 102 b may be installed in the case 110 . a bottom retainer 700 may be installed at the bottom of the case 110 in order to prevent first electrode assembly 102 a and the second electrode assembly 102 b from moving . as compared to the above - described embodiment , separate transformed parts ( to include the first electrode assembly 102 a and the second electrode assembly 102 b in separate spaces ) are not formed where the first electrode assembly 102 a and the second electrode assembly 102 b contact each other . rather , the bottom retainer 700 includes a bottom 701 and lateral , i . e ., peripheral , transformed parts 702 inclined by a predetermined angle towards an upper direction at two edges of the bottom 701 in a longitudinal direction . each transformed part 702 may be integrally connected with the bottom 701 . the first electrode assembly 102 a and the second electrode assembly 102 b may both be located in an inner space formed by combining the bottom 701 and the transformed parts 702 . the size of the inner space formed by combining the bottom 701 and the transformed parts 702 may be such that the lower parts of the first electrode assembly 102 a and the lower part of the second electrode assembly 102 b are forcibly fixed thereto . the size of the plurality of transformed parts 702 may be such that predetermined areas of the lower parts of the first electrode assembly 102 a and the second electrode assembly 102 b may be included therein . accordingly , when the electrode assembly 102 is installed on the bottom retainer 700 , the bottom retainer 700 may be deformed and the electrode assembly 102 is elastically supported by the bottom retainer 700 . accordingly , the first electrode assembly 102 a and the second electrode assembly 102 b may not be moved . as described above , according to the one or more of the above embodiments , the battery unit may have a bottom retainer formed of an elastomer , the bottom retainer being installed at a bottom of a case where at least one electrode assembly is included . when the electrode assembly inserted into the case , the electrode assembly may push on the bottom retainer and deform the bottom retainer , thereby supporting the electrode assembly by an elastic force of the bottom retainer . accordingly , the electrode assembly may not be moved , and thus , vibration endurance of battery may be improved . a plurality of battery units , each including at least one electrode assembly and a corresponding bottom retainer , may be prepared and the plurality of battery units may be electrically connected to form a battery module . it should be understood that the exemplary embodiments described therein should be considered in a descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation . descriptions of features or aspects within each embodiment should typically be considered as available for other similar features or aspects in other embodiments . | 7 |
the present invention relates generally to a device casing and more particularly to an extendable connector on such a device . the following description is presented to enable one having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and is provided in the context of a patent application and the generic principles and features described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art . thus , the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown , but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features described herein . the device of the present invention may be directed to electronic devices such as a usb device as well as various computer peripheral devices that are connected by plug connectors to a host computer system to perform various functions . accordingly , it will be appreciated that the present invention is applicable to any and all pocket - sized computer peripheral device types that are readily transportable and which may be advantageously interconnected with various host computer systems ( i . e . any electronic computer of any type or size including desktop computers , notebook computers , palmtop computers , and personal digital assistant devices ). for example , flash memory storage devices , communication devices , scanners , and cameras are all applicable pocket - sized computer peripheral devices to the present invention . accordingly , it will be appreciated by one having ordinary skill in the art that the present invention is applicable , in general , to electronic devices and is therefore not limited to usb devices . therefore , one having ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that there could be variations to the usb device embodiments and those variations would be within the spirit and scope of the present invention . fig1 shows a perspective view of an universal serial bus device 100 with an internal slide mechanism , according to an embodiment . for an embodiment , universal serial bus device 100 comprises an adjustable base 101 , a first housing 102 , tab 103 , inner surface 104 , tab recesses 105 / 107 , connector system 106 , and a printed circuit board assembly ( not shown ). the perspective of universal serial bus device 100 shows connector system 106 retracted within the first casing 102 . that is , tab 103 is locked in place by tab recess 107 such that connector system 106 is in the furthest position ( according to a design embodiment ) within casing 102 ( and a set of slot pins locked in place within a set of locking cavities — described in more detail below ). for an embodiment , connector system 106 is completely within casing 102 such that connector system 106 is not exposed and the first casing 102 provides protection thereto . fig2 shows a side view of a universal serial bus device 200 showing a second casing 202 , upper body 208 , lower body 209 , slot pin 210 , and compression area 211 . according to an embodiment , the slide mechanism of a universal serial bus device housing 200 is enabled in the event that a user compresses the universal serial bus device housing 200 along the upper body 208 within compression area 211 . for embodiments , vertical compression enables the slide - locking mechanism of universal serial bus device housing 200 . upon compression , slot pin 210 along with an other corresponding slot pin disposed on an opposite side of universal serial bus device housing 200 , shifts downwards to contact lower body 209 and also inward underneath casing 202 along pin slots embedded in the universal serial bus device 100 as further shown in fig3 . as shown , pin slots 314 are embedded horizontally along an inner surface 315 of universal serial bus device 100 . as stated , when the slide - mechanism is enabled a set of slot pins are forced out of their locking positions in the first set of locking cavities 313 and are guided along pin slots 314 to a second set of locking cavities 316 . once the slot pins reach the second set of locking cavities , they are locked in place . that is , when the slot pins are laterally forced from a first set of locking cavities 313 they travel along pin slots 314 until they are locked in a second set of locking cavities 316 . the first set of locking cavities 313 may define the retract or extend position for an universal serial bus connector system . conversely , the second set of locking cavities 316 may define the retract or extend position for an universal serial bus connector system , depending on the defined designation of the first set of locking cavities . for example , if the first set of locking cavities defines a retract position for an universal serial bus connector system when a set of slot pins are locked therein , then the second set of locking cavities defines an extend position for an universal serial bus connector system when a set of slot pins are locked therein . it can be appreciated that the term “ lock ”, “ locking ”, and other verb tenses of the term refers to fastening , fixing , securing , or holding in place . accordingly , the slot pins described above are locked , fastened , fixed , secured , or held in place within the locking cavities . for an embodiment , the distance that the set of slot pins travel to and from the first and second set of cavities defines the length that the connector system can extend or protract beyond the casing ( housing or frame ) of the universal serial bus device or the distance the connector system can retract or withdraw within . in an embodiment , the connector system extends approximately 12 mm beyond the casing of the universal serial bus device . for an embodiment , the set of slot pins may feature tapered edges . for an embodiment , “ tapered ” may be defined as a gradual dimunition of thickness , diameter , or width in an elongated object . for embodiments , the set of slot pins may be tapered to assist the slot pins move within the universal serial bus device once the sliding mechanism is enabled . additionally , the set of locking cavities may be designed to effectively lock the slot pins in place in the event that the universal serial bus connector system is positioned in a retract or extend state . for an embodiment when the set of slot pins feature tapered edges , the set of slot pins “ snap ” into place once the slot pins reach the set of locking cavities . once the slot pins snap in place , the locking cavities provide a tight , flush fit for the slot pins therein . for an embodiment , the aforementioned procedure defines a first locking mechanism such that an universal serial bus device maintains a static position upon full retraction or extension . for the embodiment , the first locking mechanism is featured along the side of a usb casing . the universal serial bus device of the present invention also includes a second locking mechanism shown by fig4 and fig5 , according to an embodiment . accordingly , fig4 shows an inner surface of an universal serial bus device housing 200 ( fig2 ) featuring a tab 403 disposed on a surface of a third casing 402 , and a set of guides 418 , according to an embodiment . for an embodiment , tab 403 functions as a secondary latch for an universal serial bus device such that tab 403 provides an additional lock when the connector system is set in the retracted or extended position . for an embodiment , tab 403 comprises a spring section . for the embodiment , the spring section enables the adjustable base to slide along a set of guides embedded along the inner surface of the universal serial bus housing ( casing ) with minimal resistance . as such , a universal serial bus connector system can extend and retract freely between the first and second locking positions . for the embodiment , tab 403 compresses slightly when the adjustable base slides thereto and therefrom . for other embodiments , tab 403 also includes tapered edges as shown in fig4 . for the embodiment , a tapered tab 403 assists the slot pins move within the universal serial bus device once the sliding mechanism is enabled such that the universal serial bus connector system extends and retracts freely between the first and second locking positions . fig5 shows a perspective view of a second adjustable base 501 which includes a tab set of slot pins 510 and a set of recessed tab cavities 505 , 507 for the secondary latch 403 of fig4 , according to an embodiment . in the event that the universal serial bus connector system transitions from a retracted to an extended position , the tab 403 disposed within the universal serial bus device shifts to the corresponding recessed tab cavity . for example , recessed tab cavity 505 may represent the locking position where an universal serial bus connector system is in the extended position . likewise , recessed tab cavity 507 represents the locking position where an universal serial bus connector system is in the retracted position . accordingly , adjustable base 501 shifts between recessed tab cavity 505 and 507 to extend or retract an universal serial bus connector system . as stated above , tapered tabs having a spring member and tapered slot pins may enable adjustable base 501 to slide within the casing with minimal obstruction , impedance , or resistance . for an embodiment , the aforementioned procedure defines a secondary locking mechanism . for embodiments , the secondary locking mechanism works in tandem with the first locking mechanism described above . for example , when a usb connector system is fully extended both locking mechanisms are enabled . that is , a set of slot pins are locked within a set of locking cavities and a tab is locked within a tab recess cavity that defines an extended position for the usb connector system . likewise , a set of slot pins are locked within a set of locking cavities and a tab is locked within a tab recess cavity that defines a retracted position for the usb connector system . additionally , the secondary locking mechanism is featured along the bottom of the usb casing . additionally , the universal serial bus device of the present invention may also feature a cable and a second connector system attached thereto such that the usb device can electrically couple to various electronic devices , according to an embodiment . accordingly , fig6 shows a usb device 600 featuring a first connector system 606 , second connector system 620 , and a cable 621 . for the embodiment , the usb device 600 can be connected to a host computer via first connector system 606 and various other electronic devise by second connector system 620 via cable 621 . as such , usb device 600 can be connected to a host computer . additionally , it will be appreciated that the usb casing ( housing or frame ) is waterproof , according to an embodiment . a waterproof casing can protect a usb embedded within mobile products that are exposed to moisture . it will also be appreciated that a double injection molding process is used to apply alphanumeric characters to an usb casing to ensure that the lettering remains legible . it will also be appreciated that during assembly a printed circuit board assembly ( pcba ) is first cleaned using a degreasing solution and subsequently coated with a membrane thereto in a vacuum environment to ensure the moisture - proof protective casing can be driven under low standoff components . it will further be appreciated that an usb casing contains a recessed plate to allow co - branding with other products used in conjunction with an usb device . although the present invention has been described in accordance with the embodiments shown , one having ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that there could be variations to the embodiments and those variations would be within the spirit and scope of the present invention . accordingly , it will be appreciated by one having ordinary skill in the art that the present invention is applicable in general to electronic devices and is therefore not limited to usb devices . additionally , many modifications may be made by one having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims . | 7 |
the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings . fig1 is an enlarged view showing a portion of an image . an image 1 is filtered in accordance with the following operation . when an element region for calculating a weighted average of a given pixel is a 3 × 3 matrix , a filter output y of , e . g ., pixel x 5 is given by : ## equ1 ## where x i is the density of the pixel and ai is the weighting coefficient for that pixel . the same weighting coefficient is used for other pixels , and the overall image is filtered . fig2 is a schematic view showing a first embodiment of an image processing apparatus for executing the method of the present invention . an input image 2 of an original , a film , print paper or the like is focused by a lens 3 on an image sensor 4 ( solid state image sensor ) of charge transfer type . the pixels of the image sensor 4 are arranged two - dimensionally ( the illustrated x and y directions being the two dimensions ). the charges on the image sensor 4 can be transferred in the x and y directions in accordance with clocks from an image sensor driver 42 . the image data read by the image sensor 4 is extracted as electrical signals 44 , amplified by an amplifier 45 , and is supplied to subsequent processing circuits . the charge transfer and information sweep operations of the image sensor driver 42 are controlled by a controller 43 . the filtering principle in the apparatus of the first embodiment will be described with reference to fig3 . for the sake of easy understanding , an explanation will be made with reference to one dimension . referring to fig3 an image 5 of an input image is formed on light - receiving sections 6 , 7 , 8 and 9 of the image sensor 4 . the densities of the image 5 on the light - receiving sections 6 , 7 , 8 and 9 are respectively represented by x 1 , x 2 , x 3 and x 4 . if the pixel region for calculating a weighted average is given to be a 3 - pixel array , a filtered output y 2 of the image at a position corresponding to x 2 is given by : ## equ2 ## where ai is the weight to be given each pixel . referring to fig3 the charge - transfer image sensor 4 is exposed with an amount of light corresponding to a1 . the charges stored in the sections 6 , 7 , 8 and 9 are respectively given by a1x 1 , a1x 2 , alx 3 and a1x 4 . the charges are shifted by one pixel to the right , and the same image 5 is exposed with an amount of light proportional to a2 . since the charges from this second exposure are stored in addition to those of the first exposure , the charges stored in the sections 7 , 8 and 9 are now given by a1x 1 + a1x 2 , a1x 2 + a2x 3 , and a1x 3 + a2x 4 , respectively . the charges are shifted by one pixel again to the right , and the same image 5 is exposed again with an amount of light proportional to a3 . then , the charges stored in the sections 8 and 9 are proportional to a1x 1 + a2x 2 + a3x and a1x 23 + a2x 3 + a3x 4 , and the charge of the section 8 becomes the filtered output y 2 given by equation ( 2 ). therefore , if this charge is read , a filtered output corresponding to x 2 can be obtained . a filtered output corresponding to x 3 is given by : ## equ3 ## which is determined from the charge amount stored in the section 9 . upon three exposures and two charge transfers , filtering of the overall image can be performed . in the above method , exposure with an amount of light proportional to the weighting coefficient ai is performed by controlling the charge transfer timing by the weighting coefficient ai . this will be described with reference to fig4 and 5 . fig4 is a sectional view of a two - phase driven charge - transfer type image sensor ( ccd ) 20 having light - receiving sections 21 , 22 , 23 and 24 which also serve as charge transfer sections , and transfer gates 25 , 26 , 27 and 28 . the ccd 20 is driven by two - phase clocks φ1 and φ2 . charges stored in the sections 21 , 22 , 23 and 24 are sequentially shifted to the right through the transfer gates 25 , 26 , 27 and 28 and light - reception is repeated , upon reception of the clocks φ1 and φ2 . exposure with the amount of light proportional to the weighting coefficient ai can be performed by controlling the timings of the clocks φ1 and φ2 . fig5 is a timing chart of the clocks φ1 and φ2 . the clock φ1 has a waveform 30 , and the clock φ2 has a wave form 31 . when the clock φ1 is v , charge transfer is performed . an image is exposed for the time periods indicated by t1 , t2 and t3 in fig3 and charges are stored . when the time periods t1 , t2 , t3 and so on are set to be proportional to the weighting coefficients a1 , a2 , a3 and so on , the amounts of charges stored in the sections 21 , 22 , 23 and 24 are proportional to ai . the process in the embodiment of the present invention will be summarized . in response to a sweep command from the controller 43 , the image sensor driver 42 sweeps all the charges from the image sensor and starts exposure . then , the image sensor is driven by the clocks modulated in accordance with the weighting coefficients shown in fig5 and exposure is repeated while transferring the charges in units of pixels . the stored charges are extracted as serial electrical signals in response to a command from the controller 43 , and are output through the amplifier 45 . fig6 is a schematic view for explaining the principle of two - dimensional filtering . the densities of light - receiving sections 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 and 19 of a charge - transfer type image sensor are respectively represented by x 1 , x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , x 5 , x 6 , x 7 , x 8 and x 9 . the charges are shifted in the direction indicated by the arrow , and the amounts of light exposed to the image sensor are sequentially proportional to the weighting coefficients a1 , a2 , a3 , a4 , a5 , a6 , a7 , a8 and a9 . finally , a charge proportional to ## equ4 ## is stored , and a weighted average within a 3 × 3 pixel array corresponding to x 5 is obtained . fig7 a and 7b show filtering results by the method of the present invention . fig7 a shows an unfiltered image signal , and fig7 b shows a filtered image signal . note that the abscissa denotes position , and the ordinate denotes image intensity . according to the present invention , an original image signal including much noise as indicated by 40 can be filtered into an image signal 41 from which noise is removed . the number of pixels for calculating a weighted average and the weighting coefficient are determined in accordance with the desired filtering degree . however , most simply , the pixel region can be set as a 3 × 3 pixel array , and all the nine weighting coefficients can be set to be 1 , as shown in fig6 . in order to obtain better filtering characteristics , the pixel region can be expanded to a 5 × 5 pixel array . the weighting coefficients can be determined by the gaussian functions . the embodiment described above allows various applications . for example , in the above description , the exposure light amount is adjusted by changing the charge transfer timing . however , a shutter can be interposed between the input image and the image sensor , and the opening time of the shutter can be changed in accordance with the weighting coefficients . a variable transmittance filter for changing the brightness of an illumination light source for an input image or for serving as a spatial modulator can be inserted between the input image and the image sensor , and the amount of light incident on the image sensor can be modulated in accordance with the weighting coefficients . in these cases , the charges can be transferred at predetermined time intervals . in the above description , images are shifted by charge transfer . however , an image formed on the light - receiving surface of an image sensor can be optically shifted . an embodiment illustrating this approach will be described below . fig8 is a schematic view showing a second embodiment of an apparatus of the present invention . the apparatus forms an image of an input image 52 such as an original , film or print paper . a first mirror 54 deflects light transmitted through a lens 53 . a second mirror 55 deflects perpendicularly light reflected by the first mirror 54 . motors 56 and 57 respectively drive the mirrors 54 and 55 and preferably comprise pulse motors . an image sensor 58 is located at the focal point of the lens 53 and comprises a ccd ( charge coupled device ) or a bbd ( bucket brigade device ). a motor driver 60 drives the motors 66 and 57 . an image sensor driver 61 drives the image sensor 58 . these drivers 60 and 61 are controlled by a controller 64 . an electrical signal 62 extracted from the image sensor 58 is amplified by an amplifier 63 . a variable transmittance filter 65 such as a spatial optical modulator is used to change transmittance in accordance with a signal from the controller 64 . the input image 52 is formed on the image sensor 58 by the lens 53 through the mirrors 54 and 55 . the mirror 54 is rotated by the motor 56 , and an image of the input image 52 on the image sensor 58 is shifted in the x direction . similarly , the mirror 55 is rotated by the motor 57 and an image of the input image 52 is shifted in the y direction . the filtering principle according to the method of the present invention will be described with reference to fig9 . the following description will be made with reference to one dimension for the sake of easy understanding . referring to fig9 an image 70 of the input image 52 on the image sensor 58 is formed . an image 71 is obtained by shifting the input image 52 on the image sensor 58 by one pixel in the x direction by rotation of the mirror 54 . an image 72 is obtained by shifting the image 52 by two pixels in the x direction in a similar manner . the image sensor 58 has light - receiving sections 73 , 74 , 75 and 76 . the densities of the image 70 on the sections 73 , 74 , 75 and 76 are respectively represented by x 1 , x 2 , x 3 and x 4 . if a pixel region for calculating a weighted average is given as a 3 - pixel array , a filtered output y 2 at a position corresponding to x 2 is given by equation ( 2 ) above . ## equ5 ## where ai is a weighting coefficient for each pixel . referring to fig9 the image 70 is exposed on the image sensor 58 with an amount of light proportional to the weighting coefficient a1by adjusting the variable transmittance filter 65 . the charges stored in the respective sections 73 , 74 , 75 and 76 are proportional to a1x 1 , a1x 2 , a1x 3 and a1x 4 . the mirror 54 is rotated to shift the image 70 by one pixel to the position of the image 71 . the transmittance of the variable transmittance filter 65 is changed , and the image 71 is exposed with an amount of light proportional to a2 . since charges are stored in additionto the initial charges , the charges stored in the sections 73 , 74 and 75 are respectively proportional to a1x 1 + a2x 2 , a1x 2 + a2x 3 and a1x 3 + a2x 4 . the mirror 54 is rotated again to shift the image 71 to the position of the image 72 by one pixel . the image 72 is exposed with an amount of light proportional to a3 . then , the charges stored in the sections 73 and 74 become a1x 1 + a2x 2 + a3x 3 and a1x 2 + a2x 3 + a3x 4 . thus , the charge stored in the section 73 is proportional to the filtered output y 2 given by equation ( 2 ). when this charge is read , a filtered output corresponding to x 2 is obtained . a filtered output y 3 corresponding to x 3 is given by equation ( 3 ) in the first embodiment : ## equ6 ## and is calculated from the charge stored in the section 74 . in this manner , the entire image can be filtered by three exposures and two image shiftings . referring to fig8 the mirror 55 is rotated by the motor 57 , and the image of the input image 52 is shifted on the image sensor 58 in the y direction . when the operation as described with reference to fig9 is performed , two - dimensional filtering can be performed . the principle of two - dimensional filtering will be described with reference to fig1 . fig1 is a schematic plan view of the image sensor . an image 80 is formed on the image sensor 58 . the image 58 has light - receiving sections 81 , 82 , 83 , 84 , 85 , 86 , 87 , 88 and 89 . the densities of the image 80 in the respective sections are represented by x 1 , x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , x 5 , x 6 , x 7 , x 8 and x 9 . the image 80 is sequentially shifted and sensed by the image sensor 58 to perform two - dimensional filtering . fig1 is a schematic view showing the sequence of image shifting in fig1 . a moving path 90 is a moving path of the image 80 on the image sensor 58 . one arrow between two circles indicates movement of the image by one pixel . when the image 80 is moved on the image sensor 58 along the moving path 90 , the respective portions of the image are exposed in the order of x 1 , x 2 , x 3 , x 4 , x 5 , x 6 , x 7 , x 8 and x 9 . when the variable transmittance filter 65 is controlled to sequentially provide amounts of light of an image 80 on the image sensor 58 proportional to a1 , a2 , a3 , a4 , a5 , a6 , a7 , a8 and a9 , the charge stored in the section 81 is proportional to ## equ7 ## this is a weighted average for a 3 × 3 pixel region corresponding to x 5 . since such charge storage is performed in all light - receiving sections of the image sensor 58 , filtering of the overall image can be performed using a 3 × 3 mask by 9 exposure operations and 8 image shiftings . the above - described two - dimensional filtering is performed by the apparatus shown in fig8 . the controller 64 provides required control signals . in response to a signal from the controller 64 , the image sensor driver 61 sweeps the charges of the image sensor 58 and starts exposure operation . at this time , the controller 64 controls the variable transmittance filter 65 so as to allow an amount of light proportional to a1 to transmit therethrough . after the image sensor 58 is exposed to the transmitted amount of light , the controller 64 supplies a signal to the motor driver 59 so as to pivot the mirror 54 such that the image of the input image 52 is shifted by one pixel in the x direction on the image sensor . at the same time , the controller 64 changes the transmittance of the variable transmittance filter 65 so as to provide an amount of light proportional to a 2 on the image sensor 58 . in response to a signal from the controller 64 , the mirror 54 shifts the image by one pixel in the y direction and the image sensor 58 is exposed with an amount of light proportional to a 3 under similar control . subsequently , the controller 64 supplies a signal to the motor driver 60 . in response to a drive signal from the motor driver 60 , the motor 57 drives the mirror so that the image of the input image 52 is shifted by one pixel in the y direction . after exposing the image with an amount of light proportional to a6 , the controller 64 supplies another signal to the motor driver 59 . the motor 56 drives the mirror 54 so that the image of the input image 52 is shifted by one pixel in the x direction . the image sensor is exposed with an amount of light proportional to a5 . the image is shifted in the x - and y - directions similarly by rotating the mirrors 54 and 55 . then , image signals obtained by two - dimensional filtering of the input image 52 are stored in the light - receiving sections of the image sensor 58 . after all the exposure operations are performed , the controller 64 supplies a read start signal to the driver 61 and image signals 62 are read out from the image sensor 58 . the image signals 62 are amplified by the amplifier 63 and supplied to a subsequent processing circuit . the image shifting means of the second embodiment can be modified in various manners . another embodiment using an image shifting means different from that used in the second embodiment will be described with reference to fig1 . the same reference numerals in fig1 denote the same parts as in fig8 and a detailed description thereof will be omitted . fig1 is a perspective view showing a third embodiment of the present invention . parallel plates 91 and 92 are for shifting an input image 52 in the x - and y - directions , respectively . the plates 91 and 92 are made of transparent glass or plastic . motors 93 and 94 drive the plates 91 and 92 , respectively . the motor driver , the image sensor driver , the variable transmittance filter , the controller and the like in the third embodiment are the same as those used in the second embodiment , and are not illustrated in fig1 . in the third embodiment , the image of the input image 52 is shifted by rotating the plates 91 and 92 . fig1 is a front view for explaining the principle of the image shifting by rotating the parallel plates . light 95 is emitted from a single point of the input image 52 and is focused at an image point 96 on the image sensor 58 . in the state shown in fig1 , the plate 91 is pivoted and illustrated by 97 . light 98 corresponds to the pivoted plate 97 and is focused to an image point 99 . in the image sensor 58 , light 95 from a single point of the input image 52 is focused on the image point 96 through the plate 91 . with the pivoted plate 97 , the light 98 propagates along the same optical path as the light 95 until it becomes incident on the plate 97 . however , after passing through the plate 97 , the light is focused on the image point 99 . the image point 99 is shifted from the image point 96 in the x direction . in the above example , the plate 91 is pivoted about an axis perpendicular to the sheet of drawing . however , if the plate 91 is pivoted about an axis parallel to the sheet of drawing , the image point can be shifted in the y direction . referring to fig1 , the plate 91 is rotated by the motor 93 , and the image of the input image 52 is shifted on the image sensor 58 in the x direction . meanwhile , the plate 92 is rotated by the motor 94 , and the image is shifted in the y direction . filtering in the third embodiment is performed by repeated image shifting of the image sensor with amounts of light proportional to the weighting coefficients a i and exposures of the image sensor 58 as in the second embodiment . fig1 is a perspective view showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention . as in fig1 , only the image shifting means is illustrated . a transparent elastic body 101 is sandwiched between glass plates 100 1 and 100 2 . the elastic body 101 can comprise silicone rubber 36 ( trade name : &# 34 ; ke104gel &# 34 ; available from shnetsu kagaku k . k .). the plates 100 1 and 100 2 can be adhered with a silane coupling agent . the plates 100 1 and 100 2 are parallel to the y - axis and form a predetermined angle therebetween to constitute a prism together with the elastic body 101 . glass plates 102 1 and 102 2 and a transparent elastic body 103 are similar to the plates 100 1 and 100 2 and 102 , respectively . the glass plates 102 1 and 102 2 are parallel to the x - axis , and constitute a prism together with the elastic body 103 . when the glass plates 100 1 and 100 2 or 102 1 and 102 2 are moved , the elastic body 101 or 103 changes its shape accordingly , thereby providing a variable vertex angle prism . when a prism is inserted in the optical path of an imaging optical system , the incident light is shifted in accordance with the vertex angle and the image is shifted , as is well know . therefore , if the vertex angle of the prism changes , the image is continuously shifted . the vertex angle of the prism constituted by the plates 100 1 and 100 2 and the elastic body 101 is changed by moving the glass plate 100 2 by a drive system ( not shown ). thus , the image of the input image 52 is shifted on the image sensor 58 in the x direction . the vertex angle of the prism constituted by the plates 102 1 and 102 2 and the elastic body 103 is changed by moving the glass plate 102 2 by a drive system ( not shown ). the image of the input image 52 is thus shifted in the y direction . filtering in the fourth embodiment is performed by repeated image shiftings and exposures of the image sensor 58 with amounts of light proportional to the weighting coefficients ai as in the third embodiment . fig1 is a sectional view showing another structure of a variable vertex angle prism . the prism in fig1 consists of a single concave lens 110 and a single convex lens 111 . the radius of curvature of the concave surface of the lens 110 has a polarity opposite to but the same absolute value as those of the convex surface of the lens 111 . the concave surface of the lens 110 and the convex surface of the lens 111 are opposed to each other . when the lens 111 is slightly shifted , the assembly serves as a prism having a vertex angle φ1 , as shown in fig1 a . when the lens 111 is further shifted , the assembly serves as a prism having a vertex angle φ2 , as shown in fig1 b . with this arrangement , a variable vertex angle prism can be provided . therefore , filtering can be performed when this prism is inserted in the imaging optical path of the fourth embodiment in place of the variable vertex angle prism using a transparent elastic body . fig1 is a schematic sectional view showing only an image shifting means of a fifth embodiment according to the present invention . electrooptical materials 120 1 and 120 2 can comprise bso , linbo 3 , kdp , plzt and the like . transparent electrodes 121 1 , 121 2 , 121 3 and 121 4 and the materials 120 1 and 120 2 together constitute electrooptical cells . the electrodes 121 1 , 121 2 , 121 3 and 121 4 preferably comprise ito or the like . a birefringent material 123 consists of calcite , and another birefringent material 124 has a thickness one - half that of the material 123 . when light 122 becomes incident on the image shifting means , normal light 125 and abnormal light 126 propagate through the material 123 , normal light 127 and abnormal light 128 corresponding to normal light 125 propagate through the material 124 , and normal light 129 and abnormal light 130 corresponding to the abnormal light 126 propagate through the material 124 . output light 121 , 122 , 123 and 124 correspond to the light 127 , 128 , 129 and 130 , respectively . the transparent electrodes 121 1 and 121 2 are arranged on the two surfaces of the material 120 1 . when a voltage of about 1 kv is applied to the material 120 1 , it serves as a polarization element . thus , linearly polarized light is provided as incident light 122 , and the polarization direction thereof is set to be inclined by 45 ° with respect to the two principal axes of the material 120 1 . when a voltage applied to the electrodes 121 1 and 121 2 is appropriately controlled , the output light from the material 120 1 becomes the same linearly polarized light as the incident light 122 or becomes linearly polarized light of the polarization direction perpendicular thereto . output light from the material 120 1 becomes normal light 125 or abnormal light 126 in the material 123 in accordance with the polarization direction . in the case of the abnormal light 126 , when it is refracted as the surface of the material 126 , it does not propagate in a direction according to snell &# 39 ; s law but in a direction different from that of the normal light 125 . therefore , the normal light 125 and abnormal light 126 are output from different positions of the material 123 . the transparent electrodes 121 3 and 121 4 are formed on the surfaces of the material 120 2 . when a voltage is applied to the material 120 2 , the incident linearly polarized light is converted into linearly polarized light having a polarization direction rotated 90 ° therefrom . the polarization direction of the normal light 125 is controlled by the material 120 2 , and becomes normal light 127 or abnormal light 128 in the material 124 . as in the propagation in the material 123 , the normal light 127 and abnormal light 128 propagate in different directions in the material 124 and are output in different directions . since the thickness of the material 124 is half that of the material 123 , the distance between the normal light 127 and the abnormal light 128 is half that in the case of the material 123 . similarly , the polarization direction of the abnormal light 126 is controlled by the material 120 2 and becomes normal light 129 or abnormal light 130 . the distance between the output normal light 129 and the output abnormal light 130 is the same as that between the normal light 127 and the abnormal light 128 . the output light 131 , 132 , 133 and 134 are separated by the same distance . which one of the light 131 , 132 , 133 and 134 is used as the output light is determined in accordance with a combination of the voltages applied to the materials 120 1 and 120 2 . for example , it is determined in accordance with the following table : ______________________________________voltage to 120 . sub . 1 voltage to 120 . sub . 2 output light______________________________________off off 131off on 132on off 133on on 134______________________________________ since image shifting can be performed by the element shown in fig1 , image is shifted in the x direction using the output light 131 , 132 and 133 for filtering with a mask of 3 × 3 pixels . another set of elements of the same arrangement are arranged with a 90 ° shift angle . when this arrangement is used as an image shifting means for shifting the image along the y direction , processing as in the second embodiment can be performed . in the above description , a weighted average is calculated in accordance with the pixel information of an image of an input image 52 corresponding to the position of the light - receiving section of the image sensor 58 . however , the present invention is not limited to this , and values of pixels at any desired points can be used . fig1 is a plan view showing an image and positions of pixels for which a weighted average is calculated . an image sensor 58 has light - receiving sections 140 1 to 140 9 which are separated by pitch a . pixels 141 1 to 141 9 of an image 80 are separated by pitch b . in the above description , the image 80 is shifted by an integer multiple of a . however , a filtered output can be similarly obtained by shifting an image a number of times b different from a . for example , filtering using a mask of 3 × 3 pixels having the section 140 5 as the center can be performed using the image data at the light - receiving section 140 5 and the image 80 at the pixels 141 1 to 141 9 . in the conventional electrical filtering , the pixel data which can be used is limited to that corresponding to the light - receiving section of the image sensor 58 . however , in the apparatus of the present invention , pixel data at other desired points can be used , and operation flexibility is much improved . with the apparatus of the present invention having the above arrangement , resolution of image reading can be improved over that determined by the number of pixels of the image sensor used . fig1 is a plan view showing the positions of pixels for image reading . pixel positions 143 1 to 143 16 are obtained with reference to the light - receiving sections 140 1 to 140 9 and by filling the image 80 in the x and y directions at the pitch a / 2 , half the pitch a of the light - receiving sections . an image is input at the positions of the light - receiving sections 140 1 to 140 9 and stored in a memory . when the image 80 is shifted by a / 2 in the x direction and the image is input , the pixels 143 1 , 143 2 , 143 8 , 143 9 , 143 15 and 143 16 are input and are stored in the memory . the image 80 is shifted a / 2 in the y direction . then , pixels 143 4 , 143 6 , 143 11 and 143 14 are input and stored in the memory . finally , the image 80 is shifted by a / 2 in the x direction again , and the pixels 143 3 , 143 5 , 143 7 , 143 10 , 143 12 and 143 14 are input and stored in the memory . when the pixel signals stored in this manner are aligned at predetermined positions , the resolution is improved twice in each of the x and y directions and a total of four times as compared with the case wherein an image is input to the image sensor 58 directly . various applications of the present invention are possible in addition to the above embodiments . in the above description , as the shifting method , a method for moving the image and the image sensor , and another method for exposing while transferring charges are used . however , a combination of the two methods can be used in the present invention . if the image is shifted in the x direction by charge transfer and in the y direction by image shifting , both the image shifting mechanism and the image sensor can be rendered simple in structure . as described above , according to the present invention , since operation is performed on the image sensor , a computer or special hardware for processing output electrical signals is not necessary , so that the overall apparatus can be rendered simple and inexpensive . since all the pixels are aligned for processing , even if the number of pixels is increased , the processing time is not increased and a large amount of pixel data can be processed at high speed . | 7 |
an embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings . like reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar configurations of the prior art and this embodiment . first , a method for checking interference of a wire electrode with a jig or a workpiece table in a wire electric discharge machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to fig1 , 2 and 3 . fig1 is a diagram showing planes on which a limit check is made to prevent erroneous machining of the workpiece table and / or the jig during electric discharge machining . a workpiece 5 may be secured to a workpiece table 7 by using a jig configured to hold the workpiece 5 sideways , as well as by using the jig 6 shown in fig1 . further , the workpiece 5 may be provided with a hole to which a bolt for fixing the workpiece table is attached . if the head portion of the bolt projects from the surface of the workpiece 5 , its projecting part may be handled as the jig 6 . in the electric discharge machine according to the present invention , as shown in fig1 , interference with a wire electrode 32 is checked in each of regions including a jig top surface 1 , jig bottom surface ( workpiece top surface ) 2 , workpiece table top surface ( workpiece bottom surface ) 3 , and workpiece table bottom surface 4 , in addition to upper and lower guide planes 37 and 38 . specifically , erroneous machining of the workpiece table 7 and / or the jig 6 during the electric discharge machining is prevented by checking the interference of the wire electrode 32 with the jig 6 or the workpiece table 7 , which may be caused as upper and lower nozzles 30 and 31 are moved relatively for taper machining . according to the interference checking method described above , the interference check need not always be made for all the four surfaces , including the jig top surface 1 , jig bottom surface 2 , workpiece table top surface 3 , and workpiece table bottom surface 4 , depending on the machining conditions . in this case , the calculation load can be reduced by reducing the number of surfaces to be checked for interference . the case where the surfaces to be checked for interference ( or collision ) can be reduced will now be described with reference to fig4 . depending on the relative positions of the lower nozzle 31 and the workpiece table 7 in the height direction , the workpiece table top surface 3 and the workpiece table bottom surface 4 can be excluded from the group of surfaces to be checked for interference . in the case of fig4 , the height - direction position of the lower nozzle 31 is located above the bottom surface of the workpiece table 7 ( workpiece table bottom surface 4 ), so that there is no possibility of the wire electrode 32 and the workpiece table bottom surface 4 interfering with each other . in this case , therefore , the workpiece table bottom surface 4 may be excluded from the group of surfaces to be checked for interference . if a distance 46 of a top height 31 a of the lower nozzle 31 from the workpiece table top surface 3 is within a predetermined distance ( e . g ., 1 mm ), moreover , the workpiece table top surface 3 may be excluded from the group of surfaces to be checked for interference . this is because the wire electrode 32 never interferes with the workpiece table top surface 3 due to the size of the lower nozzle 31 . if the jig 6 is not used to secure the workpiece 5 to the workpiece table 7 , furthermore , the jig 6 and the wire electrode 32 need not be checked for mutual interference . fig2 is a diagram showing distances from the wire electrode to the objects to be checked for interference ( or collision ) on the individual surfaces to be checked . the distances from the wire electrode 32 to the jig 6 and the workpiece table 7 are calculated for the individual regions including the jig top surface 1 , jig bottom surface 2 , workpiece table top surface ( workpiece bottom surface ) 3 , and workpiece table bottom surface 4 . the distances (“ distance ” will be defined later ) from the wire electrode 32 to the jig top surface 1 , jig bottom surface 2 , workpiece table top surface 3 , and workpiece table bottom surface 4 are calculated individually for four directions , + x direction , − x direction , + y direction , and − y direction . the + x direction and the − x direction orthogonally intersect the + y direction and the − y direction , respectively , on the workpiece table top surface 3 . the distances from the wire electrode 32 to the jig top surface 1 , jig bottom surface 2 , workpiece table top surface 3 , and workpiece table bottom surface 4 in the + x direction are designated by l + x ( 1 ) , l + x ( 2 ) , l + x ( 3 ) and l + x ( 4 ) , respectively . the distances from the wire electrode 32 to the jig top surface 1 , jig bottom surface 2 , workpiece table top surface 3 , and workpiece table bottom surface 4 in the − x direction are designated by l − x ( 1 ) , l − x ( 2 ) , l − x ( 3 ) and l − x ( 4 ) , respectively . the distances from the wire electrode 32 to the jig top surface 1 , jig bottom surface 2 , workpiece table top surface 3 , and workpiece table bottom surface 4 in the + y direction are designated by l + y ( 1 ) , l + y ( 2 ) , l + y ( 3 ) and l + y ( 4 ) , respectively . the distances from the wire electrode 32 to the jig top surface 1 , jig bottom surface 2 , workpiece table top surface 3 , and workpiece table bottom surface 4 in the − y direction are designated by l − y ( 1 ) , l − y ( 2 ) , l − y ( 3 ) and l − y ( 4 ) , respectively . fig3 is a diagram showing distances between the wire electrode and the jig or the workpiece table in the individual directions as viewed from above . the minimum of the distances l + x ( 1 ) , l + x ( 2 ) , l + x ( 3 ) and l + x ( 4 ) from the wire electrode 32 to the jig top surface 1 , jig bottom surface 2 , workpiece table top surface 3 , and workpiece table bottom surface 4 in the + x direction is designated by l + x . the minimum of the distances l − x ( 1 ) , l − x ( 2 ) , l − x ( 3 ) and l − x ( 4 ) from the wire electrode 32 to the jig top surface 1 , jig bottom surface 2 , workpiece table top surface 3 , and workpiece table bottom surface 4 in the − x direction is designated by l − x . the minimum of the distances l + y ( 1 ) , l + y ( 2 ) , l + y ( 3 ) and l + y ( 4 ) from the wire electrode 32 to the jig top surface 1 , jig bottom surface 2 , workpiece table top surface 3 , and workpiece table bottom surface 4 in the + y direction is designated by l + y . the minimum of the distances l − y ( 1 ) , l − y ( 2 ) , l − y ( 3 ) and l − y ( 4 ) from the wire electrode 32 to the jig top surface 1 , jig bottom surface 2 , workpiece table top surface 3 , and workpiece table bottom surface 4 in the − y direction is designated by l − y . the position of a machining path 45 of the wire electrode 32 can be reviewed by obtaining the distances l + x , l − x , l + y and l − y in the four directions (+ x direction , − x direction , + y direction , and − y direction ). thereupon , the operating range of the machine can be used effectively . the distances from the wire electrode 32 to the jig top surface 1 , jig bottom surface 2 , workpiece table top surface 3 , and workpiece table bottom surface 4 in each of the four directions (+ x direction , − x direction , + y direction , and − y direction ) are the minimums of the distances from the wire electrode 32 to the respective end portions of the individual regions including the jig top surface 1 , jig bottom surface 2 , workpiece table top surface ( workpiece bottom surface ) 3 , and workpiece table bottom surface 4 . normally , the jig 6 and the workpiece table 7 are rectangular , so that the distances from the wire electrode 32 to each individual surface ( the jig top surface 1 , jig bottom surface 2 , workpiece table top surface 3 , and workpiece table bottom surface 4 ) can be easily calculated as a length of one of the lines connecting the wire electrode 32 and each of two corner portions of a side of the each individual surface opposite the wire electrode 32 , which is the shorter . fig5 is a diagram illustrating how to calculate wire electrode positions at the heights of the surfaces to be checked for interference ( or collision ). the positions of the wire electrode 32 on each individual surface are calculated based on a position uv of the upper nozzle 30 , position xy of the lower nozzle 31 , height hl of the lower nozzle 31 , and heights h 1 , h 2 , h 3 and h 4 of the jig top surface 1 , jig bottom surface 2 , workpiece table top surface 3 , and workpiece table bottom surface 4 . the position of the upper nozzle 30 on the upper guide plane 37 is represented by ( u , v ). the height above the origin of z is represented by hu . the position and height of the wire electrode 32 on a plane at the same height as the jig top surface 1 are represented by ( x 1 , y 1 ) and h 1 , respectively . the position and height of the wire electrode 32 on a plane at the same height as the jig bottom surface 2 are represented by ( x 2 , y 2 ) and h 2 , respectively . the position and height of the wire electrode 32 on a plane at the same height as the workpiece table top surface 3 are represented by ( x 3 , y 3 ) and h 3 , respectively . the position and height of the wire electrode 32 on a plane at the same height as the workpiece table bottom surface 4 are represented by ( x 4 , y 4 ) and h 4 , respectively . the position and height of the lower nozzle 31 on the lower guide plane 38 are represented by ( xl , yl ) and hl , respectively . the positions ( x 1 , y 1 ), ( x 2 , y 2 ), ( x 3 , y 3 ), and ( x 4 , y 4 ) of the wire electrode 32 on the individual surfaces are calculated based on the position ( u , v ) of the upper nozzle 30 on the upper guide plane 37 , position ( xl , yl ) of the lower nozzle 31 on the lower guide plane 38 , height hu of the upper nozzle 30 , and heights h 1 , h 2 , h 3 and h 4 of the jig top surface 1 , jig bottom surface 2 , workpiece table top surface 3 , and workpiece table bottom surface 4 . in performing wire electric discharge machining on the workpiece 5 , a discharge gap is formed between the wire electrode 32 and the workpiece 5 . a machining error occurs if the discharge gap overlaps the regions in individual surfaces of the jig 6 or the workpiece table 7 . therefore , it is advisable to check the interference after compensating the diameter of the wire electrode 32 . fig6 is a diagram showing how to compensate the wire electrode diameter based on a discharge gap amount . the sum total of the diameter of the wire electrode 32 and the discharge gap amount is set to be a wire diameter compensation value . for the interference check on the jig top surface 1 , for example , the positions of points r 1 ( xr 1 , yr 1 ) and l 1 ( xl 1 , yl 1 ) at the right and left ends of a machining region on the jig top surface 1 can be calculated based on the position ( x 1 , y 1 ) of the wire electrode 32 , a wire diameter compensation amount d , and the inclination of the wire electrode 32 . if the calculated points r 1 and l 1 are within the region of the jig 6 , it can be determined that there is interference . fig7 is a schematic block diagram of the wire electric discharge machine controlled by a controller . a controller 10 for the wire electric discharge machine comprises a processor ( cpu ) 11 , and memory 12 formed of a rom , ram , etc ., display device 13 such as a liquid crystal display , input means 14 formed of a keyboard or a control panel , and axis control means 16 for controlling x -, y -, z -, u -, and v - axes , which are connected to the processor 11 through an interface 18 . each axis control means 16 outputs a command for driving a servomotor 21 for each corresponding axis to a servo amplifier 20 for each corresponding axis . further , the controller 10 comprises an input - output circuit 17 for commanding a power supply circuit 22 , automatic wire connection device 23 , and wire electrode supply device 24 . fig8 a and 8b are flowcharts showing processing for making an interference ( or collision ) check during actual machining . the following is a sequential description of steps in this flowchart . [ step sa 01 ] it is determined whether or not the present function is effective . if the function is effective ( yes ), the processing proceeds to step sa 02 . if not ( no ), the processing proceeds to step sa 03 . [ step sa 02 ] the region and thickness of the workpiece table are set , whereupon the processing proceeds to step sa 03 . data on the region and thickness of the workpiece table can be previously stored in the memory 12 by using the input means 14 . [ step sa 03 ] instruction to place the workpiece on the workpiece table is given . [ step sa 04 ] instruction to secure the workpiece by the jig is given . [ step sa 05 ] it is determined whether or not the present function is effective . if the function is effective ( yes ), the processing proceeds to step sa 06 . if not ( no ), the processing proceeds to step sa 07 . [ step sa 06 ] the region and thickness of the jig are set , whereupon the processing proceeds to step sa 07 . data on the region and thickness of the jig can be previously stored in the memory 12 by using the input means 14 . [ step sa 07 ] a wire diameter compensation amount is set . [ step sa 08 ] a program surface height and a workpiece thickness are set . these values may be set by using parameters previously stored in the controller or set in a program . [ step sa 09 ] execution of a machining program is started . [ step sa 10 ] one block of the program is read and executed . [ step sa 11 ] it is determined whether or not the present function is effective . if the function is effective ( yes ), the processing proceeds to step sa 12 . if not ( no ), the processing proceeds to step sa 20 . [ step sa 12 ] selection of a surface to be checked is executed . [ step sa 13 ] the height of the surface to be checked is calculated . [ step sa 14 ] the position of the wire electrode at the height of the surface to be checked is calculated . [ step sa 15 ] interference between the wire electrode and the surface to be checked is checked . [ step sa 16 ] it is determined whether or not there is interference between the wire electrode and the surface to be checked . if there is the interference ( yes ), the processing proceeds to step sa 17 . if not ( no ), the processing proceeds to step sa 18 . [ step sa 17 ] an alarm indicative of the occurrence of erroneous machining is output , whereupon the processing proceeds to step sa 21 . [ step sa 18 ] safe distances and directions are calculated . in this case , the distances between the wire electrode and the objects to be checked are obtained . [ step sa 19 ] minimum movable distances in the four directions (+ x , − x , + y , and − y directions ) are output . in this case , the minimum distances for the four directions , out of the distances from the objects of interference obtained for the individual blocks of the machining program in step sa 18 , and their directions are obtained . the position of the machining path can be reviewed based on these data . [ step sa 20 ] it is determined whether or not the execution of the program is finished . if the execution is not finished ( no ), the processing proceeds to step sa 10 . if the execution is finished ( yes ), the processing proceeds to step sa 21 . [ step sa 21 ] program termination processing is performed , whereupon the electric discharge machining ends . the program termination processing includes power shutdown and the like . fig9 is a flowchart showing processing for selecting the surfaces to be checked in the processing of step sa 12 of fig8 b . the following is a sequential description of steps in this flowchart . [ step sa 121 ] the jig top surface 1 , jig bottom surface 2 , workpiece table top surface 3 , and workpiece table bottom surface 4 are set as surfaces to be checked . [ step sa 122 ] if the jig has a plurality of installation surfaces , the surfaces are increased . if the jig does not have a plurality of installation surfaces , processing of this step is not performed . [ step sa 123 ] it is determined whether or not the top height of the lower nozzle is above the bottom surface of the workpiece table . if the top height is above the bottom surface of the workpiece table ( yes ), the processing proceeds to step sa 124 . if not ( no ), the processing proceeds to step sa 125 . [ step sa 124 ] the bottom surface of the workpiece table is excluded from the group of surfaces to be checked , whereupon the processing proceeds to step sa 125 . [ step sa 125 ] it is determined whether or not the top height of the lower nozzle is within 1 mm above the top surface of the workpiece table . if the top height is within 1 mm ( yes ), the processing proceeds to step sa 126 . if not ( no ), the processing proceeds to step sa 127 . [ step sa 126 ] the top surface of the workpiece table is excluded from the group of surfaces to be checked , whereupon the processing proceeds to step sa 127 . [ step sa 127 ] it is determined whether or not the machining is vertical machining . if the machining is vertical machining ( yes ), the processing proceeds to step sa 128 . if not ( no ), the processing for selecting the surface to be checked ends . [ step sa 128 ] the surface on which the regions of the workpiece table and the jig are closest to the wire electrode is selected as the surface to be checked , and the other surfaces are excluded from the group of surfaces to be checked . thereupon , the processing for selecting the surface to be checked ends . the following is a description of processing performed by a personal computer having the function of virtually performing electric discharge machining by the wire electric discharge machine or a controller having the function of virtually executing the machining program of the wire electric discharge machine . fig1 a , 10 b and 10 c are flowcharts showing processing for making an interference ( or collision ) check during check drawing . [ step sb 01 ] it is determined whether or not the present function is effective . if the function is effective ( yes ), the processing proceeds to step sb 02 . if not ( no ), the processing proceeds to step sb 04 . [ step sb 02 ] the region and thickness of the workpiece table are set , whereupon the processing proceeds to step sb 03 . data on the region and thickness of the workpiece table can be previously stored in the memory 12 by using the input means 14 . [ step sb 03 ] the region and thickness of the jig are set , whereupon the processing proceeds to step sb 04 . data on the jig can be previously stored in the memory 12 by using the input means 14 . [ step sb 04 ] a wire diameter compensation amount is set . [ step sb 05 ] a program surface height and a workpiece thickness are set . these values may be set by using parameters previously stored in the controller or set in a program . [ step sb 07 ] virtual execution of the machining program is started . [ step sb 08 ] one block of the program is read and its execution is started . [ step sb 09 ] it is determined whether or not the present function is effective . if the function is effective ( yes ), the processing proceeds to step sb 10 . if not ( no ), the processing proceeds to step sb 18 . [ step sb 10 ] selection of a surface to be checked is executed . [ step sb 11 ] the height of the surface to be checked is calculated . [ step sb 12 ] the position of the wire electrode at the height of the surface to be checked is calculated . [ step sb 13 ] interference between the wire electrode and the surface to be checked is checked . [ step sb 14 ] it is determined whether or not there is interference between the wire electrode and the surface to be checked . if there is the interference ( yes ), the processing proceeds to step sb 15 . if not ( no ), the processing proceeds to step sb 16 . [ step sb 15 ] an alarm indicative of the occurrence of erroneous machining is output , whereupon this processing ends . [ step sb 17 ] minimum movable distances in the four directions are updated . in step sb 17 , the minimum distances for the four directions (+ x , − x , + y , and − y directions ), out of the distances from the objects of interference obtained for the individual blocks of the machining program in step sb 16 , and their directions are updated . [ step sb 18 ] it is determined whether or not the execution of the program is finished . if the execution is not finished ( no ), the processing proceeds to step sb 08 . if the execution is finished ( yes ), the processing proceeds to step sb 19 . [ step sb 19 ] it is determined whether or not the present function is effective . if the function is effective ( yes ), the processing proceeds to step sb 20 . if not ( no ), the processing proceeds to step sb 21 . [ step sb 20 ] the data obtained in step sb 17 , that is , the safe distances in the four directions , are output . [ step sb 22 ] it is determined whether or not an erroneous machining alarm is issued . if the erroneous machining alarm is issued ( yes ), the processing proceeds to step sb 23 . if not ( no ), the processing proceeds to step sb 24 . [ step sb 23 ] instruction to review the machining position is given . [ step sb 24 ] the safe distances in the four directions are confirmed and instruction to review the machining position is given , whereupon the processing ends . according to the embodiment of the present invention described above , erroneous machining of the workpiece table and / or the jig can be prevented during machining . the wire electrode positions on the surfaces to be checked are calculated and it is checked to see if the wire electrode is within the regions of the jig and the workpiece table . therefore , the check can be made in real time with a smaller calculation load than in a three - dimensional interference check . thus , new solid data on the wire electrode need not be defined for the interference check . the occurrence of erroneous machining can be ascertained during the check drawing in virtually executing the machining program . thus , interruptions during machining are reduced , so that the machining time can be reduced . according to the present invention , moreover , machining can be performed in a wider range than in the prior art , so that the operating range of the machine can be used effectively . | 6 |
referring now to the drawings and in particular to fig1 there is depicted a circuit diagram of a typical master - slave flip - flop circuit , according to the prior art . as shown , a flip - flop circuit 10 includes a master latch 11 and a slave latch 12 . flip - flop circuit 10 has two clock phases , namely , ï † 1 and ï † 2 . switches s 1 and s 2 , which can be pass gates or pass transistors , are activated by clock phases ï † 1 and ï † 2 , respectively . by convention , a switch is closed when the clock is at a logical high ( i . e ., a logical one ), and the switch is opened when the clock is at a logical low ( i . e ., a logical zero ). for flip - flop circuit 10 to function correctly , clock phases ï † 1 and ï † 2 need to be non - overlapping ( i . e ., off - phase with each other ). when clock phase ï † 1 is high , master latch 11 is transparent and slave latch 12 is in store mode during which a data value from a previous clock cycle is being stored . when clock phase ï † 2 becomes high , master latch 11 is in store mode and slave latch 12 is transparent . inverters 13 - 16 used in flip - flop circuit 10 typically have different sizes . for example , the sizes of inverters 13 and 14 are usually larger than the sizes of inverters 15 and 16 . the reason that the sizes of inverters 13 and 14 being relatively larger is because the forward path of flip - flop circuit 10 is critical for performance while the feedback path of flip - flop circuit 10 is necessary only for preserving its logical state . with reference now to fig2 there is depicted a circuit diagram of a master - slave flip - flop circuit , in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention . as shown , flip - flop circuit 20 includes a master latch 51 and a slave latch 52 . the input of master latch 51 is connected to the input of flip - flop circuit 20 via a first switch s 1 . the input of slave latch 52 is connected to the output of master latch 51 via a second switch s 2 . the output of slave latch 52 is connected to the input of master latch 51 via a third switch s 3 . the output of slave latch 52 is also the output of flip - flop circuit 20 . flip - flop circuit 20 has two clock phasesâ ” ï † 1 and ï † 2 . first switch s 1 and second switch s 2 , which can be pass gates or pass transistors , are activated by clock phases ï † 1 and ï † 2 , respectively . clock phases ï † 1 and ï † 2 are non - overlapping . third switch s 3 is activated by a sleep signal . a switch is closed when a controlling signal , such as a clock phase or sleep signal , is at a logical high ( i . e ., a logical one ), and the switch is opened when the controlling signal is at a logical low ( i . e ., a logical zero ). master latch 51 is comprised of a multi - threshold complementary - metal - oxide semiconductor ( mtcmos ) inverter 21 coupled to a standard inverter 22 . similarly , slave latch 52 is comprised of a mtcmos inverter 23 coupled to a standard inverter 24 . thus , inverters 21 and 22 forms a first feedback loop , and inverters 23 and 24 forms a second feedback loop . since mtcmos inverters 21 and 23 are identical with each other , only mtcmos inverter 21 will be explained in further details . referring now to fig3 there is depicted a circuit diagram of mtcmos inverter 21 , in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention . as shown , mtcmos inverter 21 includes two p - channel transistors 31 , 33 connected to two n - channel transistors 32 , 34 in series . transistors 31 and 32 are low - threshold transistors intended for high - speed operations during active mode . transistors 33 and 34 are high - threshold transistors intended to be utilized as gating transistors for cutting off power supply to transistors 31 and 32 during sleep mode . when the sleep signal is asserted , transistors 33 and 34 are turned off such that transistors 31 and 32 are isolated from the power supply . because standard inverters 22 and 24 are also identical with each other , only standard inverter 22 will be further explained . with reference now to fig4 there is depicted a circuit diagram of standard inverter 22 , in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention . as shown , standard inverter 22 includes a p - channel transistor 41 connected to an n - channel transistor 42 in series . the operation of standard inverter 22 is well - known to those skilled in the art . flip - flop circuit 20 in fig2 functions as follows . during active mode of operation , the sleep signal is de - asserted , which means third switch s 3 is open and all gating transistors g 1 , g 2 , g 3 , and g 4 are turned on , flip - flop circuit 20 behaves like a regular master - slave flip - flop , similar to flip - flop 10 in fig1 . when clock phase it is high during active mode , master latch s 1 is transparent and slave latch 52 is in store mode . when clock phase ï † 2 is high during active mode , master latch 51 is in store mode and slave latch 52 is transparent . flip - flop circuit 20 should enter and exit sleep mode when clock phase ï † 1 is low and clock phase ï † 2 is high . clock phase ï † 2 also needs to remain high during the entire sleep mode . sleep mode can be entered simply by asserting the sleep signal when clock phase ï † 1 is low and clock phase ï † 2 is high . the assertion of the sleep signal closes third switch s 3 and turns off all gating transistors g 1 , g 2 , g 3 , and g 4 , which effectively shuts off the power supply to mtcmos inverters 21 and 23 . since mtcmos inverters 21 and 23 are disconnected from the power supply , the state of flip - flop circuit 20 is now preserved by the loop formed by standard inverter 24 , second switch 52 , standard inverter 22 , and third switch s 3 . at this point , there is not going to be any major current leakage from any transistors within flip - flop circuit 20 because transistors within standard inverters 22 and 24 are high - threshold transistors , and all low - threshold transistors utilized in mtcmos inverters 21 and 23 are disconnected from the power supply through high - threshold gating transistors . returning to active mode from sleep mode can simply be done by de - asserting the sleep signal . the de - asserting of the sleep signal will open third switch s 3 and turns on all gating transistors , and the logical state of flip - flop circuit 20 will be restored to the logical state before entering sleep mode . it is important to note that closing and opening third switch s 3 will not lead to any race condition since the output and the input of master latch 51 are identical ( either both high or both low ) when clock phase ï † 1 is low and clock phase ï † 2 is high as required when entering and exiting sleep mode . there are several salient features to flip - flop circuit 20 . first , only the inverters on the forward path ( i . e ., inverter 21 and inverter 23 ) need to be fast and hence be implemented with mtcmos inverters . standard inverters 22 , 24 and third switch s 3 are not in the critical path of flip - flop circuit 20 ; thus , standard inverters 22 , 24 and third switch s 3 can be realized with high - threshold transistors for reduced leakage . second , third switch s 3 connects the output to the input of master latch 51 , forming an outside feedback . the outside feedback path formed with third switch s 3 and the regular high - threshold feedback inverters 22 , 24 keeps the logical state of flip - flop circuit 20 during sleep mode . first switch s 1 is closed when clock phase ï † 1 is active , second switch s 2 is closed when clock phase ï † 2 is active , third switch s 3 is closed when sleep signal is asserted . third , both switches s 1 and s 2 are implemented with low - threshold transistors for high speed . as has been described , the present invention provides a multi - threshold flip - flop circuit having an outside feedback . the flip - flop circuit of the present invention keeps its logical state by using an outside feedback from the output of a slave latch to the input of a master latch . compared to the prior art flip - flop circuits , the present invention uses a minimal area overhead and has no negative impact on performance . although the description of the present invention is related to a master - slave flip - flop structure , it should be understood by those skilled in the art that the concept of the present invention can be applicable to other flip - flop circuits . for example , there may be extra switches on the internal feedbacks for the master and slave latches , or the feedback may have another topology . the outside feedback idea can be applicable to all those cases but a more complex control may be needed to fully close the outside feedback loop . also , the present invention can also be easily adapted to level sensitive scan design ( lssd ) style flip - flop circuits . while the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . | 7 |
for the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention , reference will now be made to certain preferred embodiments thereof and specific language will be used to describe the same . it will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended , such alterations , further modifications and applications of the principles of the invention as described herein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates . as disclosed above , the present invention provides membrane electrode assemblies , electodeposition systems , and related methods for electrodepositing paint on a counter - electrode . in general , membrane electrode assemblies of the invention , and used in systems and methods of the invention , will include an electrode , and an enclosure for separating the electrode from liquid medium in the electrodeposition chamber . the enclosure will typically include at least one membrane , such as a selectively permeable membrane , e . g . an ion - exchange membrane . the enclosure will include at least one other element , typically a frame member , and a seal between the membrane and the frame member to complete the enclosure . in accordance with the preferred embodiments of the invention , this seal is provided by a bonding of the membrane to the frame member . this bonding may be achieved , for example , by welding , chemical bonding agents , and the like . such bonded seals are in general compression - independent , meaning that they do not require compression of the membrane against the frame member in order to achieve a seal , as is the case in many current systems in which a flange is tightened over the membrane in order to seal it against a frame member . with reference now to fig1 disclosed is a first membrane electrode assembly 11 of the present invention . membrane electrode assembly 11 includes an internal electrode 12 , and an enclosure enclosing the electrode . assembly 11 further includes a membrane 13 , and at least one additional structural element in the enclosure . in the illustrated assembly 11 , the enclosure also includes four strip elements 14 arranged around the membrane 13 and electrode 12 . strip elements 14 in general wrap around the membrane 13 and the electrode 12 , and a bonding agent can be employed at the contact locations in order to provide a seal . with reference now to fig1 and 2 together , additional components of the assembly 11 will be described . fig2 in particular shows a partial cut - away of the assembly 11 at various locations in order to reveal layers within . membrane 13 provides the outermost layer , and is separated from electrode 12 by a separating layer 15 formed of a suitable non - conductive material such as a plastic mesh . separating layer 15 insures that membrane 13 does not contact electrode 12 which may result in undesired degradation of membrane 13 . located behind electrode 12 is insulative layer 16 made from a non - electrically - conductive material . insulative layer 16 may , for example , be provided by a non - conductive substance painted or applied to the rear surface of the electrode 12 . layer 16 may also be provided by any other suitable non - conductive layer or material that can be used to electrically isolate electrode 12 . strip elements 14 encompass and wrap around membrane 13 , separating layer 15 , electrode 12 , and insulating layer 16 . in this fashion , electrode 12 is provided within an enclosure separated from the paint or other liquid medium in the electrodeposition bath by membrane 13 . with reference now to fig1 - 3 together , membrane electrode assembly 11 is also provided with a system for circulating fluid across the inner surface 13 a of the membrane 13 in order to prevent undesirable accumulation of materials at the surface 13 a . fig3 in particular , provides a cross - sectional view taken along line 3 - 3 of fig1 and viewed in the direction of the arrows . assembly 11 includes a fluid inlet tube 17 and a fluid outlet tube 18 for circulating fluid within the enclosure of the membrane electrode assembly 11 . in the illustrated embodiment , fluid inlet tube 17 circulates fluid to the bottom of the assembly 11 , and has an outlet manifold 19 with multiple outlets 20 for causing the fluid to pass upwardly in the assembly 11 . outlets 20 are positioned to cause fluid flow between the membrane 13 and the separating layer 15 . in this fashion , fluid is circulated against the inner surface 13 a of the membrane 13 to facilitate removal of any materials becoming deposited thereon . with reference now to fig4 - 5 , shown is another membrane electrode cell 30 of the present invention . membrane electrode cell 30 includes an electrode 31 preferably made of a suitable metal , enclosed by a membrane 32 , preferably an ion exchange membrane . with reference in particular to fig5 shown is a partial cut - away view showing the various components and layers of the electrode 30 . electrode 30 includes a first membrane layer 32 and a porous spacer element 33 residing immediately adjacent membrane layer 32 and separating layer 32 from the electrode 31 . electrode cell 30 also includes a second spacer element 34 which separates electrode 31 from another layer 32 a of membrane material similar to that in membrane layer 32 . membrane layers 32 and 32 a are sealed together about their peripheries , for example by heat welding or the like . sealed membrane layers 32 and 32 a thus enclose the electrode 31 and the spacer elements 33 and 34 . electrode cell 30 also includes an electrolyte circulation system including an inlet tube 35 which extends from the top of the cell to a location adjacent the bottom , and an electrolyte exit tube 36 . inlet tube 35 is connected to a laterally - extending baffle tube 38 which in turn has several fluid delivery tubes 39 extending therefrom and opening into the interior of the cell . thus , electrolyte passed through inlet tube 35 and baffle tube 38 exits from the various outlet tubes 39 and creates an upward flow of electrolyte within the cell 30 , ultimately exiting via outlet tube 36 . electrode cell 30 also includes a hanging bracket 37 from which the cell 30 can be suspended in a paint bath . as discussed above , in some embodiments , the electrode cell 30 is completely sealed apart from the inlet and outlet openings 35 and 36 . in other embodiments , the upper end of the electrode cell 30 may be left unsealed , and the electrode cell 30 suspended in the paint bath such that any unsealed portions are above the level of the bath . with reference to fig6 - 8 , shown is another membrane electrode cell 40 of the present invention . membrane electrode cell 40 is similar in design to membrane electrode cell 11 illustrated in fig1 - 3 . however , membrane electrode cell 40 includes a frame 41 constructed from tubular elements , for example , polymer tubing , including polyvinylchloride ( pvc ) tubing . frame 41 as depicted includes two vertically extending tubular elements 42 and 43 and a horizontally extending element 44 all interconnected by curved or elbow sections 45 and 46 . it will be understood that frame 41 could also be made of fewer pieces or a single piece of tubing configured to an appropriate shape . visible in fig6 are electrode cell frame 41 , outermost membrane guard 47 , and hanging bracket 48 . also shown in phantom is the electrolyte distribution system including an inlet tube 49 , a lateral tube 50 providing a manifold , and several outlet tubes 51 . with reference now particularly to fig7 shown is a partial cut - away cross - sectional view taken along line 7 - 7 of fig6 and viewed in the direction of the arrows . shown is lateral tube 44 of cell frame 41 . housed within tube 44 is the lateral electrolyte distribution tube 50 with electrolyte outlet tube 51 extending therefrom . electrolyte tube 51 extends through an aperture 52 provided through the electrode 53 . immediately adjacent to electrode 53 is a spacer element 54 separating an ion exchange membrane 55 from the electrode 53 . a nonconductive or otherwise insulating layer 56 is provided on the back side of electrode 53 to insulate the same from the paint bath . as shown in fig7 the electrode 53 along with the spacer 54 , membrane 55 and guard 47 all penetrate a location in the tube 44 . a similar arrangement is found in the remainder of the tubular frame 41 . in this fashion , the tubular frame 41 serves to support these structures . the penetration of the tube 44 and in other locations of the frame 41 is sealed fluid tight . in operation of cell 40 , the cell 40 is suspended into the paint bath using bracket 48 , with the upper edge 57 of the electrode 53 and associated guard , membrane and spacer remaining above the surface of the paint bath . electrolyte is circulated through tube 49 thus exiting outlets 51 and flowing through apertures 52 in the anode thereby reaching the front surface of the anode and circulating upwardly in the cell in between the anode 53 and the membrane 55 . thus , membrane electrode cell 40 provides a convenient , inexpensive electrode for use in paint baths and other similar applications . with reference now to fig9 - 11 , shown are side , front and back views of a c - shaped membrane electrode cell 60 of the present invention . membrane electrode cell 60 generally includes a pair of elongate rails 61 and 62 interconnected to one another by a plurality of cross - brace members 63 . the rails 61 and 62 terminate in a bottom end cap 64 . a pair of support brackets 65 are attached to uppermost cross - brace member 63 and are used to suspend the membrane electrode cell 60 from a rail or other supporting device located adjacent to the edge of a paint bath . cell 60 also includes an electrode and associated support , spacer , membrane and guard elements all having an arcuate shape , preferably in the shape of a section of a circle , such as a semi - circle . with reference now to fig1 , shown is an enlarged cross - sectional view taken along line 12 - 12 of fig9 and viewed in the direction of the arrows . shown are the rails 61 and 62 which each have inner groves 67 and outer groves 68 . received within inner grove 67 are the ends of a support panel 69 extending the length of the cell 60 and having a generally arcuate cross - section . ends of support panel 69 can be secured into grooves 67 with any suitable welding , bonding or other attachment technique . immediately adjacent to support panel 69 is an electrode 70 , such as an anode , which is received upon support member 69 but not received within grooves 67 . thus , in one mode of construction , electrode 70 in the completed cell 60 can be removed from the cell 60 and replaced , repaired , etc ., if desired . also shown in fig1 is membrane spacer 71 and ion exchange membrane 72 , with the membrane spacer 71 protecting against contact of the membrane 72 and the electrode 70 . also included is membrane guard 73 which protects membrane 72 against damage resulting from contact with articles during shipment or use . referring now to fig1 , shown is an enlarged cross - sectional view taken along line 13 - 13 of fig9 and viewed in the direction of the arrows . evident is a cross - section of the bottom end cap 64 along with an adjacent cross - brace member 63 . cap 64 is generally arcuate in shape and includes a plurality of arcuate channels therein . a first channel 74 receives a combination of the spacer 71 , membrane 72 and guard 73 . these layers can be bonded within channel 74 using a suitable epoxy or other bonding agent . cap 64 also includes generally arcuate channel 75 for receiving support panel 69 which likewise is bonded within channel 75 . cap 64 further includes a channel 76 which is configured to deliver fluid in between the anode 70 and the membrane 72 , such as an electrolyte fluid . with reference now to fig1 as well , provided is a side view of the section taken along line 14 - 14 of fig1 and viewed in the direction of the arrows . fluid is provided to channel 76 via bore 77 . for these purposes , channel 76 extends more deeply into the cap 64 than channels 67 and 68 , and bore 77 is located at a level below channels 67 and 68 so as not to intersect them and terminate into the lowermost portion of channel 76 . in this manner , electrolyte liquid can be delivered through bore 77 and exit into channel 76 , thereafter traveling upwardly in the cell in between anode 70 and membrane 72 , traversing its way through the membrane guard 71 which is configured so as to allow its passage . in use , membrane cell 60 is immersed in the paint bath , and a potential difference is applied between the electrode ( anode ) 70 and the counter - electrode article to be coated . the upper end of cell 60 can be left open and kept at a level above the level of the paint bath . alternatively , the upper end of the cell 60 could be closed and means provided for the escape of any gases generated during operation . for purposes of electrolyte circulation , cell 60 can also be equipped with an outlet opening 78 such that electrolyte flowing through cell 60 exits from the outlet opening and can be routed conventionally to a treatment or disposal tank or the like . with reference to fig1 , shown is a tubular membrane electrode cell according to the present invention . except as otherwise noted herein , membrane electrode cell 80 may generally have components as described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 591 , 316 issued jan . 7 , 1997 , which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety . membrane electrode cell 80 generally includes a membrane shell including a neck 81 having attached thereto an electrolyte exit tube 82 . neck 81 is glued into collar 83 . it will be understood in this regard that neck 81 and collar 83 may also be provided as a single , integral piece . cell 80 also includes a cap 84 at the bottom end of the cell 80 , and a membrane guard 85 fashioned in such a manner that its inside diameter fits snugly over collar 83 and cap 84 , with guard 85 attached to collar and cap by epoxy or other suitable adhesives , or by welding , for example . the membrane shell also includes a membrane 86 , e . g . an ion - exchange membrane , encased within cloth layers 87 a and 87 b , and an inner porous guard tube 88 adjacent thereto . membrane 86 and its adjacent cloth layers 87 a and 87 b , and inner porous tube 88 are affixed within grooves defined in collar 83 and cap 84 using epoxy or any other suitable means . membrane electrode cell 80 also includes a tubular electrode 89 disposed within the membrane shell . electrode 89 will serve as an anode , or cathode , depending upon the type of electradeposition painting to be undertaken , as would be understood by those skilled in the art . electrode 89 will typically be made of metal or another suitable conductive material . a preferred material is stainless steel . an electrolyte inlet tube 90 extends into the membrane shell and through the interior of the tubular electrode 89 , ultimately terminating in an internal electrode cap 91 . in use , electrolyte fluid is passed through tube 90 and exits the bottom of cap 91 thereafter flowing upwardly in the membrane shell between the outer surface of electrode 89 and the inner surface of membrane 86 and its accompanying cloth layers . in accordance with one aspect of the invention , a valve 94 , especially a one - way valve , is provided in fluid association with the electrolyte supply tube 90 , and adapted to allow fluid flow into supply tube 90 , and to resist fluid flow out of electrolyte tube 90 . illustratively , this may be provided by the inclusion of a three - way or “ t ” connector 92 situated within the electrolyte supply tube 90 , having affixed within its horizontally - extending leg a section of pvc or other tubing 93 . one - way valve 94 is trapped at the shoulder of the connection of tube 93 and “ t ” connector 92 . in this regard , fig1 a and 15b illustrate one suitable one - way valve for use in the invention . shown is flat valve 94 including a flexible membrane 95 having a slit pattern 96 cut therein . with particular reference to fig1 b , shown is a rear view of the valve depicted in fig1 a , revealing backing screen 97 associated with one side of the valve 94 . such valves are conventional in the art and these and other suitable one - way or check valves of a variety of designs , including for example flap valves or ball - cage valves , will be suitable for use in the present invention . with continued reference to fig1 , 15a and 15 b , the cell 80 is highly advantageous in use . in particular , it is sometimes necessary to remove the anode 89 and associated supply tube 90 and internal cap 91 , for replacement , repair , or otherwise . valve 94 facilitates this operation by allowing fluid trapped within the interior of electrode 89 to drain into the membrane shell as electrode 89 is being lifted out of the membrane shell , with valve 94 opening in response to increased liquid pressure generated at the exterior of the valve . this avoids the need of lifting large amounts of water when removing electrode 89 from the cell 80 . this feature is especially advantageous in electrode cells 80 having electrodes 89 having relatively large internal diameters , for example greater than about 4 inches , and typically in the range of about 4 or 5 inches up to about 8 inches id . it will also be understood that valve 94 could be incorporated in other positions allowing fluid communication between the interior of the electrode 89 and the membrane shell . for example , valve 94 could be positioned in internal cap 91 . while the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description , the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character , it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected . | 1 |
the present invention will be explained in detail together with limiting reasons . in the invention , the picklings are carried out on hot rolled silicon steel bands ( including as - coiled ones and annealed ones after coiling ) under specified conditions for avoiding the interglanular corrosions . through the inventors &# 39 ; experiments it was seen that the interglanular corrosion occurred in the hot rolled band having si content and the coiling temperature in specified scopes . therefore , in the invention , an object is limited to particular hot rolled steel bands which are determined with si content and the coiling temperature . fig1 shows , in relation between si content and coiling temperatures ct , the presence and absence of the interglanular corrosions in steel bands a to i of table 1 hot rolled at various coiling temperatures and subjected to the picklings for a period of 100 sec under conditions of 12 % hcl and 90 ° c ., according to which the interglanular corrosions may be controlled by si content and the coiling temperature , and they appear when the hot rolled bands of si ≧ 0 . 2 wt % are coiled at the temperatures above a - b in the figure . on the other hand , if the steel band of si & lt ; 0 . 2 wt % was coiled at the high temperature of 850 ° c ., no interglanular corrosion appears , and if the steel of si ≧ 0 . 2 wt % was coiled less than a - b , no intergranular corrosion appears in spite of the heavy pickling using 12 % hcl , 90 ° c . and 100 sec . the same results were obtained in the case of the hot rolled bands which were annealed under the various conditions after coiling . the scope specified in fig1 where the interglanular corrosion occurs is expressed therefore , the invention limits the object to the hot rolled steel bands containing si ≧ 0 . 2 wt % and satisfying the above formulas ( 1 ) and ( 2 ), and performs the pickling under the specified condition . if si content exceeds 4 . 0 wt %, the brittleness of the steel is marked , and since the cold rolling is difficult , the object is limited to the hot rolled steel bands of si : 0 . 2 to 4 . 0 wt %. in the invention , the pickling is carried out to satisfy the following formula of b : - 0 . 48 ( hcl ) 2 + 15 . 1 ( hcl )+ 5 . 03 wherein ( hcl ): concentration ( wt %) of hcl of pickling liquid fig2 shows the influences of si content and the pickling time on the de - scaling properties and the interglanular corrosion , where steels c , e , g , i of table 1 were hot rolled at the coiling temperature of 780 ° c ., and pickled with the pickling liquid of 11 . 8 % hcl and 85 ° c . in various times for studying the surface properties , according to which if the pickling time is short , the scales remain , and if it is long , the interglanular corrosions appear . a critical pickling time t with respect to completion of the de - scaling and occurrences of the interglanular corrosions is expressed with straight lines ( i ) and ( ii ), that is , linear formulars ( 4 ) and ( 5 ) of si contents fig3 shows the influences of the pickling temperature and the pickling time on the de - scaling properties and the interglanular corrosion , where the hot rolled steel bands ( ct = 780 ° c .) of steel g ( si : 2 . 18 wt %) of table 1 were pickled under the constant concentration of 11 . 8 % hcl at various temperatures for studying the surface properties , according to which the critical pickling time t with respect to completion of de - scaling and occurrences of the interglanular corrosions is expressed with following arrhenius &# 39 ; equations ( 6 ) and ( 7 ) fig4 shows the influences of hcl concentration of the pickling liquid and the pickling time on the de - scaling properties and the interglanular corrosion , where the hot rolled steel bands ( ct = 780 ° c .) of steel g ( si : 2 . 18 wt %) of table 1 were pickled with various hcl concentrations at the constant temperature of 85 ° c . for studying the surface properties , according to which the critical pickling time t with respect to completion of de - scaling and occurrence of the interglanular corrosion is expressed with following equations ( 8 ), ( 9 ), where b is as a parameter of hcl concentration the same investigations as stated concerning fig2 were made on the hot rolled bands of ct = 730 ° c . ( except steel c ) and ct = 850 ° c ., and the same results were obtained as in fig2 and if the coiling temperature ct was above a - b in fig1 the influences of the coiling temperature were not noted with respect to the critical pickling time . the formula ( 3 ) mentioned above is obtained from the formulas ( 4 ) to ( 9 ) with respect to the optimum pickling time t where the de - sclaing is completed and the interglanular corrosion is not generated . that is , if the value of t . bexp (- 5300 / rt ) is less than 0 . 48 (% si )+ 0 . 59 , the pickling would be insufficient and the scales remain , and if the value is more than 0 . 24 (% si )+ 4 . 00 , the interglanular corrosion would be created . since an inhibitor has an effect of suppressing the interglanular corrosion in addition to an effect of suppressing corrosions of the matrix iron of the steel band , it may be added into the pickling liquid . in this case , the inhibitor should be added more than 0 . 2 wt % to the amount of hcl , otherwise satisfied effects could not be obtained , but if it is more than 1 . 0 wt %, the effect is saturated and the pickling speed is decreased . according to the invention , it is possible to produce the electrical steel sheet having excellent surface properties with high economical effects by only optimizing the pickling time without requiring a special treatment and increasing cost . besides , as the surface properties are excellent , any fine grains are not formed in the surface layers during the finish annealing , and therefore the products are excellent in the magnetic properties , especially the iron loss and are uniform in the isolation coating . slabs of steels b , d , f , h of table 1 were heated 1200 ° c ., hot rolled to the thickness of 2 . 0 mm at the finish temperature of 930 ° c . the surface properties thereof were studied after picklings . results ( the de - scaling properties and presence and absence of the interglanular corrosion ) are shown in table 2 together with the pickling conditions . according to the above mentioned , if the pickling time is within the scope specified in the invention , the de - scaling is completed , and no interglanular corrosion appears . on the other hand , if the pickling time is shorter than the invention scope , the scales remain , and if it is longer , the intreglanular corrosion appears . table 1______________________________________ ( wt %) steels c si mn p s sol . al n______________________________________a 0 . 0079 0 . 11 0 . 34 0 . 019 0 . 009 0 . 004 0 . 0012b 0 . 0067 0 . 23 0 . 31 0 . 025 0 . 004 0 . 002 0 . 0033c 0 . 0041 0 . 33 0 . 29 0 . 105 0 . 003 0 . 001 0 . 0023d 0 . 0049 0 . 67 0 . 37 0 . 094 0 . 004 0 . 253 0 . 0015e 0 . 0050 1 . 00 0 . 24 0 . 040 0 . 006 0 . 228 0 . 0030f 0 . 0022 1 . 52 0 . 18 0 . 009 0 . 003 0 . 365 0 . 0012g 0 . 0026 2 . 18 0 . 26 0 . 018 0 . 003 0 . 321 0 . 0014h 0 . 0032 2 . 74 0 . 23 0 . 007 0 . 002 0 . 274 0 . 0016i 0 . 0030 3 . 25 0 . 30 0 . 005 0 . 001 0 . 898 0 . 0014______________________________________ table 2__________________________________________________________________________ optimum pickling pickling pickling intergranularsteels ct (° c .) liquid time * time de - scaling corrosions__________________________________________________________________________b 840 hcl = 7 wt % 14 - 80s 25s ◯ ◯ invention 85 ° c . process 10s x ◯ comparison 100s ◯ x processd 780 hcl = 5 wt % 19 - 86s 35s ◯ ◯ invention 95 ° c . process 15s x ◯ comparison 100s ◯ x processf 750 hcl = 10 wt % 19 - 63s 40s ◯ ◯ invention 90 ° c . process 15s x ◯ comparison 80s ◯ x processh 700 hcl = 12 wt % 39 - 95s 75s ◯ ◯ invention 70 ° c . process 25s ◯ ◯ comparison 120s x x process__________________________________________________________________________ * scope of pickling time of the invention the present invention may be applied to the pickling treatment of the hot rolled steel bands in the production of the electrical steel sheets . | 2 |
referring now to fig1 the present spring - type embroidery hoop or knitting ring article or device includes an outer , circular , plastic ring 10 having an inner groove 12 and an inner , circular , springy , metal ring 14 , which are concentrically oriented . referring to the inner ring 14 , a gap at 16 is provided in the continuity of the ring 14 , and two fingers 18 and 20 form extensions of the ring 14 and extend generally radially outwards from the ring 14 , via respective curved attachments 22 and 24 . a restraining means consisting of a clip 26 extends between the fingers 18 and 20 . the clip 26 in this embodiment of the invention is characterized by the provision of a hole or opening 28 at one end 30 , through which the finger 20 extends , so that the clip 26 can freely pivot about the finger 20 , and an axial slot 32 through which the finger 18 extends , so that the finger 18 is slidably movable along the sot 32 , when the fingers 18 and 20 are manipulated by squeezing towards each other , as shown by the arrow 34 . a pair of terminal gripping means 36 , 38 , consisting of plastic fittings for manual grasping of the fingers 18 and 20 by the human fingers of the user , are provided at the terminal ends of the fingers 18 , 20 , with each finger 18 or 20 having its respective fitting 36 or 38 mounted as shown . a laterally - knurled outer surface , e . g . surface 40 of fitting 38 , will usually be provided in practice to facilitate the manual grasping of the terminal plastic fittings 36 , 38 by the user . in addition , each finger 18 , 20 is preferably provided with its own individual respective outer flexible resilient plastic sleeve 42 , 44 . each sleeve 42 , 44 extends along its respective finger 18 , 20 from the restraining means ( slotted clip 26 ), and towards the inner ring 14 , terminating proximately at the respective curved attachment 22 , 24 . thus the restraining means consisting in this case of clip element 26 is prevented from slippage and displacement towards the inner ring 14 . fig2 shows the normal disposition of the elements in service , with ring 14 being extended and nesting in the groove 12 in ring 10 . excessive outwards pressure of ring 14 against ring 10 is prevented and curtailed by the restraining means 26 , with finger 18 engaging the closed end 46 of clip 26 at the outer end 48 of the slot 32 . fig3 shows the disposition of the elements when the material being worked , e . g . cloth , fabric or the like textile such as 50 , see fig5 is to be either emplaced in position in the device , or removed from the device . in fig3 the ring 14 is retracted , i . e . by squeezing manipulation of the fittings 36 , 38 , the finger 18 has been slid along in slot 32 , as shown by arrow 34 , away from slot end 48 at clip end 46 , and into juxtaposition with the other slot end 52 adjacent hole or opening 28 in the clip 26 . this manipulation has resulted in a decreasing or diminishing of the effective circumference of the inner ring 14 , so that its effective perimetral dimension has been diminished , and so that the inner ring 14 is now smaller , and out of the groove 12 , and is no longer contiguous with the outer ring 10 . thus , any textile or other material 50 may readily be emplaced into the device , or removed therefrom if previously emplaced , all as mentioned supra . fig4 shows details of the configuration , and fig5 shows emplaced cloth , fabric , textile material or the like in the device . the expansion of the inner ring 14 into the groove 12 and against the outer ring 10 effectively grips the emplaced cloth or the like , so that it is tautly stretched and may be worked , e . g . by embroidery or knitting , as desired . as shown , the cloth portion 54 extends flatly across the plane defined by the rings 10 and 14 , and is firmly and flatly stretched and held in place for working . fig6 shows a clip 56 having an axial slot 58 which extends continuously and longitudinally from a terminus 60 adjacent one end 62 of the clip 56 to a terminus 64 adjacent the other end 66 of the clip 56 . both of the fingers 68 and 70 are disposed in the slot 58 , so that both fingers 68 and 70 concomitantly move towards each other , and meet proximately at the middle of the slot 58 , when the two fittings 72 , 74 are squeezed , or otherwise manipulated , towards each other . fig7 shows a configuration in which the restraining means is a chain 76 , the chain 76 extending between the fingers 78 and 80 . each end link 82 and 84 of the chain 76 is welded at 85 or 87 to the respective finger 78 or 80 , as best seen in fig8 which also shows how manipulation of the fittings 86 and 88 towards each other tend to move the opposed fingers 78 and 80 towards each other , as indicated by arrows 90 and 92 . fig9 and 10 show an alternative embodiment of a chain 94 composed of a plurality of linked rings . each enlarged end link 96 , 98 is attached to its respective finger 100 , 102 via being extended through a hole or opening in the respective finger , such as opening 104 in finger 100 , see fig1 . the end fittings 106 , 108 mounted to the ends of the respective fingers 100 , 102 are manipulated as before . the present device and article of manufacture , in addition to usage as a spring - type embroidery hoop or knitting ring , is also eminently suitable for usage in schifling or other sewing machine work , or as a frame if so desired by using a hanging device . the present device and article is amenable to home or factory usage , or for distribution for retail and industrial applications . it thus will be seen that there is provided a spring - type embroidery hoop or knitting ring which achieves the various objects of the invention , and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use . as various possible embodiment might be made of the above invention , and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth , it is to be understood that all matter herein described or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense . thus , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that although preferred and alternative embodiments have been shown and described in accordance with the patent statutes , the invention is not limited thereto or thereby , since the embodiments of the invention particularly disclosed and described herein above are presented merely as an example of the invention . other embodiments , forms , and modifications of the invention , coming within the proper scope and spirit of the appended claims , will of course readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art . thus , while there has been described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiments of the invention , it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein , without departing from the invention , and it is , therefore , aimed in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention . | 3 |
the invention provides an apparatus that accomplishes the goals of the conventional device more efficiently , more economically , and more compactly . fig1 illustrates the hydraulic circuit having a two - way orifice check valve according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention . in the present invention an orifice check valve 20 decreases the variations in the control pressure and responds to the acting direction of the control pressure between an inlet conduit in and an outlet conduit out and directs that flow to either a first orifice 24 or a second orifice 26 . a pressure relief valve 40 opens for a large pressure increase to quickly engage the friction element . a cylindrical body part 22 is movably installed within a first pressure chamber p 1 of an inlet conduit in . first and second orifices 24 and 26 are formed in both ends of the body part 22 respectively . a conduit 28 connects the first and second orifices 24 and 26 . a plurality of elongate projections 30 ( fig2 ) are formed around an outside circumference of the body part 22 for forming a plurality of flow paths between the body part 22 and the first pressure chamber p 1 . an access 32 ( fig2 ) connects the flow paths between the elongate projections 30 and the body part 22 to the conduit 28 . in the pressure relief valve 40 ( fig1 ) a second pressure chamber p 2 , disposed adjacent to the first pressure chamber p 1 communicates with an outlet conduit out . a valve element 44 disposed within the second pressure chamber p 2 is elastically supported by a return spring 42 and has an internal flow path 46 . the cross sectional area of the first pressure chamber p 1 is smaller than that of the second pressure chamber p 2 , while the cross sectional area of the body part 22 of the orifice check valve 20 is also smaller that that of the valve element 44 of the pressure relief valve 40 . accordingly , the body part 22 , which is movably installed within the first pressure chamber p 1 , can enter into the second pressure chamber p 2 . the body part 22 can also press the valve element 44 against the return spring 42 into the second pressure chamber p 2 , depending on the pressure in the first pressure chamber p 1 . the cross sectional area of valve element 44 of the pressure relief valve 40 is smaller than that of the second pressure chamber p 2 to allow fluid to flow through the space between the valve element 44 and the inner circumference of the second pressure chamber p 2 . when the friction element is engaged by the control pressure in the hydraulic circuit , the following actuations occur . as shown in fig3 the control pressure , which has been introduced through the inlet conduit in into the first pressure chamber p 1 , flows through the access 32 and through the spaces between the plurality of the elongate projections 30 of the body part 22 into the body part 22 . under this condition , the body part 22 within the first pressure chamber p 1 is pushed rightward by the control pressure to contact the valve element 44 , but the valve element 44 is elastically supported by the return spring 42 on its rear part , and therefore , the motion of the valve element 44 is hindered . the control pressure which has been introduced into the body part 22 is transmitted through the second orifice 26 into the second pressure chamber p 2 . then the control pressure passes through the flow path 46 of the valve element 44 and through the outlet conduit out to be supplied to the relevant friction element . if the friction element is released , the following actuations occur , as shown in fig4 . that is , the control pressure , which has been introduced through the outlet conduit out into the second pressure chamber p 2 , passes through the axial flow path 46 to enter into the first pressure chamber p 1 . under this condition , the body part 22 within the first pressure chamber p 1 is pushed leftward by the control pressure . the valve element 44 within the pressure chamber p 2 cannot enter into the first pressure chamber p 1 , since the cross sectional area of the first pressure chamber p 1 is smaller than that of the second pressure chamber p 2 . thus , the valve body 44 seals against the first pressure chamber p 1 , requiring all fluid to flow through flow path 46 . the control pressure passes through the spaces between the plurality of the elongate projections 30 and through the lateral access 32 to enter into the body part 22 . the control pressure then passes through the first orifice 24 to be discharged through inlet conduit in of the hydraulic circuit . when a large control pressure acts in the hydraulic circuit to quickly engage the friction element , the following occurs as shown in fig5 . the control pressure , which has been introduced through the inlet conduit in into the first pressure chamber p 1 , passes through the plurality of the channels between the plurality of the elongate projections 30 to enter into the second pressure chamber p 2 . under this condition , the body part 22 of the first pressure chamber p 1 is pushed rightward by the control pressure . the body part 22 partly enters the second pressure chamber p 2 by overcoming the force of the return spring 42 , resulting in the valve element 44 ( elastically supported by the return spring 42 ) being pushed rightward . accordingly , the space between the body part 22 and the shell of the first pressure chamber p 1 , and the space between the valve element 44 and the second pressure chamber p 2 , are connected . the control pressure passes through the space between the valve element 44 and the inner circumference of the second pressure chamber p 2 and out the the outlet conduit out to be supplied to the relevant friction element . according to the present invention as described above , an orifice check valve 20 decreases the variations in the control pressure and determines the acting direction of the control pressure between an inlet conduit in and an outlet conduit out , between which the control pressure flows to the friction element . further , a pressure relief valve 40 allows large control pressure to flow through the device to make it possible to quickly engage the friction element . this simplifies the structure so that the component space and manufacturing cost is reduced . the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention are presented for purposes of illustration and description . they are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed . obviously many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings . the embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications , to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated . it is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents . | 8 |
the invention is directed to fluxing adhesive compositions that include a fluxing agent comprising a single active component which is capable of functioning as both a primary fluxing agent and a crosslinking monomer . generally , depending upon the intended end use , the inventive thermally curable adhesive composition comprises ( a ) a fluxing agent having a carboxylic acid group and one or more carbon - carbon double bonds , ( b ) optionally , a crosslinkable diluent , ( c ) optionally , a free - radical initiator , and ( d ) optionally , a resin . in addition the thermally curable adhesive composition may include a solvent for adjusting the viscosity . other viscosity modifiers , thickeners and thixotropic agents may also be added . fillers , such as silica powder , can be employed for increased modulus and lower thermal coefficient of expansion . the fluxing agent is a carboxyl containing compound that has the structure rcooh , wherein r comprises a moiety which include two or more carbon - carbon double bonds . for high flux activity due to the presence of multiple carboxylic acids , the preferred fluxing agent is a carboxylic acid that is selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by formulae i , ii , and iii , and mixtures thereof , wherein r 18 is an alkyl having 1 to 16 carbons , preferably 1 to 9 carbons , and more preferably 1 to 3 carbons , wherein n is an integer from 1 to 16 preferably an integer from 1 to 9 , and more preferably an integer from 1 to 3 , wherein each of r 1 , r 2 , . . . r n , is independently selected from -- c ( o ) ch ═ chcooh , and h , wherein x 1 , x 2 , x 3 , and x 4 , are each independently selected from -- ch 2 oh , -- ch 2 oc ( o ) ch ═ chcooh , and h , with the proviso that not all of x 1 , x 2 , x 3 , and x 4 are h , and preferably only one of said x 1 , x 2 , x 3 , and x 4 is h . a preferred fluxing adhesive composition that has a lower curing temperature , faster curing rate and increased moisture resistance includes a fluxing agent that has the general structure r &# 39 ; cooh , wherein r &# 39 ; comprises a moiety having two or more carbon - carbon double bonds , of which preferably at least one is within an acrylate or methacrylate moiety , that is , r &# 39 ; contains at least one acrylate (-- c ( o ) ch ═ ch 2 ) or methacrylate (-- c ( o ) c ( ch 3 )═ ch 2 ) group . ( preferably , there are 1 to 5 groups .) for high flux activity due to the presence of multiple carboxylic acids , a preferred fluxing agent is a carboxylic acid that is selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by formulae iv , v , vi and mixtures thereof , where r &# 39 ; 18 is a substituted alkyl moiety containing at least one acrylate or methacrylate moiety and said substituted alkyl moiety comprising a chain having 1 to 16 carbons , preferably 1 to 9 carbons , and more preferably 1 to 3 carbons , and wherein n is an integer from 1 to 16 , preferably an integer from 1 to 9 , and more preferably an integer from 1 to 3 , wherein each of r &# 39 ; 1 , r &# 39 ; 2 , . . . r &# 39 ; n , is independently selected from -- c ( o ) ch ═ chcooh , -- c ( o ) ch ═ ch 2 , -- c ( o ) c ( ch 3 )═ ch 2 , and h , and wherein y 1 , y 2 , y 3 , and y 4 , are each independently selected from -- ch 2 oh , -- ch 2 ococh ═ ch 2 , -- ch 2 ococ ( ch 3 )═ ch 2 , -- ch 2 oc ( o ) ch ═ chcooh and h with the proviso that not all of y 1 , y 2 , y 3 , and y 4 are h , and preferably not more than one of said y 1 , y 2 , y 3 , and y 4 is h . incorporating an acrylate and / or methacrylate in the structure can reduce the curing temperature of the adhesive polymer since the carbon - carbon double bonds in the acrylate or methacrylate tend be more reactive than most other such double bonds . reducing the crosslink temperature of the double bonds tends to make the adhesive flux more compatible with current practice in the field wherein solder reflow is achieved in a thermal cycle having a peak temperature of 230 ° c . the lower crosslink temperature can produce an adhesive flux formulation that is fully crosslinked after only one or two passes through the solder reflow thermal cycle . the acrylate and methacrylate will also tend to repel moisture and reduce the absorption of water in the cured polymer . a particularly preferred acrylate containing fluxing agent is pentaerythritol triacrylate maleic acid monoester which exhibits low viscosity and high flux activity as further described in example 2 . the fluxing agent typically comprises about 0 . 01 %- 100 %, preferably about 5 %- 80 %, and more preferably about 10 %- 70 % by volume of the thermally curable adhesive composition . the fluxing agents of the present invention exhibit flux activities that are superior to that of prior art polymer - fluxing agent mixtures . since the inventive fluxing agents are intrinsically self - crosslinking , the thermally curable adhesive composition does not require the use of epoxy resins for crosslinking . as a corollary , the shelf life or pot life of the composition is long and its flux activity high relative to conventional polymer - fluxing mixtures that include epoxy resins . further , the adhesion properties , mechanical integrity , and corrosion resistance achieved with the fluxing agents are superior to those achieved with prior art polymer fluxing agents because there is no need to add aggressive fluxing activators . the inventive fluxing agents are fully cross - linked and all components thereof are chemically immobilized upon curing . even the reaction by - products of flux deoxidization of the metals may be chemically bound in the polymer matrix . carboxylic acids function well as fluxing agents to remove oxides from metals . in addition , carboxylic acids are also very effective crosslinking moieties when present in their reactive form in a fluxing composition containing a suitable thermosetting resin , such as an epoxy . for this reason , in the prior art , chemical protection of the carboxylic acid was essential to achieving stability and preventing premature reactions . protection was achieved by binding the fluxing agent with a chemically - or thermally - triggered species so that it becomes reactive only at or near the time that the solder melts . however , with the present invention , no such protection is necessary because the compositions can be formulated without any components that can crosslink with the carboxylic acid moiety . this results in a fluxing agent that can function at its full strength with the metal oxides to produce fluxing that is superior to any heretofore polymerizable fluxing agent . the flux activity of the inventive fluxing agent in some applications may be too high thereby requiring dilution of the fluxing agent to prevent formation of undesirable gaseous by - products . with the inventive fluxing agent , the principal crosslinking mechanism occurs at the carbon - carbon double bonds existing in the fluxing agent molecule and not at the carboxylic acid groups . the carboxylic acids do not react with the double bonds , therefore on its own , in the absence of other molecules that can react with the carboxylic acid , the fluxing agent does not polymerize at ambient temperatures . it is at elevated temperatures that the double bonds begin to open and react with other opened double bonds to crosslink . since each fluxing agent molecule contains at least two double bonds , the molecules crosslink into polymeric networks . by eliminating the need for a separate thermosetting resin in the flux composition , as is required in the prior art , the flux activity can be kept very high without concern about pre - maturely cross - linking the thermosetting resin . by crosslinking the fluxing agent itself , an adhesive having a higher glass transition temperature and lower coefficient of thermal expansion can be created without sacrificing fluxing activity . another preferred fluxing - adhesive composition , one that has very high moisture resistance , comprises a fluxing agent with the general structure r &# 34 ; cooh , wherein r &# 34 ; comprises a moiety having two or more carbon - carbon double bonds , of which preferably at least one is within an acrylate or methacrylate moiety and r &# 34 ; further contains at least one aromatic moiety , which is an unsaturated aromatic carbocylic group having a single ring ( e . g ., phenyl ) or multiple condensed rings ( e . g ., naphthyl ) which condensed rings may or may not be aromatic . the aromatic moiety also includes substituted aromatic moieties . the r &# 34 ; group can also be fluorinated . for high flux activity due to the presence of multiple carboxylic acids , the preferred fluxing agent is a carboxylic acid that is selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by formulae vii and mixtures thereof . a particularly preferred aromatic - containing fluxing agent is one made from bisphenol a epoxy , as described in example 1 , which exhibits significant hydrophobicity . the generalized structure for carboxylic acids containing two or more carbon - carbon double bonds and also containing aromatic moieties is : in which ar is ## str1 ## each of and r 19 and r 20 are ## str2 ## in which r 21 is -- c ( o ) ch ═ ch -- cooh , -- c ( o ) cf 2 cf 2 cf 2 cooh , or h . the presence of carbon - carbon double bond ( s ) in the fluxing agent molecule allows much flexibility in the formulation of a flux composition with exceptional thermomechanical properties . this is achieved by the addition of double bond containing diluents that can also crosslink with the flux to create a superior adhesive . this technique permits the design of fluxing adhesive compositions that can attain high crosslink densities , which are desirable for good thermomechanical properties and good adhesion . moreover , this is accomplished without the concern of premature crosslinking and reduced pot life associated with the prior art . preferred diluents include , for example , ( a ) pentaerythritol tetraacrylate , c ( ch 2 oocch ═ ch 2 ) 4 , ( b ) triallyl - 1 , 3 , 5 - triazine - 2 , 4 , 6 ( 1h , 3h , 5h )- trione , ( c ) tris [ 2 -( acryloxy ) ethyl ] isocyanurate , ( d ) glycerol propoxylate triacrylate and mixtures thereof . diluents ( b ) and ( c ) have the following structures : ## str3 ## other double bond compounds , many of which are commercially available , including , for example , diallyl phthalate and divinyl benzene can also be used . hydrophobic diluents as described are preferred but hydrophilic diluents can also be employed when appropriate . the diluent when employed typically can comprise up to about 90 %, preferably between about 5 %- 80 %, and more preferably between about 50 %- 80 % by volume of the thermally curable adhesive composition . one benefit of employing hydrophobic diluents is that their presence tends to reduce the amount of water which the cured adhesive composition will absorb . the reason is that the fluxing agent , when crosslinked , will have active carboxylic groups that can attract water , even though these carboxylic groups , being part of a network , are immobile . water acts as a plasticizer which softens the cured adhesive composition . the use of hydrophobic diluents which are crosslinked to the fluxing agent will counteract the hydrophilic effects of the carboxylic acid groups . indeed , the cured adhesive compositions containing hydrophobic diluents can have less than 2 % ( wt ) moisture when exposed to ambient conditions . while the thermally curable adhesive composition can be cured using heat alone , the cross linking reaction can be initiated and facilitated by the presence of free - radicals , including , for example , those generated by benzoyl peroxide , butyl hydroperoxide , 2 , 2 &# 39 ;- azobisisobutyronitrile , and mixtures thereof . these free radical initiators or sources are commercially available . free - radicals can be created in - situ by exposure of the free - radical initiator to heat , radiation , or other conventional energizing sources . introduction of an appropriate free - radical initiator can accelerate the onset of crosslinking to the desired moment in a solder reflow operation . the presence of a small amount of free - radical crosslinking initiator in the fluxing agent can be used to control the rate and the temperature of crosslinking of the fluxing agent , ensuring effective fluxing action and strong adhesion of the fluxing agent to the substrates upon curing . the free radical initiator when employed typically comprises up to about 5 %, preferably between about 0 %- 3 %, and more preferably about 0 . 3 %- 1 % by weight of the thermally curable adhesive composition . the thermally curable adhesive composition does not require resins ; further , compositions that do not include resins tend to have longer pot lives and lower viscosities during solder reflow . however , as an option , a resin can be employed and it functions to increase the adhesion of the cured composition to the substrate and to increase the cohesive strength and glass transition temperature of the cured composition . the resin may be any suitable resin that is compatible ( i . e ., blendable ) with the fluxing agent . by blendable is meant that the resins do not have to be chemically bonded to the fluxing agent and / or diluent , however , preferred resins can crosslink with the carboxylic acid groups in the fluxing agent or by other reactive moieties , such as optional -- oh groups , in the diluent . resins which meet these requirements include , but are not limited to , epoxy resins , phenolic resins , novolac resins other than phenolic resins ( both phenolic and cresolic ), polyurethanes , polyimides , bismaleimides , polymaleimides other than bismaleimides , polycyanate esters , polyvinyl alcohols , polyesters , and polyureas . preferred resins 1 , 4 - cyclohexanedimethanol diglycidyl ether , 3 , 4 - epoxycyclohexylmethyl 3 , 4 - epoxycyclohexanecarboxylate , n , n - diglycidyl - 4 - glycidyl - oxyaniline , bisphenol a based epoxy resins , and mixtures thereof . these are commercially available . suitable compounds ( including polymers ) can also be modified to form resins that are blendable with the diluent and / or the carboxylic acid fluxing agent . examples of such compounds are acrylics , rubbers ( butyl , nitrile , etc . ), polyamides , polyacrylates , polyethers , polysulfones , polyethylenes , polypropylenes , polysiloxanes , polyvinyl acetates / polyvinyl esters , polyolefins , cyanoacrylates , and polystyrenes . generally , any compound can function as a resin if it can be modified to contain at least one of the following illustrative functional groups that act as reactive sites for polymerization : anhydrides , carboxylic acids , amides , amines , alcohols / phenols , nitriles , carbamates , isocyanates , sulfonamides , semicarbazones , oximes , hydrazones , cyanohydrins , ureas , phosphoric esters / acids , thiophosphoric esters / acids , phosphonic esters / acids , phosphites , phosphonamides , and sulfonic esters / acids . for example , a polyolefin which has no reactive sites for binding and has poor adhesive properties is typically not a suitable resin , however , a carboxylated polyolefin functions well when matched with a suitable cross - linking agent . a combination of these and other resins , such as non - cross - linkable thermoplastic resins , may also be used as resins . resins when employed can comprise up to about 80 %, preferably between about 10 %- 80 %, and more preferably about 60 %- 70 % by volume of the thermally curable adhesive composition . in preparing the fluxing composition , the proportions of the four components may be varied over a considerable range and still yield acceptable fluxing activity as well as good post cured material properties . preferably , the fluxing composition employed does not produce gaseous byproducts that can result in the formation of bubbles in the final cured composition . this can be achieved with thermally curable adhesive compositions preferably formulated as follows : c ) free radical initiator comprising about 0 %- 3 % ( wt ) of the composition ; and some of the thermally curable adhesive compositions within these ranges may exhibit undesirably high moisture absorption , low glass transition temperatures , or high coefficients of thermal expansions after cured , but they remain useful as fluxing compositions in applications where these characteristics are not critical . most preferably , the thermally curable adhesive composition after being cured has a coefficient of thermal expansion of about 25 ppm /° c ., a glass transition temperature in excess of 150 ° c . and moisture content of less than 2 %. these characteristics can be achieved with thermally curable adhesive compositions preferably formulated without any free radical initiator or resin but comprising about 10 %- 70 % ( vol .) fluxing agent and about 20 %- 80 % ( vol .) diluent . while , again , some of the fluxing agents within these ranges may exhibit high coefficient of thermal expansion or low glass transition temperature when cured , they remain useful as fluxes in applications where these characteristics are not critical . in order for the thermally curable adhesive composition to achieve the largest spreading and wetting by the solder , it must achieve and maintain low viscosity up to the temperature at which the solder melts and wets the metallizations . if the composition becomes too thick before the solder has melted , it will impede the flow of the solder melt and reduce the degree of metal soldering . for this reason , the curing of the composition must occur slowly relative to the time required to reach the melting point of the solder powder . this can be achieved by selection of the components with appropriate crosslinking temperatures and formulating the appropriate proportions by use of a differential scanning calorimeter to control reaction rates and times . the thermally curable adhesive composition can also be used as a fluxing adhesive for use in sinterable conductive ink compositions that comprises : a ) 1 % to 65 % ( wt ) of a high melting point metal or metal alloy powder , typically comprising cu powder , however , other metals such as , for example , ag , au , pt , pd be , rh , ni , co , fe , mo , and high - melting point alloys thereof ; b ) 6 % to 65 % ( wt ) of a low melting point metal or metal alloy powder ( solder ), typically comprising sn , bi , pb , cd , zn , ga , in , hg , sb , or an alloy thereof or other metal having a melting point that is lower than that of the high melting metal powder in part ( a ); and c ) 5 % to 50 % ( wt ) of the thermally curable adhesive flux composition that also serves a flux composition and as an adhesive . preferably the conductive ink composition comprises 13 % to 65 % ( wt ) of the high melting point metal , 6 % to 29 % ( wt ) of the low melting point metal , and / or 5 % to 35 % ( wt ) of the thermally curable adhesive flux composition . techniques for employing electrically conductive compositions are described in u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 376 , 403 , 5 , 538 , 789 , and 5 , 565 , 267 which are incorporated herein . during the curing process of the sinterable conductive ink compositions , in order for the solder alloy to readily wet the other powder and sinter , the principal requirement of the thermally curable adhesive composition is that the polymers not harden before melting of the solder powder is achieved . additionally , after curing , the composition must act as an adhesive that strongly binds the cured ink composition to the printed circuit board substrate . the flux compositions of the instant invention are particularly suited for these applications . the thermally curable adhesive composition of the instant invention is particularly suited for attaching flip chips to a substrate wherein the fluxing agent serves also as an encapsulating adhesive . the compositions eliminate the need for the additional assembly steps of washing the solder flux and then underfilling the chip - to - substrate gap with an encapsulating polymer adhesive , as is done in the prior art . an improved flip - chip process involves a single - step chip placement followed by solder reflow without the labor intensive underfill encapsulation steps . this improved process is possible if , prior to soldering , the bumped chips or substrate can be coated with a thick layer of the instant invention fluxing composition so that it effectively fluxes the soldering of the interconnections then also hardens to form the solid encapsulant after soldering . the heat applied during the solder reflowing operation will also harden the adhesive to create a high - strength bond . attachment of a substrate to a device is illustrated in fig1 wherein a flip chip 130 containing solder bumps 140 is positioned so that the solder bumps 140 and the active surface 150 are facing the substrate 100 and aligned with the metallization pattern 110 of the substrate 100 . the thermally curable adhesive flux composition 120 is coated on the surface of the substrate and metallization pattern . referring to fig2 the bumped chip 230 is moved into intimate contact with the metallization pattern 210 . the thermally curable adhesive flux composition 220 wets the chip 230 , insuring complete coverage of the active surface 250 of the chip 230 . the fillet 260 provides a continuous seal around the periphery of the chip 230 to protect the active surface 250 from environmental contamination . the fluxing agent contained in composition 220 coats the solder bumps 240 and the metallization pattern 210 . the assembly 270 is reflowed in a conventional manner such as in an oven , causing the carboxylic acid in the fluxing agent of the composition to become reactive , reducing the oxides on the solder 240 and the metallization surface 210 , and permitting alloying of the solder to the metal . after the reflow process , the fluxing agent in composition 220 and the other crosslinkable carbon - carbon double bonds in the composition , if present , crosslink to one another , hardening the composition to a solid form . depending on the composition , a second hardening operation may be required by application of additional heat to completely harden the composition 220 . during the reflow and hardening steps , the assembly is encapsulated by the composition . since the encapsulant provides a continuous seal to protect the active surface 250 from environmental contamination , no further cleaning or encapsulating operations are required . it should be appreciated that although the drawings depict the encapsulation and connection of a flip chip 130 to a substrate , embodiments using other types of surface mounted components , cables , or connectors having solder bumps are within the scope of the invention . similarly , instead of solder bumps , a solder paste comprising a solder powder and the thermally curable adhesive composition can be employed . suitable solder powders comprise , for example , tin / lead , tin / lead / silver , and tin / lead / antimony solder powders . the inventive thermally curable adhesive composition is also suitable for soldering and mechanically attaching a flat cable to a printed circuit or flat panel display without the need for a separate connector . another assembly technique involves formulating a curable adhesive composition which is solid at room temperature , but melts without crosslinking at an elevated temperature , e . g . example 5 . as shown in fig3 the molten curable adhesive composition 320 can be first applied to the solder bumped chip 130 and allowed to cool and harden to form a chip / adhesive / bump subassembly . this subassembly can be applied to the substrate 100 with or without addition of any other flux . a small amount of heat may be used to soften the composition 320 so that it holds the chip 230 in place until the solder is reflowed as shown in fig4 . if allowed to cool , this molten composition 320 can temporarily support the chip 230 in place for chip testing or burn in . the chip can thus be easily removed should it malfunction . when it is desired to permanently attach the chip , the substrate and subassembly can be passed through a solder reflow oven thereby melting the solder bumps 340 , activating the flux in composition 420 , forming permanent solder joints , and crosslinking the adhesive in the composition as shown in fig5 . another approach to the above involves adding a diluent to a mixture of solid and liquid fluxing agent to create a somewhat sticky mixture . the mixture is applied to the chip by warming as described above , then hardened to form a somewhat pressure - sensitive adhesive . placement of the chip on the substrate will then hold the chip in place until the solder is reflowed . as is apparent , the thermally curable adhesive composition can be dispensed on the substrate or the chip prior to performing the solder bump reflowing . the novel flip - chip attachment process has a number of advantages . for example , during the reflow operation , the composition also hardens and encapsulates the flip chip assembly . this eliminates the additional steps of reflowing the solder bump and then underfilling and curing the encapsulant that results in reduced production efficiency in prior art processes . in addition , there is no need to underfill any material into the tiny gap in the flip chip assembly . void formation from the underfilling procedure and separation of the polymer from the ceramic fillers during application in prior art processes are eliminated . the flux residues remaining in the gap are not only rendered harmless , but also become integral to the structure of the final assembly . finally , there is no longer a size limit on the chip that can be attached . to achieve these advantages , the inventive thermally curable composition exhibit the following features : a ) provides sufficient flux activity to promote the solder bump to readily wet the metallization on the substrate during solder reflow , without the presence of corrosive flux activators that can contaminate the silicon chip ; b ) promotes solder wetting and self - alignment of the chip to the pads on the substrate by action of the wetting force of the molten solder , during the solder reflow cycle , no hardening of the flux composition occurs until the solder bump has been melted ; c ) reduces or eliminates gaseous evolution during the reflow cycle that would otherwise create voids ; e ) demonstrates little shrinkage of the composition during hardening to minimize the stress resulting from the hardening process and subsequent cooling ; and f ) forms strong adhesion of the cured composition to the chip , substrate and solder joints . 34 . 8 g of bisphenol a diglycidyl ether was heated to 70 ° c . under continuous stirring and then 14 . 4 g of acrylic acid was added slowly under nitrogen atmosphere . after maintaining the reaction at 70 ° c . for 2 hours , 19 . 6 g of maleic anhydride was added and then the temperature was raised to 80 ° c . under mechanical stirring . the reactants are stirred at 80 ° c . for 2 - 3 hours to complete the reaction . 9 . 8 g of maleic anhydride was heated to 80 ° c . under nitrogen atmosphere until all the maleic anhydride is melted before 29 . 8 g of pentaerythritol triacrylate was added slowly under continuous stirring . the reaction was then maintained at 80 ° c . for 3 hours followed by cooling to room temperature . 277 g of n , n - diglycidyl - 4 - glycidyl - oxyaniline is heated to 90 ° c . in nitrogen atmosphere and then 168 g of acrylic acid is added under mechanical stirring . the reaction is maintained at 90 ° c . for 2 hours before 294 g of maleic anhydride is added . the reactants are kept at 80 ° c . for an additional 3 hours to complete the reaction . synthesis of 1 , 4 - cyclohexanedimethanol diglycidyl ether based difunctional acrylate dimaleic acid monoester 256 g of 1 , 4 - cyclohexanedimethanol diglycidyl ether is heated to 80 ° c . in nitrogen atmosphere and then 112 g acrylic acid is added under mechanical stirring . the reaction is maintained at 80 ° c . for 2 hours before 196 g of maleic anhydride is added . after the addition , the temperature is increased to 90 ° c . and the reaction proceeds for another 2 hours at 90 ° c . to completion . 422 g of tetrafunctional epoxy ( my 720 , ciba - geigy ) is heated to 90 ° c . in nitrogen atmosphere and 224 g of acrylic acid is added under mechanical stirring . the reaction is maintained at 90 ° c . for 3 hours before 392 g of maleic anhydride is added at the same temperature . the reaction proceeds for an additional 2 hours to completion . the 20 g of fluxing adhesive made in example 1 is mixed with 80 g of glycerol propoxylate triacrylate ( diluent ) at 70 ° c . and the mixture is thoroughly stirred at 70 ° c . for 10 min . until they are evenly mixed . the viscous liquid is cooled to room temperature and is ready for use . the formulation is the same as in example 1 except that pentaerythritol tetraacrylate is used as a reactive diluent instead of glycerol propoxylate triacrylate . 20 g of the fluxing adhesive made in example 2 is mixed thoroughly with 80 g of glycerol propoxylate triacrylate at room temperature . 10 g of each fluxing adhesives made in examples 1 and 2 , respectively , are mixed thoroughly with 80 g of glycerol propoxylate triacrylate at 70 ° c . physical characteristics of twelve inventive curable adhesive compositions were measured . the properties tested were solder wettability ( spread ), glass transition temperature , thermal decomposition temperature , co - efficient of thermal expansion , and shear adhesion strength . the inventive compositions were formulated as follows : ______________________________________ % fluxing agent in composition number : fluxing agent 1 2 3 4 5 6______________________________________bisphenol a 100 -- 20 20 -- 10diglycerolatedimaleic acidmonoesterpentaerythritol -- 100 -- -- 20 10triacylatemaleic acidmonoesterglycerol -- -- 80 -- 80 80propoxylatetriacrylatepentaerythritol -- -- -- 80 -- -- tetraacrylate______________________________________ ______________________________________ adhesive shear strength glass thermal to solder transition degradation coppercom - spread temperature temperature cte surfaceposition ( area ) tg (° c .) (° c .) ( ppm / k ) ( mpa ) ______________________________________a 1 . 28 - - - - 1 2 . 65 164 & gt ; 350 73 - 2 2 . 58 152 & gt ; 270 73 - 3 2 . 63 156 & gt ; 300 - 604 2 . 60 172 & gt ; 320 67 - 5 2 . 56 170 & gt ; 290 - - 6 2 . 60 160 & gt ; 300 75 - ______________________________________ composition a consisted of an adhesive material that is described in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 128 , 746 ( example 4 ) which contains a fluxing agent and hardener . the composition was prepared with the following components ( by weight ): 50 % shell epon 825 epoxy resin ( shell chemical co . ), 7 % malic acid , 42 % methylhexahydrophthalic anhydride ( ma ) and 1 % imidazole . the malic acid and the epoxy resin were mixed and heated to about 150 ° c . with stirring until the solution was clear . the solution was allowed to cool to room temperature before the ma and imidazole were added and the mixture was stirred until uniform . as is apparent , the inventive compositions yield superior physical properties . the solder spread was measured by placing a ball of solder on a surface and then applying a small amount of the curable adhesive composition ( or composition a ) to the solder . the surface was then heated to about 200 ° c . and the area that the melted solder covered was measured . the solder spread values are normalized , that is , the solder spread in the case where no fluxing agent was employed is equal to 1 . although only preferred embodiments of the invention are specifically disclosed and described above , it will be appreciated that many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings and within the purview of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and intended scope of the invention . | 7 |
an aspect of the present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings . fig1 - 7 show a cable strain reliever 10 according to embodiments of the invention . this invention may , however , 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 be thorough and complete , and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art . like numbers refer to like elements throughout . all features and embodiments may also be applied singly or in any combination for achieving the invention , i . e . the cable strain reliever 10 . the cable strain reliever 10 according to the disclosed embodiments is preferably , but not necessarily , intended for the usage together with a portable electronic device 1 or a stationary electronic device 2 ( see fig7 ). the portable or the stationary electronic device may be any electronic device such as , e . g . a mobile radio terminal , a mobile telephone , a cellular telephone , a pager , a communicator , a smart phone , a personal digital assistant ( pda ), an electronic organizer , a portable or stationary computer 2 , a digital audio player such as a mp3 - player or an ipod ®, a digital camera , an electronic picture frame , a television receiver , a home cinema , or any other suitable picture or movie projector . the cable strain reliever 10 is assembled into an electrical connection 3 of the electronic device 1 , 2 with a cable 4 by means of a threaded connection 5 . the cable strain reliever 10 comprises a first part , i . e . a single elongated strain reliever body 20 in the form of at least a partly hollow cylindrical body being adapted to be at least partly enclosed by a second part , i . e . a tube - shaped and threaded body 30 that is thread onto the threaded connection 5 as a third part when assembled . as can be seen in fig3 , the cable strain reliever body 20 is provided with at least three openings at each end , a first end 20 a and a second end 20 b , and at least three through holes 21 opening at each associated end opening . two of the through holes 21 are not enclosed or surrounded cavities , i . e . these cavities are partly open recesses for simplifying the assembly of the cable 4 therein but one or both of these cavities could of course be enclosed in other embodiments . this means that these cavities only surround a part of the envelope surface of the cable but could in other embodiments enclose the whole envelope surface of the associated cable length fitted therein . the cable runs three times through the whole length of the cable strain reliever body 20 , i . e . one cable length runs through each hole 21 , forming two windings of the cable . in some embodiments , more than three cable windings are possible , but require more space , i . e . a larger reliever body and tube 30 . the increase in size depends of course on the size of the cable and how many cable windings that are used . the cable strain reliever 10 is formed by three primary components , i . e . the cable strain reliever body 20 , the cable 4 winded through this body and the threaded tube 30 . the cable strain reliever is assembled after tying the cable knot by means of the reliever body and then pulling the body and the cable knot into the threaded tube and then threading the tube onto the threaded connection 5 . the tube 30 has a varying diameter or size such that the cable 4 is compressed more and more , i . e . squeezed more and more between the body 20 and the tube , the further the body is pulled into the tube or the further the tube is threaded . the threaded connection 5 works as an anvil with one end abutting against the reliever body 20 such that it is fixed lengthwise and do not rotate while the threaded tube 30 is rotated and moves axially along the cable 4 and the reliever body during assembly by threading it onto the connection 5 . this means that the threading of the tube and its decreasing inner dimension in the opposite direction of the threading compresses the cable in the reliever body 20 more and more as the tube 30 moves while rotating it along the threaded connection towards the other end of the connection 5 until the tube “ bottoms ”, i . e . when threaded as far as possible . the tube 30 is preferably conically shaped for achieving the varying diameter , and made in a sufficiently stiff material , and may , in other embodiments , be manufactured without a varying inner dimension but in a flexible material that still enables the cable 4 to be squeezed between the reliever body 20 and the tube such that the cable is sufficiently compressed . the compression of the cable 4 means that the cable is squeezed creating a sufficient friction between the reliever body , the tube 30 , and the cable for relieving the cable knot from damaging strain if subjected to large pulling forces . this friction may also be controlled by choosing materials in the body , the tube and the cable that optimize the friction there between . the design with one wholly enclosing through hole 21 and two partly open recesses 21 means that the cable in the relatively stiff reliever body 20 is easier to compress compared to an embodiment where all the through holes 21 where enclosed . in the latter embodiment with fully enclosing holes , the reliever body could “ crease ” when compressed such that material could be abundant hindering or at least render further compression more difficult . the cable strain reliever body 20 may comprise at least one , preferably two protrusions 40 extending from at least one end 20 a or 20 b , in this embodiment end 20 b . in another embodiment , the cable strain reliever body could be equipped with at least one protrusion at each end 20 a , 20 b . these protrusions 40 are designed as integrated and fixed parts of the strain reliever body and adapted to be fitted into receiving recesses or holes 6 in the threaded connection 5 when the threaded tube 30 is threaded thereon . the protrusions 40 together with the recesses 6 form a grip by their shapes fitting into each other , but could , in other embodiments , be held together by force , e . g . a tight fit , adhesion or similar suitable attachments . the recesses 6 are arranged on the end of the connection 5 that has the anvil function explained above . in another embodiment , the arrangement of recesses and protrusions may be inverted , i . e . the recesses 6 could instead be arranged on the reliever body 20 and the protrusions 40 be placed on the connection 5 . the cable strain reliever body 20 and the cable 4 in the embodiment shown in the figures are connected by introducing a first end of the cable through one opening 21 at the first end 20 a or the second end 20 b of the body , e . g . through the through hole , i . e . the cavity enclosing the whole envelope surface of the cable when the cable is fitted therein , a first time , and leading it through the whole cable strain reliever body length and out of the second opening at the second cable strain reliever body end 20 a or 20 b . then , the cable end passed through the cable strain reliever body is winded and inserted into the reliever body a second time by pressing it into one of the other two recesses , which are partly open lengthwise exposing at least a part of the cable envelope surface , in a third opening 21 at this second end 20 a or 20 b , along the whole cable strain reliever body length again through this second recess and out of a fourth opening , and then the cable is winded a second time by pressing another cable length portion into the third recess , i . e . into a fifth opening in the second partly open recess 21 , and guiding the cable back through this third recess to the first body end 20 a or the second body end 20 b along the whole cable strain reliever body length a third time and out of a sixth opening at the second cable strain reliever body end 20 a or 20 b once again . this embodiment exposes at least two cable lengths such that at least a part of each of their envelope surfaces is in contact with the inner surface of the tube 30 during and after assembly in the tube for creating the necessary friction between the reliever body 20 and the cable 4 , and the cable and the inside of the tube 30 . in the embodiment with the single enclosing through hole 21 , this through hole creates a reaction force that stops the forces applied onto the cable 4 by using the friction between the squeezed cable and the reliever body and the tube . in some embodiments of the cable strain reliever 10 the body 20 may comprise more than three through holes or recesses 21 . the cable strain reliever body comprises at least three separate channels or lead - throughs from one end 20 a to the other end 20 b , whereby each channel forms one cable run for the cable 4 . this means that no more than one cable length runs through each channel forming a single - circuit line and that the cross - section of the body 20 may be triple - barrelled as shown in fig6 or quad - barrelled or more . the lengthwise separation of the cable length channels may be performed by moulding the reliever body of sufficiently stiff plastic or rubber , e . g . pc , abs , glass filled plastic or other suitable material . in another embodiment with a solid reliever body 20 , drilling or milling or any other suitable method of creating through holes in the reliever body and the tube 30 may be used . the reliever body and / or tube may also be made of a suitable metal , e . g . aluminum , whereby casting or continuous casting or extrusion may be used for creating the through holes 21 and the body / tube itself . the compression of the cable 4 is created by adapting the dimensions of the tube 30 , the cable and the reliever body 20 in relation to each other . the adaptation and optimization of their relative sizes create a tight fit and predictable cable holding forces for enabling the strain relieving of the cable when these three components are assembled together . the dimensions and the features , i . e . the stiffness and flexibility of the three primary components , i . e . the stiff tube 30 , the stiff reliever body 20 and the sufficiently flexible cable 4 , are adapted in relation to each other for creating a sufficient cable holding friction with a predictable magnitude / size when the cable strain reliever is assembled together with the cable . the choice of material in the tube , the reliever body and / or the cable should be predictable in regard of dimension and change in dimension when subject to compression for the reliever body and the cable and extension for the tube being pressed from the inside by the cable . hence , the invention relates to a cable strain reliever that , in some embodiments , may be a combined cable strain reliever and cable rotation restrainer . the present invention has been described above with reference to specific embodiments . many modifications can be made by a person skilled in the art . the embodiments described above are merely illustrative examples and the invention can be modified and used together with many different products , not only portable electronic devices as indicated in the detailed description . the different features of the invention can be combined in other combinations than those described . the invention is only limited by the appended claims . | 7 |
the proposed laser device comprises several semiconductor arrays with corresponding optics to image the emission areas of the semiconductor lasers to an image space . fig1 shows an example for a basic layout of one module of the proposed laser device . each module comprises one of the vcsel - arrays used in this example . the vcsel array is provided in a package providing electrical contacts and heat removal . fig1 shows the corresponding vcsel chip 1 carrying the vcsel array with several vcsels 2 . the vcsel chip 1 is mounted on a heat sink 3 for heat removal . an imaging lens 4 is arranged in front of the vcsel - chip 1 to image the emission areas of the individual vcsels 2 of the array to an image plane 7 in the desired image space . the image space is a depth region , also called capturing area in case of a 3d imaging system , into which the vcsel array is imaged by the lens 4 . the imaging conditions to image an e . g . a vcsel 2 having a 4 μm diameter active area to the image space are very similar to the conditions to image the scene in the image space onto the camera chip with equal pixel size , since this corresponds only to the reverse light path . therefore a cheap and similar lens 4 can be used in the proposed laser device . with this imaging lens 4 the laser beams 5 emitted by the vcsels 2 are focused to beam spots 6 in the image space . the shape of these beam spots 6 on an image plane 7 corresponds to the shape of the emission areas of the vcsels 2 of the vcsel - chip 1 . in order to image several vcsel - chips 1 this module has to be replicated . if several modules are placed next to each other on one mounting plane the overlap of the images of the vcsel arrays in the far field , i . e . in the image space , is already good without any further adjustment . if necessary , the imaging lenses 4 of each of the modules may be slightly adjusted such that the beam spots of the vcsels 2 of the different vcsel - chips 1 do not overlap in the image space . in order to improve the adjustment of the lenses adjustment marks , in particular dedicated emission areas , may be provided on each array which have to be superposed in an image plane for an optimal adjustment . if an adjustment is not possible , electronic calibration by the camera picture taken from a test scene can account for slight inaccuracies in fabrication , in order to know the exact distribution of the beam spots in the image space which is necessary for 3d recognition of scenes . if desired a mechanical adjustment of e . g . the position of the imaging lens 4 relative to the vcsel chip 1 can be provided . this would e . g . enable the adjustment of a spacing distribution of the beam spots in the image space equalized between vertical and horizontal direction . the vcsel - chips 1 of the proposed laser device are fabricated such that the position of the individual vcsels 2 on the chip , in particular of the emission areas of the vcsels 2 , deviate from a regular pattern in a randomized fashion or are completely distributed in a randomized fashion . fig2 shows a schematic view of an example of such a distribution of the emission areas 2 a of the vcsels 2 on the chip 1 . the bond pad 8 for electrical contacting the vcsels 2 is also shown in this array layout . as can be seen from fig2 , the emission areas 2 a of the vcsels 2 are arranged in a randomized distribution without any periodicity or regularity . in the following a numerical example of the chip - layout of the vcsel chip 1 of the proposed laser device is given . the active diameter of the emission areas 2 a of the single vcsels 2 of the chip may be about 4 μm . this diameter is sufficient for a 3 mw power in pulsed operation with e . g . 100 μsec . the corresponding pitch in a regular pattern of such emission areas or vcsels on a chip may be 42 μm leaving room for randomization by +/− 4 μm . this is calculated according to the formula : pitch = 30 μm + 3 * d , wherein d represents the active diameter . in the present example three vcsel - arrays or vcsel - chips 1 are used in the laser device . each chip comprises 100 vcsels in horizontal ( x -) direction and 40 vcsels in vertical ( y -) direction resulting in a chip size of 4 . 2 mm × 1 . 68 mm . the total chip area ( all three chips ) consumed is 21 . 2 mm 2 . the superposing by the corresponding imaging optics is done mainly in the horizontal direction which means that the average distance between the beam spots is horizontally 3 times smaller than vertically in the imaging plane . by using an appropriate imaging optics , squeezing the vertical direction is additionally possible if desired . this enables a more equal spacing of the beam spots in horizontal and vertical direction in the above case in which the superposing is mainly performed in the horizontal direction . if required , the shape of the emission areas of the vcsels can be adapted to such a squeezing , i . e . the vertical dimension ( y - dimension ) of the active areas of the vcsels may be selected larger than the horizontal dimension ( x - dimension ) such that the above squeezing results in beam spots having nearly equal horizontal and vertical dimensions . the imaging optics may also be adapted such that the images of the different arrays are slightly shifted in vertical direction in order to have similar spacing of the beam spots in both directions rather than an alignment along horizontal lines with dark regions in between . the vcsels of the different arrays may be selected to have different shapes of the active area . fig3 shows three different array layouts having a rectangular shape in the vertical direction , a circular shape and a rectangular shape in the horizontal direction . the three vcsel chips 1 are imaged with the corresponding imaging lens 4 to the image plane 7 as schematically indicated in the figure . the resulting light pattern 9 is shown in the upper portion of fig3 . as can be seen from this light pattern 9 , the beam spots 6 originating from each vcsel chip 1 are imaged into spaces between the beam spots 6 of the remaining vcsel chips , respectively . this results in a light pattern 9 in which the different vcsel shapes of the different vcsel chips 1 are mixed in the imaging plane 7 . the use of the above three different vcsel shapes may reduce the required number of beam spots for 3d imaging systems by at least a factor of 2 . assuming that an equal portion of each shape is most efficient to avoid ambiguities , a number of 2000 vcsels of each shape would be sufficient to substitute the 12000 beam spots according to the above requirements of the eu - ncap safety norm . splitting this number of vcsels into three arrays , each array could have the dimensions of e . g . 2 . 75 mm × 2 . 2 mm . this dimension has been calculated with the assumption that circle area = rectangle area ( 4 × 8 μm 2 )= 32 μm 2 , i . e . circle diameter = 6 . 4 μm , and with a circle array pitch of 50 μm minimum , preferably up to 55 μm in order to have equal conditions with the rectangular arrays with a maximum dimension of 8 μm . in the example of fig3 , the different vcsel shapes are provided on different arrays . it is also possible to mix the different shapes on the single arrays . in such an embodiment the areas of the different shapes should be selected such that the vcsels have a similar threshold current . fig4 shows a schematic view of an example of a 3d measurement system including the proposed laser device 10 . this system also includes a camera 11 taking images of the structured light pattern projected onto a scene 15 . the camera 11 is connected via a synchronization unit 12 to the laser device 10 in order to be synchronized with the pulsed illumination of the scene . the power supplies of the laser device 10 may be connected to a control unit 13 for a sequential operation of the different vcsel chips of the device 10 . an evaluation unit 14 may be provided in order to extract the desired 3d information from the image or images captured with the camera 11 . such a system may be used in the applications already described in the introductory portion of the description , in particular in automotive applications for capturing the scene in front of the car . while the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and forgoing description , such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive ; the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments . other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention , from a study of the drawings , the disclosure , and the appended claims . the arrays of the proposed laser device may be arranged in any configuration , for example in a line or in a triangle . also only two arrays or more than three arrays may be provided in order to achieve the desired superposition . furthermore , the number of semiconductor lasers of each array may be different from the above example , depending on the required resolution of the system . instead of vcsels also other types of semiconductor lasers may be used , e . g . edge emitters . in the claims , the word “ comprising ” does not exclude other elements or steps , and the indefinite article “ a ” or “ an ” does not exclude a plurality . the mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage . the features of all claims of the device can be freely combined . any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention . | 7 |
in the description of the invention which follows , the exemplary environment chosen to illustrate the invention is a four - stage pipeline processor in which the fundamental word length is thirty - six bits . those skilled in the art will understand that a given processor might include a pipeline of some other number of stages and / or a basic word of some other length . it will also be understood that different techniques can be employed to establish , keep track of and coordinate the functions of the various buffers , stacks , attribute words , etc ., specific examples of which have been chosen for the purpose of illustrating the exemplary implementation of the invention . thus , attention is first directed to fig1 in which it will be seen that the four pipeline stages of the example are : &# 34 ; fetch &# 34 ;, &# 34 ; address &# 34 ;, &# 34 ; cache &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; execution &# 34 ;. during the &# 34 ; fetch &# 34 ; stage , the instruction itself is brought into the instruction decoding logic of the processor . during the &# 34 ; address &# 34 ; stage , any operand or other address required for execution of the instruction is developed . du :. ing the &# 34 ; cache &# 34 ; stage , any operand / data required from memory is fetched ( typically from cache memory ). and , during the &# 34 ; execution &# 34 ; stage , the actual execution of the instruction takes place . now , in fig1 during t2 ( merely as an example ), while i3 is being fetched , an address component is being developed for i2 , i1 is accessing cache memory or main memory as needed , and the next earlier instruction is being executed . ideally , during t3 , while i4 is being fetched , an address component would be developed for i3 , i2 would access cache , and i1 would be executed . then , during t4 , i5 would be fetched , etc . but consider the situation in which i4 uses a register for an operand address that is being loaded by i3 . i4 cannot proceed to the address stage of the pipeline until after t5 when the execution phase of i3 loads the register . the result is a pipeline break which must be waited out ( as indicated by the double asterisks ) with a corresponding decrease in system performance . however , in the example , if i3 could be rescheduled ahead of i1 without introducing a new conflict , the pipeline break could be avoided or minimized , and this is the basis for the operation of the subject invention . fig2 is a high level flow chart which sets forth the basic concept of rescheduling machine language instructions to avoid pipeline breaks . the basis as stated and shown in fig2 is deceptively simple , but efficient decision - making processes have been elusive , and the decision - making processes of the present invention are among its important features . the key to the decision making processes employed according to the present invention is the development of attribute words which are temporarily associated with each instruction as it brought into the scheduling process . these attribute words , in turn , are individually developed from information stored in an instruction attribute table . since each instruction ( i . e ., each one of the many instructions in the repertoire of a given computer processor ) can reference and use an individual set of resources ( such as registers and / or memory ), an encoded description of the manner in which addressing can be carried out ( addressing may implicitly use registers and / or memory ), which registers are used , the manner in which registers are used , which registers are modified and the manner in which registers are modified and other relevant information can all be incorporated into the unique instruction table attribute word for a given instruction in the system repertoire . an exemplary instruction table attribute word , which may be employed with a compiler preparing object code for a large scale computer system employing the bull gcos 8 operating system , is illustrated in fig3 . as previously noted , each entry in the instruction attribute table gives the attributes for an instruction in the system repertoire , and there will typically be as many entries in the table as there are instructions in the repertoire . these attributes define the registers / memory a given instruction uses and in which contexts . in the example , the system attributes of interest are : ar = instruction can use an address register if bit 29 is on in fig3 the format of the instruction table attribute word is : an instruction buffer contains information representing instructions that are currently &# 34 ; in the buffer &# 34 ;. the instruction buffer is conveniently implemented as a circular , fifo stack of an appropriate length . ( for the four - stage pipeline example , a length of five is appropriate , but not mandatory .) it may be conveniently managed by two indexes : topst which points to the last instruction put in the buffer and botst which points to the oldest instruction in the buffer . thus , if topst equals botst , there is no item in the buffer . to place an item in the buffer , topst is incremented by 1 . if topst exceeds the buffer length , then topst is reset to 0 . the formats of the instruction address / use / modify attribute words developed for each instruction brought into the buffer are shown in fig4 and 5 . attribute word i contains address and use attributes . attribute word 2 contains modify and special attributes . in attribute word 2 : consider now the following specific example of the manner in which the attribute words for a &# 34 ; load a - register &# 34 ; instruction being brought into the scheduling process are derived in the exemplary environment . the &# 34 ; lda &# 34 ; instruction has , in addition to its opcode field , an operand field . its function is to cause the information whose location is identified in the operand field to be fetched and placed into the a - register . the operand can be : ______________________________________immediate ; e . g ., lda 7 , dl = the constant 7offset only ; e . g ., lda a = the value in location aor lda 12 = the value in location 12indexed ; e . g ., lda a , 7 = the value from memory loca - tion ( a + contents of index 7 ) or lda a ,, 0 = the value from memory loca - tion a modified by informa - tion in address register 0______________________________________ now , the instruction table attribute word for the lda instruction , expressed in octal and binary , respectively , is : the meaning of the &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; settings in the various positions of the instruction table attribute word are as follows . in the second octal digit , value 7 , the most significant binary digit indicates that index addressing is possible , the second binary digit indicates that memory usage is possible , and the least significant binary digit indicates that address register usage is possible . in the third octal digit , value 4 , the most significant binary digit indicates that memory is used during execution , and in the tenth octal digit , value 4 , the most significant binary digit indicates that the a - register is changed during execution . from this information , the development of attribute words ( expressed in octal ) for exemplary lda instructions to be examined for possible load / use conflicts with other instructions already in the buffer . ______________________________________instruction word 1 word 2______________________________________lda 5 , dl 000000 000000 000002 000000 ( no address for ( change a - reg .) immediate operand ) lda a 000000 000000 000002 000000lda a , 1 000400 000000 000002 000000 ( x1 used in address ) lda a ,, 0 400000 000000 000002 000000 ( ar0 used in address ) ______________________________________ fig6 is a flow chart more detailed than fig2 in that the fig2 block &# 34 ; is there a load / use conflict with instruction ( s ) in the buffer ?&# 34 ; is broken down into the sub - process steps necessary to make the broad decision . it may be noted at this point that , as will be discussed further below , an &# 34 ; instruction &# 34 ; may actually be a label which requires the buffer to be flushed . thus , it will be seen in fig6 that a new instruction is first checked to determine if it is a label and , if so , all the instructions in the buffer are sent to the object module , and another new instruction is called into the process . if the new instruction is not a label , an operand usage attribute field ( attribute word 2 in the example ), a register / memory usage field ( first half of attribute word 1 in the example ) and a register / memory modification field ( second half of attribute word 2 in the example ) are developed , for example , as previously described . ( the order of development of these attribute fields is , of course , not important and can be carried out as may be convenient in a given system .) then , the actual test for conflicts is made by logically and - ing the attribute fields ( i . e ., attribute words 1 and 2 in the example ) of the new instruction with the attribute fields of the other instructions currently in the buffer . a result of zero indicates that no conflict exists such that the oldest instruction in the buffer may be taken from the bottom of the stack and sent to the object module and the new instruction placed on top of the stack . if the new instruction is not a transfer of control , the next instruction to be examined is called . however , if the new instruction is a transfer of control ( e . g ., an unconditional branch ), a label is set up for the specified destination , and the buffer is flushed before the next new instruction is called into the process . if the result of the logical and operation is non - zero , then a conflict exists , and an attempt is made to resolve it . if the conflict is with a moved instruction ( indicating that at least one successful pass has already been made through the resolution process ), then the flow may proceed as if the result had been zero because the effect of the pipeline break will have been minimized ( which might have resulted in its complete elimination ). however , if the conflict is not with a moved instruction indicating that further improvement is possible , the conflict resolution sub - process is continued . considering now the resolution sub - process itself , fig7 is a flow chart more detailed than fig2 in that the fig2 block &# 34 ; resolve load / use conflict ( s ) if possible &# 34 ; is broken down into the steps necessary to make the determination and to perform the conflict - resolving operations if available . slightly more precisely , fig7 may also be considered the expansion of the fig6 block &# 34 ; designate newest instr . as i m and go resolve conflict &# 34 ;. it is important to understand that , in the following discussion , i m is not the new instruction , but is an instruction already in the buffer which is a candidate to be moved earlier in the sequence to resolve the conflict . often , but not always , i m will be the instruction immediately preceding the new instruction until i m is moved . in performing the analysis , a series of yes / no determinations are made vis - a - vis i m and each of the instructions currently ahead of it in the buffer . again , the order of the inquiries ( and even the inquiries themselves ) may be selected to be convenient and appropriate to a particular system environment . it has been found to be more efficient , and thus preferable , to make the several inquiries for a given instruction vis - a - vis i m serially as shown in fig7 rather than adopting the readily apparent alternative of making a given inquiry for all the instructions in the buffer ahead of i m , moving to the next inquiry , etc . this preferred approach avoids the necessity of saving the points at which each test might have failed and also permits terminating the process at the earliest possible time if i m cannot be moved past an older instruction with which it is being correlated . in the example , the first inquiry is whether the instruction in the buffer next older than i m ( designated i n ) changes any register used by i m . this may be carried out by logically and - ing the first half of attribute word 1 of i m with the second half of attribute word 1 of i n . any non - zero result will indicate that i m cannot be moved past the conflicting instruction , and the resolution process concluded . at this time , the sub - process will have minimized the effect of the pipeline break . the second inquiry in the example is whether i m changes any register used by i n for addressing . this is accomplished by and - ing the first half of attribute word 2 of i m with the first half of attribute word 1 of i n . the third inquiry in the example is whether i n changes any register changed by i m in execution . this is accomplished by and - ing the second half of attribute word 2 of i m with the first half of attribute word 1 of i n . the fourth inquiry in the example is whether i m changes any register changed by i n in execution . this is accomplished by and - ing the first half of attribute word 1 of i m with the first half of attribute word 1 of i . the fifth inquiry in the example is whether i n changes any memory used by i m for addressing . if bit 35 of attribute word 2 for i n is not set to &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; ( i . e ., memory changed ), this case does not occur , and further tests can be undertaken . if it is a &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ;, then a check can be made to determine if the addressing mode of instruction i m uses memory . if it does not , the flow may proceed to the next inquiry ; if it does , a check is made to determine if the address of i m is distinctly different from the address if i n . if this cannot be determined , then it must be assumed that i n changes memory that i m uses in addressing . those skilled in the art will understand that there may be some simple cases in which it can be determined if two addresses are equal and thus permit a positive type of checking to be used . the sixth inquiry in the example is whether i m changes any memory used by i n for addressing . if bit 35 of attribute word 2 for i m is not set to &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; ( i . e ., memory changed ), this case does not occur , and further checks can be undertaken ; however , if this bit is set to &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ;, then a check is made to determine if the addressing mode of i n uses memory . if it does not , the next inquiry is undertaken ; if it does , a check is made to determine if the address of i n is distinctly different from the address for i m . if this cannot be determined , then it must be assumed that i m changes memory that i n uses in addressing . the seventh inquiry in the example is whether i n changes any memory used by i m during execution . if bit 35 of attribute word 2 for i n is not set to &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; or if bit 34 of attribute word 2 for i m is not set to &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ;, ( which would indicate that memory is used ), then the situation does not occur , and the next inquiry can be undertaken . if both bits are on , then the addresses of both instructions must be checked to determine if they are distinctly different . if that cannot be determined , it must be assumed that they are the same and that i m cannot be moved past i n . the eighth inquiry in the example is whether i m changes any memory used by i n during execution . if bit 35 of attribute word 2 for i m is not set to &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; or bit 34 of attribute word 2 for i n is not set to &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; ( which would indicate that memory is used ), then the situation does not occur , and the process can proceed . if both bits are on , then the addresses of both instructions must be checked to determine if they are distinctly different . if that cannot be determined , it must be assumed that they are the same and that i m cannot be moved past i n . if it is determined by this process that i m cannot be moved ahead of the immediately preceding instruction , the pipeline break has been minimized to the extent possible with the current instruction string . the next new instruction is then called for analysis . however , if it is determined that i m can be moved ahead of the immediately preceding instruction , the inquiry can optionally ( but preferably ) continue to see if it can be moved even further ahead to further minimize or even eliminate the pipeline break . this feature is shown in fig7 in which it will be seen that a successful pass through all tests causes an exchange of i m and i n and an iteration of the sub - process after the next older instruction in the buffer is designated as i n . if there are no more older instructions in the buffer , of course , all possible cases will have been resolved in the current context . as shown in fig6 when the earliest acceptable position for i m has been determined , the oldest instruction in the buffer is sent to the object module and the new instruction is placed on top of the stack in the buffer . the next new instruction is then called for analysis . after a break has been resolved and the new instruction has been pushed into the buffer , a check is made to determine if the new instruction is a transfer of control . if so , the buffer , including the transfer of control instruction , is flushed to the object module because it would be erroneous to move any instructions ahead of any transfer of control . ( it will be seen that , in actual practice , the buffer size changes from time to time . it can restart at length zero and , as instructions are processed , builds to a maximum size -- five in the example -- such that only then do instructions commence to be &# 34 ; pushed off &# 34 ; the stack to the object module by the inclusion of new instructions .) in addition , the destination of the transfer is examined , and , if it is within the current program and not to a prior location , the destination location is saved in a &# 34 ; label &# 34 ; ( labels in this context are typically the destination of a transfer ) table . this information is then available when the instruction is again called for processing . referring once again to fig1 and also to fig8 the result of a successful rescheduling according to the present invention can be appreciated . in fig8 it is assumed as an example that it has been determined that i m ( i . e ., i3 ) can be safely moved ahead of i2 and i1 , and that &# 39 ; s as far as it can safely go . the result , as will be apparent from a comparison of fig1 and 8 , is the complete elimination of the pipeline break and a consequent substantial increase in performance . in other instances , as discussed above , a given pipeline break may not be completely eliminated by application of the present invention , but it will be minimized which , in itself , effects an increase in apparent processor performance . while the principles of the invention have now been made clear in an illustrative embodiment , there will be immediately obvious to those skilled in the art many modifications of structure , arrangement , proportions , order , etc . used in the practice of the invention which are particularly adapted for specific environments and operating requirements without departing from those principles . | 6 |
a novel container constructed in accordance with this invention is illustrated in fig1 through 9 of the drawings and is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 . the container 10 includes a container body 11 and a cover body , cover or lid 12 each constructed of polymeric / copolymeric synthetic plastic material . the container body 11 includes a substantially circular bottom wall 13 terminating in a radius portion 14 which merges with a substantially upstanding cylindrical peripheral wall 15 which in turn merges with a radius portion 16 . the radius portion 16 merges with a flange or annular wall portion 17 which through a radius portion 18 merges with an upstanding peripheral wall 19 radially outwardly of which projects a short annular wall 20 from which depends a downwardly directed peripheral wall or skirt 21 terminating in a terminal edge ( unnumbered ). the walls 19 , 20 , 21 include a plurality of continuous radially extending circumferentially spaced ribs 22 defining between each pair of ribs 22 , 22 venting means or venting passages 23 . the flange 17 includes a radially outermost continuous upwardly projecting circular sealing bead 25 which is outboard of , spaced from and concentric to a radially innermost continuous upwardly projecting substantially circular sealing bead 26 . the bead 26 is substantially twice the size in height and thickness as the sealing bead 25 . the substantially circular concentric sealing beads 25 and 26 cooperate to define seals between the container body 11 and the cover body or lid 12 in a manner to be described hereinafter . the concentric sealing beads 25 , 26 also set - off therebetween an innermost substantially continuous condensation collection channel 27 , and an outermost substantially continuous condensation collection channel 28 is defined between the sealing bead 25 and the upstanding peripheral wall 19 . the bottom wall 13 also includes stacking means in the form of a central substantially circular downwardly opening stacking recess 30 and radially outwardly therefrom concentric downwardly projecting radially spaced circular stacking beads or ribs 31 , 32 . the cover body or lid 12 includes an end panel 33 merging with a radius 34 which in turn merges with a downwardly projecting tapered peripheral wall 35 united by a radius portion 36 to an annular wall or flange 37 . the flange 37 merges with a radius 38 which joins to a peripheral upstanding wall 39 blending with a radially outwardly directed wall 40 which merges with a downwardly directed peripheral wall or skirt 41 having an inwardly directed continuous locking rib or nose 42 . the walls 35 , 37 include respective inner and outer substantially concentric radially spaced sealing surfaces 46 , 45 which are in alignment with and seal against the respective sealing beads 26 , 25 of the container body flange 17 . the sealing surface 45 of the annular wall portion or flange 37 is in the form of a substantially continuous shallow downwardly opening recess . as shown in fig3 and 5 , the interlocked relationship between the terminal edge ( unnumbered ) of the peripheral wall or skirt 21 of the container body 11 and the locking nose 42 of the cover body or lid 12 assures that the concentric seals 25 , 45 ; 26 , 46 are maintained in intimate interengaged sealing relationship with each other under “ normal ” design parameters of the container 10 when packaged with a hot product p , as is readily apparent from fig3 of the drawings . thus , when the container 10 is interlocked in its closed and sealed position ( fig3 ), the double seals 25 , 45 ; 26 , 46 prevent the leakage of product p and prevent hot contents from cooling , particularly when the container body 11 and cover 12 are constructed from polymeric / copolymeric synthetic plastic material . the seals 25 , 45 and 26 , 46 are so constructed and arranged as to assure that both seals will remain in sealing contact under relatively low internal pressures caused by gasses , such as steam s ( fig5 ) emanating from the relatively hot product p . the outermost sealing rib 25 has a relatively radially broad sealing surface which is in sealing engagement with the opposing sealing surface 45 of the flange 37 . however , the seal between the sealing bead 26 and the sealing surface 46 is relatively narrow because it is defined by the relatively small radius ( unnumbered ) of the radially outermost shoulder ( unnumbered ) of the sealing rib 26 which contacts the sealing surface 46 of the tapered peripheral wall 35 of the cover 12 . the latter two features effectively define the inner seal 26 , 46 as being appreciably weaker than the outer seal 25 , 45 formed by the sealing bead 25 and the sealing surface 45 . the latter difference between the weaker sealing force creating the inner seal 26 , 46 and the stronger force forming the outer seal 25 , 45 assures selective venting of the interior of the container 12 when packaged with hot food p , as will be more readily apparent by reference to fig5 . as was noted earlier , within normal slightly elevated temperatures and pressures in the interior of the closed container 10 , the seals 25 , 45 ; 26 , 46 remain sealed ( fig3 ). however , should the hot product p at elevated temperatures / pressures beyond design parameters / ranges cause elevated pressures due to the steam s , such elevated pressures beyond normal low pressure design ranges cause the weaker inboard seal 26 , 46 to open ( fig5 ) and the steam s vents into and collects as condensate c in the continuous condensation collection channel 27 . the condensate c will not pass radially outwardly beyond the seal 25 , 45 ( fig5 ) which will not unseal or unseat under lower , though elevated , internal pressures . thus , the condensate c will be trapped and confined in the condensation collection channel 27 and leakage / spillage is avoided . should the pressure within the container 11 rise above the sealing pressure parameters of the outer seal 25 , 45 , the latter unseats and steam / gasses pass beyond the outer seal 25 , 45 ( fig6 ) and vent to atmosphere through the radial vent passages , vent channels or vent means 23 between the ribs 22 , 22 ( fig4 and 7 ). under certain conditions little , if any , condensate will form and collect in the second condensation chamber 28 , but should the same so form , it will be collected therein as indicated by reference character c ′ in fig7 . accordingly , the container 10 assures excellent double - sealing characteristics , yet permits selective venting to preclude product leakage / spillage . the end panel 33 of the cover body 12 also includes a central circular upstanding or projecting locating boss or projection 50 ( fig3 , 4 and 9 ) and radially outwardly therefrom concentric radially spaced circular upwardly opening generally u - shaped locating channels 51 . the locating boss 50 of the cover 12 ( fig3 , 8 and 9 ) of an underlying container 11 is housed within the locating recess 30 of a container body 11 of an overlying container 10 while at the same time locating channels 51 , 52 of the cover 12 of an underlying cover 12 receive therein the circular locating ribs 31 , 32 of a container body 11 of an overlying container . the latter cooperative locating or stacking means 30 , 31 , 32 and 50 , 51 , 52 assures that the containers will remain stacked and inter - nested during transport or shipment , as might be done when carried out of a restaurant and / or delivered therefrom . another container constructed in accordance with this invention is illustrated in fig1 and 11 of the drawings , and like reference numerals have been primed and applied thereto to indicate identical structure corresponding to the structure of the container 10 . thus , a container 10 ′ of fig1 and 11 is identical to the container 10 including a container body 11 ′ and a cover or lid 12 ′, including the cooperative double seals 25 ′, 45 ′; 26 ′, 46 ′ thereof and concentric continuous condensation collection channels 27 ′, 28 ′. the only difference between the containers 10 , 10 ′ is the configuration thereof , namely , circular versus polygonal . two additional containers 10 ″, 10 ′″ are illustrated respectively in fig1 and 13 and all structure identical to the container 10 has been respectively double and triple primed . the major differences between the containers 10 , 10 ″ and 10 ′″ are the locations of the sealing beads 25 ″, 26 ″ and 25 ′″, 26 ′″ of the respective containers 10 ″, 10 ′″. the container 10 ″ has the sealing beads 25 ″, 26 ″ projecting downwardly from the flange 37 ″ of the cover 12 ″ and sealing with respective sealing surfaces 45 ″, 46 ″ of the flange 17 ″ of the container body 11 ″ of the container 10 ″. in the case of the container 10 ′″, the sealing beads 25 ′″, 26 ′″ project respectively upwardly and downwardly from the respective flanges 17 ′″, 37 ′″ of the respective container body 11 ′″ and cover 12 ′″. however , in both cases each of the containers 10 ″ and 10 ′″ include inner and outer substantially continuous condensation collection channels 27 ″, 28 ″ and 27 ′″, 28 ′″. the seals 25 ″, 45 ″; 26 ″, 46 ″; and 25 ′″, 45 ′″; 26 ′″, 46 ′″ of the respective containers 10 ″, 10 ′″ function in the manner heretofore described with respect to the seals 25 , 45 , and 26 , 46 , respectively , of the container 10 with respect to sealing and selective venting . although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been specifically illustrated and described herein , it is to be understood that minor variations may be made in the apparatus without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention , as defined by the appended claims . | 1 |
referring to the drawings wherein identical reference numerals denote the same elements throughout the various views , fig1 illustrates a portion of a low - pressure turbine (“ lpt ”) 10 of a prior art gas turbine engine . the lpt 10 includes alternating stages of turbine blades 12 and turbine nozzles or vanes 14 . the turbine nozzles 14 are attached to an annular lpt case 16 which while the turbine blades 12 are attached to a rotor assembly ( not shown ) which cooperates with appropriate shafting to turn a compressor or other mechanical load . the aft end 20 of the lpt case 16 carries a circumferentially - extending turbine shroud 22 . the purpose of the turbine shroud 22 is to provide a close - fitting seal between the lpt case 16 and the outer ends of the turbine blades 12 , thus reducing flow losses in the lpt 10 . the shroud 22 illustrated in fig1 is typical of the prior art and comprises a ring of arcuate segments each including a base 24 that carries an abradable member 26 . the abradable member 26 interacts with radially - outwardly - extending seal teeth 28 of the turbine blades 12 to provide the desired seal . a stationary frame referred to as a turbine rear frame or “ trf ” 30 comprises a central hub ( not shown ), a plurality of radially - extending arms 34 , one of which is depicted in fig1 , and an annular trf case 36 which is attached to the aft end 20 of the lpt case 16 immediately behind the last stage of turbine blades 12 . the trf case 36 defines the outer flowpath surface directly without any intermediate structure . a result of this construction is that the transition between the lpt case 16 and the trf case 36 must provide an inward - sloping diameter because of the radial height required for the turbine shroud 22 . the inward slope from the lpt case 16 to the trf case 36 necessarily occurs aft of the turbine shroud exit , creating a radial pocket “ p ” with a forward axial boundary created by the turbine shroud 22 and an aft boundary created by the inward - extending contour of the trf case 36 . in the event of a turbine failure in which debris are ejected aftward , this pocket p can trap a quantity of said debris and prevent it from being ejected aft out the tailpipe of the engine . the action of the remaining lpt blades can them serve to rotate this debris and cause further damage to the case in the pocket area . in some situations this condition may have the potential to sever the trf case 36 . fig2 illustrates an exemplary low - pressure turbine (“ lpt ”) 110 of a gas turbine engine constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . it should be noted that the present invention could also be implemented with other types of rotating machinery such as a high - pressure turbine or a compressor . the lpt 110 includes alternating stages of turbine blades 102 and turbine nozzles or vanes 104 . the turbine nozzles 104 are attached to an annular lpt case 106 while the turbine blades 102 are attached to a rotor assembly 108 which cooperates with appropriate shafting to turn a compressor or other mechanical load ( not shown ). a stationary turbine rear frame (“ trf ”) 109 comprises a hub 112 , a plurality of radially - extending arms 114 , one of which is depicted in fig2 , and an annular trf case 116 which is attached to the aft end of the lpt case 106 at a joint 118 . the joint 118 , in this example a bolted flange joint , is made at a location longitudinally forward of the last stage of turbine blades 102 . in this arrangement , there is still a transition from the larger - diameter lpt case 106 to the trf case 116 , as in the prior art lpt 10 . however , this transition occurs outboard of the turbine shroud 122 ( described below ) in the trf 109 , thus eliminating the pocket p of the prior art design . there is , therefore , no geometry which can axially capture rotating debris in the event of a turbine failure and prevent its ejection aft from the engine . as shown in fig3 , the forward end 120 of the trf case 116 carries a circumferential turbine shroud 122 . the shroud 122 includes a base 124 which spans the chord length of the turbine blades 102 . the base 124 carries a stationary seal member 126 of a known type , for example an abradable honeycomb structure as shown . the seal member 126 interacts with radially - outwardly - extending seal teeth 128 of the turbine blades 102 to provide a seal which minimizes leakage flow past the outer ends of the turbine blades 102 . the shroud 122 also includes an aft - protruding extension member 130 . its inner surface 132 defines a transitional flowpath “ f ” between the radially outer end of the last stage of turbine blades 102 and the trf case 116 . the construction of the turbine shroud 122 is shown in more detail in fig4 - 6 . the turbine shroud 122 is assembled from a circumferential array of arcuate segments 134 , although it could also be formed as a continuous member . the segments 134 may be made from a high quality superalloy , such as a cobalt or nickel - based superalloy , and may be coated with a corrosion resistant material and / or thermal barrier coating . the base 124 has a forward end 136 and an aft end 138 , and spaced - apart circumferential ends 140 and 142 . a forward rail 144 having a radial leg 146 and an axial leg 148 is disposed at the forward end 136 , and an aft rail 150 is disposed at the aft end 138 . when assembled , the forward and aft rails 144 and 150 engage forward and aft hooks 152 and 154 of the trf case 116 , respectively ( see fig3 ). a longitudinal seal slot 155 is formed in each of the circumferential ends 140 and 142 of the base 124 . the seal slot 155 accepts an end seal 157 ( see fig5 ) of a known type which reduces leakage between adjacent segments 134 . the extension member 130 protrudes from the aft end 138 of the base 124 . in the illustrated example the extension member 130 has a radial portion 130 a , an inwardly - angled , aft - extending portion 130 b , and an outwardly - angled , aft extending portion 130 c . a radially - outwardly extending lip 156 is disposed at its aft end . the exact configuration of the extension member 130 may be changed to suit a particular application . means are provided for sealing the gap between the extension members 130 of adjacent shroud segments 132 . in the illustrated example an extension seal 158 comprises a tab - like seal body which is attached to one of the extension members 130 and protrudes circumferentially to form an overlapping or “ ship - lap ” seal arrangement with the adjacent extension member 130 . in operation , the extension member of the lpt shroud 122 provides protection of the trf case 116 from impingement from the lpt exit stage blade tip bypass air . because the turbine shroud 122 is segmented and typically constructed from a higher temperature capable material relative to the trf 109 , impingement of this bypass air on the segmented shroud extension members 130 , as opposed to the trf case 116 , is of far less concern from a thermal gradient , thermal - mechanical fatigue , and overtemperature standpoint . the trf case 116 is further protected from even local impingement of the blade tip bypass air by the extension seals 158 between adjacent extension members 130 . this feature blocks any “ line - of - sight ” between the tip bypass flow and the trf case 116 . the foregoing has described a turbine shroud and a turbine assembly incorporating the turbine shroud . while specific embodiments of the present invention have been described , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications thereto can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . accordingly , the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and the best mode for practicing the invention are provided for the purpose of illustration only and not for the purpose of limitation , the invention being defined by the claims . | 5 |
in fig1 is illustrated a portion of a lean - two type solar greenhouse of the kind generally in the 1982 theme catalog entitled four seasons passive solar greenhouse and sun space published and distributed by fours seasons solar corp . of farmingdale , new york . the illustrated portion of the solar greenhouse in fig1 includes a gable end 10 and a front portion 12 having a curved - eave portion 14 and an upper sloped portion 16 . further illustrated are base sills 18 and 20 which may , for example , be mounted on a base wall or flat slab or deck ( not shown ) with appropriate fasteners . the method of mounting the base sill on the supporting ground is not a feature of the present invention and requires no further description in this text . the gable end 10 includes a plurality of parallel vertical glazing bars such as indicated at 22 , 24 , and 26 . the bar 26 is in abutting relationship against the side of a dwelling or some other such similar construction . the front portion 12 includes a plurality of vertical glazing bars 28 , 30 , 32 , 34 and 36 . the glazing bar 36 furthermore provides a connection with gable end 10 . to conform with the shape of the glazing , which it is the purpose of the glazing bars to support , the glazing bar 28 has a curved section 38 and a sloped section 40 . it terminates in an end portion 42 . glazing bars 28 , 30 , 32 , 34 and 36 have similar curved and sloped portions . glazing panes as comprised by the gable end 10 are indicated in various forms at 44 , 46 , 48 , 50 , 52 , 54 and 56 . portions of the glazing are concealed by shade fabric as indicated at 58 , 60 and 62 . the dwelling or other structure against which the solar greenhouse is mounted is not shown as its construction is not essential to an understanding of the present invention . the glazing included in the front portion 12 includes glazing panes 70 , 72 , 74 and 76 . the remaining glazing in fig1 is concealed by shade fabric or shades 80 , 82 , 84 and 86 . the number of shades and panels in fig1 is illustrative only as a greater or lesser number of panels and glazing panes may be employed in accordance with the invention which is not limited thereby . at the upper end of the solar greenhouse construction , is located a ridge structure 90 . it engages the end portion of the glazing bars at the upper extremities thereof such as indicated at 42 to support and accommodate the same . the ridge structure 90 abuts at the back wall 92 against the dwelling or other similar structure associated therewith as does the vertical glazing bar 26 of the gable end 10 . also appearing in fig1 is a representative sequence of rollers 94 , 96 , 98 and 100 . these rollers in the illustrated embodiment are source rollers of shade fabric which store and supply the rolled up shade fabric upon demand . further illustrated in fig1 is a guide roll 102 which guides the shades or shade fabric in a change of direction so that the edges of these shades or fabrics may be engaged in track channels provided in the vertical glazing bars as will be described in greater detail hereinbelow . it is to be noted in the diagrammatic illustration of source rollers 94 , 96 , 98 and 100 that interior motors 110 , 112 , 114 and 116 are shown . these motors are contained and concealed within the rollers and operate to drive the same . rollers with internal motors to drive the same are commercially available . they may be obtained from somfy systems , inc . of edison , new jersey . the motors are of a asynchronous capacitor start and run , single phase type rated at 120 v . and 60 hz . they are thermally protected totally enclosed brushless type motors equipped with permanently lubricated bearings requiring no maintenance and being relatively easy to wire . they include solenoid activated disc brakes which automatically stop and hold a load in any position without slippage whenever current to the motor is interrupted . the locking action assures safety and reliability of operation of the motorized system . the system can be provided with a limit switch to set the exact length of travel in both up and down directions automatically . a planetary type gear system is employed to lower motor speed and improve torque . other details of the motor system can be found in u . s . pat . no . 3 , 718 , 215 . the upper motorized rollers cooperate with corresponding motorized rollers concealed in the base sill 18 . in the illustration , one motorized system is exposed by the cutaway such as , for example , seen at 120 . the arrangement is such that , when the rollers in the sill 18 are operated to draw shade fabric downwardly , the motorized roller system indicated at 94 , 96 , 98 and 100 permit the withdrawing of shades therefrom . the electrical system and operation is reversed when the shades 80 , 82 , 84 and 86 are to be drawn upwardly . in this case , the motorized systems indicated at 94 , 96 , 98 and 100 are actuated and the concealed systems in the base sill 18 release the material for being rolled back upon the upper rollers to expose greater and greater amounts of the glazing as the operation continues . also illustrated in fig1 in diagrammatic form , is a photoelectric sensor 126 . this photoelectric sensor is coupled in an electric circuit ( not shown ) connected with the aforementioned motors in order to drive the same in one or the other rotary directions as may be required . the photoelectric sensor 126 is representative only of any device capable of sensing an ambient condition such as solar radiation , temperature , wind and the like for purposes of automating the operation of the rollers . it will be noted , however , that , while the motorized roller systems are employed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention , it is also possible that the shades be operated manually and also in connection with spring - loaded rollers as is the case in connection with domestic shades as are commonly and commercially available . in fact , a manually operated shade arrangement is indicated in association with end 10 . thus , there are no upper rollers associated with shades 58 , 60 and 62 , these being drawn from concealed rollers in base sill 20 by a manual operation of grasping rigid leading edge members indicated by way of example at 130 , 132 and 134 . also exposed in the illustration of fig1 in diagrammatic form is a blower 140 . the purpose of this blower ( as will be illustrated and described in greater detail hereinbelow ) is to evacuate air from between the shade and the associated glazing and to expel this air into the ambient atmosphere via an appropriate vent in order to reduce the temperature which prevails between the shades and the glazing thereby to reduce the possibility of damage to the glazing . fig2 illustrates on an enlarged scale a broken - away portion of the structure illustrated in fig1 with conditions somewhat altered to show a more lowered condition of the shades . for purposes of orientation , it will be seen in fig2 that there are illustrated base sill 18 , vertical glazing bar 30 and shades 80 and 82 . the base sill 18 includes an inner wall 150 and a first outer wall 152 . the outer wall 152 supports a sloped upper wall 154 from which extends a vertical wall 156 . the walls 154 and 156 cooperate to define a moisture drain 158 . a bottom wall 160 extends between and connects the inner wall 150 with the outer wall 152 . drainage channels 162 and 164 are provided in horizontal disposition within the internal chamber 166 which is cooperatively defined by walls 150 , 152 , 154 and 160 . within the chamber 166 is accommodated the motorized roller system including the internal motor 170 and the encircling roller 172 . each of the shades illustrated includes a bulbous lateral edge portion for purposes of being accommodated in and guided by track channels to be referred to hereinbelow . illustrative bulbous lateral edge portions or peripheries are indicated at 176 and 178 in fig2 . these constructions are commercially available and are generally of the type including wires extending through the bulbous peripheries and axially extending out of the same . two such wires or cables are indicated at 180 and 182 in fig2 . they extend through and are guided by track channels 184 and 186 as will be described in greater detail hereinbelow . it is to be noted that , by reason of break - away portion 188 , it is possible to see that these cables are attached to and wound onto roller 172 such as indicated 190 and 192 . a winding up of these cables on the roller 172 causes the shades 80 and 82 to be drawn down towards the base sill 18 thereby to effect a greater degree of shading . this means that solar radiation passing through the glazing which is permeable thereto may be intercepted by the shades thereby to effect a greater or lesser degree of shielding as desired and as may be manually or automatically controlled . it will also be noted in fig2 that the shades 80 and 82 are provided with rigid lead members 196 and 198 . these members , at their extreme downward movement , come into abutting or substantially abutting relationship with cap elements 200 and 202 which are intended to cover drains such as indicated at 158 and to conceal the internal construction of the base sill 18 from viewing or from the damaging impact of dropped articles or the like . the caps 200 and 202 also constitute safety features inasmuch as they resist the penetration of probing fingers and the like which might otherwise be damaged by engagement with moving parts within the base sill 18 under inadvertent circumstances . the cap members 200 and 202 extend generally from the vertical wall 156 to the upper lip 204 of the front wall 150 . this is satisfactory in the case where the cables , such as indicated 180 and 182 , extend through the glazing bar to the internal roller 172 which in this case acts take - up roller . in these circumstances , there is no need for the lead members 196 and 198 to move into the internal chamber 166 nor is there any need for the shade 80 or 82 to do likewise . in the event that it is desired to alter the construction so that the shade 80 and 82 can be directly taken - up on the roller 172 in addition to the cables 180 and 182 which they trail , the construction can be readily modified to provide a slot through which the shade 80 and 82 may pass . thus , for example , the cap member 200 is provided with a notch 210 providing a break - away section 212 to expose a slot or passage 214 illustrative of a passageway through which the shades may enter the internal chamber 166 for engagement and being taken - up upon an associated roller . thus , the invention includes the options whereby it is exclusively the cables which are taken - up on the lowermost roller or rollers or whereby the shades themselves are taken - up upon such roller or rollers . fig2 furthermore illustrates a second outer wall 220 . this outer wall includes a protrusion 222 in facing relationship with a protrusion 224 on the outer wall 152 . these two protrusions are provided with facing grooves 226 and 228 which have reentrant angles therein so that a thermal break member 230 having the form of a maltese cross may be entrapped therein to prevent the flow of heat from the wall 152 to the wall 220 . the glazing is illustratively shown in the form of a double paned glass or plastic structure , the spaced panes being indicated at 240 and 242 with a spacing 244 therebetween to maintain this spacing , there is provided a spacer 246 . the pane 242 rests against the vertical wall 156 and the glazing as a whole is entrapped between the walls 156 and 220 by means of a gasket 250 of a theremally insulative type . the upper walls of protrusions 222 and 224 define a platform at 252 and 254 upon which rests a pad 256 upon which rest the glazing and the spacer 246 . further reference to the construction of the vertical glazing bar 30 will be made hereinbelow since the construction of this bar and other like bars in the structure constitute a significant feature of the invention , especially as regards the provision of the track channels 184 and 186 . before this discussion is undertaken , however , reference will next be made to fig3 and 4 which illustrate , in greater detail and / or diagrammatically , some of the features of the ridge structure 90 appearing in fig1 . for purposes of orientation , attention is drawn in fig3 and 4 to vertical glazing bar 30 , shades 80 and 82 , motorized roller system 94 , guide roll 102 and blower system 140 which have been mentioned hereinabove . from what has been stated above , it will now be obvious that the glazing bars constitute supporting members or structures for the glazing . these supporting members are accommodated in and rest against the ridge structure 90 . they provide track channels for receiving and guiding the respective shades . the ridge member 90 is structurally and functionally related therewith in a manner next to be described below . ridge structure 90 includes a rear wall 300 consisting of upper and lower parts 302 and 304 . the upper and lower parts are connected through the intermediary of a thermal break member 306 which is made of insulative material accommodated in appropriate receptacles 308 and 310 respectively provided on the upper and lower parts 302 and 304 . the ridge structure 90 also include upper wall 312 and lower wall 314 . moreover , it includes a front wall indicated at 316 . cooperatively , these walls define an internal chamber 318 within which is accommodated the blower 140 . the front wall 316 is provided with a vent indicated generally at 320 . associated with this vent is a removable shutter 322 which may be employed , for example , during cold weather seasons to shut off the escape of air from within the solar greenhouse . the front wall 316 has an auxiliary portion 324 connected thereto through the intermediary of a thermal break member 326 . this auxiliary member 324 supports a receptacle 328 which is a glazing receptacle to accommodate and support appropriate glazing panels at the upper extremity of the front portion of the glazing of the solar greenhouse . an exemplary panel is diagrammatically illustrated at 330 . it may consist of spaced panes 332 and 334 separated , for example , by a spacer 336 . the panel 330 is held in place by a gasket shown at 338 . a screen for preventing the influx of insects and the like is indicated at 340 . it is associated with the vent 320 . a second vent is indicated at 342 . cooperating therewith is a gravity operated flap 344 which likewise prevents the influx of foreign matter . the strength of the flow of air passing outwardly through the vent 342 is sufficient to open the flap 344 to the extent required . fig4 specifically illustrates the flow of air . flow through the vent 320 is indicated by arrows 350 and 352 . flow of air through vent 342 is indicated by arrow 354 . the circuitous route is indicated by dotted line path 356 . it will now be noted that the utilization of the glazing bar with its track channels 184 and 186 and the function of supporting the associated glazing defines a space between the shades and glazing . this space is indicated in fig4 at s . this spacing s is a minimum of about 11 / 2 inches . it is intended to assist in limiting the temperature which air entrapped between the glazing and shade may reach . this function is further accomplished by the utilization of the blower 140 which displaces or withdraws air from between the glazing and the shades and propels this air along the route 356 through the vent 320 and expels this air into ambient atmosphere through the vent 342 . the the ridge structure and its blower cooperate with the glazing bar and the shades in both a structurally supportative and temperature controlling manner . it will now be noted that the end portion 360 at the upper extremity of the glazing bar 30 has an extremity indicated at 362 which is angularly related both to the longitudinal axis of bar 30 and to the rear wall 304 of the ridge structure 90 . this is intended to provide a space 364 within which to accommodate at least a partial intrusion of the guide roll 102 . thus the guide roll 102 may be conveniently positioned to guide the shade 80 from the roller system 94 into the associated track channels . similarly , the bottom extremity of the glazing bar 30 as indicated at 366 in fig2 is angularly related to the walls between which it extends . the purpose of this angular construction is different from that at the upper extremity . it is intended to provide an appropriate relationship with the drain 158 thereby to permit a proper resting of the bottom extremity of bar 130 on the upper wall 154 and to permit an ease in installing the glazing bar 30 when the structure is being assembled . an examination of fig5 which is in part , a section of glazing bar 30 , will next be undertaken in conjunction with an understanding of fig2 , and 4 . in fig5 appears the track channels 184 and 186 . by reference to the other figures , it will be understood that these channels extend longitudinally through the glazing bar which is itself an extended member . associated with the channel 184 is a mouth 400 . associated with the track channel 180 is a mouth 402 . these mouths are of relatively restricted dimensions . they form and constitute slots extending longitudinally along the glazing bar 30 . the track channels 184 and 186 are in a preferred embodiment of the invention preferably of circular conformation . an example diameter of these track channels is indicated at d . the width of the associated mouths is indicated by way of example at w . the arrangement is such , that the width w is preferably no more than 50 % of the dimension d . this , in effect , forms a reentrant angle indicated , by way of example , at a . the purpose of this is to form a track channel in which the bulbous periphery of the associated lateral edges of the corresponding shades are entrapped . this entrapment coupled with appropriate spacing of pairs of associated glazing bars enables the shades to be held in taut condition thereby avoiding sagging and the like . it also enables the bulbous portions to be vigorously guided along appropriate paths even as these paths turn through an angle associated with the curved eave portions of the overall construction . thus the use of associated guide rolls or the like in the vicinity of the curved eave portions is avoided . it will be noted that the glazing bar includes two side walls 404 and 406 . these side walls extend between and connect inner wall 408 and outer wall 410 . the arrangement of the wall is such that the glazing bar is in its preferred form quadrilateral in cross - section thereby defining four corners indicated in the drawing at 412 , 414 , 416 and 418 . the track channels 184 and 186 are generally located at the corners 416 and 418 . they are furthermore formed by interior walls indicated at 420 , 422 , 424 and 426 . the walls 420 and 424 , which partly define channels 184 and 186 , have surfaces 428 and 430 which are flat . they also have surfaces 432 and 434 which conform to the shape of the channels . on the other hand , wall 422 has surfaces 436 and 438 both of which conform to the shape of the associated channel . wall 428 likewise has surfaces 440 and 442 which conform to the shape of the associated channel 186 . in the wall 408 is provided a screw threaded groove 450 . by means of this groove , attachments of various types may be provided by fastening members threadably engaged therein to provide for the connection or hanging of various types of auxiliary members or elements on the interior of the solar greenhouse . a corresponding grooved slot 452 is provided in wall 410 . this provides for the utilization of fastening member 454 to sandwich glazing panes , for example , 456 and 458 against the supporting structure by means of a muntin 460 or clamping member which is entrapped by the head 462 to sandwich the glazing against the sealing members 464 and 466 accommodated in sealing receptacles 468 and 470 mounted on the outer wall 410 and constituting an integral part thereof . it will be furthermore noted that the wall 410 is provided with drainage grooves 472 and 474 . the provision of these sealing receptacles and drainage has been heretofore available , but never in association with track channels and never for the partial purpose for extablishing a rigid spacing therebetween so as to provide a well defined spacing between a glazing and a associated shade arrangement as in accordance with the present invention . reference to fig2 will show the orientation of screw threaded grooves 450 and 452 as well as seals 464 and 466 accommodated in their respective receptacles . the illustration will also show the orientation of drainage grooves 472 and 474 . not heretofore mentioned with respect to fig2 is the chamber 480 defined between outer walls 152 and 220 . this provides an accommodation for the upper extremity of flashing 482 the purpose of which is to provide a weather seal as between the bottom of the base sill 18 and the exterior supporting ground or other such construction . reference to fig3 will likewise show the orientation of screw theaded grooves 450 and 452 as well as of sealing members 464 and 466 as well as drainage grooves 472 and 474 . from what has been stated above , it will be readily understood that the support arrangement of the invention , when utilized in connection with glazing or the like includes a plurality of spaced parallel glazing bars , each provided with two of the afore described track channels . these track channels are arranged in cooperating pairs and in parallel and are such that respective shades extend between these channels with the bulbous peripheries of the shades being entrapped in slidable engagement therein . attention is especially directed , in addition , to the horizontal base sill arrangement of the invention wherein is provided a sloped upper wall and a vertical wall extending along and upwardly from the sloped wall to define a moisture drain therewith with the vertical glazing bars including angled lower extremities accommodated in the drain formed thereby such that the lower extremities of the glazing bars and the drain have matching profiles . attention is furthermore drawn to the fact that the sill includes a base and inner and outer walls extending upwardly from the base and defining with the upper wall and internal chamber , the upper wall extending in cantilever manner from the outer wall and terminating short of the inner wall to define a slot therewith through which the shade or the cables associated therewith can pass into the internal chamber . attention is furthermore directed to the generally horizontal cap members which are provided covering the drain and extending between the glazing bars , these cap members including break - away sections covering the slot at least in part and being disposable in order to provide for ingress of the shading fabric . it will be noted that in accordance with the invention , a plurality or sequence of coaxially aligned rollers or roller segments may be provided in the internal chamber of the sill , the rollers or roller segments being respectively located between respective pairs of the vertical bars to receive and accommodate a plurality of shades or shade pannels which are respectively coupled thereto . alternatively , a single roller may be provided to extend past a plurality of the vertical glazing bars with the shade panels being connected thereto for simultaneous operation thereby . there will now be obvious to those skilled in the art many modifications and variations of the constructions and elements set forth hereinabove . these modifications and variations will not depart from the scope of the invention if defined by the following claims . it is to be noted by way of example that the provisions of the invention are applicable in other situations besides solar greenhouses . thus , for example , it is sometimes desirable to be able to erect windshields or the like in encompassing relationship to a pool area while providing the capability of being able to remove these shields or control the heights thereof at will . by utilizing vertical supporting structures of the invention embodying integrally therein , the track channels , as noted hereinabove , it will be possible while utilizing a base sill of the above noted construction to dispense to a desired degree , sheets of transparent or translucent plastic to varying control types such as to constitute a control shielding . | 0 |
with continued reference to the drawing , a lighting fixture 10 is provided which normally is mounted on the ceiling of a room in such a manner that one or more lights depend from such fixture . the lighting fixture includes a bottom wall 11 having one or more generally circular openings 12 extending therethrough . each of the openings receives a swivel type socket 13 having a head 14 connected by a reduced neck 15 to a body 16 . preferably the body 16 is generally hollow and is provided with internal threads 17 which threadedly receive the base of a light . although the socket 13 may be constructed of a size to receive a conventional light bulb , it is intended to be of a size to receive a relatively small base 18 of an elongated light tube 19 having a plurality of independent low wattage bulbs 20 spaced along its length . the light bulbs 20 may be connected either in series or in parallel by wires 21 and 22 and the light tube 19 may be either transparent or translucent depending upon the lighting effect desired . also it is contemplated that the bulbs 20 or the tube 19 may be clear , white or colored , as desired . the wire 21 of the light tube extends through a bore 23 in the base 18 thereof and such wire is connected to a contact 24 which in turn engages a contact 25 carried by the socket 13 . the contact 25 is electrically connected to a wire 26 which extends through a bore 27 in the socket 13 . the wire 22 of the light tube extends through a bore 28 in the base 18 and is connected to a contact 29 adjacent to the upper end thereof . a coil spring 30 is mounted within the body 16 of the socket and one end of such spring engages the contact 29 of the light tube while the opposite end is connected to a wire 31 which extends upwardly through a bore 32 in the socket . the wires 26 and 31 are connected to a suitable source of electrical energy such as a printed circuit or lead wires 33 and 34 . in order to permit the light tube 19 to be plumb or disposed along a vertical axis even if the lighting fixture 10 is disposed at an angle to a horizontal plane , the head 14 of the socket is provided with a generally cylindrical upper portion 38 and a substantially semi - spherical lower portion 39 . normally the semi - spherical portion 39 slidably engages the edge of the opening 12 in the bottom wall of the lighting fixture in such a manner that the socket may swing a limited amount in any direction with such swinging movement being limited by the thickness of the bottom wall 11 as well as the diameter of the neck 15 of the socket . it is noted that instead of an opening 12 having generally cylindrical walls , as shown in the drawings , such opening could have generally frusto - conical walls which taper either upwardly or downwardly to a relatively sharp edge in which case the angle of movement of the socket 13 is increased . with particular reference to fig1 - 4 , in order to reduce or substantially prevent vertical movement of the socket 13 after the socket has been positioned within the opening 12 , as well as to prevent rotary movement of such socket when a light is being screwed into or unscrewed from the socket , the cylindrical portion 38 of the socket head is provided with a diametrical slot or kerf 40 which extends the full width of the cylindrical portion and such slot receives a retaining member or flexible strap 41 . preferably , the strap 41 is made of thermoplastic material such as polyethylene , polypropolene or the like , however , it is contemplated that the strap could be made of any suitable natural or synthetic material . the opposite ends of the strap are restrained by a pair of anchor members or bridges 42 located on opposite sides of the opening 12 and secured to the upper surface of the bottom wall 11 in any desired manner , as by an adhesive or the like . each of the bridges 42 is provided with a slot 43 which may be located either at the base of the bridge , as illustrated in fig4 or such slot may be located intermediate the upper and lower surfaces thereof . one end of the strap 41 is provided with an enlargement 44 to prevent such end from passing through the bridge while the opposite end of such strap preferably extends substantially beyond the bridge . the bridges 42 are located close to the opening 12 so that the strap is bent upwardly at a relatively sharp angle to pass through the slot 40 of the socket and such sharp bend resists movement of the strap through the slots 43 of the bridges . also it is noted that the upper surface of the flexible strap could be serrated in a direction normal to the length of the strap so that the serrations engage the corners of the bridges and additionally resist movement of the strap . in this manner the socket 13 may be swung along the direction of the strap without substantially moving such strap and due to the flexibility of the strap the socket may be moved in a direction normal to the length of such strap ; however , since opposite ends of the strap are substantially anchored , the strap resists axial as well as rotary movement of the socket . with particular reference to fig5 another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in which the lighting fixture is disclosed as being a u - shaped channel 46 having generally parallel side walls 47 connected by a bottom wall 48 . each of the side walls 47 includes an opening 49 adjacent to the upper end and substantially in a vertical plane with an opening 50 in the bottom wall 48 . the opening 50 serves the same purpose as the opening 12 in the previous embodiment . a generally u - shaped retaining member or wire bail 51 is provided having outwardly extending ears 52 which are received within the openings 49 to pivotally mount the bail in a position such that the bail hangs downwardly , as illustrated in fig5 . the bight portion 53 of the u - shaped bail is received within the slot 40 of the socket 13 so that when the socket is moved longitudinally of the bight portion , the bail 51 remains substantially in the same position , and when the socket is moved transversely of the bight portion , the bail pivots about the ears 52 . vertical movement of the socket 13 is resisted by the bight portion 53 of the bail engaging the bottom of the slot 40 of the socket and rotary movement of the socket is prevented by the bight portion of the bail engaging opposite sides of such slot . in the operation of the device , the body 16 and neck 15 of the socket 13 are inserted through the openings 12 or 50 of the lighting fixture ; however , the head 14 is of a size such that the head cannot pass through such opening . instead the semi - spherical portion 39 rests on the corner defined by the bottom wall of the fixture and the side walls of such openings . the wires 26 and 31 are electrically connected to the lead wires 33 and 34 and thereafter the flexible strap 41 is inserted through the slot 43 of one of the bridges 42 and then through the slot or kerf 40 in the cylindrical portion 38 of the socket head , after which the end of the strap is pushed through the slot 43 of the opposite bridge . in this position the socket 13 is free to swivel a limited amount in any direction ; however , when the light tube 19 is inserted into the socket , upward movement of the socket is resisted by the flexible strap 41 . when the wire bail 51 is being used , the socket 13 is inserted through the opening 50 in the bottom wall of the channel member 46 , after which the ears 52 of the wire bail 51 are sprung toward each other and inserted into the fixture until the bight portion 53 enters the slot or kerf 40 of the socket . the ears 52 are aligned with the openings 49 and then released so that the ears spring outwardly into pivotal engagement with such openings . both the strap 41 and the bail 51 prevent rotary motion of the socket 13 so that the base of the light may be screwed into or unscrewed from the socket . | 5 |
referring to fig1 and 2 , a head restraint assembly 10 is schematically depicted . the head restraint assembly 10 includes a base portion 14 ( which may also be referred to as an “ armature ”) that is mountable to a vehicle seat ( not shown ), and , more specifically , to the upper portion of the seatback of the vehicle seat . in the embodiment depicted , the base portion 14 is formed from a single piece of metal and includes two parallel post portions 18 that are mounted , or mountable , to the top of the seatback of the vehicle seat , as understood by those skilled in the art . each of the post portions 18 includes a respective elongated , straight portion 22 . each of the straight portions 22 extends into a respective hole formed in the top of the seatback to attach the head restraint assembly 10 to the vehicle seat . the head restraint assembly 10 further includes a head restraint 40 operatively connected to base portion 14 . in the embodiment depicted , the head restraint 40 includes a frame 44 that shrouds the internal mechanism of the head restraint 40 . in one embodiment , the frame 44 is a protective expandable polyurethane ( epp ) core . the head restraint 40 also includes cushion ( not shown ) and a flexible trim ( not shown ) that are mounted with respect to the frame 44 for movement therewith . the head restraint cushion is comprised of a soft foam or a like material to provide a cushion between the head of a human occupant to the vehicle seat and the head restraint frame 44 . the head restraint trim covers at least part of the cushion and the frame to enhance the aesthetics and comfort of the head restraint . exemplary cover materials include cloth , vinyl , leather , etc . referring to fig3 , the base portion 14 also includes a cross - member portion 26 that interconnects the two post portions 18 . when the base portion 14 is connected to an upright vehicle seat , the post portions 18 are generally vertical , and the cross - member portion 26 is generally horizontal . the cross - member portion 26 includes segments 30 a , 30 b , 32 a , 32 b , 34 a , 34 b , and 36 . when the base portion 14 is connected to an upright vehicle seat , each of segments 30 a , 30 b extends forwardly from an upper end of a respective one of the post portions 18 , each of segments 32 a , 32 b extends transversely from a respective one of the segments 30 a , 30 b , each of segments 34 a , 34 b extends rearward from a respective one of the segments 32 a , 32 b , and segment 36 extends transversely to interconnect segments 34 a and 34 b and runs parallel to segments 32 a , 32 b . segments 32 a , 32 b are coaxial with each other and segments 34 a , 34 b , 36 form a u - shaped bend or offset in the cross - member portion 26 between linear , coaxial segments 32 a , 32 b . the above - described orientation of the cross - member portion is merely illustrative . additionally , more or fewer segments may be included . referring to fig4 and 5 , a ratcheting pivot mechanism 134 includes pivoting body 150 and a lower stamping pivot plate 152 that may be pivotally interconnected using a pivot pin 262 . a movable lower ratchet member 156 is pivotally connected to the lower stamping pivot plate 152 , and is selectively positionable by the upper ratchet member 158 that is affixed or integrated into the pivoting body 150 ( for clarity , upper ratchet member 158 may herein be referred to as the “ fixed ratchet member 158 ”). when the movable lower ratchet member 156 is engaged with the fixed ratchet member 158 ( i . e ., when the teeth 160 of the movable ratchet member 156 contact the teeth 161 of the fixed ratchet member 158 ), the pivoting body 150 ( and coupled head rest frame 44 ) may be permitted to rotate in a forward direction , but are not permitted to rotate in a rearward direction . to facilitate this one way motion , each ratchet 156 , 158 has respective teeth 160 , 161 that may interconnect with the teeth of the opposing ratchet and may advance in a step - wise manner . the pivot mechanism further includes a spring 162 ( fig8 ) disposed between the lower stamping pivot plate 152 and the movable lower ratchet member 156 . as will be described in greater detail below , the spring 162 may be configured and / or positioned in a manner where it applies separation load to the movable lower ratchet member 156 from the lower stamping pivot plate 152 , promoting the lower ratchet member 156 to engage with the fixed upper ratchet member 158 . and when the spring 162 is positioned where it applies a reversed separation load to the movable lower ratchet member 156 from the lower stamping pivot plate 152 , promoting the lower ratchet member 156 to disengage with the fixed upper ratchet member 158 ( i . e ., when the teeth 160 of the movable lower ratchet member 156 loses contact with the teeth 160 of the fixed upper ratchet member 158 ). as such , there may be an over center position where the direction of the biasing provided by the spring 162 may switch between an engaging and disengaging direction . the pivoting body 150 houses all the internal mechanism components within cavity 58 , created by a series of formed offset assembly surfaces flanked by front and rear strength flanges 48 , 52 such that the pivoting body 150 moves in unison with the frame 44 as it rotates . the pivoting body 150 may be used to toggle the movable lower ratchet member 156 between an engaged state and a disengaged state while articulating through its full pivoting range . to accomplish this toggling , the movable lower ratchet member 156 may include a reset emboss pin or the like ( not shown ) that may be rigidly coupled with the lower ratchet member 156 , and that may interact with a reset window defined within the pivoting body 150 . as the pivoting body 150 articulates relative to the lower stamping pivot plate 152 , the reset pin may contact the perimeter of the reset window , which may apply a selective force to the pin . as such , the interaction between the reset window and the reset pin may urge the movable lower ratchet member 156 to move between the engaged position and the disengaged position . in alternative embodiments , other mechanical interference means may be used to transition the movable lower ratchet member 156 between the engaged position and the disengaged position . such interference mechanisms , for example , may include the use of catches , pins , rockers , or other similar devices known in the art . in operation , when the movable lower ratchet member 156 is engaged with the fixed upper ratchet member 158 , the pivoting body 150 may be free to articulate in a forward direction , however , any movement in a rearward direction may be restrained by the interaction of the gear teeth 160 of the respective ratchet members 156 , 158 . the reversible bias of spring 162 , which may cause a “ toggling ” effect of the movable lower ratchet member 156 , may result from the geometric arrangement of the spring 162 , movable lower ratchet member 156 , and lower stamping pivot plate 152 . the movable lower ratchet member 156 may pivot with respect to the lower stamping pivot plate 152 at a point 178 . spring 162 , such as for example , an omega - shaped spring 162 , may then extend between the movable lower ratchet member 156 and the lower stamping pivot plate 152 , and may generally exert an opposite , outward force against each respective component . the spring force applied to the movable lower ratchet member 156 by spring 162 may urge the lower ratchet member 156 to pivot either in an engaging or disengaging direction relative to the pivot point 178 , according to its alignment with the radial axis . when the movable lower ratchet member 156 is in an engaged position , the spring force acts on the movable lower ratchet member 156 in a direction that would cause the lower ratchet member 156 to rotate in a clockwise ( engaging ) direction . when the movable lower ratchet member 156 is in a disengaged position , the spring force is applied in a direction that would cause the lower ratchet member 156 to rotate in a counter - clockwise ( disengaging ) direction . with such a spring configuration , there exists a position between the engaged and disengaged position where the spring force may be perfectly aligned with the radial axis , and no biasing force is applied . this “ neutral ” position is generally an un - stable position and is commonly referred to as the “ over - center ” position . as such , the movable lower ratchet member 156 in this configuration is bistable — that is , it is stable in two positions : either engaged or disengaged . the mechanism 134 may be similar to the mechanism shown and described in commonly - assigned u . s . patent application ser . no . 13 / 042 , 818 , filed mar . 8 , 2011 , ( published as 2011 / 0221250 on sep . 15 , 2011 ) and which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety . the lower stamping pivot plate 152 includes a forked portion 250 formed by two parallel , protuberant arms 254 . the arms 254 define a groove 258 therebetween , and the lower stamping pivot plate 152 is positioned such that segment 36 of the base portion 14 extends through the groove 258 . the arms 254 are partially covered by an elastomeric covering material 268 to prevent metal - to - metal contact between the pivot arm 152 and segment 36 , and to provide a snug fit between the pivot arm 152 ( i . e ., arms 254 ) and segment 36 , thereby eliminating rattle . the lower stamping pivot plate 152 does not rotate relative to the base portion 14 when the head restraint 40 is rotated , but lateral movement of the lower stamping pivot plate 152 relative to the base portion 14 is permitted . this interface between the lower stamping pivot plate 152 and the base portion 14 , which restricts or prevents relative rotation therebetween , is significantly easier to assemble and manufacture , and is less expensive , than prior art head restraints . referring to fig6 - 8 , the pivot pin 262 extends through a hole 276 in the lower stamping pivot plate 152 and through holes formed in stampings 320 , 324 . the pivot pin 262 is operatively and rigidly connected to the base portion 14 . more specifically , the pivot pin 262 is rigidly connected to segments 32 a and 32 b of the base portion 14 . as shown , the pivot pin 262 extends outward of segments 34 a and 34 b of the base portion to connect with segments 32 a , 32 b . the elongated nature of the pivot pin 262 and the rigid connection to the base portion enhances structural integrity of the overall head restraint assembly . in the illustrated embodiment , the pin is rigidly connected to a forward portion of segments 32 a , 32 b . it is to be appreciated that connection to upper , lower or rearward portions of these segments is contemplated . the stampings 320 , 324 are the two main side stampings that pivoting body 150 are comprised , and house all the internal mechanism componentry . the upper ratchet member 158 , lower ratchet member 156 , spring 162 , and lower stamping pivot plate 152 are all assembled between the stampings 320 , 324 . the pivot pin 262 and the hole 276 are not circular , and thus the pivot pin 262 does not rotate with respect to the lower stamping pivot plate 152 . the pivot pin 262 defines a first hole 400 located on an outer side of stamping 320 and a second hole 402 on an outer side of stamping 324 . the head restraint 40 includes two torsional springs 136 ; each of the springs 136 is coiled around the pivot pin 262 on a respective side of the stampings 320 , 324 . each spring 136 has a respective end disposed within a respective hole 400 , 402 to establish connectible rotation of the springs 136 to the pivot pin 262 . the springs 136 maintain a rearward bias on the head restraint 40 ; that is , the springs 136 urge the head restraint 40 in the rearward rotational direction , and are thus referred to as “ return springs .” referring to fig9 and 10 , it is to be understood that the stampings 320 , 324 are side structures that are generally referred to as a first side structure and a second side structure herein . the side structures 420 , 424 in the illustrated embodiment are formed of plastic structures . typical pivoting fore - aft adjustable headrests available today require some kind of welding , riveting or some other means of hard fixing its ratcheting mechanism to the armature or lower sub - assembly 14 . the embodiments disclosed herein greatly reduce and / or eliminate all previous mentioned procedures and lowers the overall weight of the headrest at the same time . welding the lower stamping pivot plate 152 to a lock post and then riveting it to the center pivot shaft and slave leg to create the lower mechanism assembly has been replaced with a modified lower stamping pivot plate 152 and a one piece armature 14 . while the invention has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments , it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments . rather , the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations , alterations , substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described , but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention . additionally , while various embodiments of the invention have been described , it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of the described embodiments . accordingly , the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description , but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims . | 1 |
we have found that lactobacillus salivarius strains ah102 , ah103 , ah105 , ah109 and ah110 are not only acid and bile tolerant and adhere to human intestinal cell lines but also , surprisingly have immunomodulatory effects , by modulating cytokine levels or by antagonising and excluding pro - inflammatory or immunomodulatory micro - organisms from the gastrointestinal tract . the general use of probiotic bacteria is in the form of viable cells . however , it can also be extended to non - viable cells such as killed cultures or compositions containing beneficial factors expressed by the probiotic bacteria . this could include thermally killed micro - organisms or micro - organisms killed by exposure to altered ph or subjection to pressure . with non - viable cells product preparation is simpler , cells may be incorporated easily into pharmaceuticals and storage requirements are much less limited than viable cells . lactobacillus casei yit 9018 offers an example of the effective use of heat killed cells as a method for the treatment and / or prevention of tumour growth as described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 347 , 240 . it is unknown whether intact bacteria are required to exert an immunomodulatory effect or if individual active components of the invention can be utilized alone . proinflammatory components of certain bacterial strains have been identified . the proinflammatory effects of gram - negative bacteria are mediated by lipopolysaccharide ( lps ). lps alone induces a proinflammatory network , partially due to lps binding to the cd14 receptor on monocytes . it is assumed that components of probiotic bacteria possess immunomodulatory activity , due to the effects of the whole cell . upon isolation of these components , pharmaceutical grade manipulation is anticipated . interleukin - 8 ( il - 8 ) is one of the cytokines comprising the macrophage inflammatory protein family ( mip ). the mip - 1 and - 2 families represent a group of proteins which are chemotactic factors for leukocytes and fibroblasts . this family of proteins are also called intercrines , as cells other than macrophages are capable of synthesizing them . these cells include t and b cells , fibroblasts , endothelial cells , keratinocytes , smooth muscle cells , synovial cells , neutrophils , chondrocytes , hepatocytes , platelets and tumour cells . mip - 1α , - 1β , connective tissue activating protein ( ctap ), platelet factor 4 ( pf4 ) and il - 8 stimulate neutrophil chemotaxis . monocyte chemotactic protein ( mcp - 1 ) and rantes are chemotactic for monocytes , il - 8 for neutrophils and lymphocytes while pf4 and ctap are chemotactic for fibroblasts . roles other than chemotaxis have been described for some of these family members . mcp - 1 stimulates monocyte cytostatic activity and superoxide anion release . ctap and pf4 increase fibroblast proliferation , il - 8 increases vascular permeability while mip - 1α and - 1β are pyrogenic . il - 8 is intimately involved in inflammatory responses within the gastrointestinal tract . stimulation of il - 8 ( and other proinflammatory cytokines ) could contribute to the development of gastrointestinal lesions therefore it is important that probiotic bacteria should not stimulate the production of this cytokine . il - 10 is produced by t cells , b cells , monocytes and macrophages . this cytokine augments the proliferation and differentiation of b cells into antibody secreting cells . il - 10 exhibits mostly anti - inflammatory activities . it up - regulates il - 1ra expression by monocytes and suppresses the majority of monocyte inflammatory activities . il - 10 inhibits monocyte production of cytokines , reactive oxygen and nitrogen intermediates , mhc class ii expression , parasite killing and il - 10 production via a feed back mechanism ( 7 ). this cytokine has also been shown to block monocyte production of intestinal collagenase and type iv collagenase by interfering with a pge 2 - camp dependant pathway and therefore may be an important regulator of the connective tissue destruction seen in chronic inflammatory diseases . il - 12 is a heterodimeric protein of 70 kd composed of two covalently linked chains of 35 kd and 40 kd . it is produced primarily by antigen presenting cells , such as macrophages , early in the inflammatory cascade . intracellular bacteria stimulate the production of high levels of il - 12 . it is a potent inducer of ifnγ production and activator of natural killer cells . il - 12 is one of the key cytokines necessary for the generation of cell mediated , or th1 , immune responses primarily through its ability to prime cells for high ifnγ production ( 8 ). il - 12 induces the production of il - 10 which feedback inhibits il - 12 production thus restricting uncontrolled cytokine production . tgf - β also down - regulates il - 12 production . il - 4 and il - 13 can have stimulatory or inhibitory effects on il - 12 production . inhibition of il - 12 in vivo may have some therapeutic value in the treatment of th1 associated inflammatory disorders , such as multiple sclerosis ( 9 ). interferon - gamma ( ifnγ ) is primarily a product of activated t lymphocytes and due to variable glycosylation it can be found ranging from 20 to 25 kda in size . this cytokine synergizes with other cytokines resulting in a more potent stimulation of monocytes , macrophages , neutrophils and endothelial cells . ifnγ also amplifies lipopolysaccharide ( lps ) induction of monocytes and macrophages by increasing cytokine production ( 10 ), increased reactive intermediate release , phagocytosis and cytotoxicity . ifnγ induces , or enhances the expression of major histocompatibility complex class ii ( mhc class ii ) antigens on monocytic cells and cells of epithelial , endothelial and connective tissue origin . this allows for greater presentation of antigen to the immune system from cells within inflamed tissues . ifnγ may also have anti - inflammatory effects . this cytokine inhibits phospholipase a 2 , thereby decreasing monocyte production of pge 2 and collagenase ( 11 ). ifnγ may also modulate monocyte and macrophage receptor expression for tgfβ , tnfα and c5a ( 11 ) thereby contributing to the anti - inflammatory nature of this cytokine . probiotic stimulation of this cytokine would have variable effects in vivo depending on the current inflammatory state of the host , stimulation of other cytokines and the route of administration . tnfα is a proinflammatory cytokine which mediates many of the local and systemic effects seen during an inflammatory response . this cytokine is primarily a monocyte or macrophage derived product but other cell types including lymphocytes , neutrophils , nk cells , mast cells , astrocytes , epithelial cells endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells can also synthesise tnfα . tnfα is synthesised as a prohormone and following processing the mature 17 . 5 kda species can be observed . purified tnfα has been observed as dimers , trimers and pentamers with the trimeric form postulated to be the active form in vivo . three receptors have been identified for tnfα . a soluble receptor seems to function as a tnfα inhibitor ( 12 ) while two membrane bound forms have been identified with molecular sizes of 60 and 80 kda respectively . local tnfα production at inflammatory sites can be induced with endotoxin and the glucocorticoid dexamethasone inhibits cytokine production ( 13 ). tnfα production results in the stimulation of many cell types . significant anti - viral effects could be observed in tnfα treated cell lines ( 14 ) and the ifns synergise with tnfα enhancing this effect . endothelial cells are stimulated to produce procoagulant activity , expression of adhesion molecules , il - 1 , hematopoitic growth factors , platelet activating factor ( paf ) and arachidonic acid metabolites . tnfα stimulates neutrophil adherence , phagocytosis , degranulation ( 15 ), reactive oxygen intermediate production and may influence cellular migration . leucocyte synthesis of gm - csf , tgfβ , il - 1 , il - 6 , pge 2 and tnfα itself can all be stimulated upon tnfα administration ( 16 , 17 ). programmed cell death ( apoptosis ) can be delayed in monocytes ( 18 ) while effects on fibroblasts include the promotion of chemotaxis and il - 6 , pge 2 and collagenase synthesis . while local tnfα production promotes wound healing and immune responses , the dis - regulated systemic release of tnfα can be severely toxic with effects such as cachexia , fever and acute phase protein production being observed ( 19 ). the invention will be more clearly understood from the following examples . characterisation of bacteria isolated from resected and washed human gastrointestinal tract . demonstration of probiotic traits . appendices and sections of the large and small intestine of the human gastrointestinal tract ( g . i . t .) obtained during reconstructive surgery , were screened for probiotic bacterial strains . all samples were stored immediately after surgery at − 80 ° c . in sterile containers . frozen tissues were thawed , weighed and placed in cysteinated ( 0 . 05 %) one quarter strength ringers &# 39 ; solution . the sample was gently shaken to remove loosely adhering microorganisms ( termed — wash ‘ w ’). following transfer to a second volume of ringer &# 39 ; s solution , the sample was vortexed for 7 mins to remove tightly adhering bacteria ( termed — sample ‘ s ’). in order to isolate tissue embedded bacteria , samples 356 , 176 and a were also homogenized in a braun blender ( termed — homogenate ‘ h ’). the solutions were serially diluted and spread - plated ( 100 μl ) on the following agar media : rcm ( reinforced clostridia media ) and rcm adjusted to ph 5 . 5 using acetic acid ; tpy ( trypticase , peptone and yeast extract ); mrs ( demann , rogosa and sharpe ); rog ( acetate medium ( sl ) of rogosa ); lla ( liver - lactose agar of lapiere ); bhi ( brain heart infusion agar ); lbs ( lactobacillus selective agar ) and tsaye ( tryptone soya sugar supplemented with 0 . 6 % yeast extract ). tpy and mrs supplemented with propionic acid was also used . all agar media was supplied by oxoid chemicals with the exception of tpy agar . plates were incubated in anaerobic jars ( bbl , oxoid ) using co 2 generating kits ( anaerocult a , merck ) for 2 - 5 days at 37 ° c . gram positive , catalase negative rod - shaped or bifurcated / pleomorphic bacteria isolates were streaked for purity on to complex non - selective media ( mrs and tpy ). isolates were routinely cultivated in mrs or tpy medium unless otherwise stated at 37 ° c . under anaerobic conditions . presumptive lactobacillus were stocked in 40 % glycerol and stored at − 20 ° c . and − 80 ° c . seven tissue sections taken from the g . i . t . were screened for the presence of strains belonging to the lactobacillus genera . there was some variation between tissue samples . table 1 below shows the bacterial count of the tissue samples expressed as colony forming units per gram ( cfu / ml ) of tissue . ( nd = not determined ) samples a ( ileum ) and 316 ( appendix ) had the lowest counts with approximately 10 2 cells isolated per gram of tissue . in comparison , greater 10 3 cfu / g tissue were recovered from the other samples . similar numbers of bacteria were isolated during the ‘ wash ’ and ‘ sample ’ steps with slightly higher counts in the ‘ sample ’ solutions of 433 ( ileal - caecal ). metabolism of the carbohydrate glucose and the subsequent organic acid end - products were examined using an lkb bromma , aminex hpx - 87h high performance liquid chromatography column . the column was maintained at 60 ° c . with a flow rate of 0 . 6 ml / min ( constant pressure ). the hplc buffer used was 0 . 01 n h 2 so 4 . prior to analysis , the column was calibrated using 10 mm citrate , 10 mm glucose , 20 mm lactate and 10 mm acetate as standards . cultures were propagated in modified mrs broth for 1 - 2 days at 37 ° c . anaerobically . following centrifugation for 10 min at 14 , 000 g , the supernatant was diluted 1 : 5 with hplc buffer and 200 μl was analysed in the hplc . all supernatants were analysed in duplicate . biochemical and physiological traits of the bacterial isolates were determined to aid identification . nitrate reduction , indole formation and expression of β - galactosidase activity were assayed . growth at both 15 ° c . and 45 ° c ., growth in the presence of increasing concentrations of nacl up to 5 . 0 % and protease activity on gelatin were determined . growth characteristics of the strains in litmus milk were also assessed . approximately fifteen hundred catalase negative bacterial isolates from different samples were chosen and characterised in terms of their gram reaction , cell size and morphology , growth at 15 ° c . and 45 ° c . and fermentation end - products from glucose ( data not shown ). greater than sixty percent of the isolates tested were gram positive , homofermentative cocci ( homo -) arranged either in tetrads , chains or bunches . eighteen percent of the isolates were gram negative rods and heterofermentative coccobacilli ( hetero -). the remaining isolates ( twenty two percent ) were predominantly homofermentative coccobacilli . thirty eight strains were characterised in more detail — 13 isolates from 433 ; 4 from 423 ; 8 from 312 ; 9 from 356 ; 3 from 176 and 1 from 316 . all thirty eight isolates tested negative both for nitrate reduction and production of indole from tryptophan . growth at different temperatures , concentrations of nacl and gelatin hydrolysis are recorded in table 2 below . the api 50chl ( biomerieux sa , france ) system was used to tentatively identify the lactobacillus species by their carbohydrate fermentation profiles . overnight mrs cultures were harvested by centrifugation and resuspended in the suspension medium provided with the kit . api strips were inoculated and analysed ( after 24 and 48 h ) according to the manufacturers &# 39 ; instructions . identity of the lactobacillus sp . was then checked by sds - polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis ( sds - page ) of total cell protein ( bruno pot , university of ghent , belgium , personal communication ). finally , 16s rna analysis and ribotyping were used to confirm strain identity . the api 50chl allowed rapid identification of the lactobacillus isolates . analysis of total cell protein of the lactobacillus sp . ( bruno pot , personal communication ) by sds - page , 16s rna analysis and ribotyping revealed further information on the specific species . table 3 below shows the identification of the 5 lactobacillus strains by four different techniques . the api zym system ( biomerieux , france ) was used for semi - quantitative measurement of constitutive enzymes produced by lactobacillus isolates . bacterial cells from the late logarithmic growth phase were harvested by centrifugation at 14 , 000 g for 10 mins . the pelleted cells were washed and resuspended in 50 mm phosphate buffer , ph 6 . 8 to the same optical density . the strips were inoculated in accordance with the manufacturer &# 39 ; s instructions , incubated for 4 h at 37 ° c . and colour development recorded . the enzyme activity profiles of the 5 strains ah102 , ah103 , ah105 , ah109 , ah110 are presented in table 4 below . none of the strains exhibited lipase , trypsin , α - chymotrypsin , α - glucuronidase , α - mannosidase or α - fucosidase activities . antibiotic sensitivity profiles of the isolates were determined using the ‘ disc susceptibility ’ assay . cultures were grown up in the appropriate broth medium for 24 - 48 h spread - plated ( 100 μl ) onto agar media and discs containing known concentrations of the antibiotics were placed onto the agar . strains were examined for antibiotic sensitivity after 1 - 2 days incubation at 37 ° c . under anaerobic conditions . strains were considered sensitive if zones of inhibition of 1 mm or greater were seen . antibiotics of human clinical importance were used to ascertain the sensitivity profiles of each of the 5 lactobacillus strains . each of the lactobacilli tested was sensitive to ampicillin , amoxacillin , ceftaxime , ceftriaxone , ciprofloxacin , cephradine , rifampicin and chloramphenicol . the antibiotic sensitivities ( ug / ml ) of lactobacillus salivarius ah102 , ah103 , ah105 , ah109 and ah110 are given in table 5 below . human gastric juice was obtained from healthy subjects by aspiration through a nasogastric tube ( mercy hospital , cork , ireland ). it was immediately centrifuged at 13 , 000 g for 30 min to remove all solid particles , sterilised through 0 . 45 μm and 0 . 2 μm filters and divided into 40 ml aliquots which were stored at 4 ° c . and − 20 ° c . the ph and pepsin activity of the samples were measured prior to experimental use . pepsin activity was measured using the quantitative haemoglobulin assay . briefly , aliquots of gastric juice ( 1 ml ) were added to 5 ml of substrate ( 0 . 7 m urea , 0 . 4 % ( w / v ) bovine haemoglobulin ( sigma chemical co ., 0 . 25 m kcl - hcl buffer , ph 2 . 0 ) and incubated at 25 ° c . samples were removed at 0 , 2 , 4 , 6 , 8 , 10 , 20 and 30 min intervals . reactions were terminated by the addition of 5 % trichloracetic acid ( tca ) and allowed to stand for 30 min without agitation . assay mixtures were then filtered ( whatman , no . 113 ), centrifuged at 14 , 000 g for 15 min and absorbance at 280 nm was measured . one unit of pepsin enzyme activity was defined as the amount of enzyme required to cause an increase of 0 . 001 units of a 280 nm per minute at ph 2 . 0 measured as tca - soluble products using haemoglobulin as substrate . to determine whether growth of the lactobacillus strains occurred at low ph values equivalent to those found in the stomach , overnight cultures were inoculated ( 1 %) into fresh mrs broth adjusted to ph4 . 0 , 3 . 0 , 2 . 0 and 1 . 0 using 1n hcl . at regular intervals aliquots ( 1 . 5 ml ) were removed , optical density at 600 nm ( od600 ) was measured and colony forming units per ml ( cfu / ml ) calculated using the plate count method . growth was monitored over a 24 - 48 h period . survival of the strains at low ph in vitro was investigated using two assays : ( a ) cells were harvested from fresh overnight cultures , washed twice in phosphate buffer ( ph 6 . 5 ) and resuspended in mrs broth adjusted to ph 3 . 5 , 3 . 0 , 2 . 5 , and 2 . 0 ( with 1n hcl ) to a final concentration of approximately 10 8 cfu / ml for the lactobacilli . cells were incubated at 37 ° c . and survival measured at intervals of 5 , 30 , 60 and 120 min using the plate count method . ( b ) the lactobacillus strains were propagated in buffered mrs broth ( ph 6 . 0 ) daily for a 5 day period . the cells were harvested , washed and resuspended in ph adjusted mrs broth and survival measured over a 2 h period using the plate count method . to determine the ability of the lactobacilli to survive passage through the stomach , an ex - vivo study was performed using human gastric juice . cells from fresh overnight cultures were harvested , washed twice in buffer ( ph 6 . 5 ) and resuspended in human gastric juice to a final concentration of 10 6 - 10 8 cfu / ml , depending on the strain . survival was monitored over a 30 - 60 min incubation period at 37 ° c . the experiment was performed using gastric juice at ph ˜ 1 . 2 ( unadjusted ) and ph 2 . 0 and 2 . 5 . each of the lactobacillus strains tested grew normally at ph 6 . 8 and ph 4 . 5 reaching stationary phase after 8 h with a doubling time of 80 - 100 min . at ph 3 . 5 growth was restricted with doubling times increasing to 6 - 8 h . no growth was observed at ph 2 . 5 or lower , therefore , survival of the strains at low ph was examined . each of the strains was generally resistant to ph values 3 . 5 , 3 . 0 , and 2 . 5 , with lactobacillus salivarius ah102 and ah105 also exhibiting resistance at ph 2 . 0 ( data not shown ). to determine the ability of the lactobacillus strains to survive conditions encountered in the human stomach , viability of each of the 5 strains was tested in human gastric juice at ph 1 . 2 and ph 2 . 5 , as shown in table 6 below . the survival is expressed at log 10 cfu / ml ( nd = not determined ). fresh cultures were streaked onto mrs agar plates supplemented with bovine bile ( b - 8381 , sigma chemical co . ltd ., poole ) at concentrations of 0 . 3 , 1 . 0 , 1 . 5 , 5 . 0 and 7 . 5 % ( w / v ) and porcine bile ( b - 8631 , sigma chemical co . ltd ., poole ) at concentrations of 0 . 3 , 0 . 5 , 1 . 0 , 1 . 5 , 5 . 0 and 7 . 5 % ( w / v ). plates were incubated at 37 ° c . under anaerobic conditions and growth was recorded after 24 - 48 h . bile samples , isolated from several human gall - bladders , were stored at − 80 ° c . before use . for experimental work , bile samples were thawed , pooled and sterilised at 80 ° c . for 10 min . bile acid composition of human bile was determined using reverse - phase high performance liquid chromatography ( hplc ) in combination with a pulsed amperometric detector according to the method of dekker et al . ( 20 ). human bile was added to mrs / tpy agar medium at a concentration of 0 . 3 % ( v / v ). freshly streaked cultures were examined for growth after 24 and 48 h . human gall - bladder bile possesses a bile acid concentration of 50 - 100 mm and dilution in the small intestine lowers this concentration to 5 - 10 mm . furthermore , under physiological conditions , bile acids are found as sodium salts . therefore , cultures were screened for growth on mrs agar plates containing the sodium salt of each of the following bile acids ( sigma chemical co . ltd ., poole ): ( a ) conjugated form : taurocholic acid ( tca ); glycocholic acid ( gca ); taurodeoxycholic acid ( tdca ); glycodeoxycholic acid ( gdca ); taurochenodeoxycholic acid ( tcdca ) and glycochenodeoxycholic acid ( gcdca ); ( b ) deconjugated form : lithocholic acid ( lca ); chenodeoxycholic acid ( cdca ); deoxycholic acid ( dca ) and cholic acid ( ca ). for each bile acid concentrations of 1 , 3 and 5 mm were used . growth was recorded after 24 and 48 h anaerobic incubation . both a qualitative ( agar plate ) and a quantitative ( hplc ) assay were used to determine deconjugation activity . plate assay : all the cultures were streaked on mrs agar plates supplemented with ( a ) 0 . 3 % ( w / v ) porcine bile , ( b ) 3 mm tdca or ( c ) 3 mm gdca . deconjugation was observed as an opaque precipitate surrounding the colonies . high performance liquid chromatography ( hplc ): analysis of in vitro deconjugation of human bile was performed using hplc . briefly , overnight cultures were inoculated ( 5 %) into mrs broth supplemented with 0 . 3 % ( v / v ) human bile and were incubated anaerobically at 37 ° c . at various time intervals over a 24 h period , samples ( 1 ml ) were removed and centrifuged at 14 , 000 rpm for 10 min . undiluted cell - free supernatant ( 30 μl ) was then analysed by hplc . [ 0100 ] lactobacillus salivarius ah102 , ah103 , ah105 , ah109 and ah110 were capable of growth ( bile acid resistance ) on three sources of bile used . it was observed that resistance to bovine bile was much higher than to porcine bile . each of the lactobacillus strains tested was resistant to concentrations up to and including 5 . 0 % bovine bile ( data not shown ). porcine bile was more inhibitory as shown in table 7 below . regardless of the bile resistance profiles in the presence of both bovine and porcine bile , each of the lactobacillus salivarius strains grew to confluence at the physiological concentration of 0 . 3 % ( v / v ) human bile ( data not shown ). each of the lactobacillus strains , when analysed specifically for its resistance to individual bile acids , grew well in the presence of taurine conjugated bile acids . isolates from each of lactobacillus strain grew to confluence on agar medium containing up to and including 5 mm of taurine conjugates tca , tdca and tcdca . of the glycine conjugates tested , gcdca was the most inhibitory . gdca was less inhibitory and gca was the least inhibitory of the three glycine conjugates . each of the lactobacillus strains grew on agar medium supplemented with 5 mm gca . this is shown in table 8 below . growth in the presence of deconjugated bile acids was also tested . each lactobacillus strain was resistant to concentrations of 5 mm lca . growth in the presence of ca was also tested . as shown in table 9 below , three of the 5 strains , ah102 , ah105 and ah109 grew in the presence of 1 mm ca . none of the strains grew in the presence of 1 mm cdca . ( data not shown ). antimicrobial activity was detected using the deferred method ( 21 ). indicators used in the initial screening were l . innocua , l . fermentum kld , p . flourescens and e . coli v157 . briefly , the lactobacilli ( mrs ) were incubated for 12 - 16 h and 36 - 48 h , respectively . ten - fold serial dilutions were spread - plated ( 100 μl ) onto mrs / tpy agar medium . after overnight incubation , plates with distinct colonies were overlayed with the indicator bacterium . the indicator lawn was prepared by inoculating a molten overlay with 2 % ( v / v ) of an overnight indicator culture which was poured over the surface of the inoculated mrs plates . the plates were re - incubated overnight under conditions suitable for growth of the indicator bacterium . indicator cultures with inhibition zones greater than 1 mm in radius were considered sensitive to the test bacterium . inhibition due to bacteriophage activity was excluded by flipping the inoculated mrs / tpy agar plates upside down and overlaying with the indicator . bacteriophage cannot diffuse through agar . [ 0108 ] lactobacillus salivarius ah102 , ah103 , ah105 , ah109 and ah110 were screened for inhibitory activity using ls . innocua , l . fermentum kld , p . fluorescens and e . coli as indicator microorganisms . when the test strains were inoculated on unbuffered mrs , inhibition of the four indicators was observed . zones ranging in size from 1 mm to 5 mm were measured . inhibition of ls . innocua by each of the lactobacilli produced the largest zones . the adhesion of the probiotic strains was carried out using a modified version of a previously described method ( 22 ). the monolayers of ht - 29 and caco - 2 cells were prepared on sterile 22 mm 2 glass coverslips , which were placed in corning tissue culture dishes , at a concentration of 4 × 10 4 cells / ml . cells were fed fresh medium every 2 days . after ˜ 10 days , and differentiation of the monolayer had occurred , the monolayers were washed twice with phosphate buffered saline ( pbs ). antibiotic - free dmem ( 2 ml ) and 2 ml of ˜ 18 h lb . suspension containing ˜ 10 9 cfu / ml were added to each dish and cells were incubated for 2 h at 37 ° c . in a humidified atmosphere containing 5 % co 2 . after incubation , the monolayers were washed 5 times with pbs , fixed in methanol ( bdh laboratory supplies , poole , uk ) for 3 min , gram stained ( gram stain set , merck ) and examined microscopically under oil immersion . for each glass coverslip monolayer the number of adherent bacteria per 20 epithelial cells was counted in 10 microscopic fields . the mean and standard error of adherent bacteria per 20 epithelial cells was calculated . each adhesion assay was carried out in duplicate . in a second method , after washing 5 times in pbs , adhering bacteria were removed by vortexing the monolayers rigorously in cold sterile h 2 o . bacterial cells were enumerated by serial dilution in quarter strength ringer &# 39 ; s solution ( oxoid ) and incubation on mrs ( lactobacilli ). each of the 5 lactobacillus strains , ah102 , ah103 , ah105 , ah109 and ah110 adhered to gastrointestinal epithelial cells ( fig1 ). these probiotic strains would be suitable as vaccine / drug delivery vehicles as they adhere to the gastrointestinal epithelium and therefore interact with the relevant host tissue . determination of the effect of each of the lactobacillus strains on pbmc cytokine production . peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from healthy donors ( n = 19 ) by density gradient centrifugation . pbmcs were stimulated with the probiotic bacterial strains for a 72 hour period at 37 ° c . at this time culture supernatants were collected , centrifuged , aliquoted and stored at − 70 ° c . until being assessed for il - 8 , il - 10 , il - 12 and ifnγ levels using elisas ( boehringer mannheim ). ah102 , ah103 and ah105 stimulated production of ifnγ from pbmcs ( fig2 ). ah102 , ah103 , ah109 and ah110 co - incubation did not significantly alter il - 10 levels ( fig3 ). stimulation with ah105 significantly reduced secretion of il - 10 by pbmcs . ah102 , ah105 , ah109 and ah110 co - incubation significantly upregulated il - 12 production by pbmcs ( fig4 ). ah103 had no significant effect on il - 12 production . none of the 5 lactobacillus strains stimulated il - 8 production in vitro , from pbmcs isolated from healthy donors . indeed , in each case , il - 8 levels were reduced ( fig5 ). determination of cytokine levels in an epithelial / pbmc co - culture model following incubation with ah103 and ah110 . the appropriate in vitro model with physiological relevance to the intestinal tract is a culture system incorporating epithelial cells , t cells , b cells , monocytes and the bacterial strains . to this end , human caco - 2 epithelial cells were seeded at 5 × 10 5 cells / ml on the apical surface of 25 mm transwell inserts with a pore size of 3 □ m ( costar ). these cells were cultured for four weeks in rpmi 1640 , supplemented with 10 % foetal calf serum , glutamine , penicillin and streptomycin , at 37 ° c . in a 5 % co 2 environment . culture media was changed every 3 days . when the epithelial cells were fully differentiated , human peripheral blood mononuclear cells ( pbmcs ) were isolated by density gradient centrifugation . 1 × 10 6 washed pbmcs was incubated basolaterally to the epithelial cells and cultured with 1 × 10 7 probiotic bacteria . controls contained media alone . no direct cell - cell contact between pbmcs and epithelial cells was possible in this model system and cellular communication was mediated solely by soluble factors . following 72 hours of incubation with ah103 or ah110 , cell culture supernatants were removed , aliquoted and stored at − 70 ° c . tnfα and il - 8 extracellular cytokine levels were measured using standard elisa kits ( r & amp ; d systems ). tnfα levels and il - 8 levels were measured , in duplicate , using pbmcs from 3 healthy volunteers . following incubation of epithelial cell - pbmc co - cultures with probiotic bacteria , tnfα and il - 8 cytokine levels were examined by elisas ( fig6 ). ah103 significantly reduced the level of il - 8 released by these cells . ah110 reduced the levels of tnfα and il - 8 released by these cells . the human immune system plays a significant role in the aetiology and pathology of a vast range of human diseases . hyper and hypo - immune responsiveness results in , or is a component of , the majority of disease states . one family of biological entities , termed cytokines , are particularly important to the control of immune processes . pertubances of these delicate cytokine networks are being increasingly associated with many diseases . these diseases include but are not limited to inflammatory disorders , immunodeficiency , inflammatory bowel disease , irritable bowel syndrome , cancer ( particularly those of the gastrointestinal and immune systems ), diarrhoeal disease , antibiotic associated diarrhoea , paediatric diarrhoea , appendicitis , autoimmune disorders , multiple sclerosis , alzheimer &# 39 ; s disease , rheumatoid arthritis , coeliac disease , diabetes mellitus , organ transplantation , bacterial infections , viral infections , fungal infections , periodontal disease , urogenital disease , sexually transmitted disease , hiv infection , hiv replication , hiv associated diarrhoea , surgical associated trauma , surgical - induced metastatic disease , sepsis , weight loss , anorexia , fever control , cachexia , wound healing , ulcers , gut barrier function , allergy , asthma , respiratory disorders , circulatory disorders , coronary heart disease , anaemia , disorders of the blood coagulation system , renal disease , disorders of the central nervous system , hepatic disease , ischaemia , nutritional disorders , osteoporosis , endocrine disorders , epidermal disorders , psoriasis and acne vulgaris . the effects on cytokine production are specific for each of the probiotic strains examined . thus specific probiotic strains may be selected for normalising an exclusive cytokine imbalance particular for a specific disease type . customisation of disease specific therapies can be accomplished using a selection of the probiotic strains listed above . the enteric flora is important to the development and proper function of the intestinal immune system . in the absence of an enteric flora , the intestinal immune system is underdeveloped , as demonstrated in germ free animal models , and certain functional parameters are diminished , such as macrophage phagocytic ability and immunoglobulin production ( 23 ). the importance of the gut flora in stimulating nondamaging immune responses is becoming more evident . the increase in incidence and severity of allergies in the western world has been linked with an increase in hygiene and sanitation , concomitant with a decrease in the number and range of infectious challenges encountered by the host . this lack of immune stimulation may allow the host to react to non - pathogenic , but antigenic , agents resulting in allergy or autoimmunity . deliberate consumption of a series of non - pathogenic immunomodulatory bacteria would provide the host with the necessary and appropriate educational stimuli for proper development and control of immune function . inflammation is the term used to describe the local accumulation of fluid , plasma proteins and white blood cells at a site that has sustained physical damage , infection or where there is an ongoing immune response . control of the inflammatory response is exerted on a number of levels ( 24 ). the controlling factors include cytokines , hormones ( e . g . hydrocortisone ), prostaglandins , reactive intermediates and leukotrienes . cytokines are low molecular weight biologically active proteins that are involved in the generation and control of immunological and inflammatory responses , while also regulating development , tissue repair and haematopoiesis . they provide a means of communication between leukocytes themselves and also with other cell types . most cytokines are pleiotrophic and express multiple biologically overlapping activities . cytokine cascades and networks control the inflammatory response rather than the action of a particular cytokine on a particular cell type ( 25 ). waning of the inflammatory response results in lower concentrations of the appropriate activating signals and other inflammatory mediators leading to the cessation of the inflammatory response . tnfα is a pivotal proinflammatory cytokine as it initiates a cascade of cytokines and biological effects resulting in the inflammatory state . therefore , agents which inhibit tnfα are currently being used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases , e . g . infliximab . pro - inflammatory cytokines are thought to play a major role in the pathogenesis of many inflammatory diseases , including inflammatory bowel disease ( ibd ). current therapies for treating ibd are aimed at reducing the levels of these pro - inflammatory cytokines , including il - 8 and tnfα . such therapies may also play a significant role in the treatment of systemic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis . irritable bowel syndrome ( ibs ) is a common gastrointestinal disorder , affecting up to 15 - 20 % of the population at some stage during their life . the most frequent symptoms include abdominal pain , bowel habit disturbance , manifested by diarrhoea or constipation , flatulence , and abdominal distension . there are no simple tests to confirm diagnosis , and if no other organic disorders can be found for these symptoms , the diagnosis is usually ibs . patients suffering from ibs represent as many as 25 - 50 % of patients seen by gastroenterologists . many factors are thought to be involved in onset of symptoms including e . g . bout of gastroenteritis , abdominal or pelvic surgery , disturbances in the intestinal bacterial flora , perhaps due to antibiotic intake , and emotional stress . compared with the general population , ibs sufferers may have a significantly reduced quality of life , are more likely to be absent from work , and use more healthcare resources . there are no effective medical treatments and to date , recommended therapies have included antispasmodic agents , anti - diarrhoeal agents , dietary fibre supplements , drugs that modify the threshold of colonic visceral perception , analgesics and anti - depressants . while each of the strains of the invention have unique properties with regard to cytokine modulation and microbial antagonism profiles , it should be expected that specific strains can be chosen for use in specific disease states based on these properties . it also should be anticipated that combinations of strains from this panel with appropriate cytokine modulating properties and anti - microbial properties will enhance therapeutic efficacy . the strains of the present invention may have potential application in the treatment of a range of inflammatory diseases , particularly if used in combination with other anti - inflammatory therapies , such as non - steroid anti - inflammatory drugs ( nsaids ) or infliximab . the production of multifunctional cytokines across a wide spectrum of tumour types suggests that significant inflammatory responses are ongoing in patients with cancer . it is currently unclear what protective effect this response has against the growth and development of tumour cells in vivo . however , these inflammatory responses could adversely affect the tumour - bearing host . complex cytokine interactions are involved in the regulation of cytokine production and cell proliferation within tumour and normal tissues ( 26 , 27 ). it has long been recognized that weight loss ( cachexia ) is the single most common cause of death in patients with cancer and initial malnutrition indicates a poor prognosis . for a tumour to grow and spread it must induce the formation of new blood vessels and degrade the extracellular matrix . the inflammatory response may have significant roles to play in the above mechanisms , thus contributing to the decline of the host and progression of the tumour . due to the anti - inflammatory properties of lactobacillus salivarius these bacterial strains they may reduce the rate of malignant cell transformation . furthermore , intestinal bacteria can produce , from dietary compounds , substances with genotoxic , carcinogenic and tumour - promoting activity and gut bacteria can activate pro - carcinogens to dna reactive agents ( 28 ). in general , species of lactobacillus have low activities of xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes compared to other populations within the gut such as bacteroides , eubacteria and clostridia . therefore , increasing the number of lactobacillus bacteria in the gut could beneficially modify the levels of these enzymes . the majority of pathogenic organisms gain entry via mucosal surfaces . efficient vaccination of these sites protects against invasion by a particular infectious agent . oral vaccination strategies have concentrated , to date , on the use of attenuated live pathogenic organisms or purified encapsulated antigens ( 29 ). probiotic bacteria , engineered to produce antigens from an infectious agent , in vivo , may provide an attractive alternative as these bacteria are considered to be safe for human consumption ( gras status ). murine studies have demonstrated that consumption of probiotic bacteria expressing foreign antigens can elicit protective immune responses . the gene encoding tetanus toxin fragment c ( ttfc ) was expressed in lactococcus lactis and mice were immunized via the oral route . this system was able to induce antibody titers significantly high enough to protect the mice from lethal toxin challenge . in addition to antigen presentation , live bacterial vectors can produce bioactive compounds , such as immunostimulatory cytokines , in vivo . l . lactis secreting bioactive human il - 2 or il - 6 and ttfc induced 10 - 15 fold higher serum igg titres in mice immunized intranasally ( 30 ). however , with this particular bacterial strain , the total iga level was not increased by coexpression with these cytokines . other bacterial strains , such as streptococcus gordonii , are also being examined for their usefulness as mucosal vaccines . recombinant s . gordonii colonizing the murine oral and vaginal cavities induced both mucosal and systemic antibody responses to antigens expressed by this bacterial ( 31 ). thus oral immunization using probiotic bacteria as vectors would not only protect the host from infection , but may replace the immunological stimuli that the pathogen would normally elicit thus contributing to the immunological education of the host . the introduction of probiotic organisms is accomplished by the ingestion of the micro - organism in a suitable carrier . it would be advantageous to provide a medium that would promote the growth of these probiotic strains in the large bowel . the addition of one or more oligosaccharides , polysaccharides , or other prebiotics enhances the growth of lactic acid bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract . prebiotics refers to any non - viable food component that is specifically fermented in the colon by indigenous bacteria thought to be of positive value , e . g . bifidobacteria , lactobacilli . types of prebiotics may include those that contain fructose , xylose , soya , galactose , glucose and mannose . the combined administration of a probiotic strain with one or more prebiotic compounds may enhance the growth of the administered probiotic in vivo resulting in a more pronounced health benefit , and is termed synbiotic . it will be appreciated that the probiotic strains may be administered prophylactically or as a method of treatment either on its own or with other probiotic and / or prebiotic materials as described above . in addition , the bacteria may be used as part of a prophylactic or treatment regime using other active materials such as those used for treating inflammation or other disorders especially those with an immunological involvement . such combinations may be administered in a single formulation or as separate formulations administered at the same or different times and using the same or different routes of administration . the invention is not limited to the embodiments herein before described which may be varied in detail . 1 . mccracken v . j . and gaskins h . r . probiotics and the immune system . in : probiotics a critical review , tannock , g w ( ed ), horizon scientific press , uk . 1999 , p . 85 - 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4 . 13 . kawakami m , ihara i , ihara s , suzuki a , fukui k . a group of bactericidal factors conserved by vertebrates for more than 300 million years . j immunol may 1984 ; 132 ( 5 ): 2578 - 81 . 14 . mestan j , digel w , mittnacht s , hillen h , blohm d , moller a , jacobsen h , kirchner h . antiviral effects of recombinant tumour necrosis factor in vitro . nature oct . 30 ,- nov . 5 , 1986 ; 323 ( 6091 ): 816 - 9 . 15 . ferrante a , nandoskar m , walz a , goh d h , kowanko i c . effects of tumour necrosis factor alpha and interleukin - 1 alpha and beta on human neutrophil migration , respiratory burst and degranulation . int arch allergy appl immunol 1988 ; 86 ( 1 ): 82 - 91 . 16 . bachwich p r , chensue s w , larrick j w , kunkel s l . tumor necrosis factor stimulates interleukin - 1 and prostaglandin e2 production in resting macrophages . biochem biophys res commun apr . 14 , 1986 ; 136 ( 1 ): 94 - 101 . 17 . cicco n a , lindemann a , content j , vandenbussche p , lubbert m , gauss j , mertelsmann r , herrmann f . inducible production of interleukin - 6 by human polymorphonuclear neutrophils : role of granulocyte - macrophage colony - stimulating factor and tumor necrosis factor - alpha . blood may 15 , 1990 ; 75 ( 10 ): 2049 - 52 . 18 . mangan d f , welch g r , wahl s m . lipopolysaccharide , tumor necrosis factor - alpha , and il - 1 beta prevent programmed cell death ( apoptosis ) in human peripheral blood monocytes . j immunol mar . 1 , 1991 ; 146 ( 5 ): 1541 - 6 . 19 . dinarello c a , cannon j g , wolff s m . new concepts on the pathogenesis of fever . rev infect dis january - febuary 1988 ; 10 ( 1 ): 168 - 89 . 20 . dekker , r , van der meer , r , olieman , c . sensitive pulsed amperometric detection of free and conjugated bile acids in combination with gradient reversed - phase hplc . chromatographia 1991 ; 31 ( 11 / 12 ): 549 - 553 . 21 . tagg , j r , dajani , a s , wannamaker , l w . bacteriocins of gram positive bacteria . bacteriol rev . 1976 ; 40 : 722 - 756 . 22 . chauviere , g ., m . h . cocconier , s . kerneis , j . foumiat and a . l . servin . adherence of human lactobacillus acidophilus strains lb to human enterocyte - like caco - 2 cells . j . gen . microbiol 1992 ; 138 : 1689 - 1696 23 . crabbe p . a ., h . bazin , h . eyssen , and j . f . heremans . the normal microbial flora as a major stimulus for proliferation of plasma cells synthesizing iga in the gut . the germ free intestinal tract . into . arch . allergy appl immunol , 1968 ; 34 : 362 - 75 . 24 . henderson b ., poole , s and wilson m . 1998 . in “ bacteria - cytokine interactions in health and disease . portland press , 79 - 130 . 25 . arai k i , lee f , miyajima a , miyatake s , arai n , yokota t . cytokines : coordinators of immune and inflammatory responses . annu rev biochem 1990 ; 59 : 783 - 836 . 26 . mcgee d w , bamberg t , vitkus s j , mcghee j r . a synergistic relationship between tnf - alpha , il - 1 beta , and tgf - beta 1 on il - 6 secretion by - the iec - 6 intestinal epithelial cell line . immunology september 1995 ; 86 ( 1 ): 6 - 11 . 27 . wu s , meeker w a , wiener j r , berchuck a , bast r c jr , boyer c m . transfection of ovarian cancer cells with tumour necrosis factor alpha ( tnf - 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( ed ). human colonic bacteria : role in nutrition , physiology and pathology , 1995 , pp 155 - 174 . boca raton crc press . 29 . walker , r . i . new strategies for using mucosal vaccination to achieve more effective immunization . vaccine , 1994 ; 12 : 387 - 400 . 30 . steidler l ., k . robinson , l . chamberlain , k . m scholfield , e . remaut , r . w . f . le page and j . m . wells . mucosal delivery of murine interleukin - 2 ( il - 2 ) and il - 6 by recombinant strains of lactococcus lactis coexpressing antigen and cytokine . infect . immun ., 1998 ; 66 : 3183 - 9 . 31 . medaglini d ., g . pozzi , t . p . king and v . a . fischetti . mucosal and systemic immune responses to a recombinant protein expressed on the surface of the oral commensal bacterium streptococcus gordonii after oral colonization . proc . natl . acad . sci . usa , 1995 ; 92 : 6868 - 72 . | 0 |
the present invention is based upon a realization that it may be desirable to configure a container to include a substance , such as , for example , a liquid , that may , according to some embodiments of the present invention , be an alcoholic liquid , and to also include one or more sub - containers each one of which includes a substance , such as , for example , a liquid , that may , according to embodiments of the present invention , be an alcoholic liquid . the container may be configured to include a seal that may be an air - tight ( or substantially air - tight ) seal , to include a first substance that may be in the form of a liquid , to include at least one sub - container each one of which includes at least one seal , that may be an air - tight ( or substantially air - tight ) seal ; the at least one sub - container including at least one second substance that may be in the form of a liquid , wherein the at least one second substance may be under pressure , as may be caused by a gas that has been forced inside of the at least one sub - container , and the container may also be configured to include at least one tether that is connected / attached to the seal of the container and is also connected / attached to the at least one seal of the at least one sub - container . in some embodiments , the substance that is included in the container and / or the at least one second substance that is included in the at least one sub - container may be subject to an absence of pressure , as may be caused by a vacuum that may be created inside of the container and / or inside of the at least one sub - container . accordingly , in some embodiments of the present invention , when a state of the seal of the container is altered ( e . g ., when the seal of the container is pulled , in order to open the container ), the at least one tether that is connected / attached to the seal of the container is also pulled ( i . e ., a force is exerted on the at least one tether ) and , owing to a first predetermined length of the at least one tether and to the at least one tether being connected / attached to the at least one seal of the at least one sub - container , at least one seal of the at least one sub - container is pulled / opened ( i . e ., a state thereof is altered ), releasing the at least one second substance from within the at least one sub - container and allowing the at least one second substance to mix with the first substance within the container and / or within the at least one sub - container . according to further embodiments of the present invention , the at least one tether comprises a second predetermined length , wherein the second predetermined length is greater than the first predetermined length , such that when the seal of the container is pulled in order to open the container , the at least one tether that is connected / attached to the seal of the container is also pulled ( i . e ., experiences a force ) but not sufficiently to influence / open and / or to alter / change the state of the at least one seal of the at least one sub - container . accordingly , embodiments of the present invention comprising at least one tether of the second predetermined length , provide for selectively dispensing the at least one second substance contained by the at least one sub - container by further pulling ( i . e ., by further exerting a force ) on the at least one tether at any desired time following opening of the container . it will be understood that the at least one sub - container is connected / attached to the container and is within the container . it will further be understood that the at least one sub - container may be rigidly connected / attached to one or more internal surfaces , walls , bottom and / or top of the container so that the at least one sub - container is not able to move ( linearly and / or rotationally ) relative to the container . it will also be understood that each one of the container , the seal of the container , the at least one tether , the at least one sub - container and the at least one seal of the at least one sub - container may be made of any material and / or combination of materials including , but not limited to , glass , plastic , metal ( e . g ., aluminum ), etc . according to some embodiments of the present invention , each one of the container , the seal of the container , the at least one tether , the at least one sub - container and the at least one seal of the at least one sub - container is made / constructed of metal and / or comprises metal . in further embodiments of the invention , each one of the container and the at least one sub - container is made / constructed of glass and / or comprises glass and each one of the at least one tether , the seal of the container and the at least one seal of the at least one sub - container is made / constructed of metal and / or comprises metal . fig1 , 2 , 3 , 4 and 5 are illustrative of embodiments according to the present invention . it will be understood that although specific shapes are associated with the container and the at least one sub - container , as illustrated in fig1 , 2 , 3 , 4 and 5 , any other shape ( s ) may be used for the container and / or the at least one sub - container according to other embodiments of the present invention . further , it will be understood that although specific shapes are associated with the seal of the container , the at least one seal of the at least one sub - container and the at least one tether , as illustrated in fig1 , 2 , 3 , 4 and 5 , any other shape ( s ) may be used for the seal of the container , the at least one seal of the at least one sub - container and / or the at least one tether , according to further embodiments of the invention , and that the at least one tether may , according to some embodiments , be supported / restrained by an inner surface of the container via a mechanical configuration ( e . g ., via a “ loop ,” which is attached to the inner surface of the container through which the at least one tether is passed ), providing the support / restraint . it will further be understood that one or more other locations / positions / configurations for the seal of the container , the at least one seal of the at least one sub - container and / or the at least one tether may be used in yet other embodiments of the invention , as will surely occur to those skilled in the art . specifically , fig1 illustrates a container containing a first substance and also containing a sub - container which is rigidly attached to an interior wall of the container ; wherein the sub - container contains a second substance and may also contain a gas under pressure , as is illustrated in fig1 . still referring to fig1 , a seal of the container includes a tether that is attached thereto and is also attached to a seal of the sub - container . when the seal of the container and the seal of the sub - container are in their closed state , as is illustrated in fig1 , the first substance is maintained within the container and the second substance is maintained within the sub - container and the first substance is not allowed to mix with the second substance ( or vice versa ). when the seal of the container is pulled ( i . e ., opened ), as is illustrated in fig2 , the tether that is attached thereto is also pulled , exerting a force on the seal of the sub - container , thus pulling and opening the seal of the sub - container , as is illustrated in fig2 , and allowing for the mixing of the second substance with the first substance , particularly as the container is tilted , as may be performed by a person in order to drink from the container . referring now to fig3 , wherein additional embodiments of the invention are illustrated , the seal of the container may be connected to the seal of the sub - container via a tether comprising a first length and / or a tether comprising a second length . in some embodiments , only one of the two tethers may be used ; either the tether comprising the first length or the tether comprising the second length . as is illustrated in fig3 , the tether comprising the second length is longer than the tether comprising the first length . accordingly , in embodiments of the invention wherein the tether comprising the second length is used , the seal of the container may be opened without necessarily also opening , pulling and / or exerting a force on the seal of the sub - container . thus , embodiments using the longer tether provide for selectively and / or preferentially opening of the seal of the sub - container at a time ( at any time ) following the opening of the seal of the container . fig4 illustrates a single tether connecting a substantially rigid seal of the container ( e . g ., a seal of the container along the lines of seals currently being used on glass beer bottles and / or other bottles ) with a substantially flexible / malleable seal of the sub - container , wherein the seal of the container and the seal of the sub - container are illustrated as having been removed ( opened ) allowing for mixing of substance 1 with substance 2 . in some embodiments , the seal of the sub - container may be substantially flexible and / or malleable so as to easily deform upon being pulled . this flexible and / or malleable feature of the seal of the sub - container may aid in opening and / or removing the seal of the sub - container from the sub - container and may also aid in removing the seal of the sub - container from within the container via the opening of the container that is produced by removing the seal of the container . in some embodiments , the seal of the sub - container and / or the tether may comprise one or more materials at least one of which is inert to the first substance ( substance 1 ) and / or to the second substance ( substance 2 ), and the seal of the sub - container and / or the tether may comprise plastic and / or aluminum . it will be understood that any element ( s ) of any one or more of the figures / embodiments that are described herein may be combined with any other element ( s ) of any one or more of other figures / embodiments that are described herein to provide one or more additional embodiments . thus , for example , fig5 illustrates an embodiment that includes a first sub - container , a first tether , a second sub - container and a second tether that is longer than the first tether . supporting / restraining loops are also illustrated . accordingly , many different embodiments stem from the above description and the accompanying drawings . it will be understood that it would be unduly repetitious and obfuscating to literally describe and illustrate every combination , sub - combination and variation of these embodiments . accordingly , the present specification , including the drawings , shall be construed to constitute a complete written description of all combinations , sub - combinations and variations of the embodiments described herein , and of the manner and process of making and using them , and shall support claims to any such combination , sub - combination or variation . the present invention has been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings , in which embodiments of the invention are shown . this invention may , however , 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 be thorough and complete , and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art . when an element is referred to as being coupled or connected to / with another element , it can be directly coupled or connected to / with the other element or intervening elements may also be present . in contrast , if an element is referred to as being directly coupled or connected to / with another element , then no other intervening elements are present . as used herein , the term “ and / or ” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items . the symbol “/” is also used as a shorthand notation for “ and / or ”. it will be understood that although terms such as first and second are used herein to describe various elements , components , regions , layers and / or sections , these elements , components , regions , layers and / or sections should not be limited by these terms . these terms are only used to distinguish one element , component , region , layer or section from another element , component , region , layer or section . thus , a first element , component , region , layer and / or section that may be discussed herein could be termed a second element , component , region , layer and / or section , and similarly , a second element , component , region , layer and / or section could be termed a first element , component , region , layer and / or section without departing from the teachings of the present invention . like numbers refer to like elements throughout . the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention . as used herein , the singular forms “ a ”, “ an ” and “ the ” are intended to include the plural forms as well , unless the context clearly indicates otherwise . it will be further understood that the terms “ comprises ” and / or “ comprising ,” when used in this specification , specify the presence of stated features , integers , steps , operations , elements , and / or components , but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features , integers , steps , operations , elements , components , and / or groups thereof . unless otherwise defined , all terms ( including technical and scientific terms ) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs . it will be further understood that terms , such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries , should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein . in the specification and the drawings , there have been disclosed embodiments of the invention and , although specific terms are employed , they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation ; the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims . | 1 |
a preferred embodiment of the diffusion imaging method of the present invention uses a modification of a stimulated echo pulse sequence to produce images of , or measure diffusional processes in organs undergoing motion . this sequence can include two or more initial radio frequency pulses separated by a diffusion - sensitizing magnetic field gradient . after a waiting period , a third radio frequency pulse is applied followed by another magnetic field gradient identical in amplitude to the diffusion - sensitizing gradient . the diffusion sensitivity of the sequence depends on the diffusion gradient strength , the gradient duration , and the diffusion time . these gradient - timing factors have been grouped together and referred to as the &# 34 ; b value &# 34 ;. using the diffusion time corresponding to that of the central phase encoding step , the b value can be approximated by : b = γ 2 δ 2 g 2 ( δ - δ / 3 ), where γ is the gyromagnetic ratio , δ is the gradient duration , g is the gradient strength , and δ is the diffusion time . the apparent diffusion coefficient ( adc ) can be calculated from the equation : adc =- 1n ( si 2 / si 1 )/ b , where si 1 is the regional signal intensity from the images acquired with no diffusion gradients and si 2 is the regional signal intensity with diffusion gradients . in a preferred embodiment in which anatomy is to be imaged with blood rendered dark , the b value is about 50 or less . in another preferred embodiment for imaging diffusion within biological tissues b values are greater than 50 . a system for acquiring the data and generating the images is shown in fig1 . this system can be a 1 . 5t mr whole - body system available from siemens medical system , inc ., iselin , n . j ., or any other suitably equipped mri system . a whole body mr system suitable for a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a main magnet assembly 10 in which a patient 20 is positioned during data acquisition . the computer 50 is programmed to control the desired pulse sequence and the recording of data , and can be used to make quantitative measurements of diffusion within a selected region of interest . the basic components of a conventional nuclear magnetic resonance tomography apparatus are shown in fig1 . coils 12 , 14 , 16 and 18 generate a static , fundamental magnetic field in which , if the apparatus is used for medical diagnostics , the body of a patient 20 to be examined is situated . gradient coils are provided for generating independent orthogonal magnetic field components in the x , y and z directions , according to the coordinate system 26 . for clarity , only gradient coils 22 and 24 are shown in fig1 which generate the x - gradient in combination with a pair of identical gradient coils disposed on the opposite side of the patient 20 . sets of y - gradient coils ( not shown ) are disposed at the head and feed of the body 20 extending transversely relative to the longitudinal axis of the body 20 . each gradient coil uses an amplifier operating at 300 v , a current of 250 amps , at a resonant frequency of 1 khz . this system produces gradient amplitudes up to 38 millitesla / meter . the time to peak gradient amplitude for the preferred embodiment is in the range of 250 - 500 microseconds . in order to produce diffusion sensitive gradients in accordance with the present invention it is preferred to operate at gradient amplitudes above about 15 millitesla / meter . the apparatus also includes an rf coil 30 which excites selected nuclei in the body 20 so that nuclear magnetic resonance signals are generated , and also serves to acquire the resulting nuclear magnetic resonance signals . the system bounded by a dot - dash line 10 represents the actual examination instrument . the instrument is operated by an electrical arrangement which includes fundamental field coils supply 32 for operating the coils 12 , 14 , 16 and 18 and a gradient fields coils supply 34 for operating the gradient coils 22 and 24 and the further gradient coils . via a switch 36 , the rf coils 30 can be connected to an rf transmitter 40 in a excitation mode , or to an amplifier 42 in a signal reception mode . the amplifier 42 and the transmitter 40 are a part of an rf unit 44 which is connected to a process control computer 50 . the computer 50 is also connected to the gradient fields coils supply 34 . the computer 50 constructs an image from the nuclear magnetic resonance signals , which is portrayed on a display 52 . a number of pulse sequences are known for operating the rf unit 44 and the gradient coils . methods have prevailed wherein the image generation is based on a two - dimensional or three - dimensional fourier transformation . one such method is the aforementioned echo planar imaging method . in order to eliminate artifacts from motion , three procedures can be employed . first , the images are acquired during a breath - holding period or with very quiet breathing to suppress artifacts from respiratory motion . second , in order to suppress artifacts from cardiac motion , the first and third radio frequency pulses are synchronized to similar time points in different cardiac cycles . for instance , in a preferred embodiment one can synchronize the first radio frequency pulse to a time delay of 250 milliseconds after one r - wave , and the third radio frequency pulse also to a time delay of 250 milliseconds after another r - wave . the duration of the r -- r interval , or a multiple thereof , partly determines the sensitization of the pulse sequence to diffusional processes . synchronization to the cardiac cycle can be obtained by any of a number of methods including electrocardiographic gating or peripheral pulse gating . the third procedure involves obtaining images acquired using a sub - second acquisition method . in the preferred embodiment , this method is echo planar imaging , but other embodiments include segmented pulse sequences described in greater detail below . a preferred pulse sequence is the echo planar imaging sequence illustrated in fig2 in which a first 90 ° rf signal is applied at time t o , a first diffusion sensitive gradient is applied at time t 1 and a second 90 ° rf signal is applied at time t 2 . after a selected time delay t d , a third 90 ° rf signal is applied at time t 3 , followed by a second gradient pulse at time t 4 . after the end of the second rf signal at time t 2 , part of the transverse magnetization is stored as longitudinal magnetization , which becomes insensitive to field inhomogeneities and decays according to relaxation time t1 . phase encode and frequency encode gradients can then be applied at a selected time during or after the second gradient pulse at t 4 . the phase encoding gradient can be continuous as shown or a &# 34 ; blip &# 34 ; encoding gradient . the frequency encoding gradient can be trapezoidal or sinusoidal . the diffusion sensitive gradients at t 1 and t 4 can be single pulses , or one or both of these can be performed as a plurality of pulses . the integral of the diffusion sensitive gradient ( or gradients ) applied during period t i should be about equal to the integral of the gradient ( or gradients ) occurring at time t 4 . the total data acquisition period t a is about 200 milliseconds or less and is preferably in the range of 50 - 100 milliseconds . the delay period t d is generally in the range of 100 to 2000 ms and preferably is in the range of 400 to 1000 ms . in applications involving cardiac gating the period t d is defined by the r -- r interval minus t i . fig3 is a process flow sequence illustrating preferred embodiments of methods used in accordance with the invention . after positioning the patient , a sensor used to monitor the motion of the patient is used to generate a gating signal to control timing of the pulse sequence . as shown in detail in fig2 a pulse sequence is performed including a delay period prior to the data acquisition period . depending upon the specific region of interest on which a study is being performed , the pulmonary motion of the patient can be controlled by having the patient slow or stop breathing during data acquisition . if a segmented sequence is being used , each segment can be gated as necessary . the diffusion - weighted image can be acquired in as little as two heart beats . longer acquisitions can also be used in which diffusion - weighted images are summed over many heart beats using techniques such as segmented k - space acquisitions . other preferred embodiments of this technique incorporate methods that correct for motion - related phase or amplitude shifts , including the acquisition of additional echoes that are not phase - encoded . there are a number of diffusion - weighted imaging techniques that incorporate any of the procedures described herein . for example , the present invention can be used in conjunction with an mri - contrast agent such as gd - dtpa or iron oxides . in addition to the use of an echo - planar procedure , segmented pulse sequences , such as the sequence illustrated in fig4 provide for data collection over multiple time intervals . a so - called turbo flash sequence is specifically characterized by a train of gradient echoes for imaging purposes with acquisition times for each echo being less than 200 milliseconds and preferably in the range of 50 ms - 100 ms . sensitization to diffusion can be obtained by a preparatory sequence placed in front of the gradient echo train . in this example , a first 90 ° pulse is followed by a pair of diffusion sensitive gradient pulses g d . a second 90 ° pulse is followed by the delay period t d and a third 90 ° pulse timed at the r -- r interval relative to the first 90 ° pulse . a third diffusion sensitive pulse g d , or alternatively a plurality of such pulses is then performed followed by a series of segmented pulses . each segment has an acquisition period t a1 , t a2 , t a3 , t a4 , etc . such that each period is less than 200 ms . each segment generates an image , some or all of which can be averaged or summed to provide an improved image of the diffusion process under study . other gradient echo methods include rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement ( rare ) or spiral scanning . these methods , when applied to diffusion measurements in accordance with the present invention , employ data acquisition within the above described acquisition periods to control motion generated artifacts . those skilled in the art will recognize or be able to ascertain , using no more than routine experimentation , many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described herein . such equivalents are intended to be covered by the following claims . | 6 |
referring to fig1 , it is a top view of a surface layer of a printed circuit board ( pcb ) incorporating one prior art solution . ball grid array ( bga ) ball contact pads 10 are linked by links 11 to through - board vias 12 . in order to provide a routing channel 20 , selected rows of ball contact pads 15 and 16 are connected through links 17 and 18 to common through - board vias 19 which are designated herein as shared through - board vias . see the above discussion for the disadvantages of this solution . simple patterns , created through the intelligent reconfiguration of printed circuit board interconnect structures have been identified , which permit an increase in escape densities that in turn enable the routing of area array devices in fewer layers . referring to fig2 a , 2 b and 2 c , by interspersing micro - via mv and through - via 12 ′ interconnect , diagonal rows of contacts can be addressed by interconnect that align on the diagonal ( see fig2 a ). ( the elements with prime numerals correspond to elements in fig1 .) as a result , diagonal routing channels drc are created on the first internal layer of the printed circuit board ( see fig2 b ). these diagonal routing channels drc have several properties which favor the densification of routing : they are wider than orthogonal routing channels , thereby enabling the passage of a greater number of traces . additionally , the pattern created provides a diagonal set of routing channels drc on the second and subsequent layers of the board running parallel or at right angles to the channels on the first internal layer ( see fig2 c ). these broader routing channels can permit orthogonal routing of adjacent layers , thereby minimizing the potential for cross talk between signal traces on these layers . note that the circuit lines cl - 2 in fig2 b may angle downwardly to the right while the circuit lines cl - 3 in fig2 c may angle downwardly to the left . finally , the micro - vias mv employed in this invention cease to exist on the first internal layer , meaning that half of the interconnect is eliminated on all subsequent layers , thinning the interconnect to half of its original density in those areas where this technique is employed ( see fig2 c ). ( in fig2 a , 2 b and 2 c , fictitious construction lines fcl delineate the original bga pitch and highlight the effect of interconnect transformation according to the invention .) referring now to fig3 a - 3 d , fig3 a is an illustration of the unaltered area array ( bga ) pin field pf . fig3 b illustrates diagrammatically one optimum bga pinout in which the preferential signal pins are reserved ( r ) for corresponding micro - vias shown in fig2 a , 2 b and 2 c . the bga &# 39 ; s package pinout is characterized in that the power and ground pins are preferably laid out such that they do not fall on alternating contact locations in any given row so that they do not fall on the micro - vias locations as exemplary designated by the r pin locations . the remaining pin locations shown in fig3 d ( with the reserved pin locations not shown for clarity ) are pins which require through - via interconnects . while in theory any pinout configuration can be accommodated by this invention , in practice it is best to route power and ground connections with through - vias , leaving the micro - vias for the signal carrying connections . given that every second via is designated a through - via , the limitation that this preference imposes on a given pinout is not overly burdensome . it will be appreciated that a software tool which automates the creation and associated routing of this grid translation method are in the contemplation of the invention . this software tool could also be used by the designer of the area array device to achieve the optimum pinout . the present embodiment has the advantage that it creates effective routing channels with minimal detrimental impact to signal integrity or chip decoupling solutions . 1 . provides the capability to route high pin count devices ( i . e . & gt ; 1200 pins ) using available board technology . this ensures supply while reducing the cost of high complexity substrates by as much as 50 %. 2 . simplifies chip escape and increases routing flexibility thereby minimizing design time and by consequence overall time to market . 3 . given that high pin count devices often unnecessarily drive layer count above what is needed for the actual design routing . this solution minimizes this effect , making designs more efficient and cost effective . although in the optimum configuration , this solution puts some limitations on the placement of power and ground connections , since typically half of the positions are still available for power and ground , and up to only a third of the connections are typically used for power and ground , this limitation should not be too onerous . while the invention has been described in relation to preferred embodiments of the invention , it will be appreciated that other embodiments , adaptations and modifications of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art . | 7 |
the present disclosure is directed to processing scrap polyimide based film into a useful purge material . the polyimide polymer component of the scrap polyimide film ( to be converted into a purge material ) can be any conventional or non - conventional polyimide polymer or polyimide copolymer . in one embodiment , the scrap polyimide film can comprise components other than polyimide polymer in an amount up to 0 , 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 7 , 10 , 12 , 15 , 20 , 25 , 30 , 35 , or 40 weight percent of the scrap polyimide film . such other components can be processing aids , colorants , fillers , other polymers or polymeric materials and the like . in one embodiment , the scrap polyimide film can be of any width and has a thickness within a range from about 2 to about 500 microns . in one embodiment , the processes of the present disclosure require no pre - processing of the scrap polyimide film . in some embodiments , the scrap polyimide film is slit to smaller film dimensions for ease in handling and / or to accommodate extruders that would otherwise lack capacity and / or power to process the scrap polyimide film . the processes of the present disclosure include an extrusion step . the type of extruder is not limiting and any conventional or non - conventional extruder could potentially be used in accordance with the present disclosure . one example of an extruder is a 16 - mm prism extruder ( prism , staffordshire , uk ) having five heatable zones . in one embodiment , the machine setting on the first ( pre - heating ) zone can be about 275 ° c . in one embodiment , the fifth ( downstream ) zone of the prism extruder , usually present as a heated die , can be removed and replaced with an unheated 1 . 5 - inch ( 3 . 8 cm ) tip to protect the operator from sharp edges and moving parts . the remaining three zones can be set so that the scrap polyimide film can be subjected to measured temperatures between about 300 and 425 ° c . in such an embodiment , the throat of the extruder can be cooled with room temperature ( about 20 ° c .) water , but generally air need not be excluded from the throat . in this particular embodiment , a “ vacuum extraction ” screw series can be used , and the screw can have the following sections : 3 deep feed sections , 8 regular conveying sections , 7 paddles @ 30 ° ( kneading sections ), 5 paddles @ 60 ° ( kneading sections ), 1 regular conveying section , 1 reverse ( left hand ) section , 2 regular conveying sections , 10 paddles @ 60 ° ( kneading sections ), 3 regular conveying sections and a 1 1 . 5 - inch ( 3 . 8 cm ) diameter tip . in this particular example , the ratio of the length to the inner diameter of the extruder is about 25 . the extrudate can be caught in bins , and room temperature ( approximately 20 ° c .) air can be blown over it to cool it . in this particular example , the temperature to which the scrap polyimide film is subjected can be measured ( as distinct from the machine setting ) at the three middle zones ( zones 2 , 3 , and 4 ) of the extruder . residence times can be calculated from m . xanthos , “ reactive extrusion principles and practice ”, pp . 222 - 225 , oxford university press , 1992 . in one embodiment , the scrap polyimide film is fed directly into an extruder . the extruder temperature is maintained ( by adding or removing heat ) in a range between and optionally including any two of the following temperatures : 300 ° c ., 325 ° c ., 350 ° c ., 275 ° c ., 400 ° c ., and 425 ° c . in one embodiment , the total residence time of the polyimide film in the extruder is in a range between ( and optionally including ) any two of the following : 3 , 5 , 7 , 10 , 12 , 15 , 20 and 22 seconds . use of slower extruder speeds ( rpm ) and therefore longer total residence times will tend to cause the process to be run at lower temperatures within the above ranges to form the final powder without degradation . even at short total residence times , about 3 . 5 - 5 seconds , the average temperature generally should be at least 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 12 , 15 , or 20 degrees ( centigrade ) less than the decomposition temperature of the polyimide film . optionally , the first heating zone of the extruder can be used as a pre - heating zone ( for example at a machine setting of about 250 ° c . ), and the average temperature to which the polyimide film is subjected can then be measured in subsequent heating zones . in the processes of the present disclosure , the scrap polyimide film is fed to the extruder at less than the maximum feed rate that the extruder is capable of processing , so the extruder is slightly “ starved ”. if too much material is fed to the extruder , the resulting extrudate will tend to clump , and an excessive rise in extruder torque can be created . the finely divided polyimide particulate made from the processes of the present disclosure is used as a high temperature polymeric abrasion medium . for example , the particulate can be used as a purge medium for extrusion processes . in such an application , the purge step can be performed at temperatures 2 , 5 , 10 , 15 , 20 or more degrees ( centigrade ) below the decomposition temperature of the polyimide particulate . at such temperatures many conventional extruded polymeric materials soften or melt and can be readily removed by the particulate purge media of the present disclosure . conventional high temperature purge media tend to comprise inorganic particles which can high temperature resistance but are also tend to be highly abrasive during the extruder purge . the polyimide particulate of the present disclosure generally has sufficient heat resistance at conventional purge temperatures , but is generally much less abrasive compared to conventional inorganic particles , e . g ., inorganic oxides , nitrides , carbides and / or the like . the pulverized particulates tend to have a rounded shape and smooth surfaces which are suggestive of a solid state shearing phenomenon . depending upon the type of extrusion process selected , the powdered material can have a size ( in at least one dimension ) of less than about 500 , 250 , 100 , 50 , 25 , 10 , 5 , 2 , 1 , 0 . 75 or 0 . 50 microns . the size range of a particular recycled polymeric powder produced by the invention will depend on the screw configuration , and the pulverization parameters employed , such as pulverization temperatures , pressures , screw rpm , and feed rates . the present disclosure is not to be construed as limited to any particular type or sequence of screw elements and barrel sections . while the invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments thereof , it is not intended to be limited thereto but rather only to the extent set forth hereafter in the following claims . | 1 |
with reference to the drawings , transverse connectors are denoted generally as 30 . transverse connectors 30 may be used to connect elongated members 28 of an orthopedic stabilization system 32 together . transverse connectors 30 may provide rigidity to the orthopedic stabilization system 32 . transverse connectors 30 may also inhibit undesired motion of the orthopedic stabilization system 32 . transverse connectors 30 may be fixed length transverse connectors or adjustable length transverse connectors . the elongated members 28 of an orthopedic stabilization system 32 may be coupled to bones 34 by fixation elements 36 . the fixation elements 36 may be , but are not limited to , hooks and bone screw connectors . in an embodiment , the elongated members 28 are spinal rods that are coupled to vertebral bodies 34 by fixation elements 36 . the spinal rods 28 , fixation elements 36 , and transverse connectors 30 form part of a spinal stabilization system 32 . fig3 shows a portion of an embodiment of a spinal stabilization system 32 . elongated members 28 of an orthopedic stabilization system 32 may be , but are not limited to , circular rods or rods having other cross sectional geometries . other types of cross sectional geometries for elongated members 28 may include , but are not limited to , oval , rectangular , or polygonal shaped cross sectional areas . elongated members 28 may be two separate contoured members that are positioned on opposite sides of a bone or bones 34 that are to be stabilized . in an alternate embodiment , the elongated members 28 may be two ends of a single bent and contoured elongated member . the elongated members 28 shown in fig3 are two ends of a single bent and contoured elongated member . a transverse connector 30 may include body 38 , a pair of elongated member openings 40 , and fastening systems 42 that couple the transverse connector to elongated members 28 . the fastening systems 42 may be cam systems . the body 38 of the transverse connector 30 spans a distance between a pair of elongated members 28 of an orthopedic stabilization system 32 during use . a body 38 of a fixed length transverse connector 30 ′ may be a single member that optionally includes at least one indented surface 44 . fig4 and 5 show embodiments of fixed length transverse connectors 30 ′. a body 38 of an adjustable transverse connector 30 ″ may include first section 46 and second section 48 . the position of the first section 46 may be adjustable relative to the position of the second section 48 . fig6 and 7 show embodiments of adjustable length transverse connectors 30 ″. the components of a transverse connector 30 may be made of biocompatible material including , but not limited to titanium , titanium alloys , stainless steel and ceramics . a transverse connector 30 may include a pair of elongated member openings 40 . surfaces 50 of the elongated member openings 40 may closely conform to a shape of an exterior surface of an elongated member 28 so that a tight fit is formed between the surface and the elongated member when the transverse connector 30 is coupled to the elongated member . the elongated member openings 40 may include open sections that allow the elongated member openings to be top loaded onto elongated members 28 . the elongated members 28 may be attached by fixation elements 36 to a patient before the transverse connector 30 is coupled to the elongated members . in an alternate embodiment , an elongated member opening 40 may not include an open section that allows the elongated member opening to be top loaded onto an elongated member 28 . to use a transverse connector 30 that does not include an open section in an elongated member opening 40 , the elongated member opening is placed over an end of the elongated member 28 and maneuvered to a desired location before the elongated member is attached within the patient by fixation elements 36 . a fixed length transverse connector 30 ′ may include a body 38 , a pair of elongated member openings 40 , and a pair of cam systems 42 configured to couple the transverse connector to elongated members 28 . the body 38 of the transverse connector 30 ′ may include indentations 44 that allow the transverse connector to be bent . bending the transverse connector 30 ′ may allow for minor adjustment of a separation distance between elongated member openings 40 of the transverse connector . bending the transverse connector 30 ′ may also allow the elongated member openings 40 to be properly oriented relative to elongated members 28 of an orthopedic stabilization system 32 so that there is a large contact area between an elongated member and an elongated member opening . fig8 shows an embodiment of a pair of benders 52 , 54 that may be used to adjust a transverse connector 30 ′. fig9 shows a detail view of a transverse connector 30 ′ positioned within heads 56 of the benders 52 , 54 . when a transverse connector 30 ′ is placed within heads 56 of the benders 52 , 54 , handles 58 of the benders may be grasped and forced towards each other to bend the transverse connector . for fixed length transverse connectors 30 ′ that have small separation distances between the elongated member openings 40 , one or both cam systems 42 of the transverse connectors may be positioned so that the cam systems are not located between the elongated member openings . a cam system 42 that is not located between the elongated member openings 40 of a transverse connector 30 ′ is referred to as an outward positioned cam system . in embodiments , fixed length transverse connectors 30 ′ having separation distances between centers of the elongated member openings 40 less than about 80 mm may have at least one outward positioned cam system . embodiments of transverse connectors 30 ′ with outward positioned cam systems 42 may be produced in incrementally increasing sizes . for example , three sizes of transverse connectors 30 ′ with outward positioned cam systems 42 may be produced in 5 mm increments with the smallest transverse connector having a separation distance between centers of elongated member openings 40 of about 10 mm . fig4 shows an embodiment of a transverse connector 30 ′ having outward positioned cam systems 42 . transverse connectors 30 ′ having outward positioned cam systems 42 may also be produced in other size ranges and in different incremental lengths . for fixed length transverse connectors 30 ′ that have larger separation distances between the elongated member openings 40 , the cam systems 42 may be located between the elongated member openings of the transverse connector . fixed length transverse connectors 30 ′ having separation distances between centers of the elongated member openings 40 greater than about 15 mm may have cam systems 42 positioned between elongated member openings of the transverse connector . embodiments of transverse connectors 30 ′ with cam systems 42 positioned between elongated member openings 40 may be produced in incrementally increasing sizes . for example , four sizes of transverse connectors 30 ′ with cam systems 42 positioned between elongated member openings 40 may be produced in 5 mm increments with the smallest transverse connector having a separation distance between centers of elongated member openings of about 25 mm . fig5 shows an embodiment of a transverse connector 30 ′ having cam systems 42 positioned between elongated member openings 40 . transverse connectors 30 having cam systems 42 positioned between elongated member openings 40 may also be produced in other size ranges and in different incremental lengths . fig1 shows a cross sectional view of a fixed length transverse connector 30 ′ without cam systems 42 positioned within cam system openings 60 . cam system openings 60 of a transverse connector 30 may include shoulders 62 and cam guides 64 . the shoulders 62 provide surfaces that may inhibit removal of cam systems 42 that are positioned within the cam system openings 60 . when a cam system 42 is inserted into a cam system opening 60 , the cam system may be substantially contained within the body 38 so that the cam system does not extend a substantial distance above upper surface 66 of the body . cam guides 64 may provide limits for rotational motion of cam systems 42 within cam system openings 60 of a transverse connector body 38 . the cam guides 64 may also limit an insertion depth of the cam system 42 into the body 38 . fig1 shows a bottom view of an embodiment of a transverse connector 30 ′ with cam guides 64 . a portion of a cam system opening 60 may be formed in an inner surface 50 that defines an elongated member opening 40 of the transverse connector 30 . the portion of the cam system opening 60 formed in the inner surface 50 of the elongated member opening 40 allows engager 68 to extend into the elongated member opening 40 and contact an elongated member 28 positioned within the elongated member opening during use . in an embodiment , the engager 68 is cam surface 70 of the cam system 42 . cam system openings 60 may be angled within the body 38 relative to a longitudinal axis 72 of the transverse connector 30 . alternately , the cam system openings 60 may be formed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 72 of the transverse connector 30 . an angled cam system opening 60 allows an engager 68 to contact an elongated member 28 below the mid point of the elongated member so that the engager may press an upper portion of the elongated member against surface 50 of the elongated member opening 40 . a longitudinal axis 73 of a cam system opening 60 ( and a longitudinal axis of a cam system 42 positioned within the opening ) may be angled at an angle a with respect to the longitudinal axis 72 of the transverse connector 30 , as shown in fig1 . a cam system opening 60 , and a cam system 42 positioned within the opening , may be angled from about 45 ° to 90 ° relative to the longitudinal axis 72 of the transverse connector 30 . preferably , the cam system openings 60 are angled greater than 60 ° relative to the longitudinal axis 72 of the transverse connector 30 . for example , in an embodiment , the cam system openings 60 are angled at 70 ° relative to the longitudinal axis 72 of the transverse connector 30 . the large angle of the cam system opening 60 may allow for easy access to tool opening 74 of a cam system 42 positioned within the cam system opening . an opening in a body of other transverse connectors , such as a transverse connector shown in u . s . pat . no . 5 , 947 , 966 , may be formed at a significantly smaller angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the transverse connector , such as about 45 °. the smaller angle of an opening in other transverse connectors may make accessing a tool opening more difficult and / or inconvenient during an installation procedure . an initial manufacturing process that forms an elongated member 28 may form an outer surface of the elongated member as a smooth surface . a subsequent process may texture the outer surface of the elongated member 28 . similarly , an initial manufacturing process that forms a transverse connector 30 may form elongated member opening surfaces 50 as smooth surfaces . a subsequent process may texture the elongated member opening surfaces 50 . also , elongated member contact surfaces of engagers 68 may be textured . texturing an outer surface of an elongated member 28 , elongated member opening surfaces 50 , and / or contact surfaces of engagers 68 may provide large coefficients of friction between the elongated member and the transverse connector 30 as compared to similar smooth surfaces so that motion of the elongated member is inhibited when the transverse connector is coupled to the elongated member . the outer surface of an elongated member 28 , elongated member opening surfaces 50 , or contact surfaces of engagers 68 may be textured by any texturing process , including but not limited to , scoring the surface , a ball peening process , an electric discharge process , or embedding hard particles within the surface . fig1 shows an embodiment of a portion of a textured elongated member opening surface 50 of an elongated member opening that has a scored surface fig1 shows an embodiment of a cam system 42 that is positionable within a cam system opening 60 of a transverse connector 30 . the cam system 42 may include protrusions 76 , main body 78 , and cam surface 70 . when a cam system 42 is inserted into a cam system opening 60 , wall 80 of the cam system opening ( shown in fig1 ) may compress all of the protrusions 76 inwards . the protrusions 76 may snap back to their original configuration when upper surfaces 82 of the protrusions 76 pass the shoulder 62 of the cam system opening 60 . if a force is applied to the cam system 42 that tends to force the cam system out of the cam system opening 60 , the upper surfaces 82 may engage the shoulder 62 to inhibit removal of the cam system from the cam system opening . fig7 shows an embodiment of a transverse connector 30 that includes a vibrational indicator that informs a user that a cam system 42 has been engaged . the transverse connector 30 includes pin 84 positioned through the transverse connector body 38 so that a portion of the pin extends into a cam system opening 60 adjacent to protrusions 76 of the cam system 42 . if the cam system 42 is rotated , a protrusion 76 will contact the pin 84 so that the protrusion is deflected inwards . when the edge of the deflected protrusion 76 passes the pin 84 , the protrusion snaps back outwards and transmits a vibration through the transverse connector body 38 . the vibration may be heard and / or felt by a user . the vibration may inform a user that the cam system 42 is being engaged . a certain number of vibrations may indicate to a user that the cam system 42 is fully engaged . for example , if there are six protrusions 76 , and if the cam system 42 is fully engaged when the cam system is rotated 180 °, three separate vibrations during rotation of the cam system would indicate that the cam system is fully engaged . a main body 78 of a cam system 42 may fit within a cylindrical portion of a cam system opening 60 . an insertion depth of the cam system 42 into a transverse connector body 38 may be limited when the main body 78 contacts a cam guide 64 of the transverse connector body . when a cam system 42 is placed within a cam system opening 60 so that the main body 78 contacts a cam guide 64 , the upper surfaces 82 of the protrusions 76 may pass past the shoulder 62 of the cam system opening so that removal of the cam system from the cam system opening is inhibited . tool opening 74 may be formed in the main body 78 . the tool opening 74 may allow insertion of drive tool 86 in the main body 78 so that the cam system 42 may be rotated . the tool opening 74 may be configured to accept drive head 88 of the drive tool 86 . the drive tool 86 may be , but is not limited to , a diamond drive , a hex wrench , a star drive , a screwdriver , or a socket wrench . fig1 shows an embodiment of a drive tool 86 that may be used to tighten a cam system 42 of a transverse connector 30 . the drive tool 86 may include handle 90 , shaft 92 , and drive head 88 . the handle 90 may be shaped so that a user may comfortably and securely grasp and use the drive tool 86 . the handle 90 may have an elongated shape that can be aligned relative to the transverse connector 30 or an elongated member 28 to provide an indication during use that the transverse connector has been coupled to the elongated member . in an embodiment of a drive tool 86 , the drive tool has a “ t ”- shaped handle 90 , as shown in fig1 . the shaft 92 of the drive tool 86 may mechanically attach the handle 90 to the drive head 88 . fig1 shows a detail view of an embodiment of the drive head 88 of a diamond drive tool 86 . fig1 shows an embodiment of torque limiting wrench 94 that may be used when a cam system 42 of a transverse connector 30 is tightened . the torque limiting wrench 94 may inhibit undesired motion of a patient or parts of a stabilization system 32 when a cam system 42 is rotated . the torque limiting wrench 94 may include hollow shaft 96 , head 98 , and handle 100 . a drive tool shaft 92 may be placed through the hollow shaft 96 and into a tool opening 74 . the head 98 may be placed on the transverse connector 30 so that inner surfaces of the lips 102 of the head contact sides of the transverse connector . the drive tool 86 may be rotated one direction to apply a torque to a cam system 42 . force may be applied to the handle 100 in the opposite direction to counter the torque applied to the cam system 42 . a tool opening 74 of a cam system 42 may be configured to accept a drive tool 86 in an initial desired orientation . the diamond drive tool head 88 shown in fig1 may be inserted into a tool opening 74 of a cam system 42 in only two orientations . in either orientation , handle 90 may be offset at an angle from an elongated member 28 positioned within an elongated member opening 40 of the transverse connector 30 . rotating the drive tool 86 rotates the cam system 42 so that an elongated member 28 positioned within an elongated member opening 40 adjacent to the cam system is secured to the transverse u connector 30 . a user may be able to feel resistance to turning that indicates that the transverse connector 30 is being securely coupled to the elongated member 28 . a cam guide 64 of the transverse connector 30 may limit the rotation range of the cam system 42 . the position of the handle 90 after rotation may provide a visual indication to a user that the transverse connector 30 has been securely coupled to the elongated member 28 . in an embodiment , the handle 90 of the drive tool 86 is oriented substantially parallel to the elongated member 28 after the drive tool has been rotated to fully engage the transverse connector 30 to the elongated member . in other embodiments , the handle 90 may be substantially perpendicular to the elongated member 28 when the transverse connector 30 is fully engaged to the elongated member . other types of visual indication systems may be used to determine when an elongated member 28 is secured to a transverse connector 30 . for example , markings on the shaft 92 may align with markings on the transverse connector 30 to indicate that an elongated member 28 has been coupled to the transverse connector . in an embodiment , a cam system 42 may fully engage a transverse connector 30 to an elongated member 28 when the cam system is rotated 170 °. a handle 90 of a drive tool 86 may be initially offset from the elongated member 28 by about 10 ° when the drive tool head 88 is positioned in a tool opening 74 of the cam system 42 . when the drive tool 86 is rotated 170 ° to secure the elongated member 28 to the transverse connector 30 , the handle 90 may become substantially parallel to the elongated member . embodiments of cam systems 42 may fully engage transverse connectors 30 to elongated member 28 when the cam systems are rotated less or greater than 170 °. for example , in an embodiment , a cam system 42 is configured to fully engage a transverse connector 30 to an elongated member 28 when the cam system is rotated about 10 °. in another embodiment , a cam system lock 42 is configured to fully engage a transverse connector 30 to an elongated member 28 when the cam system is rotated about 360 °. other embodiments of cam systems 42 may be configured to fully engage a transverse connector 30 to an elongated member 28 when the cam system is rotated to some desired value between 10 ° and 360 °. fig1 shows a bottom view of an embodiment of a transverse connector 30 . one engager 68 is shown fully engaged against an elongated member 28 . another engager 68 is shown in an initial or unengaged position . the cams 68 of the transverse connector 30 shown in the embodiment of fig1 become fully engaged against an elongated member 28 when the cams systems 42 are rotated 170 °. to form a fixed length transverse connector 30 ′, the body 38 of the transverse connector is machined to form elongated member openings 40 , cam system openings 60 for cam systems 42 , and cam guides 64 . indentions 44 may be formed in the body 38 to allow the transverse connector 30 ′ to be bent . cam systems 42 are also machined . the elongated member opening surfaces 50 and / or the contact surfaces of the engagers 68 may be textured so that the coefficient of friction between the surfaces and elongated members 28 placed against the surfaces will be high . the cam systems 42 may be inserted into the cam system openings 60 until the upper surfaces of the protrusions 76 pass the shoulders 62 of the cam system openings . when the cam systems 42 are inserted into the cam system openings 60 , the transverse connector 30 ′ is formed . to establish a bone stabilization system 32 , a pair of elongated members 28 may be coupled to the bone or bones 34 being stabilized . the elongated members 28 may be coupled to the bone or bones 34 by fixation elements 36 ( shown in fig3 ). a transverse connector 30 ′ may be placed over the elongated members 28 so that the elongated members are positioned within elongated member openings 40 of the transverse connector 30 at a desired location . if necessary or desired , the transverse connector 30 ′ may be bent with benders 52 , 54 so that surfaces 50 of the elongated member openings 40 contact large areas of the elongated members 28 . a torque limiting wrench 94 may be placed on the transverse connector 30 , and a shaft 92 of a drive tool 86 may be inserted through the hollow shaft 96 of the torque limiting wrench . a head 88 of a drive tool 86 may be inserted into a tool opening 74 of a first cam system 42 of the transverse connector 30 ′. the drive tool 86 may be rotated to rotate the cam system 42 . rotating the cam system 42 may force an engager 68 into an elongated member opening 40 so that the engager presses an elongated member 28 against the surface 50 of the elongated member opening . the engager 68 may be a cam surface 70 of the cam system 42 . the drive tool 86 may be removed from the tool opening 74 of the first cam system 42 . the drive tool 86 and the torque limiting wrench 94 may be repositioned so that the drive tool head 88 is inserted into the tool opening 74 of the second cam system 42 . the drive tool 86 may be rotated to force an engager 68 against the second elongated member 28 so that the engager presses the second elongated member against the second elongated member opening surface 50 . other transverse connectors 30 may be attached to the elongated members 28 at other locations along the lengths of the elongated members . fig1 shows an exploded view of an embodiment of an adjustable transverse connector 30 ″. the adjustable transverse connector 30 ″ may include first section 46 , second section 48 , optional lining 104 , fastener 106 , elongated member openings 60 and cam systems 42 . the optional lining 104 may be , but is not limited to , a bushing or a sleeve . the fastener 106 may fix the position of the first section 46 relative to the second section 48 . the cam systems 42 may securely fasten an elongated member 28 to a section 46 or 48 of the transverse connector 30 ″. in alternate embodiments , an elongated member 28 may be fastened to a transverse connector 30 ″ by connecting mechanisms other than cam systems 42 . the other types of connecting mechanisms may include , but are not limited to , setscrews , and connector and nut arrangements . combinations of different types of connecting mechanisms may also be used to couple a transverse connector 30 ″ to an elongated member 28 . a first section 46 of an adjustable transverse connector 30 ″ may include shaft 108 . the shaft 108 may include flat surface 110 . the shaft 108 may be inserted through a lining 104 positioned within holder 112 of a second section 48 . the lining 104 may include circular bore 114 . the bore 114 may have a diameter that is slightly larger than diameter d ( shown in fig2 ) of the shaft 108 . end 116 of the shaft 108 may include countersunk opening 118 ( as shown in fig2 ) that allows the end to be peened after insertion through the holder 112 and lining 104 . peening the end 116 may inhibit removal of the lining 104 from the holder 112 , and the first section 46 from the second section 48 . a separation distance between centers of elongated member openings 40 of the transverse connector 30 ″ may be adjusted by moving elongated member opening of the first section 46 towards or away from an elongated member opening of the second section 48 . several different transverse connectors 30 ″ may be formed with varying adjustment ranges . an adjustment range of a transverse connector 30 ″ is the range through which a separation distance between centers of elongated member openings 40 may be adjusted . for example embodiments of transverse connectors 30 ″ may be formed that have the following overlapping adjustment ranges . transverse connector size adjustment range ( mm ) 1 37 - 44 2 43 - 51 3 50 - 65 4 61 - 80 other transverse connectors 30 ″ may be made that have different adjustment ranges . a holder 112 of a second section 48 of an adjustable transverse connector 30 ″ may include first opening 120 and second opening 122 . the first opening 120 allows a lining 104 to be inserted into the holder 112 so that a bore 114 of the lining aligns with the second opening 122 . in an embodiment , the first opening 120 may be a blind hole that does not extend completely through the holder 112 . the second opening 122 allows a first section shaft 108 to be placed through the holder 112 and the lining 104 . placing a shaft 108 of the first section 46 through the holder 112 and the lining 104 inhibits removal of the lining from the holder . a fastener 106 may be used to apply force to a lining 104 to inhibit movement of a first section 46 of an adjustable transverse connector 30 ″ relative to a second section 48 of the transverse connector . in an embodiment , the fastener 106 is a setscrew that mates to threading 124 in an upper section of the holder 112 . tightening the setscrew 106 forces an end of the setscrew against a lining 104 to force a first section shaft 108 against the holder 112 . the resulting forces between the setscrew 106 , the lining 104 , the shaft 108 and the holder 112 inhibit motion of the first section 46 relative to the second section 48 . other types of fasteners 106 may be used . for example , in an embodiment the fastener 106 may be a cam mechanism that forces the lining 104 against the shaft 108 when the cam is engaged . in an alternate embodiment , the fastener 106 may be a nut that threads to a shaft extending from the lining 104 . a counter torque may be applied to the transverse connector 30 ″ by a torque limiting wrench 94 to inhibit movement of the transverse connector , stabilization system 32 , or patient when the fastener 106 is tightened . the fastener 106 may include tool opening 74 . drive head 88 of drive tool 86 may be inserted into the tool opening 74 . the drive tool 86 may be rotated to rotate the fastener 106 . rotating the fastener 106 in a clockwise direction may press end 126 of the fastener against a top of the lining 104 . the end 126 of the fastener 106 may have a large surface area to provide a large contact area with the lining 104 . the contact of the fastener 106 against the lining 104 may press a shaft 108 against a holder 112 so that the axial , angular , and rotational motion of a first section 46 of a transverse connector 30 ″ relative to a second section 48 of the transverse connector is inhibited . the drive tool 86 may be , but is not limited to , a diamond drive , a hex wrench , a star drive , a screwdriver , or a socket wrench . preferably , the drive tool 86 for fastener 106 is the same instrument that may be used to rotate fastening systems 42 that couple the transverse connector 30 to elongated members 28 . in alternate embodiments , tool openings 74 for cam systems 42 may have a different style than a tool opening for a fastener 106 . for example , the tool openings 74 for the cam systems 42 may accept a diamond drive , while the tool opening 74 for the fastener 106 may be adapted to accept a drive head of a hex wrench . fig1 shows an embodiment of a drive tool 86 that may be used to tighten a fastener 106 of a transverse connector 30 ″. the handle 90 of the drive tool 86 may include an opening 128 . the opening 128 may be configured to accept drive 130 of torque wrench 132 . fig1 shows an embodiment of a torque wrench 132 . the torque wrench 132 may be used to inform a user when sufficient torque has been applied to the fastener 106 . a sufficient amount of torque is enough torque to inhibit movement of a first section 46 of the transverse connector 30 ″ relative to the second section 48 of the transverse connector . in alternate transverse connector embodiments , an optional lining 104 may not be used . a fastener 106 may directly contact a shaft 108 of a first section 46 of a transverse connector 30 ″ that is positioned through a holder 112 of a second section 48 of the transverse connector . the contact between the fastener 106 , the shaft 108 , and the holder 112 may inhibit movement of the first section 46 relative to the second section 48 . a second opening 122 in a holder 112 may allow a first section 46 to be angulated relative to a second section 48 . fig1 shows a top view of an embodiment of a transverse connector 30 ″ where the first section 46 is angulated relative to the second section 48 . elongated members 28 of an orthopedic stabilization system 32 may be horizontally skewed relative to each other . the ability to angulate the first section 46 relative to the second section 48 allows the transverse connector 30 ″ to be coupled to elongated members 28 that are horizontally skewed . in embodiments of stabilization systems 32 , the elongated members may be horizontally parallel . to accommodate horizontally parallel elongated members 28 , the first section 46 may be adjusted relative to the second section 48 so that there is no angulation between the first section and the second section . to allow a first section 46 of a transverse connector 30 ″ to be angulated relative to a second section 48 of the transverse connector , width w ( as shown in fig2 ) of a second opening 122 in a holder 112 of the second section may be larger than a diameter d of a shaft 108 passing through the holder . the large width w of the second opening 122 allows the shaft 108 to slide laterally within the second opening 122 until the fastener 106 is used to set the position of the shaft . in an embodiment of a transverse connector 30 ″, an angulation range of a first section 46 relative to a second section 48 may be from about 0 ° to about 180 . the amount of angulation may be less or greater than 18 ° in other embodiments . for example , in an embodiment , the angulation range of the first section 46 relative to the second section 48 is from 0 ° to 10 °; and in another embodiment , the angulation range is from 0 ° to 30 °. larger or smaller ranges may also be used . a position of a second opening 122 may be altered to change the limits of the angulation . for example , in an embodiment , the second opening 122 is positioned so that the angulation range is from 10 ° to 30 °. other embodiments may allow for different amounts of angulation or for different angulation ranges . if the transverse connector 30 ″ cannot be angulated in a desired direction when a first section 46 is placed on a first elongated member 28 , the first section may be removed from the elongated member and placed on a second elongated member to allow the transverse connector to be angulated in the desired direction . a second opening 122 in a holder 112 may allow a first section 46 of a transverse connector 30 ″ to be rotated relative to a second section 48 of the transverse connector . elongated members 28 of an orthopedic stabilization system 32 may be vertically parallel , or the elongated members may be vertically skewed relative to each other . if the elongated members 28 are vertically skewed relative to each other , the amount of skew is typically less than about 5 °, but the skew may be as large as 20 ° or more . the ability to rotate the first section 46 of the transverse connector 30 ″ allows the transverse connector to be coupled to vertically skewed elongated members 28 . to allow a first section 46 of a transverse connector 30 ″ to be rotated relative to a second section 48 of the transverse connector , a shaft 108 of the first section is allowed to rotate within a lining 104 . in an embodiment , height h of a second opening 122 in the second section 48 is slightly larger than a diameter d of the shaft 108 . the height h of the second opening 122 allows the shaft 108 to be rotated a full 360 ° relative to the second section 48 . in an alternate embodiment , which is shown in fig2 , the height h of the second opening 122 is smaller than the diameter d of the shaft 108 of the first section 46 . a flat surface 110 of the shaft 108 may limit the range of rotation of the first section 46 relative to the second section 48 to a useful range . if a user tries to rotate the first section 46 beyond a limited range , an edge of the flat surface 110 will contact the holder 112 and inhibit rotation of the first section 46 relative to the second section 48 . the flat surface 110 of the shaft 108 and the second opening 122 may allow the first section 46 to rotate relative to the second section 48 about plus or minus 45 ° ( for less than a 90 ° range of motion ), preferably less than plus or minus 20 ° ( for less than a 40 ° range of motion ), and most preferably less than about plus or minus 10 ° ( for less than a 20 ° range of motion ). fig2 shows an embodiment of a transverse connector 30 ″ with a first section 46 that is rotated relative to a second section 48 . limiting the range of rotational motion of the first section 46 relative to the second section 48 may inhibit the rotation of the first section into unusable positions . unusable positions of the first section 46 relative to the second section 48 are positions that do not allow for easy instrument access to tool openings 74 of the transverse connector 30 ″. for example , an embodiment of a transverse connector 30 ″ may allow the first section 46 to rotate 360 ° relative to the second section 48 . when the first section 46 is rotated 180 ° relative to the second section 48 , the elongated member opening 40 of one of the sections will be oriented upwards , while the elongated member opening of the other section will be oriented downwards . the tool opening 74 of a cam system 42 that fastens the section with the upwards facing elongated member opening 40 to an elongated member 28 will not be easily accessible , and therefore , the transverse connector 30 is in an unusable position . limiting the range of rotational motion of the first section 46 relative to the second section 48 may allow for easy instrument access to all parts of the transverse connector 30 that need to be tightened without excessive manipulation of the transverse connector . elongated member openings 40 of a transverse connector 30 may be placed over elongated members 28 of an orthopedic stabilization system 32 . cam systems 42 may be used to fasten the transverse connector 30 to the elongated members 28 . a cam system 42 may be positioned within a cam system opening 60 in each section 46 , 48 of the transverse connector 30 . fig2 shows a cross sectional view of an embodiment of a transverse connector 30 ″. the sections 46 , 48 of the transverse connector 30 ″ may include cam system openings 60 for cam systems 42 ( only one cam system is shown in fig2 ). the cam systems 42 and cam system openings 60 for an adjustable transverse connector 30 ″ may be the same as the cam systems and cam system openings for a fixed length transverse connector 30 ′. fig1 shows an embodiment of a cam system 42 . fig2 shows an embodiment of a head 56 of a bender 52 . the head 56 may include two pockets 134 and 136 . the first pocket 134 may be used to bend a fixed length transverse connector 30 ′. the second pocket 136 may be used to bend an adjustable transverse connector 30 ″. fig2 shows an adjustable transverse connector 30 ″ positioned within benders 52 , 54 . the benders 52 , 54 may be used to “ tent ” the transverse connector 30 ″ so that a middle portion of the transverse connector is the highest portion of the transverse connector when the transverse connector is installed in a patient . to form a transverse connector 30 ″, a first section 46 , a second section 48 , and a lining 104 are machined . cam systems 42 are also machined . the elongated member opening surfaces 50 and / or the contact surfaces of the engagers 68 may be textured so that the coefficient of friction between the surfaces and elongated members 28 placed against the surfaces will be high . cam systems 42 are inserted into cam system openings 60 of the first section 46 and the second section 48 . the cam systems 42 are inserted into the cam system openings 60 until the surfaces 82 of the cam systems pass the shoulders 62 of the openings . a lining 104 is placed within a holder 112 of the second section 48 . a shaft 108 of the first section 46 is inserted through the holder 112 and lining 104 . end 116 of the shaft 108 is peened or flared to inhibit removal of the first section 46 from the second section 48 . a fastener 106 is coupled to the holder 112 . fig7 shows an alternate embodiment of an adjustable transverse connector 30 ″. the transverse connector 30 ″ may include first section 46 , second section 48 , and fastener 106 . fig2 shows a cross sectional view of a portion of the transverse connector 30 ″. the first section 46 may include shaft 138 . the shaft 138 may include flared end 140 . the second section 48 may include tapered collet 142 and hollow shaft 144 . the fastener 106 may be a collar that is compression locked to the collet 142 . the collet 142 may include holding members 146 , ledge 148 , longitudinal slots 150 and shoulder 152 . the collar 106 may include a tapered bore 154 and tabs 156 . the taper of the bore 154 may substantially correspond to the taper of the tapered collet 142 . a maximum diameter of the collet 142 may be greater than a maximum diameter of the bore 154 of the collar 106 . the tabs 156 may be placed within the longitudinal slots 150 in the collet 142 to couple the collar 106 to the second section 48 . the tabs 156 and the diameter of the bore 154 relative to the diameter of the collet 142 may limit the axial range of motion of the collar 106 relative to the second section 48 . the shaft 138 of the first section 46 may be inserted into the hollow shaft 144 of the second section 48 . the flared end 140 of the shaft 138 may contact the ledge 148 of the collet 142 to inhibit the first section 46 from being separated from the second section 48 . a length of an adjustable transverse connector 30 ″ shown in fig7 may be adjusted by sliding a first section 46 axially relative to a second section 48 . also , the first section 46 may be rotated relative to the second section 48 . the ability to rotate the first section 46 relative to the second section 48 allows the transverse connector 30 ″ to be used with elongated members 28 that are skewed relative to each other such that the elongated members are not vertically parallel . when a desired length and rotation of the transverse connector 30 ″ is established , the position of the first and second sections 46 , 48 may be fixed to inhibit movement of the first section relative to the second section . a portion of the shaft 138 may include a flat surface . an insert positioned and fixed within the hollow shaft 144 may limit the range of rotational motion of the first section 46 within the second section 48 . an edge of the flat surface of the shaft 138 may contact an edge of the insert to limit the rotational range of the first section 46 . without an insert , the shaft may be able to rotate 360 ° within the hollow shaft . an insert within the hollow shaft 144 may allow the first section 46 to rotate relative to the second section 48 about plus or minus 45 °, preferably less than plus or minus 20 °, and most preferably less than about plus or minus 10 °. fig2 shows an embodiment of a locking instrument 158 that may be used to fix a position of a first section 46 of a transverse connector 30 ″ relative to a second section 48 . the locking instrument 158 may include first jaw 160 , second jaw 162 , first handle 164 , and second handle 166 . the first jaw 160 may be abutted against a shoulder 152 of a collet 142 . the second jaw 162 may be abutted against front end 168 of the collar 106 . squeezing the handles 164 , 166 together forces the collar 106 onto the collet 142 and compress the holding members 146 of the collet against the shaft 138 of the first section 46 . enough force may be applied to the collar 106 to frictionally lock the collar to the collet 142 . an outer surface of the shaft 138 and / or an inner surface of the holding members 146 may be roughened to increase the coefficient of friction between the first section 46 and the second section 48 . also , the inner surface of the collar 106 and / or the outer surface of the collet 142 may be roughened to increase the coefficient of friction between the collar and the collet . to establish a bone stabilization system 32 using an adjustable transverse connector 30 ″, a pair of contoured elongated members 28 , or a single elongated member that is bent and contoured to fit on adjacent sides of a bone 34 or bones that are to be stabilized , may be coupled to the bone or bones being stabilized . the elongated members 28 may be coupled to the bone 34 or bones by fixation elements 36 , as shown in fig3 . if necessary or desired , the transverse connector 30 ″ may be bent using a pair of benders 52 , 54 so that a middle portion of the transverse connector will be the highest part of the transverse connector when the transverse connector is installed in a patient . a first section 46 and a second section 48 of the transverse connector 30 ″ may be placed over the elongated members 28 so that the elongated members are positioned within elongated member openings 40 of the transverse connector 30 at a desired location . the length , angulation , and rotation of the transverse connector 30 ″ may be adjusted so that the elongated members 28 are positioned within the elongated member openings 40 with a large contact area between the elongated member opening surfaces 50 and the elongated members . a torque limiting wrench 94 may be placed on the transverse connector 30 , and a shaft 92 of a drive tool 86 may be inserted through the hollow shaft 96 of the torque limiting wrench . a head 88 of a drive tool 86 may be inserted into a tool opening 74 of a first cam system 42 of the transverse connector 30 . the drive tool 86 may be rotated to rotate the cam system 42 while applying counter torque with the torque limiting wrench 94 . rotating the cam system 42 may extend a cam 70 into an elongated member opening 40 so that the cam presses the elongated member 28 against the surface 50 of the elongated member opening . the drive tool 86 may be removed from the tool opening 74 of the first cam system 42 . the drive tool 86 and torque limiting wrench 94 may be repositioned so that the torque limiting wrench engages the transverse connector 30 and the head 88 of the drive tool 86 is inserted into the tool opening 74 of the second cam system 42 . the drive tool 86 may be rotated , while applying counter torque with the torque limiting wrench 94 , to force a cam 70 against the second elongated member 28 so that the cam presses the second elongated member against the second elongated member opening surface 50 . the torque limiting wrench 94 and the drive tool 86 may be repositioned so that the torque limiting wrench engages the transverse connector 30 and the head 88 of the drive tool is inserted into the tool opening 74 of the fastener 106 . the fastener 106 may be tightened . a torque wrench 132 may be inserted into the opening 128 of the handle 90 . the torque wrench 132 may be used to tighten the fastener 106 while counter torque is applied with the torque limiting wrench 94 . other transverse connectors 30 may be attached to the elongated members 28 at other locations along the lengths of the elongated members . further modifications and alternative embodiments of various aspects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of this description . accordingly , this description is to be construed as illustrative only and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the general manner of carrying out the invention . it is to be understood that the forms of the invention shown and described herein are to be taken as the presently preferred embodiments . elements and materials may be substituted for those illustrated and described herein , parts and processes may be reversed , and certain features of the invention may be utilized independently , all as would be apparent to one skilled in the art after having the benefit of this description of the invention . changes may be made in the elements described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described in the following claims . | 0 |
the object of this invention was to discover a selective cpla 2 inhibitor which is active , both topically and orally , in treating inflammary disease of the skin and other tissues as well as other chronic and acute conditions which have been linked to inappropriate activation of the cpla 2 enzymes . preferably such compound would also be devoid of undesirable lipid - perturbing activities associated with skin irritation . the above - mentioned objectives have been met by the compounds of formula i described above . in the present application the numbers in the subscript after the symbol “ c ” define the number of carbon atoms a particular group can contain . for example , “ c 1 - c 7 alkyl ” refers to straight and branched chain alkyl groups with 1 to 7 carbon atoms . similarly , “ c 2 - c 7 alkenyl ” refers to an unsaturated hydrocarbon group containing from 2 to 7 carbon atoms and at least one carbon - carbon double bond . the term “ c 2 - c 7 alkynyl ” refers to an unsaturated hydrocarbon group containing from 2 to 7 carbon atoms and at least one carbon - carbon triple bond . the term “ halogen ” or “ halo ” as used herein refers to fluorine , chlorine , bromine or iodine . “ aryl ” as used herein refers to a c 6 monocyclic aromatic ring system or a c 9 or c 10 bicyclic carbocyclic ring system having one or two aromatic rings such as phenyl or naphthyl . it may also refer to a c 14 tricyclic carbocyclic ring system having two or three aromatic rings such as anthracenyl or phenanthrenyl . unless otherwise indicated , “ substituted aryl ” refers to aryl groups substituted with one or more ( preferably from 1 to 3 ) substituents independently selected from ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkyl , halo ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkyl , ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkoxy , ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkoxy - carbonyl , ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkanoyl , hydroxy , halo , mercapto , nitro , amino , cyano , ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkylamino , di ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkylamino , carboxy , aryl , aryl ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkyl , aryl ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkoxy , heterocyclic , heterocyclic ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkyl and the like . the term “ biaryl ” refers to two c 6 monocyclic aromatic ring systems or two c 9 or c 10 bicyclic carbocyclic ring systems linked together such as o -, m - and p - biphenyl or o -, m - and p - binaphthyl . the term “ heteroaryl ” refers to a 5 - or 6 - membered aromatic ring system or a 9 - or 10 - membered bicyclic aromatic ring system containing one , two or three heteroatoms selected from n , o and s . the term “ benzhydryl ” refers to a carbon atom bearing two aryl , bis - aryl or heteroaryl groups . the term “ heterocyclic ” as used herein refers to a 4 —, 5 - or 6 - membered ring containing one , two or three heteroatoms selected from n , o and s . the 5 - membered ring has 0 - 2 double bonds and the 6 - membered ring has 0 - 3 double bonds . the nitrogen heteroatoms can be optionally quaternized or n - oxidized . the sulfur heteroatoms can be optionally s - oxidized . the term “ heterocyclic ” also includes bicyclic groups in which any of the above heterocyclic rings is fused to a benzene ring or a cyclohexane ring or another heterocyclic ring . heterocyclics include : pyrrolyl , pyrrolinyl , pyrrolidinyl , pyrazolyl , pyrazolinyl , pyrazolidinyl , imidazolyl , imidazolidinyl , pyridyl , piperidyl , pyrazinyl , piperazinyl , pyrimidinyl , pyridazinyl , oxazolyl , oxazolinyl , oxazolidinyl , isoxazolyl , isoxazolinyl , isoxazolidinyl , morpholinyl , thiazolyl , thiazolidinyl , isothiazolyl , isothiazolidinyl , indolyl , quinolinyl , benzimidazolyl , benzothiazolyl , benzoxazolyl , benzofuranyl , furyl , dihydrofuranyl , tetrahydrofuranyl , pyranyl , dihydropyranyl , dioxolanyl , thienyl , benzothienyl and diaxanyl . in a preferred embodiment the compounds of general formula i have r 1 being hydrogen . in another preferred embodiment the compounds of general formula i have x being hydrogen . another preferred embodiment embraces the compounds of formula i wherein x is hydrogen , r 1 is hydrogen and r 2 is c 1 - c 7 alkyl substituted by cooh or c 1 - c 7 alkyl substituted by carboxy - substituted phenyl . still another preferred embodiment includes the compounds of formula i wherein z is y — z 1 ; r c is h , — cocf 3 , — coc 6 h 5 , — coo ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkyl , in which r 18 and r 17 are each independently h or ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkyl , ( c 1 - c 18 ) alkyl or ( c 1 - c 18 ) alkyl substituted by one or more of phenyl or phenyl substituted by 1 - 5 fluoro , 1 - 3 halo ( other than fluoro ), 1 - 3 ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkoxy , 1 - 3 ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkyl , 1 - 3 nitro , 1 - 3 cyano , 1 - 3 hydroxy , 1 - 3 trifluoromethyl , 1 - 3 ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkylthio , 1 - 3 amino , 1 - 3 ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkylamino , 1 - 3 di ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkylamino , 1 - 3 carboxyl , 1 - 3 — coo ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkyl , 1 - 3 — so 3 h , 1 - 3 — so 2 nhr 19 in which r 19 is h or ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkyl , or in which r 18 and r 17 are as defined above ; in which n 1 is 0 , 1 or 2 and r 21 and r 20 are phenyl or phenyl substituted by 1 - 5 fluoro , 1 - 3 halo ( other than fluoro ), 1 - 3 ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkoxy , 1 - 3 ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkyl , 1 - 3 nitro , 1 - 3 cyano , 1 - 3 hydroxy , 1 - 3 trifluoromethyl , 1 - 3 ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkylthio , 1 - 3 amino , 1 - 3 ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkylamino , 1 - 3 di ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkylamino , 1 - 3 carboxy , 1 - 3 — coo ( c 1 - c 6 ) alkyl , 1 - 3 — so 3 h , 1 - 3 — so 2 nhr 19 in which r 19 is as defined above , or in which r 18 and r 17 are as defined above ; in which n 1 is 0 , 1 or 2 and r 21 and r 20 are as defined above ; in which r 21 and r 20 are as defined above ; in which r 21 and r 20 are as defined above ; in which r 21 and r 20 are as defined above ; or in which r 21 and r 20 are as defined above . r a and r b when taken together form an oxo (═ o ) group , or r a and r b are each independently hydrogen or oh ; r 2 is c 1 - c 7 alkyl substituted by cooh or c 1 - c 7 alkyl substituted by carboxy - substituted phenyl ; in which r 20 and r 21 are phenyl substituted by 1 - 3 halo ; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof . some of the compounds described herein contain one or more asymmetric centers and may thus give rise to diastereomers and optical isomers . the present invention is meant to include such possible diastereomers as well as their racemic and resolved , enantiomerically pure forms , and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof . as mentioned above the invention also includes pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the compounds of formula i . a compound of the invention can possess a sufficiently acidic , a sufficiently basic , or both functional groups . accordingly , a compound may react with any of a number of inorganic bases , and organic and inorganic acids , to form a pharmaceutically acceptable salt . the term “ pharmaceutically acceptable salt ” as used herein refers to salts of the compounds of formula i which are substantially non - toxic to living organisms . typical pharmaceutically acceptable salts include those salts prepared by reaction of the compounds of the present invention with a pharmaceutically acceptable mineral or organic acid or an inorganic base . such salts are known as acid addition and base addition salts . acids commonly employed to form acid addition salts are inorganic acids such as hydrochloric acid , hydrobromic acid , hydroiodic acid , sulfuric acid , phosphoric acid , and the like , and organic acids such as p - toluenesulfonic , methanesulfonic acid , oxalic acid , p - bromophenylsulfonic acid , carbonic acid , succinic acid , citric acid , benzoic acid , acetic acid , and the like . examples of such pharmaceutically acceptable salts are the sulfate , pyrosulfate , bisulfate , sulfite , bisulfite , phosphate , monohydrogen phosphate , dihydrogen phosphate , metaphosphate , pyrophosphate , chloride , bromide , iodide , acetate , propionate , decanoate , caprylate , acrylate , formate , isobutyrate , caproate , heptanoate , propionate , oxalate , malonate , succinate , suberate , sebacate , fumarate , maleate , butyne - 1 , 4 - dioate , hexyne - 1 , 6 - dioate , benzoate , chlorobenzoate , methylbenzoate , dinitrobenzoate , hydroxybenzoate , methoxybenzoate , phthalate , sulfonate , xylene - sulfonate , phenylacetate , phenylpropionate , phenylbutyrate , citrate , lactate , γ - hydroxybutyrate , glycolate , tartrate , methanesulfonate , propanesulfonate , naphthalene - 1 - sulfonate , napthalene - 2 - sulfonate , mandelate and the like . preferred pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts are those formed with mineral acids such as hydrochloric acid and hydrobromic acid , and those formed with organic acids such as maleic acid and methanesulfonic acid . base addition salts include those derived from inorganic bases , such as ammonium or alkali or alkaline earth metal hydroxides , carbonates , bicarbonates , and the like . such bases useful in preparing the salts of this invention thus include sodium hydroxide , potassium hydroxide , ammonium hydroxide , potassium carbonate , sodium carbonate , sodium bicarbonate , potassium bicarbonate , calcium hydroxide , calcium carbonate , and the like . suitable organic bases include trialkylamines such as triethylamine , procaine , dibenzylamine , n - benzyl - β - phenethylamine , 1 - ephenamine , n , n ′- dibenzylethylene - diamine , dehydroabietylamine , n - ethylpiperidine , benzylamine , dicyclohexylamine , or the like pharmaceutically acceptable amines . the potassium and sodium salt forms are particularly preferred . it should be recognized that the particular counterion forming a part of any salt of this invention is usually not of a critical nature , so long as the salt as a whole is pharmacologically acceptable and as long as the counterion does not contribute undesired qualities to the salt as a whole . the present invention also includes solvated forms of the compounds of formula i , particularly hydrates , in which the trifluoromethyl ketone group exists as a mixture of ketonic i and hydrated forms ii and are each independently interconvertible and pharmacologically active . the assay determining the activity as cpla 2 inhibitors is the following : 3 h - arachidonate - labeled u937 membranes were prepared from u937 cells grown in rpmi 1640 medium containing l - glutamine supplemented with 10 % fetal calf serum and 50 μg / ml gentamycin in a 5 % co 2 incubator at 37 ° c . sixteen hours prior to harvesting the cells , 3 h - arachidonate ( 100 ci / mmol ) was added to the cell culture ( 1 × 10 6 cells / ml , 0 . 5 μci / ml ). after washing the cells with hbss ( hank &# 39 ; s balanced salts ) containing 1 mg / ml hsa ( human serum albumin ), the cells were lysed by nitrogen cavitation and the homogenate was centrifuged at 2 , 000 × g for 10 minutes . the supernatant was further centrifuged at 50 , 000 × g for 30 minutes after which the pellet was resuspended in water and autoclaved at 120 ° c . for 15 minutes to inactivate any residual phospholipase a 2 activity . this suspension was then recentrifuged at 50 , 000 × g for 30 minutes and the pellet resuspended in distilled water . assays of cpla 2 activity using these 3 h - arachidonate - labeled u937 membranes as substrate typically employ human recombinant cpla 2 [ see burke et al ., biochemistry , 1995 , 34 : 15165 - 15174 ] and membrane substrate ( 22 μm phospholipid ) in 20 mm hepes [ n -( 2 - hydroxyethyl ) piperazine - n 1 -( 2 - ethanesulfonic acid )] buffer , ph 8 , containing 6 mm cacl 2 , 0 . 9 mg / ml albumin and 4 m glycerol . enzyme assays are allowed to proceed for 3 hours at 37 ° c . before removing the non - hydrolyzed membranes . the hydrolyzed , radiolabeled fatty acid is then measured by liquid scintillation counting of the aqueous phase . the effects of inhibitor are calculated as percent inhibition of 3 h - arachidonate formation , after correcting for nonenzymatic hydrolysis , as compared to a control lacking inhibitor according to the following formula : various concentrations of an inhibitor were tested , and the percent inhibition at each concentration was plotted as log concentration ( abscissa ) versus percent inhibition ( ordinate ) to determine the ic 50 values . in this assay the compounds of examples 1 shown below exhibited cpla 2 ic 50 values in the range of from about 1 to 50 μm . since the compounds of the present invention are selective inhibitors of cytosolic phospholipase a 2 , they are of value in the treatment of a wide variety of clinical conditions . inflammatory disorders which may be treated by inhibition of cytosolic cpla 2 include such conditions as arthritis , psoriasis , asthma , inflammatory bowel disease , gout , trauma - induced inflammation such as spinal cord injury , alzheimer &# 39 ; s disease , cerebral ischemia , chronic skin inflammation , shock , damage to skin resulting from exposure to ultraviolet light or burns , allergic rhinitis , acute pancreatitis , and the like . the compounds of the present invention have also been found to be very stable towards keto - reduction . it has been shown that a reliable method to assess keto - stability of compounds is to measure the percent of such compounds remaining after incubation with erythrocyte lysates [ rady - pentek p ., et al ., eur . j . clin . pharmacol ., 1997 , 52 ( 2 ): 147 - 153 ]. the assay is the following . male wistar rates were anesthetized with co 2 and then blood was removed by direct cardio - puncture or through a pre - inserted jugular vein canula into syringes that were pre - rinsed with heparin . the blood was then inserted into heparanized tubes and placed on ice . the blood was centrifuges as 3000 rpm for 5 minutes to separate the plasma . the plasma was removed and an equivalent volume of sterile water was mixed with the erythrocyte fraction . this was mixed by inversion and left on ice for several minutes to lyse the erythrocytes . the erythrocyte - water mixture was then centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 5 minutes to pellet the cellular debris . each compound was dissolved in methanol ( 1 ml ) to produce a 2 mm solution . from this solution , 50 μl aliquot was made up to 1 ml in 50 % methanol to produce a 100 μm stock solution . from this solution , a dose solution was prepared by diluting 100 μl to 2 ml of a 0 . 1 m potassium phosphate buffer ( ph = 7 . 4 ) to produce a 2 μm final incubation dilution . the lysate ( 250 μl ) was then aliquoted into eppendorf tubes , 6 for each compound , i . e . 0 time , 15 minutes , 60 minutes in duplicate . to these aliquots was added 200 μl of the dose solution and this was preheated to 37 ° c . for 2 - 3 minutes prior to the addition of nadph ( 1 mm final concentration ) to start the reactions . the reactions were terminated with the addition of either 0 . 5 ml or 1 ml of acetonitrile . following centrifugation at 8000 × g for 5 minutes , the supernatant was removed and stored at − 20 ° c . until analysis could proceed by quantitative lc / ms . samples were analyzed by electrospray ionization ( esi ) on a micromass zmd 2000 ® single quadrupole mass spectrometer coupled to a shimadzu hplc system . the percent of compound remaining following 15 minutes and 60 minutes incubation is calculated relative to the 0 time point . the compounds of formula i are usually administered in the form of pharmaceutical compositions . they can be administered by a variety of routes including oral , rectal , transdermal , subcutaneous , intravenous , intramuscular , and intranasal . the compounds are effective as both injectable and oral compositions . such compositions are prepared in a manner well known in the pharmaceutical art and comprise at least one active compound defined by formula i and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier . in making the compositions employed in the present invention the active ingredient is usually mixed with an excipient , diluted by an excipient or enclosed within a carrier which can be in the form of a capsule , sachet , paper or other container . when the excipient serves as a diluent , it can be a solid , semisolid , or liquid material , which acts as a vehicle , carrier or medium for the active ingredient . thus , the compositions can be in the form of tablets , pills , powders , lozenges , sachets , cachets , elixirs , suspensions , emulsions , solutions , syrups , aerosols ( as a solid or in a liquid medium ), ointments containing for example up to 10 % by weight of the active compound , soft and hard gelatin capsules , suppositories , sterile injectable solutions , and sterile packaged powders . in preparing a formulation , it may be necessary to mill the active compound to provide the appropriate particle size prior to combining with the other ingredients . if the active compound is substantially insoluble , it ordinarily is milled to a particle size of less than 200 mesh . if the active compound is substantially water soluble , the particle size is normally adjusted by milling to provide a substantially uniform distribution in the formulation , e . g . about 40 mesh . some examples of suitable excipients include lactose , dextrose , sucrose , sorbitol , mannitol , starches , gum acacia , calcium phosphate , alginates , tragacanth , gelatin , calcium silicate , microcrystalline cellulose , polyvinylpyrrolidone , cellulose , water , syrup and methyl cellulose . the formulations can additionally include : lubricating agents such as talc , magnesium stearate , and mineral oil ; wetting agents ; emulsifying and suspending agents ; preserving agents such as methyl - and propylhydroxybenzoates ; sweetening agents ; and flavoring agents . the compositions of the invention can be formulated so as to provide quick sustained or delayed release of the active ingredient after administration to the patient by employing procedures known in the art . the compositions are preferably formulated in a unit dosage form , each dosage containing from about 5 to about 100 mg , more usually about 10 to about 30 mg , of the active ingredient . the term “ unit dosage form ” refers to physically discrete units suitable as unitary dosages for human subjects and other mammals , each unit containing a predetermined quantity of active material calculated to produce the desired therapeutic effect , in association with a suitable pharmaceutical excipient . the active compound is effective over a wide dosage range . for example , dosages per day normally fall within the range of about 0 . 5 to about 30 mg / kg of body weight . in the treatment of adult humans , the range of about 1 to about 15 mg / kg / day , in single or divided dose , is especially preferred . however , it will be understood that the amount of the compound actually administered will be determined by a physician , in the light of the relevant circumstances , including the condition to be treated , the chosen route of administration , the actual compound administered , the age , weight , and response of the individual patient , and the severity of the patient &# 39 ; s symptoms , and therefore the above dosage ranges are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way . in some instances dosage levels below the lower limit of the aforesaid range may be more than adequate , while in other cases still larger doses may be employed without causing any harmful side effect , provided that such larger doses are first divided into several smaller doses for administration throughout the day . the compounds of the present invention can be prepared by various methods which are known in the art . illustrative methods of preparation are provided in the reaction scheme which follows and in the examples . preparation of compounds of formula i may be accomplished via the synthetic scheme which is described below . the specific examples which follow illustrate the synthesis of representative compounds of the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the invention in sphere or scope . the methods may be adapted to variations in order to produce compounds embraced by this invention but not specifically disclosed . further , variations of the methods to produce the same compounds in somewhat different fashion will also be evident to one skilled in the art . scheme a describes a method to prepare the various α - substituted thio - and oxo - trifluoromethylketones of generic structure i . thus , the various phenols or thiophenols of type ii may be reacted under mitsunobu conditions with the various lactic acids or esters iii to give the compounds of generic formula iv . subsequent conversion to the trifluoromethylketone analogs i may be performed by hydrolysis of the esters to the corresponding acids followed by conversion to the acid chloride and treatment with trifluoroacetic anhydride or by direct conversion of the esters using trifluorotrimethylsilane . the following examples further illustrate the preparation of the compounds of formula i . the examples are illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way . the following abbreviations have the indicated meanings : analytical grade solvents were used for reactions and chromatographies . flash column chromatographies were performed on merck silica gel 60 ( 230 - 400 mesh ) and merck silica gel 60 f 254 0 . 5 mm plates were used . all melting points were determined on a gallenkamp melting point apparatus and were not corrected . 1 h nmr spectra were measured on a bruker amx400 ( 400 mhz ) instruments . chemical shifts were reported in δ units using the solvent as internal standard . the signals are described as s ( singlet ), d ( doublet ), t ( triplet ), qa ( quartet ), qi ( quintet ), m ( multiplet ) and br ( broad ). infrared spectras were recorded on a perkin - elmer 781 and optical rotations were measured on a perkin - elmer 241 apparatus . to a mixture of 1 , 4 - dioxane ( 70 ml ) and concentrated sulfuric acid ( 7 ml ) in a pressure bottle was added 6 - bromohexanoic acid ( 10 g , 46 . 9 mmol ). iso - butene ( 60 ml ) was then introduced to the above solution at 0 ° c . the resulting mixture was stirred at room temperature for 2 days , cooled to 0 ° c . and poured slowly into an aqueous solution ( 200 ml ) of sodium bicarbonate ( 20 g ). the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 15 minutes and extracted with diethyl ether . the organic phase was washed three times with brine , dried over sodium sulfate and concentrated in vacuo . the residue was distillated to give the title compound ( 6 g , 51 %) as a colorless liquid ( 90 - 95 ° c ./ 1 mmhg ). to a suspension of activated zinc ( 0 . 65 g , 10 mmol ) in thf ( 20 ml ) was added t - butyl 6 - bromohexanoate ( 1 . 38 g , 5 . 5 mmol ). the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 15 hours . the excess zinc was allowed to settle for 2 hours . the solution was then transferred to a pre - formed solution of cucn ( 0 . 45 g , 10 . 7 mmol ) and licl ( 0 . 45 g , 10 . 7 mmol ) at − 20 ° c . the resulting mixture was stirred at 0 ° c . for 5 minutes and cooled to − 60 ° c ., and methyl chlorooxoacetate ( 0 . 68 ml , 5 . 5 mmol ) was added . the resulting mixture was stirred at − 60 ° c . for 1 hour , and reaction temperature allowed to rise gradually to 0 ° c . over 4 hours . the mixture was then poured into aqueous ammonium chloride , extracted 3 times with ether . the combined organic phase was washed with aqueous ammonium chloride , brine , dried over sodium sulfate and concentrated in vacuo to afford the title material ( 1 . 1 g ) as a pale yellow liquid , which is used directly in next step . a solution of crude methyl 7 - tert - butoxycarbonyl - 2 - oxoheptanoate ( 1 g ) in 1 , 2 - dichloroethane ( 10 ml ) was treated with sodium triacetoxyborohydride ( 822 mg , 3 . 88 mmol ). the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 16 hours , quenched with sat . aq . sodium bicarbonate and extracted with ether . the organic phase was washed with aq . sodium bicarbonate , brine , dried over sodium sulfate and concentrated in vacuo . the residue was chromatographed on silica gel ( hexane : ethyl acetate = 4 : 1 ) to give the title compound ( 554 mg , 43 %, 2 steps ) as a colorless liquid . a solution of 3 -( 4 - tert - butyldimethylsilyloxy - phenyl )- 1 - propanol ( p . a . grieco and c . j . markworth , tet . lett ., 1999 , 40 : 665 ) ( 2 . 86 g , 10 . 73 mmol ) in dry dichloromethane ( 25 ml ), was cooled to 0 - 5 ° c . and treated with triethylamine ( 2 . 4 ml , 17 . 0 mmol ). then methanesulfonyl chloride ( 1 . 08 ml , 14 mmol ) was added dropwise over 10 minutes . the reaction mixture was stirred at 0 - 5 ° c . for 1 hour , then quenched with sat . sodium bicarbonate , diluted with ethyl acetate ( 300 ml ), washed with water , brine , dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate , filtered and concentrated . the residue was filtered aon a silica gel pad ( toluene / ethyl acetate 95 : 5 ) to give the title material ( 3 . 68 g , 100 %) as a clear oil . 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , δ , ppm ): 0 . 198 ( 6h , s , 2 ×— ch 3 ), 0 . 99 ( 9h , s , - tbu ), 2 . 04 - 2 . 07 ( 2h , m , — ch 2 —), 2 . 69 ( 2h , t , j = 7 . 3 hz , ar — ch 2 —), 2 . 99 ( 3h , s , — so 2 me ), 4 . 23 ( 2h , t , j = 6 . 4 hz , — ch 2 o —), 6 . 78 ( 2h , d , j = 8 . 5 hz , aromatic h ), 7 . 04 ( 2h , d , j = 8 . 3 hz , aromatic h ). anal . calcd . for c 16 h 28 o 4 ssi : c , 55 . 78 ; h , 8 . 19 . found : c , 55 . 92 ; h , 8 . 16 . a solution of 3 -( 4 - tert - butyidimethylsilyloxy - phenyl )- 1 - methanesulfonyloxy - propane ( 3 . 60 g , 10 . 45 mmol ) in acetonitrile ( 30 ml ) was treated with n - methyl - 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethylamine ( b . e . maryanoff , s . o . nortey and j . f . gardocki , j . med . chem ., 1984 , 27 : 1067 ) ( 3 . 07 g , 10 . 97 mmol ) and n , n - diisopropylethylamine ( 2 . 73 ml , 15 . 67 mmol ). then potassium iodide ( 0 . 14 g ) was added and the mixture was heated under reflux for 18 hours . the mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate , washed with 5 % aq . sodium carbonate , brine , dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate , filtered and concentrated . the residual orange oil was purified by silica gel chromatography ( toluene / ethyl acetate 95 : 5 ) to give the title material ( 5 . 18 g , 94 %). 1 h nmr ( cdcl 3 , δ , ppm ): 0 . 19 ( 6h , s , 2 ×— ch 3 ), 0 . 99 ( 9h , s , - tbu ), 2 . 25 ( 3h , br s , — nch 3 ), 2 . 37 - 2 . 46 ( 4h , m , 2 ×— nch 2 —), 2 . 87 ( 2h , br s , — ch 2 o —), 4 . 05 ( 1h , br s , — ch ( ar ) 2 ), 6 . 75 and 6 . 94 ( 2 × 2h , 2 d , j = 8 . 4 hz , aromatic h ), 7 . 14 and 7 . 26 ( 2 × 4h , 2 d , j = 8 . 5 hz , aromatic h ). anal . calcd . for c 30 h 39 cl 2 nosi : c , 68 . 16 ; h , 7 . 44 . found : c , 68 . 22 ; h , 7 . 41 . ms ( esi ): 528 ( m + h ) + . a solution of 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ]- tertbutyldimethylsilyloxybenzene ( 1 . 90 g , 3 . 59 mmol ) in tetrahydrofuran (( 20 ml ) was treated with acetic acid ( 1 . 2 ml , 21 . 5 mmol ) followed by tetrabutylammonium fluoride ( 1m in tetrahydrofuran , 10 . 8 ml , 10 . 8 mmol ). the resulting mixture was stirred at 22 ° c . for 2 hours . the mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate , washed with sat . sodium bicarbonate , brine , dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate , filtered and concentrated . the residual oil was purified by silica gel chromatography ( toluene / ethyl acetate 8 : 2 to 7 : 3 ) and gave the title material ( 1 . 50 g , 100 %) as an oil . 1 h nmr ( dmso - d 6 , δ , ppm ): 1 . 54 ( 2h , m , — ch 2 —), 2 . 15 ( 3h , s , — nch 3 ), 2 . 25 - 2 . 32 ( 4h , m , arch 2 — and — ch 2 n —), 2 . 84 ( 2h , d , j = 8 . 0 hz , — nc h 2 — ch —), 4 . 23 ( 1h , t , j = 8 . 0 hz , — ch ( ar ) 2 ), 6 . 62 ( 2h , d , j = 8 . 4 hz , aromatic h ), 6 . 85 ( 2h , d , j = 8 . 4 hz , aromatic h ), 7 . 30 ( 8h , s , aromatic h ). anal . calcd . for c 24 h 25 cl 2 no . hcl : c , 61 . 96 ; h , 5 . 98 ; n , 3 . 01 . found : c , 61 . 99 ; h , 5 . 85 ; n , 3 . 06 . ms ( esi ): 414 ( m + h ) + . to a solution of 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenol ( 182 mg , 0 . 439 mmol ), methyl 7 - tert - butoxycarbonyl - 2 - hydroxyheptanoate ( 114 mg 0 . 439 mmol ) and triphenyl phospine ( 127 mg , 0 . 483 mmol ) in thf ( 2 ml ) was added dropwise diethyl azodicarboxylate ( 76 μl , 0 . 483 mmol ). the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 16 hours and concentrated in vacuo . the residue was chromatographed on silica gel ( hexane : ethyl acetate : triethylamine = 18 : 1 : 1 ) to give the title compound ( 162 mg , 56 %) as a colorless oil . a solution of methyl 2 -[ 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenoxy ]- 2 -( 5 - tert - butyloxycarbonylpentyl )- ethanoate ( 103 mg , 0 . 157 mmol ) and trifluoromethyltrimethylsilane ( 210 μl , 1 . 4 mmol ) in toluene ( 1 ml ) at − 78 ° c . was treated with tetrabutyl ammonium fluoride ( 1 . 0 m in thf , 8 μl , 0 . 008 mmol ). the cooling bath was removed , and reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 0 . 5 hours and concentrated in vacuo . the residue was chromatographed on silica gel ( hexane : ethyl acetate = 1 : 0 to 5 : 1 ) to give the title compound ( 80 mg , 64 %) as a pale yellow oil . a solution of 3 -[ 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenoxy ]- 3 -( 5 - tert - butyloxycarbonylpentyl )- 2 - methoxy - 2 - trimethylsilyloxy - 1 , 1 , 1 - trifluoropropane ( 52 mg , 0 . 065 mmol ) in thf ( 1 ml ) was treated with a mixture of tetrabutylammonium fluoride and acetic acid ( 1 . 0m in thf , 79 μl , 0 . 079 mmol ). the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 10 minutes , diluted with ethyl acetate , washed with sat . aq . sodium bicarbonate , brine , dried over sodium sulfate and concentrated in vacuo . the residue was chromatographed on silica gel ( hexane : ethyl acetate = 2 : 1 ) to give the title compound ( 43 mg , 95 %) as a colorless oil . treatment of the above free amine with anhydrous hydrogen chloride ( 1 . 0 m in ether ) gave the hydrochloride salt as a colorless syrup . a solution of 3 -[ 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenoxy ]- 3 -( 5 - tert - butyloxycarbonylpentyl )- 1 , 1 , 1 - trifluoro - 2 - propanone ( 32 mg , 0 . 046 mmol ) in dichloromethane ( 1 ml ) was treated with trifluoroacetic acid ( 0 . 2 ml ). the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 1 hour and concentrated in vacuo to give the trifluoroacetic acid salt of the title compound as a colorless syrup . 4 - bromobutanoic acid ( 8 g , 47 . 9 mmol ) and iso - butene ( 60 ml ) were reacted by the same procedure as described in example 1 for the preparation of tert - butyl 6 - bromohexanoate to give the title material ( 5 . 7 g , 54 %) as a colorless liquid ( b . p . 62 - 64 ° c ./ 10 mmhg ). t - butyl 4 - bromobutanoate ( 1 . 22 g , 5 . 49 mmol ), activated zinc ( 0 . 75 g in 15 ml of thf ) and methyl chlorooxoacetate ( 0 . 74 ml , 6 mmol ) were reacted by the same procedure as described in example 1 for the preparation of methyl 7 - tert - butyoxycarbonyl - 2 - oxoheptanoate to give the crude title material ( 1 . 08 g ) as a colorless liquid which is used directly in next step . crude methyl 5 - tert - butoxycarbonyl - 2 - oxopentanoate ( 1 . 08 g , 4 . 7 mmol ) and sodium triacetoxyborohydride ( 1 . 0 g , 4 . 7 mmol ) were reacted by the same procedure as described in example 1 for the preparation of methyl 7 - tert - butoxycarbonyl - 2 - hydroxyheptanoate to give the title compound ( 854 mg , 78 %, 2 steps ) as a colorless liquid . 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenol ( 275 mg , 0 . 664 mmol ) and methyl 5 - tert - butoxycarbonyl - 2 - hydroxypentanoate ( 154 mg , 0 . 664 mmol ) were reacted by the same procedure as described in example 1 for the preparation of methyl 2 -[ 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenoxy ]- 2 -( 5 - tert - butyloxycarbonylpentyl )- ethanoate to give the title compound ( 140 mg , 34 %) as a colorless oil . methyl 3 -[ 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenoxy ]- 2 -( 3 - tert - butoxycarbonylpropyl )- ethanoate ( 119 mg , 0 . 189 mmol ) and trifluoromethyl trimethylsilane ( 280 μl , 1 . 89 mmol ) were reacted by the general procedure as described in the preparation of 3 -[ 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenoxy ]- 3 -( 5 - tert - butyloxycarbonylpentyl )- 2 - methoxy - 2 - trimethylsilyloxy - 1 , 1 , 1 - trifluoropropane to give the title compound ( 130 mg , 89 %) as a pale yellow oil . 3 -[ 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenoxy ]- 3 -( 3 - tert - butoxycarbonylpropyl )- 2 - methoxy - 2 - trimethylsilyloxy - 1 , 1 , 1 - trifluoropropane ( 125 mg , 0 . 162 mmol ) and a mixture of tetrabutylammonium fluoride and acetic acid ( 1 . 0 m in thf , 194 μl , 0 . 194 mmol ) were reacted by the general procedure as described in example 1 for the preparation of 3 -[ 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenoxy ]- 3 -( 5 - tert - butyloxycarbonylpentyl )- 1 , 1 , 1 - trifluoro - 2 - propanone to give the title compound ( 87 mg , 81 %) as a colorless oil . 3 -[ 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenoxy ]- 3 - 4 - tert - butyloxycarbonylpropyl )- 1 , 1 , 1 - trifluoro - 2 - propanone and trifluoroacetic acid were reacted by the general procedure as described in example 1 for the preparation of 3 -[ 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenoxy ]- 3 -( 6 - carboxyhexyl )- 1 , 1 , 1 - trifluoro - 2 - propanone , trifluoroacetic salt to give the title compound as a colorless syrup . 3 - bromopropanoic acid ( 8 . 2 g , 53 . 6 mmol ) and iso - butene ( 60 ml ) were reacted by the same procedure as described in example 1 for the preparation of tert - butyl 6 - bromohexanoate and afforded the title material ( 4 g , 36 %) as a colorless liquid . 3 - bromopropanoic acid , tert - butyl ester ( 2 . 2 g , 10 . 6 mmol ), activated zinc ( 1 . 25 g in 25 ml of thf ) and methyl chlorooxoacetate ( 1 . 4 ml , 11 . 4 mmol ) were reacted by the same procedure as described in example 1 for the preparation of methyl 7 - tert - butyoxycarbonyl - 2 - oxoheptanoate to give the crude title material ( 1 . 65 g ) as a colorless liquid which is used directly in next step . crude methyl 4 - tert - butoxycarbonyl - 2 - oxobutanoate ( 1 . 65 g , 7 . 6 mmol ) and sodium triacetoxyborohydride ( 1 . 6 g , 7 . 6 mmol ) were reacted by the same procedure as described in example 1 for the preparation of methyl 7 - tert - butoxycarbonyl - 2 - hydroxyheptanoate to give the title compound ( 460 mg , 28 % 2 steps ) as a colorless liquid . 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenol ( 832 mg , 2 . 01 mmol ) and methyl 4 - tert - butoxycarbonyl - 2 - hydroxybutanoate ( 455 mg , 2 . 01 mmol ) in benzene ( 10 ml ) were reacted by the same procedure as described in example 1 for the preparation of methyl 2 -[ 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenoxy ]- 2 -( 5 - tert - butyloxycarbonylpentyl )- ethanoate and afforded the title compound ( 515 mg , 42 %) as a colorless oil . methyl 2 -[ 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenoxy ]- 2 -( 2 - tert - butyloxycarbonylethyl )- ethanoate ( 505 mg , 0 . 822 mmol ) and trifluoromethyl trimethylsilane ( 0 . 6 ml , 4 . 11 mmol ) were reacted by the general procedure as described in example 1 for the preparation of 3 -[ 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenoxy ]- 3 -( 5 - tert - butyloxycarbonylpentyl )- 2 - methoxy - 2 - trimethylsilyloxy - 1 , 1 , 1 - trifluoropropane to give the title compound ( 600 mg , 96 %) as a pale yellow oil . 3 -[ 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenoxy ]- 3 -( 2 - tert - butyloxycarbonylethyl )- 2 - methoxy - 2 - trimethylsilyloxy - 1 , 1 , 1 - trifluoropropane ( 150 mg , 0 . 198 mmol ) and a mixture of tetrabutylammonnium fluoride and acetic acid ( 1 . 0 m in thf , 240 μl , 0 . 24 mmol ) were reacted by the general procedure as described in example 1 for the preparation of 3 -[ 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenoxy ]- 3 -( 5 - tert - butyloxycarbonylpentyl )- 1 , 1 , 1 - trifluoro - 2 - propanone to give the title compound ( 120 mg , 93 %) as a pale yellow oil . treatment of the above free amine with anhydrous hydrogen chloride ( 1 . 0 m in ether ) gave the hydrochloride salt as a pale yellow syrup . 3 -[ 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenoxy ]- 3 -( 2 - tert - butyloxycarbonylethyl )- 1 , 1 , 1 - trifluoro - 2 - propanone was reacted by the general procedure as described in example 1 for the preparation of 3 -[ 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenoxy ]- 3 -( 5 - carboxypentyl )- 1 , 1 , 1 - trifluoro - 2 - propanone , trifluoroacetic salt to give the title compound as a pale yellow sticky solid . 3 - lodobenzoic ( 5 g , 20 mmol ) acid and iso - butene ( 30 ml ) were reacted by the same procedure as described in example 1 for the preparation of tert - butyl 6 - bromohexanoate and afforded the title material ( 4 . 2 g , 68 %) as a pale yellow oil . a mixture of tert - butyl 3 - iodobenzoate ( 2 g , 6 . 58 mmol ) and tetrakis ( triphenylphosphine ) palladium ( 0 ) ( 250 mg , 0 . 329 mmol ) in thf ( 10 ml ) was treated with a freshly prepared 3 - methoxycarbonylpropylzinc iodide ( 0 . 25 m in thf , 27 ml , 6 . 58 mmol ). the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 3 hours , quenched with saturated aqueous ammonium chloride ( 5 ml ) and extracted with diethyl ether . the organic phase was washed with saturated aqueous ammonium chloride , brine , dried over sodium sulfate and concentrated in vacuo . the residue was chromatographed on silica gel ( hexane : ethyl acetate = 9 : 1 ) to give the title material ( 0 . 73 g , 40 %) as a colorless oil . to a solution of methyl 4 -( 3 - tert - butoxycarbonylphenyl ) butanoate ( 200 mg , 0 . 71 mmol ) in thf ( 2 ml ) at − 78 ° c . was added dropwise potasium bis ( trimethyl ) amide ( 0 . 5 m in toluene , 1 . 6 ml , 0 . 8 mmol ). the mixture was stirred at this temperature for 0 . 5 hours and treated with dropwise addition of a solution of trans - 2 - phenylsulfonyl - 3 - phenyloxaziridine ( 223 mg , 0 . 8 mmol ) in thf ( 2 ml ). the mixture was stirred at − 78 ° c . for 3 hours , quenched with aqueous ammonium chloride , warmed room temperature and diluted with ethyl acetate . the organic phase was washed with aqueous ammonium chloride , brine , dried over sodium sulfate and concentrated in vacuo . the residue was chromatographed on silica gel ( hexane : ethyl acetate = 9 : 1 ) to give the title compound ( 90 mg , 43 %) as a pale yellow oil . 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenol ( 320 mg , 0 . 77 mmol ) and methyl 4 -( 3 - tert - butoxycarbonylphenyl )- 2 - hydroxybutanoate ( 175 mg , 0 . 59 mmol ) in benzene ( 3 ml ) were reacted by the same procedure as described in example 1 for the preparation of methyl 2 -[ 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenoxy ]- 2 -( 5 - tert - butoxycarbonylpentyl )- ethanoate and afforded the title compound ( 205 mg , 49 %) as a pale yellow oil . methyl 3 -[ 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenoxy ] 2 -( 3 - tert - butoxycarbonylphenylethyl )- ethanoate ( 150 mg , 0 . 22 mmol ) and trifluoromethyl trimethylsilane ( 0 . 235 ml , 2 . 2 mmol ) were reacted by the general procedure as described in example 1 for the preparation of 3 -[ 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenoxy ]- 3 -( 5 - tert - butyloxycarbonylpentyl )- 2 - methoxy - 2 - trimethylsilyloxy - 1 , 1 , 1 - trifluoropropane to give the title compound ( 103 mg , 56 %) as a pale yellow oil . 3 -[ 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenoxy ]- 3 -( 3 - tert - butyloxycarbonylphenylethyl )- 2 - methoxy - 2 - trifluoromethylsilyloxy - 1 , 1 , 1 - trifluoropropane ( 100 mg , 0 . 12 mmol ) and a mixture of tetrabutylammonium fluoride and acetic acid ( 1 . 0 m in thf , 160 μl , 0 . 16 mmol ) were reacted by the general procedure as described in example 1 for the preparation of 3 -[ 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenoxy ]- 3 -( 5 - tert - butyloxycarbonylpentyl )- 1 , 1 , 1 - trifluoro - 2 - propanone to give the title compound ( 63 mg , 72 %) as a colorless oil . 3 -[ 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenoxy ]- 3 -( 3 - tert - butyloxycarbonylphenylethyl )- 1 , 1 , 1 - trifluoro - 2 - propanone ( 60 mg , 0 . 08 mmol ) and trifluoroacetic acid were reacted by the general procedure as described in example 1 for the preparation of 3 -[ 4 -[ 3 -[ n -[ 2 - bis -( 4 - chlorophenyl ) ethyl ]- n - methylamino ] propyl ] phenoxy ]- 3 -( 5 - carboxypentyl )- 1 , 1 , 1 - trifluoro - 2 - propanone , trifluoroacetic acid salt to give the title compound ( 65 mg , 100 %) as a white foamy solid . | 0 |
formulation a : a suspension prepared with 1 alendronate sodium tablet ( fosamax ®) containing alendronate sodium equivalent to 70 mg alendronie acid , 1 gram ammonioalkyl methacrylate copolymer dispersion ( eudragit rl 30d ), and 50 ml of distilled water . formulation b : a suspension prepare with one alendronate sodium tablet ( fosamax ®) containing alendronate sodium equivalent to 70 mg alendronic acid , 7 ml of 0 . 1n hcl solution , 210 mg of aminoalkyl methacrylate copolymer ( eudragit e po ), and 43 ml of distilled water . formulation c : a suspension prepared with one alendronate sodium tablet ( fosamax ®) containing alendronate sodium equivalent to 70 mg alendronic acid , and 50 ml distilled water . manufacturing process includes transferring 1 . 0 g of ammonioalkyl methacrylate copolymer dispersion ( eudragit rl 30d ) to a 100 ml glass vial . add 50 . 0 ml of distilled water using a graduate cylinder to the vial and handshake the vial to obtain homogeneous polymer dispersion . place one alendronate sodium tablet containing alendronate sodium equivalent to 70 mg alendronic acid into the vial and handshake the vial until the tablet is completely disintegrated prior to dosing . manufacturing process includes transferring 210 mg of aminoalkyl methacrylate copolymer ( eudragit e po ) to a 100 ml glass vial . add 7 ml of 0 . 1n hc1 solution to dissolve aminoalkyl methacrylate copolymer ( eudragit e po ) in the vial . after the solid is completely dissolved , pour 43 ml of distilled water using a graduate cylinder into the vial and handshake the vial to obtain homogeneous polymer solution . place one alendronate sodium tablet containing alendronate sodium equivalent to 70 mg alendronic acid in the vial and handshake the vial until the tablet is completely disintegrated prior to dosing . place on alendronate sodium tablet containing alendronate sodium equivalent to 70 mg alendronic acid into a 100 ml glass vial to which 50 ml of distilled water is added . handshake the vial until the tablet is completely disintegrated prior to dosing . an open label and randomized three - way crossover study was employed to investigate the bioavailability of formulations a , b , and c , seven ( 7 ) healthy , adult , male subjects randomly received the three separate formulations in assigned periods , one per period . the formulations were separated by a washout period of at least seven ( 7 ) days . drug administration consisted of an oral single suspension dose taken on the study day of periods i , ii , and iii . each study period consisted of one ( 1 ) drug dose , and was then accompanied by 150 ml ( 5 fl . ozs ) of room temperature tap water , following an overnight fast . urine samples were obtained at hour 0 ( pre - dose ) and following the dose at hours 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 , and 8 and were subsequently assayed for alendronic acid . tables 4 , 5 , and 6 summarize the quantity of alendronic acid excreted in urine for formulation a , b , and c , respectively . fig1 depicts the cumulative amount of alendronic acid excreted in urine over a period of 8 hours . of three formulations , formulation b produced the highest systemic uptake of alendronate as was evidenced the amount of alendronic acid excreted in urine . the peak amount of alendronic acid in urine was detected at hour 2 for all three formulations . total amount of alendronic acid excreted in 8 hours after the administration of formulation b was approximately 3 - 4 times greater than for formulation a and c . the higher renal excretion excretion rate and amount strongly reveals that aminoalkyl methacrylate copolymer as one of cation - bearing compounds significantly improve the absorption of bisphosphonate . the relative bioavailabilities of the three formulations are calculated based on its cumulative total amount of alendronate acid excreted in the urine . the statistical summary is listed in table 7 . as shown in table 7 , the cumulated urine excreted alendronate is significantly higher for formulation b than that of formulations a and c . the amount of alendronate excreted in urine is a reflection of its oral bioavailability the almost four - fold increase in bioavailability for formulation b indicates its dose of 70 mg is almost equivalent to given four tablets of fosamax ® 70 mg . furthermore , because of its extremely long terminal half - life of alendronate , i . e ., more than ten years , fosamax ® 70 mg is administered weekly . this is an improved product from the original product , fosamax ® 10 mg which is administered daily . both strengths of fosamax ® 10 and 70 mg are on the u . s . market . assuming the linearity of oral absorption and its efficacy applicable to formulation b , and because of its extremely long half - life , the super - bioavailability of formulation b will provide a novel product that can be administered less frequently , e . g ., monthly ( because same dose of 70 mg in formulation b will last four times longer due to its four - fold increase in bioavailability ) or annually ( if given higher dose , e . g ., at 910 mg alendronate , i . e ., ( 70 / 4 )× 52 ). another invention of this patent is it provides a convenient novel oral administration frequency , i . e ., monthly or annually , as oral dosage form . the less frequent dosing of this unique formulation b will provide convenience to the patients and increase their compliance , and therefore reduce the health cost and improve the quality of life for patients in the long run . female sprague - dawley rats ( 3 - month - old ) weighing 300 ˜ 320 gm were used for this study . rats were ovariectomized ( ovx ) bilaterally under trichloroacetaldehyde ( 200 mg / kg ) anesthesia and control rats were sham - operated ( sham ) for comparison . the animals were all kept under controlled conditions at room temperature ( 22 ± 1 ° c .) and a 12 - hr light - dark cycle . animals were fed with purina laboratory rodent diet ( pmi ; st . louis , mo .) ( 0 . 95 % calcium ) and water ad libitum . body weight of the rats was determined weekly . rats were randomly divided into 5 groups as follows . treatment ( p . o ., fasting 4 hrs before and 2 hrs after drug treatment ) dose - interval group surgery ( 1 mg / kg ) ( day ) sham - operated sham vehicle 2 ovx ovx vehicle 2 c - 2 ovx alendronate control 2 c - 7 ovx alendronate control 7 a - 7 ovx alendronate absorp . improve 7 solution a is prepared for the mice of group a - 7 . manufacturing process includes transferring 210 mg of aminoalkyl methacrylate copolymer ( eudragit e po ) to a 100 ml glass vial . add about 1 . 2 ml of 0 . 1n hc1 solution to dissolve aminoalkyl methacrylate copolymer ( eudragit e po ) in the vial . after the solid is completely dissolved , pour 35 ml of distilled water using a graduate cylinder into the vial and handshake the vial to obtain homogeneous polymer solution . 91 . 37 mg alendronate sodium trihydrate , which contains alendronate sodium equivalent to 70 mg alendronic acid , is placed in the vial and shakes the vial until the alendronate sodium trihydrate is completely disintegrated prior to dosing . vanilla 105 mg and sucralose 17 . 4 mg are added in the solution . solution c is prepared for the mice of groups c - 2 and c - 7 . manufacturing process includes transferring 91 . 37 mg alendronate sodium trihydrate , which contains alendronate sodium equivalent to 70 mg alendronic acid , is placed in the vial and shakes the vial until the alendronate sodium trihydrate is completely disintegrated prior to dosing . vanilla 105 mg and sucralose 17 . 4 mg are added in the solution . at the end of the program ( 6 weeks after ovariectomy ), the rats were sacrificed by decapitation . the tibia and femur were removed and cleaned of soft tissue , the length and weight of the tibia and femur were measured with a precision caliper (± 0 . 05 mm ) as described by weinreb et al . ( 1991 ). b md and bmc of the tibia were measured with a dual - energy x - ray absorptiometer ( dexa , xr - 26 ; norland , fort atkinson , wis .). the mode adapted to the measurements of small subjects was adopted . a coefficient of variation of 0 . 7 % was calculated from daily measurements of bmd on a lumbar phantom for more than 1 year ( yang et al ., 1998 ). the whole tibia and femur were scanned and bmd and bmc were measured by absorptiometer . tibiae were fixed by 4 % formaldehyde and then decalcified with 0 . 5n hydrochloric acid and dehydrated in an ascending series of ethanol solution and acetone , and embedded in paraffin . serial sections ( 5 mm ) were cut longitudinally and stained with mayer &# 39 ; s hematoxylin - eosin solution . images of the growth plate and proximal tibia were photographed using olympus microscope . bone volume was measured in the secondary spongiosa , which is located under the primary spongiosa and characterized by a network of larger trabeculae . bone volume was measured using image analysis software ( image - pro plus 3 . 0 ). mechanical properties of bone tissues were measured in three - point bending in a material testing system ( mts - 858 , mts system inc ., minneapolis , minn .). the span of the two support points is 20 millimeters and the deformation rate is 1 mm / min . load / deformation curves are transported to a computer and acquired by team 490 software ( version 4 . 10 , nicolet instrument technologies inc ., madison , wis .). cross - sectional parameters were measured from the photographs and used in the calculation of the cross - sectional moment of inertia . the cross - sectional moment of inertia was calculated under the assumption that the cross - sections were elliptically shaped ( turner et al ., 1992 ): where a is the width of the cross section in the mediolateral direction , b is the width of the cross section in the anteroposterior direction , and t is the average of the cortical thickness . all of these parameters are obtained using the image software image pro plus 3 . 0 for windows ( media cybernetics , silver spring , md .). the maximal stress , ultimate stress , and elastic modulus ( young &# 39 ; s modulus ) were calculated using the following equations ( turner and burr , 1993 ): where σ is ultimate stress , c is the distance from the center of mass ( equal to ½b as described above ), f is the applied load ( n ), d is the displacement ( mm ), and l is the span between the two support points of the bending fixture ( mm ). in addition , the energies to ultimate stress are also measured by computing the respective areas under the stress - strain curve . prevention of bone loss by alendronate control and alendronate absorption improvement formulation the results are organized in the table 8 , table 8 illuminates the treatment / prevention of bone loss by alendronate absorption improving formulation . rats showed decrease of wet weight in both femur and tibia after 6 weeks &# 39 ; ovariectomy . treatment with alendronate control on alternate days ( c - 2 ) or alendronate absorption improving formulation once per week ( a - 7 ) prevented the weight loss of both tibia and femur in ovx rats . fig2 illuminated the comparison of the histomorphometries of the bone of the mouse belonging to the group sham , group ovx , group a - 7 and group c - 7 . compared with sham - operated rats ( sham ), ovariectomy ( ovx ) caused a significant loss of trabecular bone . in comparison with alendronate control ( c - 7 ), once / week treatment of solution a ( alendronate absorption improvement formulation ), group a - 7 is more efficient in the prevention of the loss of trabecular bone in secondary spongiosa . bar in the picture of c - 7 equals 0 . 5 mm . referring is made to fig3 a - b , fig3 a - b illuminates comparison of the effects of solution a ( alendronate absorption improvement formulation ) and solution c ( alendronate control ) on the bone volume and bone mineral content ( bmc ) in ovariectomized rats . ovariectomy for 6 weeks reduced bmc , illuminated in fig3 a , and bone volume , illuminated in fig3 b in both tibia and femur . alendronate control treated on alternate days ( c - 2 ) is much more efficient to prevent bone loss induced by ovariectomy than that treatment on once / week ( c - 7 ). on the other hand , alendronate absorption improvement formulation treated on once / week ( a - 7 ) can markedly inhibit the ovx - induced decrease of bmc and bone volume . the bone volume decreases by 55 % in response to ovx . treatment with alendronate control on alternate days ( c - 2 ) completely reversed the loss of bone volume . however , when the dose interval was increased from 2 to 7 days ( c - 7 ) the protection effect was significantly decreased . however , once / week treatment with solution a . ( alendronate absorption improvement formulation ) ( group a - 7 ) completely antagonized the loss of bone volume . these results suggest that solution a is more effective than solution c ( alendronate control ) to prevent the bone loss induced by qvx when treated at longer dosing intervals . we further examined the effect of alendronate on the bone mineral content ( bmc ). it was shown in fig3 a and table 8 that ovx decreased bmd and bmc in both tibia and femur . treatment with alendronate control on alternate days but not on once / week efficiently prevents the loss of bone mineral content . on the other hand , once / week treatment with solution a ( alendronate absorption improvement formulation ) markedly antagonized the decrease of bmd and bmc caused by ovariectomy . effect of solution a ( alendronate absorption improvement formulation ) on the biomechanical properties in ovx rats referring is made to fig4 a - b , fig4 a - b illuminates comparison of the effects of solution a ( alendronate absorption improvement formulation ) and solution c ( alendronate control ) on the biomechanical properties in ovariectomized rats . ovariectomy for 6 weeks decreased young &# 39 ; s modulus , illuminated in fig4 a , and ultimate stress , illuminated in fig4 b in femur upon three - point bending test . alendronate control treated on alternate days ( c - 2 ) is much more efficient to prevent the decrease of bone strength induced by ovariectomy than that treatment on once / week ( c - 7 ). on the other hand , alendronate absorption improvement formulation treated on once / week ( a - 7 ) can efficiently inhibit the ovx - induced decrease of young &# 39 ; s modulus and ultimate stress . three - point bending test was done in the femur . compared with sham - operated group , the ultimate stress and young &# 39 ; s modulus decreased in ovx rats . treatment with alendronate on alternate days but not on once / week exhibited protection against ovx - induced decrease of bone strength . on the other hand , once / week treatment with solution a ( alendronate absorption improvement formulation ) completely reversed the effect of ovx on the biomechanical properties . ovx rats have been shown to reproducibly lose bone mass from the axial and appendicular skeleton with declining levels of systemic estrogen similar to postmenopausal women ( kimmel , 1996 ). the ovx rat thus has become a useful animal model that mimics the bone loss observed for postmenopausal women . skeletal pharmacology studies in ovx rats have been predictive of clinical efficacy in postmenopausal women for bisphosphonates ( seedor et al ., 1991 ). comparing the metabolism speed between mouse and human being , the mouse is at least 4 times faster than human being . the dose in the solution c is once - weekly for human being . therefore , the dose in the solution a is adapted for a dosing schedule having a dosing interval once - monthly . here we found that ovx reduced bmd , bmc , bone volume and biomechanical properties of the long bones . alendronate control treated on alternate days but not once / week ( 1 mg / kg ) treatment efficiently prevents the bone loss . however , solution a ( alendronate absorption improvement formulation ), whose oral absorption has been enhanced for several folds , can significantly prevent ovariectomy - induced bone loss even if administered once per week . therefore , solution a ( alendronate absorption improvement formulation ) may be used clinically at longer dosing intervals than alendronate control . another invention of this patent is it provides a convenient novel oral administration frequency , i . e ., quarterly or annually , as oral dosage form . the less frequent dosing of this unique solution a will provide convenience to the patients and increase their compliance , and therefore reduce the health cost and improve the quality of life for patients in the long run . the once - annually dosage provide by increasing the dose 12 folds ( e . g ., given larger volume of oral solution at higher drug concentration , it is expected to have similar efficacy because of its long half - life . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention . in view of the foregoing , it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents . | 0 |
fig1 shows one example of a circuit illustrating the principle of this invention . in the circuit , crystal resonators x 1 and x 2 are used in combination with oscillators osc 1 and osc 2 , respectively . originally , the oscillating frequency of a crystal resonator is fixed . however , in this case , the crystal resonators are connected in parallel to the capacitors formed by the rotating object r and the stationary members s 1 and s 2 , and therefore the oscillating frequency of each crystal resonator is varied as much as the variation in capacitance of the respective capacitor . the variation in capacitance of the capacitors is a so - called &# 34 ; differential variation ,&# 34 ; in which while the capacitance of one capacitor is increased , the capacitance of the other capacitor is decreased . accordingly , while the oscillating frequency of one of the oscillators osc 1 and osc 2 is increased , that of the other is decreased . if these two frequency signals are mixed with each other in a mixer mix , then the difference frequency f between them can be obtained . the difference signal is transmitted to a signal processing circuit by wire or wireless communication . the parts ( a ) and ( b ) of fig2 are graphical representations indicating the outputs of the oscillators osc 1 and osc 2 and the output of the mixer mix , which are provided as the rotating object r is rotated with respect to the stationary members s 1 and s 2 . for convenience in description , a relative average distance d between the rotating object r and the stationary members s 1 and s 2 will be employed . as the rotating object r is rotated approximately one graduation with respect to the stationary members s 1 and s 2 , the output frequencies f 1 and f 2 of the oscillators osc 1 and osc 2 change non - linearly as indicated in the part ( a ) of fig2 . it should be noted that the variations of the output frequencies f 1 and f 2 are symmetrical . if a characteristic curve ( f 1 - f 2 ) is obtained from the variations of the output frequencies , then it includes a substantially linear portion as indicated in fig1 . shown in fig3 is one example of the sensor unit , according to this invention which comprises a moving object m and stationary members s10 , s10 &# 39 ;, s20 and s20 &# 39 ;. in this case , the moving object m is moved straightly in the direction of the arrow a . the moving object m has gear - like graduations ma and mb cut in both sides . the gear - like graduation ma is different by 180 ° in phase from the gear - like graduation mb . the circuit shown in fig4 is used for this sensor unit . the stationary members s10 and s10 &# 39 ; have gear - like graduations s10a and s10 &# 39 ; a which are in phase with each other with respect to the graduations ma and mb . similarly , the stationary members s20 and s20 &# 39 ; have gear - like graduations s20a and s20 &# 39 ; a which are in phase with each other with respect to the graduations ma and mb . however , it should be noted that the graduations s10a and s20a of the stationary members s10 and s20 are different by 180 ° in phase from each other with respect to the graduation ma , and similarly the graduations s10 &# 39 ; a and s20 &# 39 ; a of the stationary members s10 &# 39 ; and s20 &# 39 ; a are different by 180 ° in phase from each other with respect to the graduation mb . therefore , if the moving object m and the stationary members s10 , s10 &# 39 ;, s10 &# 39 ;, s20 and s20 &# 39 ; are arranged to form capacitors , then when the capacitance between the moving object m and the stationary members s10 and s10 &# 39 ; is maximal , the capacitance between the moving object m and the stationary members s20 and s20 &# 39 ; is minimal . the stationary members s10 and s10 &# 39 ; are connected together , and the stationary members s20 and s20 &# 39 ; are connected together . therefore , even if the distances between the moving object m and the stationary members s10 and s20 are different from the distances between the moving object m and the stationary members s10 &# 39 ; and s20 &# 39 ;, the difference can be cancelled in capacitance . this can be applied to the case where the moving object m is rotated in inclination state . in the example also , measurement errors attributed to the eccentricity and inclination of the moving object are scarcely caused . thus , the amount of rotation can be measured with high precision . fig4 shows a measurement circuit including the sensor unit connected as described above . crystal resonators x 1 and x 2 are used in combination with oscillators osc 1 and osc 2 , respectively . the oscillating frequency of each of the crystal resonators x 1 and x 2 is fixed . however , since the crystal resonators are coupled in series to the capacitors formed by the moving object r and the stationary members s1 , s1 &# 39 ; and s2 and s2 &# 39 ;, the oscillating frequencies of the crystal resonators are changed as the capacitance of the capacitors change with the rotation of the moving object . the variations in capacitance the capacitors are of a so - called &# 34 ; differential variation ,&# 34 ; in which while the capacitance of one capacitor is increased , the capacitance of the other is decreased . accordingly , while the oscillating frequency of one of the oscillators osc 1 and osc 2 is increased , that of the other is decreased . if these two frequency signals are mixed with each other in a mixer mix , then the difference frequency f between them can be obtained . the variations of the difference frequency f is as indicated in fig5 . with this example , measurement errors attributed to the eccentricity and inclination of the moving object are scarcely caused . thus , the amount of rotation can be measured with high accuracy . fig5 shows the continuous variation of the difference frequency signal f with the movement of the moving object r . as the moving object moves , the difference frequency is increased at a graduation pitch , but it is decreased at the next graduation pitch . it is necessary to linearly increase and decrease the frequency . this can be achieved by suitably selecting the configurations of the gear - like cuts , i . e ., the recesses and protrusions of the moving object r and the stationary members s 1 and s 2 . as the frequency is repeatedly increased and decreased linearly , one graduation pitch can be divided into equal parts . accordingly , the reading can be accomplished with much more precision than that of the graduation pitch . for instance , it is assumed that the graduation pitch is of a unit of one millimeter . if , in this case , this graduation pitch is divided into one hundred parts , then the reading can be made by the unit of microns . if the graduation pitch can be divided into more parts , then the pitch intervals can be made to be longer . fig6 shows another method of processing the outputs of the oscillators osc 1 and osc 2 . the outputs of the two oscillators are applied through one receiver rcv to mixers mix 1 and mix 2 , where they are mixed with local oscillation frequencies lo 1 and lo 2 for frequency conversion , respectively . each of the two output signals of the mixers is applied to frequency - voltage converters fv 1 and fv 2 so that each of the signals is converted to voltage signals . the voltage signals are applied to a differential amplifier def to provide voltage difference signals which represent the frequency difference between oscillators osc 1 and osc 2 . the problems that , when the difference between the output frequencies of the oscillators osc 1 and osc 2 is several khz , the signal interval is 0 . 2 to 0 . 3 millisecond which cannot follow the movement of continuously moving object , and when a frequency of 10 to 20 mhz , readily obtained as the output frequencies of the oscillators osc 1 and osc 2 , is used as it is , the frequency is unsuitable for a frequency - to - voltage converter , can be solved by the arrangement shown in fig6 . that is , the difficulty that as the signal interval is of the order of microseconds , several khz which is the signal variation is included in a range of error , can be eliminated . | 6 |
the embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non - limiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description . descriptions of well - known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein . the examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein . accordingly , the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein . as mentioned above , there remains a need for a novel percutaneous tube for use during minimally invasive surgical procedures that allows auxiliary instruments ( e . g ., internal and external attachments ) to be securely coupled to the novel percutaneous tube and provide an unobstructed view of critical areas during surgery . the embodiments herein provide a percutaneous tube assembly with an internal fixation device embedded within the length of the percutaneous tube to allow secured attachment of the fixation device and unobstructed viewing of crucial areas during the minimally invasive surgical procedure . referring now to the drawings , and more particularly to fig1 ( a ) through 8 ( b ) , there are shown preferred embodiments of the invention . fig1 ( a ) and 1 ( b ) illustrate a schematic diagram of a percutaneous tube assembly 1 according to an embodiment herein . as shown , percutaneous tube assembly 1 includes percutaneous tube 10 , which includes a translucent main body 12 , external attachment fixture 14 , access slot 16 , and notch 18 . while not shown in fig1 ( a ) , external attachment fixture 14 is configured to accept external attachments . external attachment fixture 14 is offset by angle 14 a , where angle 14 a is sufficient to prevent external attachments from obscuring the view of a surgeon when attached to external attachment fixture 14 . access slot 16 provides access to interior anatomical structures of a bodily cavity during a minimally invasive surgical procedure and allows manipulation of surgical implants during the minimally invasive surgery . for example , access slot 16 may be used as a passageway for inserting a rod ( not shown ) during a minimally invasive surgical procedure for spinal applications . notch 18 provides a counter - shape to percutaneous tube assembly 1 . for example , notch 18 may prevent percutaneous tube assembly 1 from being blocked by interior anatomical structures of a bodily cavity during a minimally invasive surgical procedure . percutaneous tube assembly 1 also includes internal attachment 30 . while not shown in fig1 ( a ) and 1 ( b ) , internal attachment 30 may include a clamp attachment , a pin attachment , a screw attachment , a hook attachment or any other similarly useful attachments that may be used during a minimally invasive surgical procedure . fig2 , with reference to fig1 ( a ) and 1 ( b ) , fig3 ( a ) , and fig8 ( a ) and 8 ( b ) , illustrates a perspective view of an internal fixation device 30 according to an embodiment herein . the internal attachment 30 includes main body 32 and clamp attachment 34 . while clamp attachment 34 is shown in fig2 ( b ) coupled to main body 32 , internal attachment 30 is not limited to clamp attachment 34 and may include a pin attachment ( e . g ., pin attachment 38 , shown in fig3 ( a )), a screw attachment ( e . g ., screw attachment 40 , shown in fig8 ( a ) and 8 ( b )), a hook attachment or any other device appropriate during minimally invasive surgical procedures . fig3 ( a ) , with reference to fig1 through 2 ( b ) , illustrates a disassembled view of a percutaneous tube assembly 1 according to an embodiment herein . in addition , fig3 ( b ) and 3 ( c ) , with reference to fig1 through 3 ( a ) , illustrate alternate views of a percutaneous tube assembly 1 according to an embodiment herein . percutaneous tube 10 includes main body 12 , external attachment fixture 14 , access slot 16 , and notch 18 , as shown previously , as well as an access channel 20 , and an internal attachment channel 22 . both access channel 20 and internal attachment channel 22 are channels bored through main body 12 . in addition , internal attachment 30 is shown with a main body 32 and pin attachment 38 . main body 32 is configured to loosely mate with internal attachment channel 22 . in fig3 ( c ) , which is an a - a cross - section from fig3 ( b ) , internal attachment channel 22 with main body 32 of internal attachment 30 is shown in percutaneous tube assembly 1 . fig4 ( a ) through 4 ( c ) , with reference to fig1 ( a ) through 3 ( c ) , illustrate a schematic diagram of a percutaneous tube assembly 1 with an internal attachment 30 extended according to an embodiment herein . additionally , fig5 ( a ) through 5 ( c ) , with reference to fig1 ( a ) through 4 ( c ) , illustrate a schematic diagram of a percutaneous tube assembly 1 with an internal attachment fixture 30 retracted according to an embodiment herein . as shown previously , percutaneous tube 10 includes internal attachment channel 22 ( not shown in fig4 ( a ) through 5 ( c ) , but shown in fig3 ( c ) ) that accepts internal attachment 30 . as shown in fig4 ( a ) through 5 ( c ) , internal attachment 30 may include a clamp attachment 34 . while clamp attachment 34 is shown in fig4 ( a ) through 5 ( c ) , internal attachment 30 is not limited thereto and may include a pin attachment ( e . g ., pin attachment 38 , shown in fig3 ( a ) ) or a hook attachment . in addition , internal attachment 30 may permit mechanical manipulation of clamp attachment 34 without removal from internal attachment channel 22 . for example , in fig4 ( a ) through 4 ( c ) , clamp attachment 34 is a clamp - like device with each clamp - like protrusion coupled to a spring - like device and the clamp - liked protrusions are fully extended . in fig5 ( a ) through 5 ( c ) , however , the clamp - like protrusion of clamp attachment 34 are partially retracted because main body 12 is compressing each clamp - like protrusion causing the spring - like devices to compress and retract clamp attachment 34 . percutaneous tube assembly 1 may translate from the configuration shown in fig4 ( a ) through 4 ( c ) to the configuration shown in fig5 ( a ) through 5 ( c ) when a force ( e . g ., a pulling force or a pushing force ) is applied to a top portion 36 of internal attachment 30 , which translates through internal attachment channel 22 to effectuate the clamping mechanism ( e . g ., through the spring - like devices coupled to the clamp - like protrusions of clamp attachment 34 ) shown in fig4 ( a ) through 5 ( c ) . fig6 ( a ) through 6 ( c ) , with reference to fig1 ( a ) through 5 ( c ) , illustrate an isolated view of a percutaneous tube 10 according to an embodiment herein . in the views shown , percutaneous tube 10 includes main body 12 , external attachment fixture 14 , angle 14 a , access slot 16 , notch 18 , access channel 20 , internal attachment channel 22 , upper inner smooth surface 24 and lower inner rough surface 26 . while not shown , external attachment fixture 14 is embodied as a universal fixture that accepts a variety of different external attachments . for example , a light source ( e . g ., a lamp ) ( not shown ) may be attached to external attachment fixture 14 to provide light while percutaneous tube 10 is in use during surgery . in addition , external attachment 14 is offset from main body 12 by angle 14 a to allow an external attachment to be transfixed to external attachment fixture 14 and continue providing unobstructed access to access channel 20 . percutaneous tube 10 also includes an optional upper inner smooth surface 24 and an optional lower inner rough surface 26 . generally , light reflected on the smooth surface 24 creates specular reflection such that the reflected light rays are all parallel to each other causing a generally uniform light reflection on the smooth surface 24 . whereas , light reflected on the rough surface 26 creates diffuse reflection such that the reflected light rays travel in random directions causing an enhanced visibility on the rough surface 26 , which increases illumination towards the notch end 18 of the percutaneous tube 10 , where increased / enhanced light / visibility is desired during surgery . fig7 ( a ) through 7 ( c ) , with reference to fig1 ( a ) through 6 ( c ) , illustrate a schematic diagram of an internal attachment 30 with a clamp attachment 34 according to an embodiment herein . in addition , fig8 ( a ) through 8 ( b ) , with reference to fig1 ( a ) through 7 ( c ) , illustrate a schematic diagram of an internal attachment 30 with a pin attachment 38 according to an embodiment herein . in the views shown , internal attachment 30 includes main body 32 and either clamp attachment 34 ( shown in fig7 ( a ) through 7 ( c )), pin attachment 36 ( shown in fig3 ( a ) ) or a screw attachment 40 ( shown in fig8 ( a ) and 8 ( b ) ). in addition , main body 32 includes a top portion 36 , which is the portion of internal attachment 30 that protrudes above percutaneous tube 10 and permits manipulation during a minimally invasive surgical procedure ( e . g ., a pulling force or a pushing force may be applied to top portion 36 ). as shown , internal attachment 30 may include a clamp attachment 34 ( as shown in fig7 ( a ) through 7 ( c )), or a screw attachment 40 ( as shown in fig8 ( a ) and 8 ( b )), but may also include a pin attachment ( shown in fig3 ( a ) , a hook attachment ( not shown ) or any other similarly attachment useful during a minimally invasive surgical procedure . while top portion 36 is shown in fig8 ( a ) through 8 ( b ) as a polygonal socket , top portion 36 is not limited to such a configuration . in addition , as discussed above , top portion 36 may provide mechanical assistance in manipulating internal attachment fixture 32 when internal attachment 30 is secured within internal attachment channel 22 ( e . g ., as shown in fig3 ( c ) ). the embodiments herein provide a percutaneous tube assembly ( e . g ., percutaneous tube assembly 1 ) with an internal fixation device ( e . g ., internal attachment 30 ) embedded within the length of the percutaneous tube ( e . g ., through internal attachment channel 22 ) to allow secured attachment of the fixation device ( e . g . internal attachment 30 ) and unobstructed viewing of crucial areas during the minimally invasive surgical procedure . since a sturdy and unobstructed access to the surgical location is easily achievable using such a percutaneous tube assembly ( e . g ., percutaneous tube assembly 1 ), the usage of cannulated implant may be avoided . for example , instead of using a cannulated pedicle screw system , a non - cannulated pedicle screw system would be available during a minimally invasive surgical procedure . the foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can , by applying current knowledge , readily modify and / or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept , and , therefore , such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments . it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation . therefore , while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments , those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the appended claims . | 0 |
fig4 is a circuit diagram of an embodiment of a display data supply circuit according to the present invention . fig8 is a circuit diagram of a color liquid crystal display apparatus which is an embodiment of a matrix display apparatus incorporating the display data supply circuit of fig4 . first of all , the display data supply circuit will now be described . for convenience of description , it is now assumed that every other horizontal interval is used as the display interval in the color liquid crystal display apparatus , and the number of horizontal display dots is four . numerals 1 to 4 , 6 , 8 to 15 and 17 to 20 denote the same components as those of fig5 . latch means 24 latches the input data 1 and the display timing signal in synchronism with the dot clock . a latch display timing signal 25 obtained by latching the display timing signal 3 in the latch means 24 and latch data 6 are supplied to a random access memory ( ram ) 26 . the ram 26 comprises n first memories 26r , 26g and 26b respectively for memorizing latch data 6 of n colors r , g and b and a second memory 26d whereto the same addresses as those of the first memories 26r , 26g and 26b are assigned . in the second memory 26d , the latch display timing signal 25 is written into the same address as that of the latch data 6 in the first memories 26r , 26g and 26b . when the display timing signal is a &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; level , data of logic 1 are written into the second memory 26d . when the display timing signal is a &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; level , data of logic 0 are written into the second memory 26d . therefore , the difference y ( shown in fig6 n ) between the address whereat data stored in the second memory 26d have changed from a logic 0 to a logic 1 and the address whereat data stored in the second memory 26d have changed from a logic 1 to a logic 0 indicates the number of horizontal display dots , or 4 in this case . according to a read address supplied from read address generator means 28 , a display timing signal is read out from the second memory 26d . this is referred to as output display timing signal 27 . the read address generator means 28 is reset by a &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; level of the output display timing signal 27 or a &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; level of the read start signal 11 . the read address generator means 28 counts up rising edges of the read clock 15 to produce the read address 17 . fig5 is an internal block diagram of the above described read address generator means 28 . the read address generator means 28 comprises a counter 29 , a not circuit 30 and a nor circuit 31 . the counter 29 is reset when the output display timing signal 27 has become a &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; level or when the read start signal 11 has become a &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; level , thereby the read address generator means being reset . fig6 is a time chart showing the operation of the circuit illustrated in fig4 . operation of the circuits shown in fig4 and 5 will now be described by referring to fig6 . upon a rising edge of the dot clock 2 , the input data 1 and the display timing signal 3 are latched by the latch means 24 . latched data 6 thus latched and the latch display timing signal 25 are supplied to data input terminals of the ram 26 . when the display timing signal 3 becomes a &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; level at points c and d in synchronism with a falling edge of the horizontal synchronizing signal 4 , the timing signal generator means 8 outputs the write start signal 10 and resets the write address generator means 12 . the write address 13 is successively increased by the dot clock 2 . if at this time the write / read signal 9 is in a &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; level interval , the ram 26 is brought into the write mode . at the same time , the write address 13 is outputted onto the address 19 by the switch means 18 and supplied to address terminals of the ram 26 . the latch data 6 and the latch display timing signal 25 are simultaneously and successively written into the ram 26 until the write / read signal 9 becomes a &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; level . when the horizontal synchronizing signal 4 is inputted , the timing signal generator means 8 generates the read start signal 11 and resets the read address generator means 28 . after the read address generator means 28 has been reset , it successively counts up the read clocks 15 and outputs the read address 17 . when the write / read signal 9 has become a &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; level in synchronism with the horizontal synchronizing signal 4 , the ram 26 is brought into the read mode , and the read address 17 is outputted onto the address 19 by the switch means 18 and supplied to address specifying terminals of the ram 26 . during every other horizontal synchronizing signal interval , output data 20 and the output display timing signal 27 corresponding to the latch data and the latch display timing signal 25 written during the previous horizontal interval are successively read out from the ram 26 . when in this case the latched data 6 become different from data to be displayed on the liquid crystal display apparatus at write timing as shown in fig6 the latch display timing signal 25 becomes a &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; level . corresponding thereto , the output display timing signal 27 becomes a &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; level at the read timing , and the read address generator means 28 is reset . as a result , the read address 17 makes a round while as many horizontal display dots as determined by the number of horizontal display dots of the input data 1 instead of the number of horizontal dots fixed by the hardware . since the read clock 15 has a period equivalent to one third of that of the dot clock 2 , data are consecutively read out from the ram 26 three times or more for the purpose of color display , the output data 20 being thus outputted . the ratio of a period of the dot clock 2 to a period of the read clock 15 may be an integer other than 3 in accordance with a dot configuration . fig7 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of a display data supply apparatus according to the present invention . the same numerals as those of fig4 and 1 denote identical components . counter means 32 is reset by a falling edge of the horizontal synchronizing signal 4 . when the display timing signal 3 is a &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; level , the counter means counts up the dot clocks 2 and outputs a signal 33 indicating the number of horizontal display dots . horizontal display dot number latch means 34 latches number 33 of horizontal display dots at a rising edge of the horizontal synchronizing signal 4 , and outputs latched number 35 of horizontal display dots . comparator means compares the latched number 35 of horizontal display dots with the read address 17 . when the latched number 35 of horizontal display dots is equal to the read address 17 , the comparator means 36 outputs a &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; level on a comparator output 37 . in fig7 data are written into the ram 7 in the same way as fig1 . here , the counter means 32 is cleared by a falling edge of the horizontal synchronizing signal 4 . when the display timing signal 3 is a &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; level , the counter means 32 counts clocks of the dot clock 2 . when the display timing signal 3 becomes a &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; level , the counter means 32 stops counting up . when a rising edge of the horizontal synchronizing signal 4 is inputted , the horizontal display dot number latch means 34 latches the number 33 of horizontal display dots . until the next rising edge of the horizontal synchronizing signal 4 is inputted , i . e ., while the output data 20 is being displayed , the horizontal display dot number latch means 34 outputs the latched number 35 of horizontal display dots to the comparator means 36 . on the other hand , readout operation is performed in the same way as fig4 . when the read address 17 becomes equal to the latched number 35 of horizontal display dots , the comparator means 36 outputs a &# 34 ; low &# 34 ; level signal onto the comparator output 37 to reset the read address generator means 28 . as a result , operation similar to that of fig4 is performed . for the purpose of color display , data are read out from the ram 7 three times or more during one horizontal period . in the two embodiments heretofore described , display is performed only once in two horizontal intervals . if two rams are so used that the read operation may be performed alternately and the write operation may be performed alternately every other horizontal interval , however , display can be performed in all horizontal intervals . an embodiment in which a display data supply circuit according to the present invention is connected to a liquid crystal display panel will now be described . fig8 shows a circuit which receives the display data 20 outputted by the display data supply circuit of fig4 or fig7 and which displays the display data 20 on the liquid crystal display panel . a flip - flop 45 latches the comparator output 37 at a rising edge of the read clock 15 . an output 46 of the flip - flop 45 is a horizontal clock signal having three pulses in one horizontal interval . the horizontal clock signal 46 is inputted to a counter 47 . the counter 47 counts up rising edges of the horizontal clock signal and outputs the count on a count output 48 . the counter 47 is reset by the read start signal 11 supplied from a display data supply circuit 57 . a selector 49 selects &# 34 ; red &# 34 ; from the output data 20 when the count 48 is 0 , selects &# 34 ; green &# 34 ; when the count 48 is 1 , and selects &# 34 ; blue &# 34 ; when the count 48 is 2 . the count value thus selected is supplied to an x - driver 51 for driving x - direction signal lines of a liquid crystal display panel 55 as display data 50 . the x - driver 51 takes the liquid crystal display data 50 successively into its internal line memory upon read clocks . upon a rising edge of the horizontal clock 46 , the x - driver 51 outputs all of the data thus taken into the liquid crystal display panel 55 simultaneously as an x - drive signal 52 . a flip - flop 39 is reset by a vertical synchronizing signal 38 . upon a rising edge of the read start signal 11 , the flip - flop 39 is set to output a display start signal 40 to a flip - flop 41 . the flip - flop 41 latches the display start signal 40 at a rising edge of an inverted horizontal clock 56 to output a latched display start signal 42 . an and circuit 43 is supplied with the display start signal 40 and the latched display start signal 42 . when both the display start signal 40 and the latched display start signal 42 are &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; levels , the and circuit 43 outputs a &# 34 ; high &# 34 ; level as first line marker ( hereafter abbreviated to flm ) 44 . a y - driver 53 is supplied with the flm 44 . upon a rising edge of the horizontal clock 46 , the y - driver 53 takes in the flm 44 . upon the rising edge of a succeedingly inputted clock of the horizontal clock 46 , the y - driver 53 shifts the data of flm 44 thus taken in and outputs a y drive signal 54 . the liquid crystal display panel 55 is supplied with the x - drive signal 52 and the y - drive signal 54 . at a location where both signals are &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ;, display turns on . at other locations display turns off . on the surface of the liquid crystal display panel 55 , red , green and blue lateral stripe - shaped color filters are arranged in order cited beginning from the first line . fig9 is a time chart showing signal waveforms at various portions of the circuit of fig8 . operation of the circuit shown in fig8 will now be described by referring to fig9 . when the read start signal 11 is inputted from the timing signal generator circuit 8 included in the display data supply circuit 57 , the counter 47 is reset , and the count 48 becomes 0 . thereby , only &# 34 ; red &# 34 ; data are selected out of the output data 20 and outputted onto the liquid crystal display data 50 . the &# 34 ; red &# 34 ; data outputted on the liquid crystal display data 50 are taken into the x - driver means 51 in synchronism with the read clock 15 . upon the next rising edge of the horizontal clock 46 , respective bits are outputted simultaneously as the x - drive signal 52 . upon a rising edge of the horizontal clock 46 , the counter 47 counts up by one , and the count 48 becomes 1 . accordingly , &# 34 ; green &# 34 ; data are outputted onto the liquid crystal display data 50 , inputted into the x - driver means 51 , and outputted from the x - driver means 51 upon the rising edge of a succeeding clock of the horizontal clock 46 . this operation is shown in fig9 . in this way , data of one line are divided into &# 34 ; red &# 34 ;, &# 34 ; green &# 34 ; and &# 34 ; blue &# 34 ; and outputted onto the x - drive signal lines . on the other hand , the y - driver means 53 takes in the flm 44 , which lasts from the rising edge of the read start signal 11 immediately following input of the vertical synchronizing signal 38 until the falling edge of the horizontal clock 46 as shown in fig9 in response to a rising edge of the horizontal clock 46 and outputs the flm 44 onto y0 of the y - drive signal 54 . whenever the horizontal clock 46 is inputted thereafter , the output is successively shifted in order of y1 , y2 and so on . lines of the color liquid crystal 55 of lateral stripe matrix type are thus selected successively beginning from the first line . in this way , display on the color liquid crystal of lateral stripe matrix type is performed . as heretofore described , the present invention makes it possible to display a display signal having an arbitrary number of horizontal dots in the range of the line memory capacity . therefore , it is not necessary to modify the circuit whenever the number of horizontal dots of the display input signal is changed . | 6 |
generally speaking , the present invention contemplates improved automation in ethernet lan &# 39 ; s by extending the auto - negotiate process to include a gigabit functional verification when the auto - negotiate process negotiates a gigabit data rate for a particular connection . if the gigabit functional verification does not pass , it is assumed that one or more of the four traditional “ spare ” wires in 10 and 100 mbps implementations are non - functional . the auto - negotiate extension automatically handles this problem by resolving a lower priority data rate for the connection , where the resolved data rate only requires the four wires over which the auto - negotiate was performed . turning now to the drawings , fig1 is a simplified block diagram of selected components of the data processing network 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention . in the depicted embodiment , network 100 is an example of a lan in which one or more data processing devices 102 are connected to a switch 104 . data processing device 102 may include servers , storage devices , desktop machines , network computers , data terminals , and the like . switch 104 may comprise a router or the like to which multiple devices 102 are connected . network 100 employs a physical medium 103 to connect device ( s ) 102 to switch 104 . in the preferred embodiment of the invention , physical medium 103 includes 4 - pair ( 8 wire ) cat 5 cabling suitable for use in 10 , 100 , and 1000 mbps ethernet systems as specified in ieee 802 . 3 . such systems include 10baset4 , 100baset4 , and gigabit ethernet systems . the depicted embodiment of network 100 includes a gateway and firewall unit 106 connected to switch 104 . unit 106 is suitable for connecting network 100 to an external network 108 such as the internet . although unit 106 is illustrated as a single unit , it will be appreciated that unit 106 may include two or more physically distinct devices . device 102 and switch 104 are both depicted as including a network interface device ( referred to herein as a nic ) 120 . nic 120 may be implemented as an adapter card that connects to a processing board or motherboard . alternatively , nic 120 may be integrated onto the motherboard or integrated within a processor itself . nic 120 is configured to enable a processor on the corresponding device to communicate with external devices over the physical medium 103 . referring now to fig2 selected elements of a nic 120 are shown to emphasize features of the present invention . nic 120 is suitable for use as the network interface for device 102 and switch 104 . although the network interface for device 102 and switch 104 may have unique elements , the elements depicted in fig2 are common to each and are sufficient to enable nic 120 to communicate information between the host ( device 102 or switch 104 ) in accordance with the teachings of the present invention . nic 120 includes hardware , software , or a combination of the two , that enables the nic to convert digital information to a set of signals suitable for transmission over medium 103 . in the depicted embodiment , nic 120 includes a processor 130 , random access memory ( ram ) 132 , read - only storage ( ros ) 134 , a host interface unit ( hifu ) 136 , and a media interface unit ( mifu ) 138 . processor 130 is likely implemented with an embedded controller such as a series 403 powerpc ® embedded controller from ibm corporation . alternatively , processor 130 could be implemented with a general purpose cisc or risc processor or dsp processor . it is also possible that nic 120 could be embedded within a single chip that integrates any or all of processor 130 , ram 132 , ros 134 , hifu 136 , and mifu 138 . ram 132 is connected to processor 130 and provides a scratch memory area for the processor . ros 134 is typically programmed or manufactured to store one or more sequences of instructions executable by processor 130 . the hifu 136 typically includes buffers and associated logic that enables nic 120 to communicate with its host , whether it is device 102 , switch 104 , or another host . the depicted embodiment of mifu 138 is configured to receive digital information provided by processor 130 and to convert or format the corresponding information for transmission over the network media 103 . in an ethernet embodiment of network 100 , the physical layer includes various sublayers that are implemented within nic 120 and mifu 138 . eight bit data chunks referred to as frames are transmitted from a media access control ( mac ) layer , to a physical coding sublayer ( pcs ) through a gigabit media independent interface ( gmii ). mifu 138 converts the information received from the gmii into signals suitable for transmission over media 103 . in one implementation for gigabit ethernet , mifu 138 employs four - dimensional pulse amplitude modulation 5 ( 4d - pam - 5 ) encoding . the fundamental difference in the operation of 10 / 100 mbps ethernet and gigabit ethernet is that gigabit operation uses all four twisted pairs , transmitting and receiving simultaneously on all four pairs where 10 / 100 mbps uses only two pairs , one dedicated for transmitting and one dedicated for receiving . 4d - pam - 5 encoding resolves each of the media wires into one of five voltage levels (− 1 . 0v , − 0 . 5v , 0v , 0 . 5v , and 1 . 0v ) enabling the encoding of a large number of signals . in a gigabit ethernet configuration ( four wire pairs ), pam 5 encoding enables the generation of 5 4 or 625 potential codes , which is more than sufficient to encode 8 - bit frames . in one embodiment , processor 130 generates processor signals that are provided to the wires in media 103 through the intervening mifu 138 . the signals produced on media 103 reflect the correspondence between the processor signals , the signals output from mifu 138 , and physical media signal wires . if a device 102 within the system determines that its connection is non - functional , nic 120 may logically re - route its outputs by altering the correspondence between the processor signals and physical media wires . if nic 120 is able to find a minimum number of functional signal wires in media 103 , nic 120 may reroute the signals it produces to the functional signal wires thereby enabling the system to continue operation , even if at a reduced data rate . this feature of nic 120 is the subject of a u . s . patent application entitled dynamic cable assignment on gigabit infrastructure , filed 17 dec . 2002 , which is commonly assigned with the present application . referring now to fig3 and fig4 selected elements of the network 100 are shown to emphasize aspects of the invention . in the illustration , network media 103 is shown as including 8 wires configured as 4 twisted pairs identified as pr 1 , pr 2 , pr 3 , and pr 4 . these eight wires are terminated at a suitable connector such as the depicted rj 45 connector 140 . connector 140 receives its eight signals from the eight signals 151 - 158 produced by mifu 138 . mifu 138 generates signals 151 - 158 based upon the state of eight signals 141 - 148 ( processor signals ) produced by processor 130 . one embodiment of nic 120 maintains a table 150 in ram 132 that defines the correspondence between logical output pins and physical output pins of processor 130 . table 150 may also be implemented with a special or general purpose register . processor 130 includes the ability to produce any possible correspondence between its logical pins such that any logical pins may be assigned to any physical pin . if nic 120 determines that one or more signal wires in media 103 is non - functional , nic 120 may reconfigure the logical to physical pin correspondence to re - route signals to a set of functional signal wires in media 103 . portions of the invention may be implemented as a set of computer executable instructions ( software ). the software may be stored on a computer readable medium , including , in this example , ros 134 and ram 132 of nic 120 . ros 134 may be implemented with a rom , flash memory device , or any other suitable non - volatile storage device . ram 132 is typically implemented with one or more dram modules . referring now to fig5 a flow diagram illustrating a method 170 of implementing a network media according to one embodiment of the invention is presented . initially , an attempt to communicate between network devices is made by first sending some form of initialization sequence over the network media over an initial subset of wires within the media . in the depicted embodiment , the initialization sequence includes an ethernet auto - negotiation sequence as indicated in block 172 . most 100 mbps ethernet adapters and all ethernet gig adapters incorporate an auto - negotiation feature that enables the adapter to communicate with slower ( 10 mbps ) adapters . auto - negotiation is defined in clause 28 of the 1998 edition of ieee standard ( std ) 802 . 3 . during an ethernet auto - negotiation sequence , two devices determine the highest level of service ( including the data rate ) at which both ends of the connection can operate . the levels of services are prioritized according to a predetermined definition . initially , both ends of the connection configure themselves according to the lowest priority level of service ( typically 10baset ). the systems then attempt to negotiate for a mutually attainable higher level of service using the auto - negotiation procedure . one embodiment of the present invention leverages the auto - negotiation functionality of the large installed base of ethernet adapters to determine if network media 103 is fully functional . if media 103 is determined to be non - functional , the invention attempts to maintain network functionality by re - routing signals to a functional set of wires . more specifically , one embodiment of the invention relies on the fast link pulse ( flp ) generated by ethernet adapters at the start of the auto - negotiation process to verify the integrity of the media . fast link pulse ( flp ) signals are a modified version of the normal link pulse ( nlp ) signals used for verifying link integrity , as defined in the original 10baset specifications . flp signals are generated automatically at power - up , or may be selected manually through a management interface to an auto - negotiation device such as nic 120 . like the original nlp , flp signals take place during idle times on the network link and do not interfere with normal traffic . flp signals are conventionally used to send information about device capabilities . the auto - negotiation protocol contains rules for device configuration based on this information that enables the nics 120 in switch 104 and device 102 to automatically negotiate and configure themselves to use the highest level of service . because auto - negotiation was originally specified for 100 mbps adapters that may have been installed on 2 pair cabling systems , the flp signals are restricted to 2 - pairs of wires even on systems ( such as gigabit systems ) employing 4 pair cabling . if one of the four wires in the 2 pairs used to send the flp signals is non - functional ( open , shorted to ground , shorted to vdd , and so forth ), the auto - negotiation will not complete successfully . to detect and respond to this condition , the depicted embodiment of the present invention monitors for a timeout condition ( block 174 ) after initiating the auto - negotiation sequence . if a time out is detected in block 174 , it is assumed that one of the four original flp wires is non - functional . in response to a time out condition , the depicted embodiment of method 170 then sequences through the set of possible logical / physical pin permutations until a setting is detected that results in the successful transmission of the flp signals . more specifically , upon detecting a timeout condition in block 174 , method 170 then determines ( block 176 ) whether all of the possible media configurations or subsets have been exhausted . if not , nic 120 reroutes ( block 178 ) its logical - to - physical pin assignments to the next logically sequential combination and re - initiates the auto - negotiation process ( block 178 ). if a timeout occurs using the newest combination , the next logically sequential combination is attempted and so forth until all combinations have been attempted . if all combinations of logical / physical pin assignments have used without successfully resulting in the transmission of an flp , an interrupt is issued ( block 180 ) and the process terminates with a fatal error condition . if a timeout does not occur , implying that the auto - negotiation sequence completed successfully , the network link is established at the negotiated level of service using the physical signal wires that were determined to be functional . in this manner , the invention enables any connection employing 4 - pair cat 5 wiring to continue operation at speeds of up to 100 mbps even if 50 % of the media &# 39 ; s signal wires are non - functional . this elegant solution thus provides a significant level of fault tolerance into the network at a minimal cost . the process of using different logical / physical pin combinations as described above effectively re - routes the flp signals onto different combinations of wires within media 103 . if any four of the wires in media 103 are functional , the flp handshake sequence will eventually complete normally . in one embodiment , the switch 104 is configured as the receiver of the flp signals while the device 102 is the sender . switch 104 may be configured to read all 8 wires . in a typical implementation , the wires in media 103 are tied to a voltage source ( vss or vdd ) through a high impedance element such as a suitable resistor . in such an implementation , an open or otherwise floating wire in media 103 will be tied to a static voltage level . since the flp signals “ wiggle ” each of the corresponding signal wires , it will be apparent to switch 104 which wire ( s ) are bad . upon discovering 4 functional wires , the switch can re - route the 4 active bits onto the four functional wires . all subsequent packet transfers can then occur over the 4 functioning wires . while the method 170 described above is effective in sustaining network functionality after an auto - negotiate failure , the present invention emphasizes a method of establishing and verifying network functionality when auto - negotiation passes . this process is important because auto - negotiate does not check functionality of the entire media and network errors may occur following a successful auto - negotiate . referring now to fig6 a method 190 depicted in flow diagram format illustrates a feature of the invention that extends the auto - negotiate to include a gigabit functionality verification . gigabit functionality method 190 as depicted in fig6 begins by attempting to auto - negotiate ( block 192 ) over an initial subset of network media wires . if auto - negotiate times out ( block 194 ), the method 170 of fig5 is invoked to determine if functionality at any level of service is possible using a different subset of the network media wires . if auto - negotiate fails on any subset of wires , gigabit functionality is not possible because gigabit ethernet requires all media wires to be functional . assuming that auto - negotiate does not time out in block 194 , it will determine a level of service for the connection based on the capabilities of the devices on each end of the connection . the gigabit functionality method 190 follows the successful completion of an auto - negotiation session by first querying ( block 200 ) whether the level of service that was established is a gigabit level of service . if the established level of service does not require eight functional wires ( i . e ., is not gigabit ), no further action is required . if the established level of service does , however , required eight functional wires , gigabit functionality method 190 according to the present invention takes additional action . gigabit functionality is verified ( block 202 ) following an auto - negotiate session that establishes a gigabit level of service . the gigabit functionality determination , according to one embodiment , is made by sending a data stream over the connection that can only be verified if all eight wires in media 103 are functional . although the specific data pattern that is sent is implementation specific , an alternating sequence of logical 1 &# 39 ; s and 0 &# 39 ; s ( on all eight wires ) is likely performed as part of the gigabit functionality determination . alternating 1 &# 39 ; s and 0 &# 39 ; s is a useful verification data stream because it assures that all eight media signals can toggle thereby eliminating from gigabit consideration any implementations in which one or more of the signal wires is grounded , floating , cut , and so forth . additional tests may be performed to rule out inter - signal shorting . the signal wires within each twisted - pair , for example , may transmit logically complementary versions of the alternating bit pattern . if the gigabit functionality check passes ( block 204 ), the procedure completes and the link is established at a gigabit level of service . if the gigabit functionality check fails , however , the level of service parameters are reset ( block 206 ) to the highest level of service operable on less than eight wires . in a likely implementation , failure of the gigabit functionality verification will cause the system to reset the connection to a full duplex , 100baset level of service . in this manner , the gigabit verification extension of the auto negotiation procedure provides added assurance , reliability , and automation to the ethernet environment without in a manner that is relatively transparent to the system . the functionality verification described herein implies no hardware changes to the existing base of ethernet installations and can be readily implemented with a modest amount of additional software . it will be apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure that the present invention contemplates a method and system for establishing and verifying a high - speed network connection . it is understood that the form of the invention shown and described in the detailed description and the drawings are to be taken merely as presently preferred examples . it is intended that the following claims be interpreted broadly to embrace all the variations of the preferred embodiments disclosed . | 7 |
referring initially to fig1 , a system is shown , generally designated 10 , that includes multiple home networks 12 communicating with each other using peer to peer ( p2p ) principles over a wide area network 14 such as the internet or a community “ mesh ” network . existing social networking websites or servers 16 may also communicate with the wide area network 14 . an example home network 12 can include one or more tv systems 18 communicating with each other and with other home network components such as game consoles 20 , personal computers 22 , personal digital assistants ( pdas ), cameras , etc . over a wired or wireless home network 24 . a tv system 18 may include a tv 26 with tv display 28 such as a flat panel standard definition / high definition ( hd ) display for presenting tv programming under control of a tv processor 32 . the tv programming is typically received from a source 34 of tv programming such as a cable head end , satellite dish , terrestrial tv broadcast receiver , etc . through a tv tuner 36 . the tv processor 32 may access one or more computer - readable media 30 such as disk - based media or solid state media that can store data and logic executable by the processor to undertake present principles . the tv may communicate with the wide area network 14 using a network interface 38 such as but not limited to an ethernet card or a modem . additionally or in lieu of providing present principles internally to the tv , the tv system 18 can include a set box 40 that may be internal to the tv or externally housed from the tv and connected thereto . the set box 40 may include a set processor 42 accessing one or more computer readable media 44 for undertaking present logic . the set box 40 may also have a network interface 46 for communicating with the wide area network 14 . a wireless remote control 48 may be provided for inputting user commands to the tv system 18 , the set box 40 , and other home network components . now referring to fig2 , at block 50 when a tv system 18 detects that it is connected to either its home network 24 or to the wide area network 14 , it executes p2p discovery of other tv systems 18 using standard p2p network protocols , thus commencing the establishment of a specific ( to compliant tv systems 18 ) p2p network infrastructure . at block 52 the social networking website hosted by the server 16 can also be added to the p2p network to serve as a publishing and announcing tool , while the data contents will be stored locally in home network ( e . g ., a pc joining the p2p network , as well as tv systems with sufficient storage capacity . at block 54 , using the p2p framework established above , users with common interest can establish a social p2p network with each other to share video / audio contents , create personalized channels and help to distribute large size hd content ( e . g ., premium content downloading ). the p2p communication and resource discovery technologies can be implemented by , e . g ., bit - torrent . other software platforms such as java - based jxta can also be used . in establishing a social network , a network name may be established for a published interest genre and then users can view the published information and decide whether to join that particular social network . as many social networks based on interest may be established as dictated by the constellation of users . as part of sharing content at block 54 , reference is now made to fig3 , which illustrates principles of an example non - limiting data mining logic . at block 56 a user makes programming selections by , e . g ., manipulating the remote control 48 to change tv channels , choose favorite online videos from a website , etc . these user behaviors are captured by the tv and input to a data mining engine . the data mining engine may be any suitable processor - executable engine that can derive user characteristics , i . e ., user likes ( and dislikes ) at block 58 . for example , if a user routinely watches sports channels the engine can associate the user &# 39 ; s tv system 18 with “ sports ” but not with subjects that might be routinely shown on non - viewed channels or websites . at block 60 , using the characteristics at block 58 content is classified , analyzed , and predictions can be made as to future user behaviors / preferences . these policies can change dynamically as additional user input is received for organizing and filtering contents in the p2p social network and guiding the process to publish , at block 62 , a user &# 39 ; s interest and share a user &# 39 ; s existing contents in the network ( on , e . g ., the social network server 16 ) using p2p sharing principles . user defined policies can also be added to further customize the publication rules . the user interest and content can be published in meta data format using xml to form special personalized channels which can be made to appear in a “ content ” section of a user interface presented on the tv display 28 , e . g ., on a cross - menu bar ( xmb ) user interface . the data on the user and the user &# 39 ; s viewed content thus may be shared in the p2p network ( or even can be published in a common social networking website if a user prefers ). gracenote software can further assist in tagging various audio / video content . the user behavior captured by the data mining engine can also be used for generating customized advertisements for the user at block 64 . with such a targeted approach , the advertisement can have a greater impact on the intended audience . as recognized herein , different models for user authentication and accessibility to the shared content may be implemented . most content can be openly shared between peers . however , premium content or “ unlisted ” may require special ways to access . users may share a link to their content via their social networking page allowing anyone to get the content without needing to authenticate . on the other hand , an invitation based content sharing can be used to restrict the access to the shared content . files meant only for predetermined devices ( e . g ., automated software update ) can require the predetermined devices to satisfy certain minimum requirements ( e . g ., firmware update for particular model of tv ). premium content such as digital rights management ( drm )- protected content can be shared in the p2p network only if all the members of a common group pass the security authentication for displaying such content . the social networking channel can be utilized not just by home users but by larger content providers to share movies or tv programs and generate advertising data based on user &# 39 ; s habits . thus , user content access behavior is based on video content and social website access through network - capable tvs . those contents include : ( 1 ) local sharing by the home area network ( e . g . through digital living network alliance ( dlna ), playing on tvs video / audio contents stored in another storage device such as a game console or pc ); ( 2 ) free content that is accessed using internet ; ( 3 ) premium content for purchasing by user remote click ( e . g ., amazon , netflix , etc . which provide drm encrypted premium content for streaming directly to p2p tvs ). the data mining engine accordingly compiles and analyzes these user behaviors as well as the video / audio meta data ( e . g ., descriptions ), so that automatic contents can be generated / linked ( such as news related to the videos , stories and actors ; new movie trailers falling in the previously purchased video category ; new friends who also use the p2p networks and have common interests with the user ). the resulting interest - based information can be published , obtained and exchanged through existing social network websites . accordingly , a relationship exists between user preferences mined as described and the p2p network . specifically , all p2p user preferences are captured and shared ( adhering to both auto - generated and user defined rules if desired ) in the distributed p2p network . in other words , tv systems 18 which connect to the internet can automatically look for other p2p - enabled tvs and build / join an infrastructureless p2p network , such that no explicit internet servers are required to maintain those relationships . however , if desired centralized servers can be used for account management and content distribution purposes . the p2p network can also be used to distribute large size premium contents to reduce server load . these contents can be streamed using p2p among users and can be cached locally for future p2p distribution purposes . other tv systems 18 can quickly gather these contents piece by piece without going through a server , which nonetheless may still be used for drm license management . consequently , most content can be openly shared between p2p network members . however , for private / protected content , different models of authenticating and access permission may be established as described above . private content can be either shared based on an explicit invitation from the initial user who shares it or it could be based on certain access criteria that a group satisfies ( multicast content ). protected content ( like drm ) requires proper certificates to get the content . accordingly , with the above in mind it may now be appreciated that present principles provide tv system users with relevant contents , use data mining algorithm to generate customized content and increase business and revenue of web sites through target advertising , and distribute large high definition and long - form contents with minimal bandwidth constraints using p2p technology such as bit torrent . also , availability is provided to target audiences exactly when they need it ( timely availability ) and delivered exactly when they want it ( on - demand delivery ). furthermore , content is managed especially when a certain level of content security needs to be established due to the nature of the content , and users are engaged to share and invite more friends to join the p2p community . web site “ stickiness ” is augmented to increase revenue by monetizing replaceable content , and communities of p2p users can create new channels and new forms of content . while the particular social networking and peer to peer for tvs is herein shown and described in detail , it is to be understood that the subject matter which is encompassed by the present invention is limited only by the claims . | 7 |
in the following detailed description , reference is made to the accompanying drawings , which form a part hereof and show by way of illustration specific exemplary embodiments in which the invention may be practiced . these embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention , and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized , and that structural , logical , and electrical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention . the described progression of processing and operating steps exemplifies embodiments of the invention ; however , the sequence of steps is not limited to that set forth herein and may be changed as is known in the art , with the exception of steps necessarily occurring in a certain order . the terms “ pixel ” and “ pixel cell ,” as used herein , refer to a photo - element unit cell containing a photo - conversion device and associated circuitry for converting photons to an electrical signal . the pixels discussed herein are illustrated and described with reference to using three transistor ( 3t ) and four transistor ( 4t ) pixel circuits for the sake of example only . it should be understood that the invention may be used with respect to other imaging pixel arrangements having more ( e . g ., 5t , 6t ) than four transistors or with pixel arrangements using devices other than transistors to provide output signals . accordingly , in the following discussion it should be noted that whenever 4t pixels are discussed , pixels having additional transistors , used for example , for an anti - blooming , conversion gain , or shutter gate may be used . likewise , although 3t pixels are discussed for providing automatic light control , it should be noted that any pixel that enables the integrating charge on a photosensor to be read during a charge integration period may be used . the following detailed description is , therefore , not to be taken in a limiting sense . referring to the figures , where like reference numbers designate like elements , fig2 shows an exemplary imager 110 having an automatic light control function constructed in accordance with the invention . the imager 110 includes a pixel array 120 containing 4t pixels and a small percentage of 3t pixels ( or 4t pixels operated in 3t mode with the transfer transistors always turned on , as discussed below in more detail ) for automatic light control . each row of the pixel array 120 has two reset lines 131 , 133 controlling the reset operations for the pixels of the row ; reset line 131 , for example , may control the reset of the 3t pixels in the row , while reset line 133 , for example , may control the reset of the 4t pixels in the row . the row lines are selectively activated by the row driver 132 in response to row address decoder . a column is also addressed and selected for pixel readout . thus , a row and column address is provided for each pixel . the cmos imager 110 is operated by the control circuit 140 , which controls address decoders 130 , 134 for selecting the appropriate row and column lines for pixel readout , and row and column driver circuitry 132 , 136 , which apply driving voltage to the drive transistors for the selected row and column lines . each column contains sampling capacitors and switches in a sample and hold ( s / h ) circuit 138 associated with the column driver 136 that reads a pixel reset signal vrst and a pixel image signal vsig for selected pixels . a differential signal ( vrst - vsig ) is produced by differential amplifier 140 for each pixel . the signal is digitized by analog - to - digital converter 145 ( adc ). the analog - to - digital converter 145 supplies the digitized pixel signals to an image processor 150 , which forms a digital image output 152 . as mentioned above , pixel array 120 contains 4t pixels and a small percentage of 3t pixels . for example , approximately 1 % of the pixels in array 120 are 3t pixels . 4t pixels provide low dark current and true correlated double sampling and are imaging pixels . 3t pixels are ideally suited for automatic light control , which is the ability to monitor the signal level so that exposure time can be well - controlled for each frame without altering the image signal . the 3t and 4t pixels typically are not reset at the same time . to accommodate the two types of pixels having different reset times , two reset lines 131 , 133 for each row are routed into the pixel array 120 . the two reset lines 131 , 133 are routed to each array row , although each pixel in a row is only connected to one of the two reset lines 131 , 133 , depending on whether the pixel is a 3t pixel or a 4t pixel . the 3t pixels are connected to reset line 131 and the 4t pixels are connected to reset line 133 . while the reset level must be sampled at different times , the image signal level can be sampled at the same time for both 3t and 4t pixels . therefore , extra logic is introduced in the column circuitry to enable different reset level sampling times . the connections of 3t and 4t pixels of pixel array 120 to reset and column lines are shown in fig3 and 4 . an exemplary embodiment of the invention depicted in fig3 combines the 4t pixel 70 with a 3t pixel 60 in the same row described below . the 3t pixel comprises a reset transistor 61 , source follower transistor 62 , and a row select transistor 63 and can be formed by any suitable method . the 4t pixel 70 comprises transfer transistor 76 , reset transistor 71 , source follower transistor 72 , and a row select transistor 73 . in other embodiments of the invention , these pixels may employ more transistors than the illustrated 3t and 4t design ( 5t , 6t , etc .). similarly , other embodiments could provide pixel arrangements using devices other that transistors to provide output signals ; another alternative includes a capacitor ( not shown ) electrically coupled to the floating diffusion regions 64 , 74 for assisting the floating diffusion regions 64 , 74 in storing the transferred charges , adjusting the conversion gain of the pixel , and / or to make the pixel response more linear . a photosensor 65 converts incident light into charge . a floating diffusion region 64 receives charge from the photosensor 65 and is connected to the reset transistor 61 and the gate of the source follower transistor 62 . the source follower transistor 62 outputs at different times a reset signal v rst and an image signal v sig ( collectively shown in fig3 as vout ). vout ( either v rst or v sig ) represents the charge present at the floating diffusion region 64 which is provided to a sample and hold circuit 138 ( fig2 ) when the row select transistor 63 is turned on . the reset transistor 61 resets the floating diffusion region 64 to a known potential after transfer of charge from the photosensor 65 ( when rst - 1 is applied ). the photosensor 65 may be a photodiode , a photogate , a photoconductor , or other type of photosensor . for alc operation , it is not necessary to output a reset sample v rst from the 3t pixel . the reset level may also come from an extra pixel row ( not shown ) where an estimated reset level has been extracted . alternatively , the row select transistor 63 may be operated to only output v sig as the output signal vout . imaging pixel 70 is a four transistor ( 4t ) pixel . the four transistors include a transfer transistor 76 , reset transistor 71 , source follower transistor 72 , and a row select transistor 73 . a photosensor 75 converts incident light into charge . a floating diffusion region 74 receives charge from the photosensor 75 through the transfer transistor 76 ( when activated by control signal tg ) and is connected to the reset transistor 71 and the gate of the source follower transistor 72 . the source follower transistor 72 outputs a reset signal v rst and an image signal v sig ( collectively shown as vout ). vout represents the charge present in the floating diffusion region 74 which is provided to a sample and hold circuit 138 ( fig2 ) when the row select transistor 73 is turned on . the reset transistor 71 resets the floating diffusion region 74 to a known potential prior to transfer of charge from the photosensor 75 ( when rst - 2 is applied ). similar to photosensor 65 , the photosensor 75 may be a photodiode , a photogate , a photoconductor , or other type of photosensor . the two pixels 60 , 70 are provided in the same row having reset lines 131 , 133 . reset transistor 61 of pixel 60 is connected to reset line 131 , which controls the reset transistor for all 3t pixels in the row . reset transistor 71 of pixel 70 is connected to reset line 133 , which controls the reset transistor for all 4t pixels in the row . fig4 is a schematic diagram of two pixels 80 , 70 in a single row of another embodiment of pixel array 120 . pixels 80 , 70 are both 4t pixels . pixel 70 is as described above with respect to fig3 . pixel 80 is a four transistor ( 4t ) pixel that is operated in 3t mode . the four transistors of pixel 80 include a transfer transistor 86 , reset transistor 81 , source follower transistor 82 , and a row select transistor 83 . transfer transistor 86 is always turned on to operate the pixel 80 in 3t mode . a photosensor 85 converts incident light into charge . a floating diffusion region 84 receives charge from the photosensor 85 through the activated transfer transistor 86 and is connected to the reset transistor 81 and the gate of the source follower transistor 82 . the source follower transistor 82 outputs a reset signal v rst and an image signal v sig ( collectively shown in fig3 as vout ). vout ( either v rst or v sig ) represents the charge present at the floating diffusion region 84 to a sample and hold circuit 138 ( fig2 ) when the row select transistor 83 is turned on . the reset transistor 81 resets the floating diffusion region 84 to a known potential prior to transfer of charge from the photosensor 85 . similar to pixel 70 , the photosensor 85 may be a photodiode , a photogate , a photoconductor , or other type of photosensor . also , like the fig3 t pixel , pixel 80 may be operated so that only the image signal v sig is output and sampled for alc operation . as described above with respect to fig3 , the two pixels 80 , 70 are provided in the same row having reset lines 131 , 133 . reset transistor 81 of pixel 80 is connected to reset line 131 , which controls the reset transistor for all 4t pixels in the row that are operated in 3t mode . reset transistor 71 of pixel 70 is connected to reset line 133 , which controls the reset transistor for all 4t pixels in the row that are operated in 4t mode . therefore , pixel 80 and pixel 70 may be reset at different times . the reset timing of the pixels 60 , 70 of fig3 is illustrated in fig5 . fig5 is an exemplary timing diagram for a row having 3t pixels and 4t pixels , as controlled by the timing and control circuit 140 . for simplicity , pixel circuit operations are described with reference to a single pair of pixel cells 60 , 70 ; however , each row of array 120 having pixels 60 , 70 may operate as described below in connection with fig5 . also , the exemplary timing diagram may be used for a row having 4t pixels , some of which are operated in 3t mode by keeping the transfer transistor constantly on , such as the pair of pixels in a row illustrated in fig4 , wherein the timing of 3t pixel 60 ( fig3 ) may represent the timing of 4t pixel 80 ( fig4 ) that is being operated in 3t mode . furthermore , signals rs1 , rst — 4t , tx — 4t , shr — 4t , shs — 4t , rst — 3t , shs — 3t , and shr — 3t are provided to illustrate the timing of one exemplary operation and do not in any way limit the invention to the illustrated operation . fig5 shows one exemplary frame readout operation which may be used with the pixel arrays depicted in fig3 or 4 that begins at time to . the readout operation begins by resetting the floating diffusions 64 , 74 of pixels 60 , 70 , respectively . for each active row of the array 120 , the timing and control circuitry 140 pulses a row select signal ( rs1 ) high to turn on the row select transistors 63 , 73 of pixels 60 , 70 , respectively . timing and control circuitry 140 pulses a reset signal ( rst — 4t ) on reset line 133 high to activate each 4t pixel &# 39 ; s ( pixel 70 ) reset transistor 71 . at this time , sampling capacitors of s / h circuit 138 store the reset voltage vrst ( 4t ) of the 4t pixel 70 ( when shr — 4t is activated ). the reset voltage vrst ( 4t ) is read out in sequence for each row of the array 120 that includes 41 pixels . after an image integration period ends , timing and control circuitry 140 also pulses a transfer signal ( tx — 4t ) to activate the transfer transistor 76 of pixel 70 . any charge on the photosensor 75 of pixel 70 is thus transferred through transfer transistor 76 to the floating diffusion region 74 . this marks the end of the 4t integration period , or charge generating period , for the photosensor 75 . at this time , sampling capacitors of s / h circuit 138 store the signal voltages vsig ( 4t ) and vsig ( 3t ) of the 4t pixel 70 ( when shs — 4t is activated ) and 3t pixel 60 ( when shs — 3t is activated ), respectively . these are photo image signals related to the amount of light incident on the pixels . the sample voltages vsig ( 4t ) and vsig ( 3t ) are read out in sequence for each row of the array 120 that includes 3t and 4t pixels . it should be noted that the sampling ( or comparing ) of vsig for the 3t pixel may occur at any time during charge integration of the 4t pixels to provide a signal for use in alc operations . accordingly the sample and hold signal shs — 3t is illustrated with arrows in fig5 , denoting this flexibility . as for the alc operation itself , for each column , an extracted common average reset level for all 3t pixels in the pixel array and the signal level from each of the 3t pixels may be sampled and converted to get a value for use in alc control . alternatively , the signal from the 3t pixel in a column may be compared with a predetermined voltage level , as described in further detail in u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 846 , 513 to olsen et al ., rather than sampling and converting the signal , to decrease power consumption and / or increase alc pixel readout speed . timing and control circuitry 140 then pulses the transfer transistor 76 of pixel 70 and reset transistors 61 , 71 of pixels 60 , 70 , to reset the photosensors 65 , 75 and floating diffusion regions 64 , 74 , respectively . sampling capacitors 138 take the reset voltage vrst ( 3t ) of the 3t pixel 60 ( shr — 3t ). the reset voltage vrst ( 3t ) is read out in sequence for each row of the array 120 that includes 3t pixels . after completion of readouts , all signals are returned to low ; and the sequence of steps is repeated row - by - row for each row of the pixel array 120 . for simplicity , fig5 shows only a single integration period of one representative row of pixels having 3t and 4t pixels . in the above - described embodiment , the photo signal level is sampled at the same time for both 3t ( or 4t operated in 3t mode ) and 4t pixels , while the reset level is sampled at different times , therefore , extra logic must be introduced in the column circuitry to be able to select between at least , but not limited to , different reset level sampling time , depending on which row is selected . however , the timing of the frame readout operation is not limited to the above - described embodiment . for example , it is possible to read out the 3t signal level at the same time as the 4t reset level , and vice versa . the start and stop time of the exposure would then be slightly different for the 3t and 4t pixels . moreover , since the 3t and 4t pixels have integration periods , it is not crucial that the integration start and stop time be identical for the 3t and 4t pixels . regardless of whether their exposure time begins and ends together , a gain factor should be applied to the 3t pixels in order to calculate a readout voltage consistent with the surrounding 4t pixels , as will be described in further detail below . the 3t pixels 60 may be provided along a row of 4t pixels 70 in a configuration as illustrated in fig6 . fig6 is a plan view of a section of a pixel array 120 of fig2 . the pixel array 120 features pixels arranged in a bayer pattern 300 consisting of alternating rows , one having alternating red and green pixels , and the next having alternating green and blue pixels . all of the pixels shown in fig6 are 4t pixels 70 having either red , green , or blue associated color filters , with the exception of a single red 3t pixel 60 . as mentioned above , approximately 1 % of the red pixels may be replaced with 3t pixels . the 3t pixels are constantly monitored and may be read out after the integration period of the 4t pixel ends . since the sensitivity , or responsivity , of 3t pixels 60 is not the same as the sensitivity of 4t pixels 70 , a gain factor may be applied to the 3t pixel 60 to estimate what the readout of a 4t pixel would be at that location . an exemplary method of estimating the gain factor includes an assumption that the average readout of the surrounding 41 pixels 70 will be the same as the average readout voltage of the 3t pixel . therefore , an average readout voltage is calculated by taking the average voltage of the surrounding red 41 pixels . for example , the average of four red 4t pixels surrounding the red 31 pixel 60 would be calculated as follows : v avg ( 4 t )=( v ( a 1 )+ v ( a 2 )+ v ( a 3 )+ v ( a 4 ))/ 4 . in another example , the average of eight red 4t pixels surrounding the red 3t pixel 60 would be calculated as follows : v avg ( 4 t )=(( v ( a 1 )+ v ( a 2 )+ v ( a 3 )+ v ( a 4 )+ v ( b 1 )+ v ( b 2 )+ v ( b 3 )+ v ( b 4 ))/ 8 . therefore , the readout voltage of the 3t pixels 60 would have the gain factor applied to it by multiplying it by the ratio of average readout voltage of the surrounding 4t pixels , divided by the ratio of average readout voltage of the surrounding 31 pixels . although the above gain factor was described as being applied to a 3t pixel , it should also be noted that a gain factor would also be applied to a 4t pixel operated in 3t mode . it should also be noted that although the initial average readout voltage estimate will be inaccurate when the image sensors start capturing frames , after several frames , the average estimate will improve since the average calculation may be updated and performed for every frame . the gain factor may be applied by the image processor 150 ( fig2 ) which receives the integrated pixel signals , or the image processor , or other processor , can control the gain of amplifier 142 , or other amplifier in the analog pixel signal processing chain . the 31 signal , as originally read out , is used for automatic light control . automatic light control may be performed in accordance with the methods described in u . s . patent application ser . no . 10 / 846 , 513 , filed on may 17 , 2004 , and ser . no . 11 / 052 , 217 , filed on feb . 8 , 2005 , assigned to micron technology , inc , which are herein incorporated by reference . fig7 illustrates a processor - based system 400 including the image sensor 110 of fig2 and employing the exemplary pixel array discussed with reference to fig2 - 6 . the processor - based system 400 is exemplary of a system having digital circuits that could include image sensor devices . without being limiting , such a system could include a computer system , camera system , scanner , machine vision , vehicle navigation , video phone , surveillance system , auto focus system , star tracker system , motion detection system , image stabilization system , and other image sensing systems . the processor - based system 400 , for example a camera system , generally comprises a central processing unit ( cpu ) 401 , such as a microprocessor , that communicates with an input / output ( i / o ) device 402 over a bus 403 . image sensor 400 also communicates with the cpu 405 over bus 403 . the processor - based system 900 also includes random access memory ( ram ) 404 , and can include removable memory 405 , such as flash memory , which also communicate with cpu 401 over the bus 403 . image sensor 400 may be combined with a processor , such as a cpu , digital signal processor , or microprocessor , with or without memory storage on a single integrated circuit or on a different chip than the processor . the processes and devices described above illustrate preferred methods and typical devices of many that could be used and produced . the above description and drawings illustrate embodiments , which achieve the objects , features , and advantages of the present invention . however , it is not intended that the present invention be strictly limited to the above - described and illustrated embodiments . any modification , though presently unforeseeable , of the present invention that comes within the spirit and scope of the following claims should be considered part of the present invention . | 7 |
fig1 a and 1b show a first embodiment of the inventive , geometrically shaped painting implement 100 . as can be seen , the inventive painting implement 100 has a paddle member 10 , having a length , height and thickness , and ideally having slightly rounded lower corners 28 adapted to lessen the severity of any impacts between the corners of the paddle member and a container in which it is being used . the lower edge 13 of the paddle member 10 is flat to serve as a spatula to aid in the removal of paint from a paint can . the paddle member 10 is attached to a distal end 20 d of a rod shaft 20 , preferably at the center of the paddle member 10 , by a pivoting fastener 16 . the fastener 16 may comprise any suitable means of connection , such as a rivet , bolt and nut , etc ., which allows selective rotational movement of the paddle member 10 around a pivot point located where the fastener 16 traverses the rod shaft 20 , the rotational movement allowing the paddle member 10 to move between two positions , discussed further below . in this embodiment , the rod shaft 20 is cylindrical , transitioning to flattened , opposing faces at the distal end 20 d , thereby providing a flat interface between the rod shaft 20 and the face of the paddle member 10 , as best seen in perspective view in fig1 a and in side view in fig1 b . in an alternative embodiment , as seen in fig1 c and 1d , the rod shaft 20 a has a hexagonal cross - section along a majority of its length , with approximately one half of its cross section cut away near a distal , paddle - supporting end to provide a planar surface 20 p against which the paddle member 10 can be mounted , which positions the paddle member 10 substantially along the longitudinal axis a - a of the rod shaft 20 a , thereby providing improved balance of the implement , which is particularly important during rapid rotation during use . while not shown , it is understood that any other polygonal cross - sectional shape of the shaft can be used and still fall within the scope of the invention . a plurality of apertures 12 are formed through the paddle member 10 , thereby allowing a viscous fluid ( hereinafter referred to as paint , although it would be evident to one of ordinary skill in the art that the implement 100 could be used for stirring other viscous fluids , such as drywall mud or spackling ) being stirred to pass therethrough , increasing the agitation rate of the paint . the apertures 12 may all be formed such that they pass through the thickness of the paddle member 10 at a right angle with respect to the planar surfaces of the surface of the portion of the paddle member 10 through which they pass , or the apertures 12 may be formed at differing angles from one another with respect to the planar surfaces of the portion of the paddle member 10 through they pass , further aiding in more thorough mixing . the apertures 12 on a paddle member 10 may all be of the same size , or they may be provided in a variety of sizes on the same paddle member 10 to aid in the mixing of the paint . provision of apertures of varied sizes is particularly desirable when mixing thicker materials , such as drywall mud , thinset , or grout . the larger apertures allow the implement to move through the thicker , perhaps clumpier , material while reducing strain on the motor of the rotary device used to drive the implement . as the clumps are broken up , or the material is made thinner due to being mixed , the substance can flow through the smaller apertures on the paddle to provide finer mixing of the substance . additionally , the apertures 12 may be substantially uniformly arranged on the paddle member 10 or they may be arranged in a different pattern , as desired to provide a particular effect in the mixing of the paint . additionally , a portion of each end of the paddle member 10 is deflected from the plane in which the rest of the paddle member 10 lies . the line of each of the two deflections 14 typically extends from a lower corner 28 of paddle element 10 to a point between the corresponding upper corner 30 and a midpoint between the two upper corners 30 . the two deflections 14 extend , respectively , to opposite sides of the plane of the paddle member 10 from one another , such that as the paddle member 10 rotates around the rod shaft 20 in a clockwise rotation , each of the two deflections 14 precedes the plane of the paddle member 10 , thereby aiding in cutting into the paint as the paddle member 10 rotates , creating a wave action in the paint as it is stirred . it would be evident to one of ordinary skill in the art that the exact shape of the deflections 14 could vary without departing significantly from the spirit of the present invention . in embodiments of the painting implement of the present invention having a paddle member 10 that can be rotated relative to the shaft 20 , it is desirable to limit the rotation of the paddle member 10 so that it can be releasably placed in a first , paint stirring position where the lower edge 13 of the paddle member 10 is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the shaft 20 , as shown in fig1 a , and alternately releasably placed in a second , roller - supporting position where the lower edge 13 of the paddle member 10 forms an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of the shaft 20 , as shown in fig2 a . a variety of different structural elements can be provided to limit the rotation of the paddle member 10 relative to the shaft 20 . as seen in fig1 a , a stop nub 18 extends outwardly from the surface of paddle member 10 to one side of shaft rod 20 , at a point proximate the distal end 20 d of shaft rod 20 , below the pivoting fastener 16 . the stop nub 18 limits the rotation of the paddle member 10 about the pivoting fastener 16 to an arc , typically less than 90 °, by interfering with the shaft rod 20 at opposite ends of a rotational arc of the paddle member 10 , such that paddle member 10 may rotate between a position that is substantially normal to shaft rod 20 or substantially parallel to shaft rod 20 , although preferably at a slight angle from truly parallel , as will be further detailed below . stop nub 18 may have rounded shoulders which would allow a user to vary the tightness of the connection between the stop nub 18 and the rod shaft 20 by twisting the paddle to varying degrees , thereby affecting whether or not , and how much , stop nub 18 passes under the rod shaft . while in the embodiment of fig1 a - 1b and 2 a - 2 b , the stop nub 18 is stopped from further movement by bumping up against the edge of shaft rod 20 , in an alternative embodiment shown in fig2 c and 2d , an arcuate channel 19 can be cut into one side of the shaft rod 20 b so that during rotation of the paddle member 10 , stop nub 18 is received within the channel 19 and rotation of the paddle is stopped by stop nub 18 reaching the end of channel 19 . channel 19 can be tapered from a larger open end to a smaller closed end in order to reduce wear on stop nub 18 . an additional structural feature that serves to limit the rotation of the paddle relative to the shaft is the interference , during rotation , of one of the deflections of the paddle with the shaft . this structural feature can function alone to limit rotation , or can be used in combination with any of the other rotation limiting structure disclosed herein . the interference of the deflection of the paddle with the shaft , in addition to stopping further rotation , additionally serves to releasably retain the paddle in the second , roller supporting position . in a further embodiment , shown in fig2 e , 2 f , and 2 g , an additional variation of the stopping mechanism reverses the parts of the previous embodiment to provide a stop nub 18 c on the shaft 20 c which is received within an arcuate channel 19 c formed on the surface of the paddle member 10 c . rotational movement of the paddle member 10 c relative to rod shaft 20 c is limited when stop nub 18 c hits the end of travel within channel 19 c . in most embodiments , the upper corners 30 of the paddle member 10 are cut on a diagonal , as opposed to the rounded lower corners 28 . extending from a first of the diagonal upper corners is a substantially rectilinear paint can opener 22 protrusion dimensioned and configured to fit under the rim of a paint can lid ( not shown ) to pry it open . the can opener protrusion 22 may extend at a slight angle from the plane of the deflection 14 . extending from the second of the diagonal upper corners is a second substantially rectilinear lip cleaner 24 protrusion dimensioned and configured to fit within the rim lip ( not shown ) of a paint can to aid in the removal of paint accumulated in the rim lip ( not shown ). in an alternative embodiment , rather than shaft rod 20 being attached to the paddle member 10 on one side of paddle member 10 , paddle member 10 can be formed with a groove 26 along the upper edge thereof ( fig3 ), the end of rod shaft 20 being rotatably affixed therein by a pivot fastener 16 such that as the paddle member 10 is rotated about the pivot fastener 16 to the substantially parallel position , the rod shaft 20 fits into the groove 22 , the walls of the groove 26 acting in lieu of the stop nub 18 . as stated , in most embodiments of the invention , the inventive painting implement 100 may be set at two functionally distinct positions depending on the operation being performed with paddle member 10 . fig1 a and 1b illustrate the first , lateral or normal position , which is employed when the implement 100 is used as a mixer / stirrer in larger paint containers ( typically 1 gallon and larger ). as shown in fig4 a , 4 b and 6 , the rod shaft 20 is an elongated , rigid shaft for coupling the paddle member 10 to an electrically operated hand drill 50 . it would be evident to one of ordinary skill in the art that the shaft 20 could be grasped in the hand and the implement used as a hand - held stirring device without departing from the spirit of the present invention . fig2 a and 2b illustrate the painting implement 100 in a second , substantially linear or parallel position wherein the paddle member 10 is positioned substantially parallel to , but with an offset of an acute angle with respect to the rod shaft 20 ( described further below ). in this second position , the implement 100 functions as an element for mixing / stirring in a smaller container ( typically 1 gallon or 1 quart ), mixing / stirring thinner fluids in order to prevent excessive splashing which could be caused by using the first position , or for supporting a paint roller for cleaning ( described below ). fig4 a & amp ; 4b show the implement 100 in use stirring paint 42 within a paint container 40 . the arrows indicate movement currents of the paint 42 as it is being mixed . the perforations 12 within paddle member 10 , in conjunction with the deflections 14 of paddle member 10 , both play a major part in further assisting with the mixing ( i . e ., stirring motion ) of the paint 42 when the paddle is in motion . additionally , paint may be stirred in a larger , unopened container by inserting the paddle member 10 through the bung hole ( not shown ) of the lid ( not shown ) of the container with the paddle in the second , linear position . centrifugal force may cause the paddle member 10 to open to the lateral position of fig1 a , or it may be used in the linear position . additionally , this second position may also be employed to assist with the cleaning of a paint roller 60 , as shown at fig5 and 6 . for the purpose of cleaning the roller 60 , the paddle member 10 is inserted into the interior wall 62 of paint roller 60 , in the linear configuration of fig2 a and 2b , with the slight deviation from the rod shaft 20 allowing the paddle member 10 and the rod shaft 20 to engage the interior of the paint roller 60 to frictionally hold the paint roller 60 on the implement 100 . as shown in fig6 , paint roller 60 may be inserted in a container 70 containing a cleaning solution 72 . a hand drill 50 coupled to the paddle member 10 ( by way of a proximal end of shaft 20 ) spins the roller 60 , as indicated by arrow 75 . the centrifugal forces produced by the offset shape of the paddle member 10 during the spinning aids in the removal of paint embedded within the fibers of roller 60 by producing a whipping action . this oscillation greatly enhances the cleaning process . while the portion of the upper edge 32 of paddle member 10 between the two angle - cut upper corners 30 can be seen in fig2 a to be a flat edge , parallel to lower edge 13 , fig6 a shows an alternative embodiment where the portion of the upper edge 32 a of paddle member 10 between the two angle - cut upper corners 30 is convexly curved such that the paddle is wider at the middle than at the edges , to better retain a paint roller thereon for cleaning . in addition to being cleaned in a container , the paint roller 60 may be sprayed with a fluid from a nozzle head ( not shown ) as the hand drill 50 rotates the element 100 and paint roller 60 . the present invention is susceptible to variations and modifications which may be introduced thereto without departing from the inventive concept . for example , paddle member 10 may be removable from rod shaft 20 , rather than having a rivet at pivot fastener 16 . instead , paddle member 10 could be retained by friction in the two operative positions , if desired . additionally , the size of the paddle member 10 may vary so that it may be usable with paint rollers 60 of different dimensions . the paddle member 10 may have edges formed in a beveled manner , as well , to facilitate other uses of the paddle 10 , such as scraping the interior of paint cans , etc . furthermore , while a rigid paddle member 10 is preferred , a flexible paddle member 10 may also be utilized , allowing for more flexibility as a spatula for removing paint from a can . in alternative embodiments , the rod shaft 20 a may have an offset 21 along its length ( fig7 ), proximate the proximal end 20 p . the paddle member 10 is mounted within the offset 21 , which aids in maintaining a center of balance for the implement 100 which lies more along the axis of the shaft 20 a , thereby reducing any wobble which would be caused by the blade 10 being attached to one side of the shaft . at fig8 , the rod shaft 20 b may have a broad shaft paddle 21 formed therein . the shaft paddle 21 may either have a twist , as shown , or be flat ( not shown ). the shaft paddle 21 increases the agitation of the paint 42 beyond that of the paddle member 10 . additionally , the upper 13 and lower 15 edges of the paddle member 10 may be more flexible than the body of the paddle member 10 , thereby providing additional gripping of the interior of a paint roller 60 when it is inserted therein . while the majority of embodiments disclosed herein have a paddle member 10 that is rotatably mounted to a rod shaft 20 , an alternative embodiment shown in fig9 provides a paddle member 10 d that is rigidly mounted to a rod shaft 20 , typically by welding . by way of example , the rod shaft 20 may have a slot ( not shown ) extending along its axis from its distal end toward its proximal end , within which the paddle member 10 d is received . the paddle member 10 is secured to the rod shaft 20 with a series of welds 21 on both sides thereof . this rigidly mounted embodiment is most likely used when the paddle member 10 d is very large for use in mixing a viscous liquid in a large container . in this embodiment , the upper corners 33 of the paddle may not have the cut - off corners of the rotatable embodiments , but all embodiments are provided with the upper portions of the paddle member 14 oppositely deflected , as described in relation to the first embodiment . an additional feature that may optionally be present in any of the embodiments described above is the inclusion of a substantially spherical surface 35 on any or all of the corners of the paddle that are not cut off at an angle ( fig9 and 9a ). this spherical surface 35 serves to minimize scraping of the sides of a paint can or bucket by the inventive implement . the spherical surface may be formed either by casting it along with the paddle member such that the spherical surfaces are unitary with the paddle member , or by adding it subsequently , such as by placing a notched ball bearing , for example , over the corner of the paddle member and securing it thereto . in either case , the round edge must not interfere with the ability of the lower edge of the paddle member to be used as a spatula . one more optional feature is for the bottom edge 36 ( see fig6 a ) of the paddle member to have a softer feel , or be more flexible than the rest of the paddle member , to aid in the ability of the paddle member to act as a spatula . this softer lower edge can be provided by making the paddle of plastic , with the lower edge made to be more soft and / or flexible than the rest of the paddle member . alternatively , if the paddle member is made of metal , a softer and / or more flexible material can be mounted along the lower edge of the paddle member , similar to the design of a squeegee . it would be evident to one of ordinary skill in the art that the implement 100 of the present invention may be formed in a variety of ways , including extrusions and injection molding , of a variety of materials , and metals and polymers , and in a variety of material weights , from light for paints , to heavy for thicker fluids , such as sheet rock compound . it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above , but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims . | 1 |
as shown in fig1 , a surgical retraction system 10 includes an adjustable rail clamp 12 which is securable to a horizontal rail 15 of a conventional operating table ( not shown ). an adjustable post 17 extends vertically from the adjustable rail clamp assembly 12 to provide support for a cross bar 18 which in turn provides support for a pair of extension arms 19 , 20 . the cross bar 18 is secured to the adjustable the adjustable post 17 by a universal joint clamp 21 . extension arms 19 , 20 are respectively secured to the cross bar 18 by a pair of universal joint clamps 22 , 24 . additional joint clamps 26 , 28 may be disposed along the extension arms 19 , 20 for rigidly securing any number of retractor blades 34 , 36 to the extension arms 19 , 20 . as will suggest itself , the extension arm 19 can also be secured directly to the adjustable the adjustable post 17 by a universal joint clamp . the adjustable post 17 may be adjusted vertically through a slide locking mechanism 140 . each retractor blade 34 , 36 may include a blade portion 42 and a retractor arm 44 . the blade portion 42 preferably extends downwardly into an incision 46 made by a surgeon . the blade portion 42 may be used to retract anatomy to make the incision 46 accessible to the surgeon . as is shown in fig2 , the adjustable rail clamp assembly 12 preferably is formed from a lower jaw member 58 , an upper jaw member 60 , and a jaw drive member 62 . the adjustable rail clamp assembly components 58 , 60 , 62 are associated with the adjustable post 17 such that the adjustable post 17 may be slidably inserted into lower the internal space 101 of lower jaw member 58 . the slide locking mechanism 140 may be slidably secured to the upper portion 100 of the lower jaw member 58 by snap rings 144 , 147 . as can be seen in fig2 , the upper jaw member 60 can be positioned over the lower jaw member 58 . the jaw drive member 62 can then be rotabably mounted to the upper jaw member 60 . the adjustable post 17 can then be inserted into a space 101 of the jaw drive member 62 . the adjustable post 17 extends thru the entire adjustable rail clamp assembly 12 and a lower portion 123 of the adjustable post 17 exits out a non - cylindrical bore hole 111 of the lower jaw member 58 . as will be explained in detail later , the clockwise rotation of the jaw drive member 62 drives the upper jaw member 60 downward forcing the upper jaw member 60 and the lower jaw member 58 toward one another to engage the table rail 15 . referring to fig2 , 3 , 3 a , 3 b , the upper jaw member 60 preferably has an outside surface that is generally d shaped . other shapes are also contemplated . further , the upper jaw member 60 may have a generally d shaped hollow area 80 disposed along its longitudinal axis . the upper end of the upper jaw member 60 preferably includes a semicircular bored section 84 having a guide slot 85 . also , the upper jaw member 60 preferably has a upper lip 81 that protrudes outwardly and downwardly from the upper jaw 60 for engaging the table rail 15 . the upper jaw member 60 is preferably positioned over the lower jaw member 58 . a flat portion 82 of the generally d - shaped hollow area 80 is sized to co - operate with a flat portion 109 of the lower jaw member 58 shown in fig6 d . referring to fig2 , 3 and 4 , the jaw drive member 62 is preferably rotatably mounted to the upper jaw member 60 by an annular flange 90 formed at the lower end of the jaw drive member 62 . the guide slot 85 in the upper end of the upper jaw member 60 is sized to receive the annular flange 90 of the jaw drive member 62 . during assembly , the annular flange 90 of the jaw drive member 62 is laterally moved into the guide slot 85 of the upper end of the upper jaw member 60 . this cooperation prevents vertical separation of the upper jaw carrying member 60 from the jaw drive member 62 while permitting rotation of the jaw drive member 62 relative to the upper jaw member 60 . as the upper jaw member 60 is driven downwardly to engage the top of table rail 15 , the flat portion 82 of the opening 80 in the upper jaw member 60 slides over the flat side 109 of the lower portion 103 of the lower jaw member 58 . this prevents rotational movement of the upper jaw member 60 as the jaw drive member 62 is rotated . as shown in fig4 , the jaw drive member 62 includes a set of internal thread set 91 formed within a cylindrical bore 92 . a diameter 93 of the thread set 91 is larger than a diameter 95 of the upper portion of the cylindrical bore 92 above the thread set 91 . also , as shown in fig4 a , the top of the jaw drive member 62 is formed with four protruding areas 96 , 97 , 98 , 99 . referring to fig5 a , 5 b , and 5 c , a pair of manual control handles 86 , 87 are disposed at the uppermost end of the jaw drive member 62 . the control handles 86 , 87 may be generally u - shaped and preferably pivotally fastened to the jaw drive member 62 by pins 88 , 89 . as shown in fig5 a , the top of the jaw drive member 62 is formed with the four protruding areas 96 , 97 , 98 , 99 . the protruding area 96 , 99 may serve as bearings for the pins 88 , 89 . the control handles 86 , 87 permit operation of the rail clamp via rotation of the control handles 86 , 87 . referring to fig6 , 6 a , 6 b , 6 c , and 6 d , an upper exterior portion 100 of the lower jaw member 58 is preferably generally circular in shape with a cylindrical bore 101 for receiving a circular portion 120 ( fig7 ) of the adjustable post 17 . an exterior lower portion 102 of the cylindrical portion 100 of the lower jaw member 58 is threaded . referring to fig6 b and fig6 d , after the threaded portion 102 of the lower jaw member 58 , an exterior shape 103 of the lower jaw member 58 may transition from the circular shape 100 into a general d shape 109 . the cylindrical bore 101 may continue through d shaped portion 103 for receiving the circular portion 120 of the adjustable post 17 . referring to fig6 and 6b , a lower portion 104 of the lower jaw member 58 is preferably d shaped . the lower portion 104 of the lower jaw member 58 has a rectangular bore 111 for receiving a rectangular portion 123 of the adjustable post 17 . a lower lip 106 protrudes outwardly and upwardly from the lower jaw member 58 for engaging the table rail 15 . the exterior upper portion 100 of the lower jaw member 58 has two spaced apart slots 107 , 112 . in between the spaced apart slots 107 , 112 , the lower jaw member 58 has a plurality of frustum - conical holes 108 for receiving a curved surface member 142 shown on fig8 . as shown in fig6 , the lower jaw member 58 has a reciprocal set of threads 102 which surround the lower portion of the lower jaw member 58 . referring to fig2 , 4 , and 6 , the threads 91 in the jaw drive member 62 and the threads 102 of the lower jaw member 58 preferably engage each other as the jaw drive member 62 is manually rotated in a clockwise direction . rotation of the jaw drive member 62 drives the upper jaw member 60 downwardly , forcing the lower lip 106 of the lower jaw member 58 and the upper lip 81 of the upper jaw member 60 toward one another to engage the table rail 15 . the jaw drive member 62 is rotated until the lower jaw lip 106 on lower jaw member 58 and the upper jaw lip 81 of the upper jaw member 60 securely tighten against the rail 15 . the counter clockwise rotation of the jaw drive member 62 causes the upper jaw member 60 to recede from the lower jaw member 58 . continued counter clockwise rotation of the jaw drive member 62 may cause complete separation of the thread sets 91 , 102 . with the upper jaw member 60 disengaged from the lower jaw member 58 , the thread sets 91 , 102 become exposed for cleaning . the reduction in diameter at a location 94 of the jaw drive member 62 shown in fig4 contacts an angled periphery surface 113 of the lower jaw member 58 to control the extent of opposing movement of the lower jaw member 58 and the upper jaw member 60 . fig7 illustrates at least one aspect of the adjustable post 17 . as shown in fig7 , the upper portion 120 of the adjustable post 17 is preferably generally cylindrical . the upper portion 120 of the adjustable post 17 includes at least a groove 121 . those skilled in the art will realize that more than one groove 121 is preferable . further , the upper portion 120 of the adjustable post 17 may include a plurality of pin holes 122 for receiving pins to position universal clamps 21 on the end of the adjustable post 17 . the lower portion 123 of the adjustable post 17 is preferably non - cylindrical . referring to fig2 and fig6 , the adjustable post 17 is inserted into the bored out section 101 of the lower jaw member 58 with the non - cylindrical end 123 inserted first until the non - cylindrical end engages the non - cylindrical bored hole 111 in the lower jaw member 58 . the engagement of the non - cylindrical lower section 123 of the adjustable post 17 with the non - cylindrical bore hole 111 of the lower jaw member 58 prevents the adjustable post 17 from rotating . referring again to fig2 , 3 and 4 , the adjustable the adjustable post 17 extends upwardly through a hollow area 80 in the upper jaw member 60 and the cylindrical bore 92 formed in the jaw drive member 62 . fig8 is a cross sectional view of one aspect of the slide locking mechanism 140 . the slide locking mechanism 140 preferably includes a slide lock sleeve 141 , a spring 143 , snap rings 144 , 147 and a plurality of curved surface members 142 such as ball bearings . the slide locking mechanism 140 permits a quick adjustment of the retractor assembly height through the longitudinal adjustment of the adjustable post 17 . slide lock sleeve 141 is bored to have a minimum opening to allow the slide lock sleeve 141 to be slidably inserted over the upper portion 100 of the lower jaw member 58 . to retain the slide lock sleeve 141 of the slide locking mechanism 140 on the upper portion 100 of the lower jaw member 58 , snap rings 144 , 147 may be inserted into the slot 107 and the slot 112 of the lower jaw member 58 . the slots 107 and 112 are spatially located on the upper portion 100 of the lower jaw member 58 . the snap ring 147 preferably limits upward longitudinal movement of slide lock sleeve 141 . the snap ring 144 preferably limits the downward longitudinal movement of slide lock sleeve 141 . the slide lock sleeve 141 preferably has a bore comprised of several inner diameters . the slide lock sleeve 141 has a first axial bore 148 . after the bore 148 , preferably a second reduced dimension bore 149 may be made in the slide lock 141 forming an internal shoulder 150 . the internal shoulder 150 is of such a dimension that it engages the snap ring 147 , thereby limiting upward longitudinal movement of the slide lock sleeve 141 . preferably after the second bore 149 forms the shoulder 150 , a third bore channel 146 may be formed in the slide lock sleeve 141 preferably having a greater diameter bore than bore 149 . the channel 146 has an angular transition 152 to a fourth axial bore 145 . the axial bore 145 preferably has a bore diameter greater than groove 146 diameter and the bore diameter of the channel 146 is slightly greater than the outside diameter of the upper portion 100 of the lower jaw member 58 allowing the slide lock sleeve 141 to slidably move over the upper portion 100 of the lower jaw member 58 . after the bore 145 , the slide lock sleeve 141 may have a fifth axial bore 153 . the diameter of the axial bore 153 is preferably greater than the diameter of the bore 145 thus creating a shoulder 154 . bore 153 is capable of receiving a spring 143 . the spring 143 is bounded by the shoulder 154 on the upper end and the snap ring 144 on the lower end . as shown in fig8 , a plurality of curved surface members 142 , for example ball bearings , are inserted in the frustum - conical holes 108 in the lower jaw member 58 . as shown in fig6 c , the frustum - conical holes 108 preferably are provided with an end diameter 110 that is smaller than the diameter of the curved surface members 142 , but large enough to permit a portion of the curved surface members 142 to extend into the opening 101 of the lower jaw member 58 . as shown in fig2 and fig8 , the adjustable post 17 is inserted into the space 101 of the lower jaw member 58 . in the locked position of the slide locking mechanism 140 , the bore 145 of the slide lock sleeve 141 engages the curved surface members 142 which are located in the frustum - conical holes 108 of the lower jaw member 58 causing the curved surface members 142 to partially protrude into the space 101 of the lower jaw member 58 and thus engage the groove 121 of the adjustable post 17 . in the locked position , the spring 143 biases the shoulder 150 of the slide lock sleeve 141 against the snap ring 147 . to place the sliding lock mechanism in the unlocked position , the slide lock sleeve 141 is depressed in a downward direction , compressing the spring 143 against the snap ring 144 . the slide lock sleeve 141 moves downward until the channel 146 of the slide lock sleeve 141 aligns with the frustum - conical holes 108 in the lower jaw member 58 permitting the curved surface members 142 to partially exit the frustum - conical holes 108 and thereby permitting the curved surface members 142 to withdraw from the groove 121 in the adjustable post 17 . the withdrawal of the curved surface members 142 from the groove 121 in the adjustable post 17 frees the adjustable post 17 from its locked position and permits the longitudinal adjustment of the adjustable post 17 either up or down . holding the slide lock sleeve 141 in the depressed position permits the adjustable post 17 to be adjusted without intermediate engagement of the curved surface members 142 into the grooves 121 of the adjustable post 17 . when the adjustable post 17 is longitudinally adjusted such that the groove 121 of the adjustable post 17 does not align with the bore 145 of the slide lock sleeve 141 and the adjustable post 17 is in the unlocked position , slide lock sleeve may be released returning it to its unbiased position . in this position , the bore 145 engages the curved surface members 142 and urges curved surface members 142 against the adjustable post 17 . the curved surface members 142 may then engage the outer surface of the adjustable post 17 . with slide lock sleeve 141 in this position , the adjustable post 17 may then be adjusted until the curved surface members 142 engage the next groove 121 in the adjustable post 17 and lock the adjustable post 17 at the desired position . an alternative embodiment of the technology for rotating jaw drive member 62 is illustrated in fig9 through 11 . fig9 illustrates the same elements of fig4 of the jaw drive member 62 , however the four protruding areas 96 , 97 , 98 , 99 shown in fig4 a on the top of the jaw drive member 62 and the pair of manual control handles 86 , 87 disposed at the uppermost end of the jaw drive member 62 have been eliminated . referring to fig9 , the upper portion of the jaw drive member 62 is formed with a plurality of ratchet teeth 260 on the periphery of the drive member 62 . fig1 illustrates a side view of a reversible ratchet assembly 300 . the reversible ratchet assembly 300 can engage the ratchet teeth 260 on the jaw drive member 62 . with the reversible ratchet assembly 300 engaged on the ratchet teeth 260 of the jaw drive member 62 , the reversible ratchet assembly 300 can rotate the jaw drive member 62 in a clockwise or a counter - clockwise direction . the clockwise rotation of the jaw drive member 62 drives the upper jaw member 60 downwardly , forcing the lower lip 106 of the lower jaw member 58 and the upper lip 81 of the upper jaw member 60 toward one another to engage the table rail 15 . the jaw drive member 62 is rotated until the lower jaw lip 106 on the jaw drive member 62 and the upper jaw lip 81 of the upper jaw member 60 securely tighten against the rail 15 . with the reversible ratchet assembly 300 engaged on the ratchet teeth 260 on the jaw drive member 62 and set to ratchet in a counter - clockwise direction , the counter - clockwise rotation of the jaw drive member 62 causes the upper jaw member 60 to recede from the lower jaw member 58 untightening the lower jaw lip 106 on the jaw drive member 62 and the upper jaw lip 81 of the upper jaw member 60 from the rail 15 . the reversible ratchet assembly 300 includes a handle 220 operatively connected to a head 270 . the head 270 defines a bore 290 for receiving the ratchet teeth 260 on the jaw drive member 62 . fig1 illustrates the engagement of the reversible ratchet assembly 300 with the ratchet teeth 260 on the jaw drive member 62 . the head 270 includes a pawl 210 , a compression spring 266 , and a ball 264 . the pawl 210 is rotatable about the axis of a pawl pin 230 . the pawl 210 , the compression spring 266 , and the ball 264 are retained in the head 270 by a cover plate 275 . the pawl 210 has a first side 276 with a pair of engagement teeth 254 , 250 and a second opposite side 277 with a pair of cam surfaces 261 , 267 . in fig1 , the engagement tooth 254 is engaged with the ratchet teeth 260 . for clockwise rotation of the jaw drive member 62 , the pawl 210 may rotate in its operating condition between an engaged position with the engagement tooth 254 engaged with the ratchet teeth 260 and a disengaged position . for counter - clockwise rotation of the jaw drive member 62 , the pawl 210 may rotate in its operating condition between an engaged position with the teeth 250 engaged with the ratchet teeth 260 and a disengaged position . during ratcheting movement of the reversible ratchet assembly 300 , the pawl 210 oscillates between engaged and disengaged positions . upon rotation from the engaged position of the engagement teeth 254 with the ratchet teeth 260 of the jaw drive member 62 , the pawl 210 second opposite side 277 cam surface 267 interacts with a bias mechanism in which the ball 264 is biased against pawl 210 by the compression spring 266 . as the engaged teeth of the ratchet teeth 260 cams past the engagement tooth 254 , the spring 266 causes the ball 264 to ride on the second cam surface 267 to urge the pawl 210 back toward position for engagement with the next tooth of the ratchet teeth 260 . to rotate the jaw drive member in the counter - clockwise direction , the pawl 210 can be rotated so the engagement tooth 250 engages the ratchet teeth 260 . upon rotation from the engaged position of the engagement teeth 250 with the ratchet teeth 260 of the jaw drive member 62 , the pawl 210 second opposite side 277 cam surface 261 interacts with a bias mechanism in which the ball 264 is biased against the pawl 210 by the compression spring 266 . as the engaged teeth of the ratchet teeth 260 cams past the pawl tooth 250 , the spring 266 causes the ball 264 to ride on the second cam surface 261 to urge the pawl 210 back toward position for engagement with the next tooth of the ratchet teeth 260 . the ratcheting of reversible ratchet assembly 300 can ratchet the jaw drive member in a 62 in a clockwise or counter - clockwise rotation depending on the position of pawl 210 . referring to fig1 - 15 , an alternative embodiment of a locking device to allow for height adjustment of adjustable post 17 is illustrated . in fig1 , an alternate embodiment for the lower jaw member 58 is illustrated . an end portion 125 of the lower jaw member 58 has a plurality of slots 130 in the sidewalls of the lower jaw member 58 . the slots 130 in the lower jaw member 58 form a plurality of flexible fingers 135 . referring to fig1 - 15 , a locking device 170 using a cam tightened clamp can be used to lock the height of the adjustable post 17 . the locking device includes a clamp 175 . the clamp 175 includes a cylindrical passage 176 for receiving the slots 130 in the end portion 125 of the lower jaw member 58 . the cylindrical passage 176 is defined by a broken cylindrical surface 177 . the cylindrical surface 177 is broken along two parallel faces 178 and 179 which run the length of the clamp 175 to define a gap 180 . the clamp 175 includes a cam lever 182 as shown in fig1 and 14 . the cam lever 182 is pivotally connected to a shaft 155 through a bore 164 by a pin 156 . the shaft 155 operatively connects the cam lever 182 to the clamp 175 . the cam lever 182 is pivotally moveable about the shaft 155 between an open position and a closed position . an outer edge 160 of a cam portion 162 of the cam lever 152 is eccentric such that the distance between the center of the bore 164 in the cam lever 152 and a top 166 of the clamp 175 increases as the cam lever is moved from its open position to its closed position . movement of the cam lever 182 towards its closed position closes the gap 180 between the parallel faces 178 and 179 . as the parallel faces 178 , 179 of clamp 175 come closer together , the area circumscribed by the cylindrical passage 176 is constricted and the circumference of the flexible fingers 135 is reduced to grip the adjustable post 17 locking its movement . rotation of the cam lever 182 to its open position increases the cylindrical passage 176 allowing the flexible fingers 135 of the lower jaw member 58 to expand and release the grip on the adjustable post 17 . with the cam lever 182 in the open position , adjustable post 17 is free to move allowing for adjustment . while the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention . in addition , many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof . therefore , it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed , but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims . | 5 |
the principle object of the invention is to provide an improved method of qualitative and quantitative analysis for identifying and quantifying the chemical components of multiple samples of a complex mixture . some of the terms used below are explained in fig4 . the method comprises comparison and evaluation of the chemical components of multiple similar mixtures of organic chemicals comprising : a first step of subjecting said organic material to chromatography to separate components of said mixture and a second step of subjecting the separated materials to mass spectrometry to detect and identify said components , wherein said chromatography and mass spectrometry is performed by b ) separating components by partitioning at different rates in the column ; d ) obtaining a series of spectra to detect all species present : and e ) storing the spectra of the samples in computer files ; the improvement comprising enhancing the differences between the spectral data by a variable selection using the following steps : i ) calculate the mass chromatographic quality , mcq , for each of the mass chromatograms in all files , for instance , using coda ( u . s . pat . no . 5 , 672 , 869 ). select the chromatograms which are above a certain minimum mcq value in at one or more of the files . instead of coda , other data reduction methods can be used ( b . e . abbassi , h . mestdagh and c . rolando , int . j . mass spectr . ion . proc ., 141 ( 1995 ) 171 - 186 ) or by just reducing noise by using principal components analysis ( t . a . lee , l . m . headly and j . k . hardy , anal . chem ., 63 ( 1991 ) 357 - 360 ). ii ) selecting mass chromatograms for which at least one has a maximum intensity above a level of about 20 times the smallest intensity increase in the data to avoid noise and broad peaks . iii ) selecting a difference of more than three in the scan position of any pair of the chromatograms and iv ) ensuring that the ratio between intensities of peaks exceeds a factor of two in any pair of the chromatograms . the flow diagram of the comparelcms process is given in fig5 . in a preferred embodiment , mcq index in any of the chromatograms is at least 0 . 85 , maxint in any of the chromatograms is at least 20 times the minimal intensity increase in the data , peakwidth in any of the chromatograms is less than 10 scans and the difference in maxscan in any pair of chromatograms is more than three scans and the ratio of maxint in any pair of chromatograms is at least two . the lc - ms analysis was performed on a sciex api 365 mass spectrometer coupled to a hewlett packard1050 liquid chromatograph via a sciex turbo ion spray interface . the mass analyzer is capable of scanning to 3000 daltons and a typical scan speed is 3 seconds for the entire mass range of a given experiment , although this is variable and occasionally will be changed to fit the needs of the experiment . this instrument is equipped with the turbo ion spray lc / ms interface . the turbo ion spray interface is a high flow rate ( 0 . 25 ml - 1 ml / min ), nebulization assisted electrospray ionization source ( see fig1 b ). the turbo ion spray interface is very robust . it consists of a hollow needle that the hplc eluant is pumped through . no heat is involved . instead a high voltage potential is placed on the needle and the sample is “ sprayed ” through it forming ions . this ionization process is called “ electro spray ” ( es ) ( cole , r . electrospray ionization mass spectrometry : fundamentals , instrumentation , and applications , wiley : new york ( 1997 )). the ions are formed in the electro spray process in an area that is at atmospheric pressure and are pulled through a skimmer , by electrical potential , into a region that is being pumped to remove the volatile solvents . this lowers the pressure and focuses the ions . the pressure is reduced further in another pumped region and , subsequently , the ions pass into the mass analyzer . there is no backpressure generated in the interface , which greatly simplifies interfacing to hplc and other types of separations , such as ion chromatography and size exclusion chromatography . maintenance is low and the instrument is easy to use . the instrument is automated and samples are analyzed overnight or over the weekend on a regular basis generating large amounts of data . the lc - ms chromatograms shown are extracts of three different lots of the same material . one of the lots exhibited poor performance , another showed some minor problems while the third performed well . the reduced coda chromatograms are shown in fig3 and a set of selected mass chromatograms from comparelcms are shown in fig6 . the programs for this project were written in the development software matlab 5 . 2 . 1 . 1420 ( the mathworks , inc ., cochituate place , 24 prime park way , natich , mass . 01760 ). the computer configuration is a pentium , 266 mhz , 128 mb of ram . three highly similar samples were analyzed by lc / ms . from the measured data , a quality index is calculated with the previously described coda . the index is called the mcq ( mass chromatographic quality ) index . the mcq has a value between 0 and 1 . the higher the number the higher the quality of the data . in the example shown below , the mcq index used is 0 . 85 for a smoothing window of 3 ( in the original coda patent the window was introduced as a variable , in practice it appeared that a constant value of 3 is appropriate ). for the files used , this reduces the number of chromatograms significantly , see table i . in fig3 the coda reduced data of the three related samples are shown . the problems with lc - ms of closely related samples are clearly illustrated ; it is difficult to determine the small differences by simple visual evaluation . the selected mass chromatograms of the three files were combined . due to the high overlap , this results in a total of 191 mass chromatograms , see table i . in order to reduce the number of mass chromatograms further , only the mass chromatograms above a certain minimum level are kept . in the example , the noise is 20 times the digitization step of the instrument . furthermore , very broad peaks are often not of interest to the researcher . in the example shown , peaks of less than 10 scans wide at 0 . 25 of the peak height are discarded . the value 0 . 25 of the peak height was chosen since broad peaks are often very noisy , and the more commonly used value 0 . 5 of the peak height did not perform well . the use of these two criteria reduced the number of peaks from 191 to 146 . of these mass chromatograms , only the ones that are different are of interest . therefore , only mass chromatograms are selected which have : a ) a different scan position , i . e . the maximum difference value of maxscan ( see fig4 ) of the mass chromatograms should be more than 3 scans ( in this example ). if it is less than 3 scans , the peaks are considered to have an identical scan position . or b ) the maximum difference in the peak intensities maxint should be more than 5 ( in this example ). this reduces the number of mass chromatograms to 41 . this shows that comparelcms reduces the number of mass chromatograms very significantly . compared to the original number of mass chromatograms , the data is reduced by a factor of 50 ; compared to the coda results , the data is reduced by a factor of 5 . in order to facilitate comparison of the selected chromatograms , plots are generated of the chromatograms , selected because of differences , simultaneously . this is a time saving step compared to the current tools , where the mass chromatograms of only one file can be plotted . an example of the 3 selected chromatograms is presented in fig6 . note that the intensities of some of these mass chromatograms is about 2 % of the intensities displayed in fig3 . the manual evaluation to select chromatograms of this file cost 4 hours , while the use of comparelcms results in obtaining the same results in less than 5 minutes . while the invention has been described with particular reference to a preferred embodiment , it will be understood by those skilled in the art the various changes can be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements of the preferred embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention . in addition , many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation in material to a teaching of the invention without departing from the essential teachings of the present invention . | 6 |
the following will describe , in detail , several embodiments of the present invention . these embodiments are provided by way of explanation only , and thus , should not unduly restrict the scope of the invention . in fact , those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate upon reading the present specification and viewing the present drawings that the invention teaches many variations and modifications , and that numerous variations of the invention may be employed , used and made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention . for a conceptual understanding of the invention and its operational advantages , refer to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are preferred embodiments of the invention illustrated . other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment ( s ), taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings , which by way of example ; illustrate the principles of the invention . as illustrated in fig1 - 6 , the subject invention discloses a system for improving gymnastic skills through motion - capture analysis of a student &# 39 ; s gymnastic maneuvers , and comparison of projected motion - captured gymnastic maneuvers to a projected animated silhouette character performing the defined movements of the gymnastic maneuver on a screen . the system incorporates a motion - detection camera platform 2 , such as the microsoft xbox 360 kinect ® motion detection camera , a projection device 3 , a projection screen 4 , and a single computing device 5 capable of running executable software applications , such as a laptop , a tablet , a smartphone , or a desktop computer . the computing device 5 further executes plug - in software that operatively connects the motion detection camera 2 and projection device 3 with the computing device 5 . to use the system , a gymnastics instructor ( not shown ) first creates or downloads a digital database 6 of animated gymnastic maneuvers or skills onto a storage device 7 of the computing device 5 . in connection with this subject invention , a skill refers to a gymnastic maneuver performed by a gymnast through a series of defined bodily movements . each skill is saved within the digital database 6 as a series of animated movements of an animated silhouette shadow character 8 . this series of animated movements are arranged for proper body placement and alignment for a defined gymnastic skill . the series of animated movements of the animated shadow character 8 are divided into at least two movement stages 9 , with each stage defined by sequential numbering or lettering such as “ a ”, “ b ” . . . and so forth . each stage 9 is divided into four physical lines of height 10 , 11 , 12 , and 13 . these lines of height 10 , 11 , 12 , and 13 illustrate the position of the shadow 8 &# 39 ; s head , left arm , right arm , torso , left leg , and right leg during each stage 9 of the skill . the lines of height 10 , 11 , 12 , and 13 map and guide placement for the head , left arm , right arm , torso , left leg , and right leg during the sequence of each stage 9 for the skill . this animated shadow character 8 may also be referred to as the animated instructor , as the series of visual movements performed by the animated shadow 8 demonstrate the perfect visual movements of a skill to a user . the database 6 of animated gymnastic skills contains various sizes of the animated shadow character 8 performing the same skill . these sizes account for different heights , sexes , weights , and body types of student gymnasts 14 that may use the system . in another embodiment of the subject invention , the animated shadow 8 may be projected in one or more colors . in another embodiment of the subject invention , the system may incorporate sounds and or music with the animated shadow 8 movements to correspond with the beginning , ending , or the length of specific stages 9 of the skill , movements of specific body parts within a stage 9 , or the entire skill . in a further embodiment of the subject invention , the system may incorporate , warning lights , or other warning devices that are activated with the animated shadow 8 movements to correspond with the beginning , ending , or the length of specific stages 9 of the skill , movements of specific body parts within a stage 9 , or the entire skill . in embodiments of the subject invention , this database 6 of animated gymnastic skills may be pre - installed onto a storage device 7 or computer - readable media that may be uploaded to the storage device 7 . in another embodiment of the subject invention , the database 6 of animated gymnastic skills may be downloaded from the internet 15 . once the database 6 of animated gymnastic skills have been stored on the computing device 5 , a student gymnast 14 will attempt to perform a given gymnastic maneuver or skill . first , the height , weight , sex , and body type of the student gymnast 14 are inputted into the computing device 5 by a live instructor , or spotter ( not shown ). the system selects the appropriate animated shadow 8 based on this student gymnast 14 input . second , the spotter will select the skill to be performed by the student gymnast 14 from the database 6 of animated gymnastic skills . third , the student gymnast 14 will perform the skill in front of a screen 4 . in one embodiment of the subject invention , the gymnast 14 has the option to view the animated shadow 8 perform the skill on the screen 4 prior to attempting to perform it . the motion detection camera 2 will detect 20 each student gymnast 14 bodily movement during the performance and , through the software , capture each movement into a second database 16 of motion captured movement images 17 . in embodiments of the subject invention , this second database 16 of motion captured movement images may be organized by student , date , time , type of skill performed , or any other method of database organization known to those skilled in the art . the motion detection camera 2 may identify different movements for each part of the body , including the head , each arm , and each leg . in embodiments of the subject invention , the motion detection camera 2 will only recognize the first student gymnast 14 in front of it during the first five to ten seconds as the body to motion capture . the motion capture camera 2 will not track any other bodies or objects until the camera 2 is reset by the computing device 5 . the computing device 5 analyzes the student gymnast &# 39 ; s 14 motion captured movement images 17 . the student gymnast &# 39 ; s 14 motion captured movement images 17 are organized into stages 9 ( with each stage defined by sequential numbering or lettering ), and the student gymnast &# 39 ; s 14 head , left arm , right arm , torso , left leg , and right leg are positioned into the four lines of height 10 , 11 , 12 , and 13 for each stage 9 of the skill . the animated silhouette shadow 8 and the student gymnast &# 39 ; s 14 motion - captured movement images 17 performing the skill are both projected 21 onto the screen 4 by a projection device 3 . the movements of the student gymnast &# 39 ; s head , left arm , right arm , torso , left leg , and right leg in each stage 9 and line of height 10 , 11 , 12 , and 13 are compared to the corresponding positions of the animated shadow 8 in each stage 9 and line of height 10 , 11 , 12 , and 13 . in one embodiment of the subject invention , the comparison of the animated shadow 8 and motion captured movement images 17 of the student gymnast 14 are analyzed based on a point system for each line of height 10 , 11 , 12 , and 13 of the body in each stage 9 . in a further embodiment of the subject invention , the numbers for the point system may range from zero to twenty points for the line of height 10 , 11 , 12 , and 13 position of each of the five body parts ( head , left arm , right arm , left leg , and right leg ) during each stage 9 . thus , a student gymnast 14 may score a total of hundred points for the positions of these five body parts compared to the animated shadow 8 for each stage 9 of the skill . for example , the skill of the cartwheel , as performed by the animated shadow 8 , is illustrated in fig1 . for this skill , there are three stages 31 a , 31 b , and 31 c . in stage 31 a , the shadow 8 has both arms straight up , both legs straight down , and the head up . in stage 31 b , the shadow 8 has both arms down , both legs straight up , and the head down . in stage 31 c , the shadow 8 has both arms straight up , both legs straight down , and the head up . within each stage 31 a , 31 b , and 31 c , the system compares the animated shadow &# 39 ; s 8 head , legs and arms in each line of height 10 , 11 , 12 , and 13 to the motion - captured head , legs and arms of the student gymnast 14 that performed the skill . the system will measure the distance between the shadow &# 39 ; s 8 perfect positioning of each body part within each line of height 10 , 11 , 12 , and 13 within each stage 9 and the student gymnast &# 39 ; s 14 positioning of each body part within each line of height 10 , 11 , 12 , and 13 within each stage 9 . in one embodiment of the subject invention , the system will subtract one point per every inch the student gymnast 14 is off in each stage 9 of the skill for each body part . fig5 illustrates a further embodiment of the subject invention . in this embodiment , the student gymnast 14 will perform the skill along with the animated shadow 8 . the shadow 8 appears on the screen 4 from the projection device 3 and will begin the skill when the student gymnast 14 begins the skill . it is the goal of the student gymnast to perfectly mimic the movements of the animated shadow 8 for each stage 9 . in further embodiments of the subject invention , all or portions of the database 16 of motion captured movements of the student gymnasts performing the skills may be transferred to a website . the motion captured images 17 may be seen on the website by authorized users , such gym members , instructors , owners , students , or parents . such a website will increase electronic communications and decrease incoming calls to the instructors . this viewable website will also allow both parent and instructors to view student gymnast progress in skill completion logs . additional examples of animated shadow skills are illustrated in fig7 - 18 . the skill of the tuck jump , as performed by the animated shadow 8 , is illustrated in fig7 . for this skill , there are three stages 27 a , 27 b , and 27 c . in stage 27 a , the shadow 8 has both arms straight up , both legs straight down , and the head up . in stage 27 b , the shadow 8 has the knees pulled up to the chest , the hands grasping the legs between the knees and ankle , and the head is down . in stage 27 c , the shadow 8 has both arms straight up , both legs straight down , and the head up . the skill of the straddle jump , as performed by the animated shadow 28 , is illustrated in fig8 . for this skill , there are three stages 28 a , 28 b , and 28 c . in stage 28 a , the shadow 8 has both arms straight up , both legs straight down , and the head up . in stage 28 b , the shadow 8 the legs are spread sideways approximately ninety degrees apart and the arms reach forward towards the pointed toes , and the head is up . in stage 28 c , the shadow 8 has both arms straight up , both legs straight down , and the head up . the skill of the dive roll , as performed by the animated shadow 8 , is illustrated in fig9 . the gymnast runs , leaps into the air and dives onto the floor in a handstand position and does a forward roll at the end . for this skill , there are three stages 29 a , 29 b , 29 c , 29 d , and 29 e . in stage 29 a , the shadow 8 has both arms straight up , both legs straight down , and the head up . in stage 29 b , the shadow 8 has the legs straight up , the arms down , and the head down . in stage 29 c , the shadow 8 has the legs up and pulled in towards the chest , the arms down , and the head down . in stage 29 d , the shadow 8 has the legs folded downwards , the butt on the floor , the arms down behind the torso and the head up . in stage 29 e , the shadow 8 has both arms straight up , both legs straight down , and the head up . the skill of the handstand , as performed by the animated shadow 8 , is illustrated in fig1 . for this skill , there are three stages 30 a , 30 b , and 30 c . in stage 30 a , the shadow 8 has both arms straight up , both legs straight down , and the head up . in stage 30 b , the shadow 8 has both arms straight down , both legs straight up , and the head down . in stage 30 c , the shadow 8 has both arms straight up , both legs straight down , and the head up . the skill of the back extension roll , as performed by the animated shadow 8 , is illustrated in fig1 . for this skill , there are six stages 32 a , 32 b , 32 c , 32 d , 32 e , and 32 f . in stage 32 a , the shadow 8 has both arms straight up , both legs straight down , and the head up . in stage 32 b , the shadow 8 has the legs folded downwards , the butt on the floor , the arms upward , and the head up . in stage 32 c , the shadow 8 has the legs folded downwards , the butt on the floor , the arms down behind the torso , and the head up . in stage 32 d , the shadow 8 has both arms straight down , both legs straight up , and the head down . in stage 32 e , the shadow 8 has both arms straight down , both legs up and bent forwards and the head down . in stage 32 f , the shadow 8 has both arms straight up , both legs straight down , and the head up . the skill of the front handspring , as performed by the animated shadow 8 , is illustrated in fig1 . the gymnast lunges forward , placing the hands on the floor . the back leg drives upward , overhead , forcing the back to arch , and the other leg soon joins it in the air . the gymnast , now on the hands , pushes through the shoulders , and , keeping the back arched , springs into the air momentarily , until the feet reach the ground . for this skill , there are four stages 33 a , 33 b , 33 c , and 33 d . in stage 33 a , the shadow 8 has both arms straight up , both legs straight down , and the head up . in stage 33 b , the shadow 8 has both arms straight down , both legs up and bent backwards , and the head down . in stage 33 c , the shadow 8 has both arms straight down , both legs up and bent forwards and the head down . in stage 33 d , the shadow 8 has both arms straight up , both legs straight down , and the head up . the skill of the back walkover , as performed by the animated shadow 8 , is illustrated in fig1 . a gymnast starts in the standing position , arches her into a backbend and kicks her legs over her head to land on her feet in a step - out landing ( one leg followed by the other ). for this skill , there are six stages 34 a , 34 b , 34 c , 34 d , 34 e , and 34 f . in stage 34 a , the shadow 8 has both arms straight up , both legs straight down , and the head up . in stage 34 b , the shadow 8 has the head and arms going downwards and the legs coming upwards . in stage 34 c , the shadow 8 has the head and arms angled further downwards , and the legs angled further upwards . in stage 34 d , the shadow 8 has both arms straight down , both legs straight up , and the head down . in stage 34 e , the shadow 8 has both arms straight down , the head pulling upwards , and both legs flipping downwards . in stage 34 f , the shadow 8 has both arms straight up , both legs straight down , and the head up . the skill of the back handspring , as performed by the animated shadow 8 , is illustrated in fig1 . the back handspring is performed with the legs together at all times . the gymnast must start with arms overhead or in front , and jump backward while arching the back . as the feet leave the ground , the back remains arched until the hands arrive on the ground . the gymnast then shifts to a hollow position , and springs from the hands back to the feet , ending with arms in front . for this skill , there are seven stages 35 a , 35 b , 35 c , 35 d , 35 e , 35 f , and 35 g . in stage 35 a , the shadow 8 has both arms straight up , both legs straight down , and the head up . in stage 35 b , the shadow 8 has the knees pulled up to the chest , the arms , and the head up . in stage 35 c , the shadow 8 is beginning to jump backward while arching the back . in stage 35 d , the shadow 8 is fully to jumping backward while arching the back . in stage 35 e , the shadow 8 has both arms straight down , both legs straight up , and the head down . in stage 35 f , the shadow 8 has the legs pivoting downwards , with the arms downward , and the head pulling upwards . in stage 35 g , the shadow 8 has both arms straight up , both legs straight down , and the head up . the skill of the backtuck , as performed by the animated shadow 8 , is illustrated in fig1 . for this skill , there are six stages 36 a , 36 b , 36 c , 36 d , 36 e , and 36 f . in stage 36 a , the shadow 8 has both arms straight up , both legs straight down , and the head up . in stage 36 b , the shadow 8 reaches the arms upward overhead , while at the same time , jumping upward with the legs . in stage 36 c , the shadow 8 has the knees are pulled upward , and the body will rotate backwards to execute a flip . in stage 36 d , the shadow 8 has the knees are pulled farther upward , and the body is rotate backwards with the head down to execute a flip . in stage 36 e , the shadow 8 executed the flip , the knees are pointed downward and the arms are overhead . in stage 36 f , the shadow 8 has both arms straight up , both legs straight down , and the head up . the skill of the layout , as performed by the animated shadow 8 , is illustrated in fig1 . for this skill , there are eight stages 37 a , 37 b , 37 c , 37 d , 37 e , 37 f , 37 g , and 37 h . in stage 37 a , the shadow 8 has both arms straight up , both legs straight down , and the head up . in stage 37 b , the shadow 8 reaches the arms upward overhead , while at the same time , jumping upward with the legs . in stage 37 c , the shadow 8 has the knees are pulled upward , and the body will rotate backwards to execute a flip . in stage 37 d , the shadow 8 has the knees are pulled farther upward , and the body is rotate backwards with the head down to execute a flip . in stage 37 e , the shadow 8 is executing a complete flip with the legs upwards , the arms facing upwards , and the head straight down . in stage 37 f , the shadow 8 executed the flip , the knees are pointed downward and the arms are overhead . in stage 37 g , the shadow 8 has the body land on one leg followed by the other . in stage 37 h , the shadow 8 has both arms straight up , both legs straight down , and the head up . the skill of the twisting layout , as performed by the animated shadow 8 , is illustrated in fig1 . for this skill , there are eight stages 38 a , 38 b , 38 c , 38 d , 38 e , 38 f , 38 g , and 38 h . in stage 38 a , the shadow 8 has both arms straight up , both legs straight down , and the head up . in stage 38 b , the shadow 8 reaches the arms upward overhead , while at the same time , jumping upward with the legs . in stage 38 c , the shadow 8 has the knees are pulled upward , and the body will rotate backwards to execute a flip . in stage 38 d , the shadow 8 has the knees are pulled farther upward , and the body is rotate backwards with the head down to execute a flip . in stage 38 e , the shadow 8 is executing a flip with the legs upwards , the arms spread out , and the head down . in stage 38 f , the shadow 8 executed the flip , the knees are pointed downward and the arms are spread out . in stage 38 g , the shadow 8 has the body land on one leg followed by the other . in stage 38 h , the shadow 8 has both arms straight up , both legs straight down , and the head up . fig6 illustrates a block diagram that depicts one embodiment of the computing device 5 architecture . the computing device 5 may include a communication device ( such as a bus ) 22 , a cpu / processor 23 , a main memory 24 , a storage device 7 , a database of shadow 8 movements , and a database of captured movements 17 . the communication device 22 may permit communication between the computing device 5 and the motion detection camera 2 , the projection device 3 , and the internet 15 . embodiments of the communication device 22 of the computing device 5 may include any transceiver - like mechanism that enables the computing device 5 to communicate with other devices or systems . the communication may be over a network such as a wired or wireless network . the network communication may be based on protocols such as ethernet , ip , tcp , udp , or ieee 802 . 11 . embodiments of the processor unit 23 of the computing device 5 may include processors , microprocessors , multi - core processors , microcontrollers , system - on - chips , field programmable gate arrays ( fpga ), application specific integrated circuits ( asic ), application specific instruction - set processors ( asip ), or graphics processing units ( gpu ). in one embodiment , the processor unit may enable processing logic to interpret and execute instructions . in a further embodiment , the main memory may store computer retrievable information and software executable instructions . these software executable instructions may be instructions for use by the processor unit . the storage device 7 may computer retrievable information and software executable instructions for use by the processor and may also include a solid state , magnetic , or optical recording medium . embodiments of an input terminal 25 of the computing device 5 may include a keyboard , a mouse , a pen , a microphone combined with voice recognition software , a camera , a smartphone , a tablet , a touchpad , or a multi - point touch screen . in embodiments of the subject invention , the underlying architecture of the system may be implemented using one or more computer programs , each of which may execute under the control of an operating system , such as windows , os2 , dos , aix , unix , mac os , ios , chromeos , android , and windows phone or ce . the many aspects and benefits of the invention are apparent from the detailed description , and thus , it is intended for the following claims to cover such aspects and benefits of the invention , which fall within the scope , and spirit of the invention . in addition , because numerous modifications and variations will be obvious and readily occur to those skilled in the art , the claims should not be construed to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described herein . accordingly , all suitable modifications and equivalents should be understood to fall within the scope of the invention as claimed herein . | 6 |
in accordance with the present invention , a filter 10 for a fiber optic system is shown comprising a side - polished optical fiber 11 , a block 13 for retaining the fiber , a grating 15 , and a translation stage 17 for moving the grating relative to the fiber , as shown in fig1 . the grating 15 has gradually diverging ridges 19 which extend substantially transversely of the fiber 11 , as best shown in fig2 . the filter 10 is tuned by operating the y - control 21 of the translation stage 17 so that the spatial periodicity of the grating 15 , i . e ., the pitch of the ridges 19 over the side - polished region 23 , is changed . the preferred fiber 11 is a single - mode fiber . such a fiber provides for precise control of transmitted light since the single propagated mode can be operated on with negligible side - effects due to other propagation modes . the preferred grating 15 is a first - order grating , i . e ., its spatial periodicity is nominally half the wavelength of the mode to be reflected . by using this first - order grating , higher order diffraction modes , which would not be captured by the single - mode fiber 11 , are eliminated . the fiber 11 includes a core 25 surrounded by a cladding 27 , as shown in fig3 . the fiber 11 is shown fixed in position within an arcuate groove 29 . at the center of the side - polished region 23 , the cladding 27 is thinned insofar as possible without breaching the integrity of the core 25 . preferably , the minimum thickness of the cladding 27 at its side - polished region 23 is less than or at most comparable to the diameter of the core 25 . the purpose of this side - polished region 23 is to permit the evanescent field of incident light p in being transmitted along the core 25 to protrude from the fiber 11 to interact with the grating 15 to produce a reflection p r . the intersection of such an evanescent field with the surface of the cladding 27 is contained within the side - polished region 23 , which thus can be used to roughly locate the exposed evanescent field . specifically , the region of interaction of the evanescent field with the grating is generally confined to the orthogonal projection of the side - polished region 23 onto the grating 15 . several projection regions a , b , c , d , e and f , corresponding to different transverse positions of the grating 15 , are indicated in fig4 . however , a more precise definition for a region of interaction at the grating is available . for a given grating position , at some point on the grating , the evanescent field of light being transmitted along the core achieves maximum strength . a &# 34 ; half - power interaction region &# 34 ; can be defined as that region in the plane of the grating in which the evanescent field is half or more of its maximum . herein , a region of the grating is said to substantially contain the intersection of the grating and the evanescent field when the region contains the half - power region of the evanescent field defined in the plane of the grating . this half - power interaction region is much smaller than the side - polished region 23 of the fiber 11 . roughly , the half - power interaction region at the plane of the grating is one - tenth as long and as wide as the side - polished region , so that the area of the half - power interaction region is about one - hundredth that of the side - polished region in the illustrated embodiment in the bergh et al . reference cited above , the half - power region of a similar half - coupler assembly was found to extend about 2 . 5 millimeters ( mm ) along the fiber 11 and between one and two core diameters , or seven μm , transverse to the fiber 11 . this very small transverse extent contributes to the fact that the diverging ridges 19 can be considered parallel for fixed positions of the grating 15 , as discussed below . as illustrated in fig4 the grating 15 includes several regions a , b , c , d , e and f . the multiple ridges 19 are shown gradually diverging so that pitch increases as a function of transverse position . thus , of the illustrated regions , region a has an intermediate pitch , region b has the smallest pitch , and region c has the greatest pitch . the many regions , including those not separately illustrated , define a continuum extending transversely of the fiber 11 in the y direction . thus , regions overlap , as shown in conjunction with regions d , e and f . thus , by translating the grating 15 in the y direction and thereby selecting the grating region to be positioned over the half - power interaction region of the fiber , the periodicity experienced by light transmitted along the fiber is changed . since the divergence of the ridges 19 is continuous , the tuning function is a monotonic one - to - one mapping of grating position to reflected wavelength . alternatively , step functions and non - monotonic functions are provided for . note that while the ridges 19 are clearly diverging , the segments 31a and 31b of ridges 19a and 19b within region a are very nearly parallel . fig4 is necessarily schematic and cannot do justice to the degree of parallelism . the degree of divergence is exaggerated by roughly a fvactor of a thousand in fig4 . fig4 also equates the regions a - f with projections of the side - polished region 23 of the fiber 11 . however , it is more pertinent to equate the regions a - f with the half - power interaction region . the width of the side - polished region is exaggerated by a factor of about 32 , so that the width of the half - power interaction is about 400 times thinner than the width of the illustrated regions a - f . parenthetically , fig4 shows only about one of every 9000 grating lines . considering the exaggeration of divergence and the half - power interaction region together , the degree of parallelism is about 400 , 000 times greater than indicated in fig4 . thus , the geometry of the grating provides for highly parallel ridge segments in the half - power interaction region , while permitting sufficient divergence for broadband tuning , as detailed below after the following description of the method used to manufacture the illustrated grating 15 . a grating such as grating 15 can fabricated on a fused quartz substrate , which can be one inch square with one surface polished flat . the fused quartz substrate is used for the grating to prevent energy loss of the guided optical signal due to coupling to radiation modes in the substrate . this is accomplished since the refractive index of the fused quartz is lower than the effective index of the guided mode . a thin film of amorphous silicon can be sputtered onto the polished surface ; the film can be about 0 . 3 μm thick . silicon is used for the grating structure since it has a large refractive index and has relatively low absorption losses at the infrared wavelengths , 13 , 000 to 15 , 500 å , of interest . the large index of refraction difference between the amorphous silicon and the fused quartz contributes to an increased reflection coefficient . photoresist can then be spun onto the amorphous silicon . the photoresist can be a positive photoresist such as shipley az1350 , but other alternative positive and negative photoresists can be accommodated . the photoresist layer can be about 0 . 4 μm thick . the photoresist coat can then be exposed holographically using a largely conventional apparatus 33 illustrated in fig5 . a holographic interference pattern is initiated by a laser source 35 , which in the illustrated embodiment is a helium - cadmium , hecd , laser with a nominal wavelength of 4416 å . a half - silvered mirror 37 is used to split the laser beam 39 into two substantially equal and mutually perpendicular component beams 41 . respective mirrors 43 are then used to redirect the component beams so that the redirected component beams 45 define a predetermined angle with respect to a point of virtual convergence 47 . the point of convergence 47 is virtual in that respective lenses 49 and diffraction pin - holes 51 disturb the redirected component beams 45 before they reach the would - be point of convergence . the angle of convergence is selected to provide a standing wave interference pattern . the appropriate angle is determined as a function of the laser wavelength as is well - known in the art . in the illustrated embodiment , the 4416 å wavelength of the hecd laser 35 requires a 59 ° angle of convergence to generate the desired holographic interference pattern . the redirected component beams 45 are focused at their respective pin - holes 51 by respective lenses 49 . the pin - holes 51 , which in the illustrated apparatus are about 2 . 5 μm in diameter , serve as coherent point sources of spherically diverging wavefronts . as is well known , the wavefronts thus created interfere to produce an interference pattern which is sharply defined at the point of virtual convergence 47 . as in the fabrication of a conventional holographic grating , the coated substrate is positioned about the point of convergence 47 . however , in accordance with the present invention , the substrate is exposed to a wavefront generated by spherically diverging beams and is tilted about 30 ° with respect to the wavefront interference plane . to establish a frame of reference , let the point of convergence 47 be an origin , with a line bisecting the 59 ° angle defining the x - axis ; the y - axis is then as illustrated in fig5 and the z - axis is orthogonal to the page . diverging beams , rather than the conventional collimated beams , are used to generate a diverging interference pattern . the degree of divergence at the substrate can be adjusted by rotating the it from the yz - plane of the interference front as indicated in fig6 . this tilt causes a lower portion of the substrate to be nearer the pin - holes and an upper portion to be further from the pin - holes . since the interference pattern diverges away from the pin - holes , a diverging interference pattern is imposed on the photoresist . those skilled in the art understand that the interference lines are hyperbolic rather than straight . however , straight lines are sufficiently approximated not only over the width of the half - power interactions regions , but also over the tuning range of the grating . the strips of photoresist exposed to lines of constructive interference are then removed from the substrate by conventional methods . the photoresist pattern is then transferred to the amorphous silicon using a selective reactive ion etch . as gas such as carbon tetrafluoride can be used in the etch . finally , the remaining photoresist is removed . the resulting grating 15 has a spatial period of approximately 0 . 45 μm with a divergence of about 3 . 4 microradians . the resulting grating 15 is then mounted on the xyz - translation stage 17 , and then placed ridges down onto the side - polished optical fiber 11 to allow for evanescent interaction . an index matching oil 53 is preferably applied between fiber 11 and grating 15 to remove any possible air gaps which would reduce the extent of the evanescent field . the grating 15 is longitudinally centered on the side - polished region 23 of the fiber 11 with its ridges 19 extending substantially transversely of the fiber 11 . the x - control 55 of the translation stage 17 is used to center the grating 15 in the x - direction . the z - control 57 of the translation is adjusted to apply sufficient pressure to ensure firm contact between grating 15 and the fiber 11 . as indicated above , the y - control 21 is used for tuning . the block and fiber assembly can be fabricated as provided by bergh et al ., cited above . for completeness , the process is outlined herein . since , bergh et al . use two such assemblies to constitute a directional optical coupler , the block and fiber 11 can be referred to collectively as a &# 34 ; coupler half &# 34 ;. the coupler half includes the block 13 and the side - polished fiber 11 . the groove 29 is cut or etched into the flat top surface 59 of the block 13 between two end surfaces 61 such that the depth of the groove 29 with respect to the top surface 59 is greater near the two end surfaces 61 that it is midway between the two end surfaces 61 . preferably the depth of the groove 29 varies gradually such that the groove 29 is arcuate between the two end surfaces 61 as shown i n fig3 the fiber 11 is preferably a standard single - mode telecommunications fiber used , for example , for the 13 , 000 to 15 , 500 å wavelengths . the fiber 11 has an inner core 25 and an outer cladding 27 . the inner core 25 has a higher refractive index than the outer cladding 27 so that light propagating within the inner core 25 of the optical fiber 11 is guided . the diameter of the core 25 of the illustrated fiber 11 is 10 μm , while the cladding 27 has a diameter of 125 82 m . the fiber 11 is placed within the groove 29 with the axis of the optical fiber 11 extending between the two end surfaces 61 . the depth profile of the groove 29 is selected to be greater at the end surfaces 61 than the diameter of the outer cladding 27 of the optical fiber 11 . the depth of the groove 29 midway between its ends is selected so that it is approximately equal to the diameter of the outer cladding 27 so that the fiber 11 extends about to the surface of the block 13 at its midpoint . the optical fiber 11 is held in place in the groove 29 by an epoxy or other suitable adhesive . thereafter , the top surface 59 of the block 13 and any coplanar portions of the cladding 27 are carefully ground and polished so that a portion of the cladding 27 of the optical fiber 11 is slowly thinned . the grinding and polishing is continued until only a small thickness of the cladding 27 covers the inner core 25 of the optical fiber 11 at the approximate mid - point of the block 13 . for example , given the dimensions of the illustrated optical fiber 11 , e g ., an inner core 25 with a diameter of 10 μm and a cladding 27 with a diameter of 125 μm , a portion of the cladding 27 is thinned until approximately 0 . 5 - 5 μm of the cladding 27 covers the inner core 25 at the longitudinal midpoint of the groove 29 . after the grinding and polishing is completed , the region where the cladding has been removed defines the oval side - polished region 23 which is coplanar with the top surface 59 of the quartz block 13 . the performance of the illustrated filter 10 was evaluated by characterizing the spectral distribution of the reflected frequencies . reflected wavelength is shown as a function of grating position in fig6 . the dots indicated the empirical results of measuring reflected wavelengths at different grating positions . the diagonal line represents a least squares fit , as is known in the art . the proximity of the empirical points to the least squares line indicates a high degree of tuning linearity . apparently , the hyperbolic nature of the holographic interference pattern does not detract severely from the linearity of the filter . the slope of the diagonal line is 96 . 8 å / mm , which corresponds to the 3 . 4 microradian divergence of the ridges 19 . graphs of power distributions over grating positions taken at different incident wavelengths are shown in fig7 a , 7b and 7c . the illustrated maxima correspond very roughly with regions a , b and c in fig4 . the graph of fig7 a was generated using an incident beam with a wavelength of about 13 , 010 ( å ). maximum power is achieved around a grating position of 1 . 0 mm along the approximately 2 . 6 mm effective transverse dimension of the grating 15 . the half - power bandwidth of the peak is about 5 . 6 å . this corresponds to a 57 μm translation of the grating 15 . the graph of fig7 b was generated using an incident wavelength of about 12 , 928 å . here the reflected power peak occurs at about 0 . 08 mm along the operating dimension of the grating 15 . the half - power bandwidth is about 6 . 7 å , corresponding to a 69 μm movement of the grating 15 . the graph of fig7 c was generated using an incident wavelength of about 13 , 153 å . the reflected power peak occurs at about 2 . 4 mm along operating dimension of the grating 15 . the half - power bandwidth is about 5 . 6 å , corresponding to a 58 μm translation of the grating 15 . collectively , the three graphs of fig7 a - c indicate a tuning range in excess of 220 å with a maximum reflected half - power bandwidth of 6 . 7 å . this corresponds to a tuning - to - bandwidth ratio of about 33 : 1 . this compares very favorably with the 2 : 1 or poorer tuning - to - bandwidth ratios provided by the in - fiber filters of the background art discussed above . in addition to the single - mode fiber , reflective filter embodiment described above , multi - mode fiber transmissive filter embodiments are provided for by the present invention . multi - mode fibers include single core fibers with cores designed to support multiple transmission modes within a predetermined bandwidth . alternatively , multiple modes can be provided in a fiber having multiple modes supported by multiple cores , each core supporting a single mode . specifically , in a fiber supporting two propagation modes , each with a characteristic velocity , a grating with spatial periodicity equal to the &# 34 ; beat &# 34 ; length for the two modes at a given frequency serves to couple the modes . thus , a relatively broadband signal along one of the modes can be selectively coupled to the other mode at the grating . the wavelength coupled can be adjusted as above by moving the grating so as to change the spatial periodicity of the grating . in the case of an optical fiber having two cores with different geometries and / or indexes of refraction so that they support different single modes , a signal input into one core at one end of the fiber can be selectively coupled into the other core at a grating filter . the light withdrawn from the second core at the opposite end of the fiber represents transmissively filtered light . the same filtering can be applied to a multi - mode single core fiber , although the separation of the modes at the fiber output may be more complex . all of the multi - mode embodiments just discussed are adequately represented by fig1 - 4 . of course , p r must be taken out opposite the end p in is introduced . in the case of a dual - core fiber , the cores are preferably parallel and transversely disposed with respect to one other , so that each can conveniently interact with the grating . while the foregoing represent preferred embodiments , it is understood that many variations and modifications are also provided for by the present invention . for example , a grating 70 with an alternative pattern is indicated in fig8 . here , parallel ridges are arranged on a gradually increasing pitch as a function of longitudinal position with respect to a fiber . for example , the pitch of ridges 71 at one longitudinal end of the grating 70 is less than the pitch of the ridges 73 at the opposite longitudinal end : intermediate series of ridges have intermediate pitches . thus , the periodicity at a half - power interaction region of the fiber can be controlled by longitudinal translation of the grating 70 along the x - dimension . there are two basic variations of the embodiment of fig8 . in one variation , the periodicity is varied step - wise and the longitudinal translation is performed in discrete steps . thus , there is nominally no pitch variation over the interaction region . alternatively , the pitch can be varied continuously and continuous adjustment provided for by continuous translation . in this case , the pitch must be increased gradually enough so that negligible variation occurs over the region of interaction with the evanescent field . many other grating patterns are provided for . radial gratings can be fabricated with the radial pitch gradually increasing with circumferential position . such a grating can be rotated about an origin disposed transversely of the interaction region to provide variable periodicity at the evanescent field . another grating includes circumferential ridges of radially varying pitch . by rotating such a grating about an off - center point mounted longitudinally of the center of the interaction region , the spatial periodicity at the evanescent field can be controlled . in addition , different methods of fabrication , wavelengths , fiber geometries and compositions , and methods of accessing the evanescent field are provided for . in particular , the present invention applies to a filter subassembly to be attached to an existing fiber which is then thinned for access to its evanescent field . alternatively , the filter assembly can include a pre - polished fiber to be spliced into a fiber optic system . these and other variations and modifications are provided for by the present invention , the scope of which is limited only by the following claims . | 6 |
load shift can be caused by lack of symmetry between the line and neutral lead wires , and particularly by a non - uniformly wound differential transformer . we also know that it can be reduced by magnetic shielding of the differential transformer , and by demagnetizing the transformer . however , the beneficial effect of demagnetizing the transformer is lost because the same load shift performance reappears after surge testing or dc shock . this latter phenomenon indicates magnetic anisotropy ( remnant flux ). it will now be explained how , in a perfectly symmetrical construction , with a uniformly wound differential transformer , load shift can occur due to lack of uniformity or homogeneity in the magnetic material of the differential transformer itself , even in a high permeability core . there are a number of possible causes for this transformer core non - uniformity , which we call magnetic anomalies , such as anisotropic material , remnant flux ( square loop material ), localized damage , material impurities , magnetostriction , improper annealing procedures and non - uniform permeability . in one particular case , we have determined the phenomenon to be localized damage caused by mechanical deformation of the individual stamped rings during the casing operation . there are always questions dealing with the basic material , which is manufactured in coil form . each coil is carefully inspected for magnetic properties , with sample rings stamped from the beginning and end . these sample rings are annealed to the proper state and checked for permeability , resistivity , and proper bh loop . localized material impurities could produce an occasional bad core , but not at a significant percentage . these defects would be obvious during metallurgical examination . improper annealing procedures would also be easy to determine . for example , at one manufacturer &# 39 ; s facility , 3 , 000 rings are placed on a rod , and a series of rods are passed through their annealing furnace . at another manufacturer &# 39 ; s facility , rings are placed in trays , approximately 15 , 000 per tray , and annealed in a similar fashion . checks are made from each rod and / or tray with respect to permeability and bh loop . thus , defects in the basic material or in the annealing process are easily controlled . anisotropic material , which would show a preferred direction of magnetization , would also be easy to determine , as would remnant flux and improper bh loop , as all are related . however , localized damage could produce anisotropic behavior , low permeability , and remnant flux at the point of damage . in fact , no &# 34 ; damage &# 34 ; need occur , only mechanical strain . this phenomenon is known as magnetostriction . this type of defect could occur on a significant percentage of cores , if not controlled . basically , magnetostriction is defined as the following : 1 . deformation in magnetic material as a result of a magnetic field ; or 2 . change in magnetic properties as a result of mechanical strain . magnetostriction is generally proportional to the square of the flux density in a relationship as follows : ## equ1 ## where k is a constant b is flux density δl is the change in some dimension , l , in a direction to reduce the reluctance of the field , b . in this particular case , a strain in the differentially transformer rings produces a localized area of lower permeability . this localized area will generally be anisotropic , magnetically &# 34 ; hard , &# 34 ; and show remnant flux . this localized damage can be caused by a variety of mechanical effects such as burrs , particulates between individual rings , improper case design , improper ( high ) casing pressure , improper design or assembly or case lid , etc . the mechanism by which a magnetic anomaly in the core itself can result in a voltage on a uniformly wound toroid ( differential transformer ) of sufficient value to cause the load shift phenomenon can be understood by reference to fig1 . in this case , the permeability of the basic core material at the site of the magnetic anomaly is much lower than the permeability at other undamaged sections of the core . the effect of this lower permeability at the site of the magnetic anomaly is twofold : 1 . the flux ( φ nc and φ lc ) produced by the current in the wires 16 receiving current on the neutral line to be applied to the load and 18 to which line current from the load is applied threading the interior of the core , although confined for the most part within the core , tends to &# 34 ; fringe &# 34 ; at the point of the anomaly , resulting in a lower voltage induced in the turns of the coil wound at that area as compared to the voltage at undamaged areas . 2 . of more importance is the flux ( φ nl and φ ll ) produced by the current in the wires 20 , ( current returned to the ac voltage source in the neutral wire ) and 22 ( line current applied to ac voltage line by the ac voltage source ) external to the core ( φ nl and φ ll ). for example , φ nl travels for the most part through air surrounding the neutral wire 20 , and partially through a section of the toroidal core 6 . when it enters the core 6 , it sees a relatively high permeability path travelling completely around the core 6 and a relatively low permeability path through the magnetic anomaly 24 , so it will essentially divide in the ratio of the permeability at that point , with the major portion of the flux taking the longer path . for φ ll the reverse is true and this flux will take the shorter path because it has the highest permeability . hence , there will be a much higher voltage induced in phase with the flux produced by the line current as opposed to the voltage in phase with the flux produced by the neutral current . this is in spite of the fact that the construction may be perfectly symmetric and the differential transformer core 6 wound in an absolutely uniform fashion . it is also obvious that rotation of the transformer core 6 to position the magnetic anomaly on an axis between the line and neutral wires will tend to minimize the effect , and thus minimize a potential load shift in a completely assembled gfci . however , a change in permeability is not the only culprit . along with lower permeability , a magnetic anomaly is also likely to be &# 34 ; hard &# 34 ; magnetically , and show a remnant flux , which will cause a different voltage for those turns in the area of the anomaly regardless of its position . it is impossible to detect this condition using conventional techniques , as the conventional techniques give average readings for core permeability and other magnetic characteristics . only an innovative approach with respect to the testing of these cores can uncover the existence of these defects . although these magnetic anomalies serve to decrease the average permeability of the cores , permeability by itself is not a measurement of whether or not a magnetic anomaly does exist . for example , a core with no magnetic anomaly and a permeability of 50 , 000 will be absolutely free of the load shift phenomenon . on the other hand , a core with an initial permeability of 80 , 000 which has been reduced to 50 , 000 as a result of magnetostriction ( mechanical strain ), will fail on our gfci test program as a result of load shift . nevertheless , both cased cores measured 50 , 000 on a permeability test after production , with one good and the other bad . as with any mechanical strain , this can be subdivided into two further parts : 1 . reversible strain , and 2 . irreversible strain . if an individual ring has been stressed beyond the elastic limit , the damage is irreversible and can be corrected by mechanically &# 34 ; bending back &# 34 ; and then re - annealing that ring to reinstate the proper magnetic properties . on the other hand , if the deflection has not passed the elastic limit , the core will return to its original magnetic properties upon removal of the force involved , and this constitutes a reversible behavior . basically , any cores which exhibit anisotropic behavior outside the limits of our specification are unusable in gfci &# 39 ; s , and must be considered defective , and not accepted for use . we have determined that one cause for this behavior is failure to perform the casing operation in such fashion as to minimize mechanical pressure on the individual cores , that can lead to the deformation of the cores of sufficient value to cause the load shift phenomenon . although the primary cause of the magnetic anomalies that produce the load shift phenomenon has been shown to be caused by &# 34 ; magnetostriction as a result of the casing operation , it is desirable to have a test fixture that will identify this behavior in the individual cores regardless of how it arises . this fixture was developed , and can be best understood by reference to fig2 . an alternate fixture more suitable to a production type test fixture is shown in fig3 . the basic operation of both fixtures with respect to the core itself is essentially the same . a magnetic field having a predetermined magnetic flux distribution is introduced on either side of the core 6 which is located centrally with a single turn search coil 30 . the construction must be symmetrical in order to avoid the introduction of any extraneous noise voltage , and the flux on either side must be equal . in fig2 this is accomplished by producing the flux by means of the same current through wire 26 directed on either side of the coil 30 , and in fig3 this is done by actual measurement at the pole faces on the &# 34 ; c &# 34 ; type laminations . the single turn search coil 30 actually is connected to a high gain operational amplifier 32 , designed to give a boost in voltage , which permits replication of the conditions used in the gfci itself . the core 6 in test is then rotated for 360 ° about its axis and the voltage recorded on the output of the operational amplifier 32 . the core under test may be supported and rotated using a drive system as shown in u . s . pat . no . 409 , 193 issued aug . 20 , 1889 to w . w . griscom . the core would be supported on its inner surface by three rollers b , b and e ( see fig3 ) supported by a frame c 1 and driven by a centrally located axle a . the single turn search coil can be placed as desired about the core in the spaces between the rollers e and b , b and b or b and e . other coils can also be placed about the core at the available spaces . alternatively , the core could be driven between two rollers 6 and 7 through a core used as the loose belt 5 as shown in g . f . evans , u . s . pat . no . 453 , 630 issued jun . 9 , 1891 . the single turn search coil could be placed about the core 5 wherever it will not be contacted by roller 7 . hardy , u . s . pat . no . 462 , 433 issued nov . 3 , 1891 shows another three roller support and drive system where the core , in place of ring c 2 , would be supported and driven by rollers c 2 which are in turn driven by roller c 2 mounted upon axle a 2 . again , the one turn search coil could be placed about the core at c 2 between the respective rollers c 3 . for a core 6 with no magnetic anomalies , the voltage will remain the same during the rotation of the core 6 itself . if the flux produced on either side is exactly the same , and the flux path has the same permeability within the core 6 ( the core is located exactly at the center of the symmetrical fixture ) then the voltage generated for a good core will be essentially zero . where a magnetic anomaly exists , and assuming a single anomaly exists , there will be two maximum readings and two minimum readings as the core 6 is rotated 360 °. the ratio of maximum to minimum voltage is an indication of the degree of susceptibility of the basic core to exhibit the load shift phenomenon , with a ratio of 1 . 5 to 1 . 0 established as a limiting specification with the operational amplifier uncorrected for white noise . fig2 shows the core 6 rotated in two specific positions where the flux produced by the current from one line ( left side ) dominating ( max position see fig2 a ), and in the second case with the fluxes produced by both lines essentially equal ( min position see fig2 b ) due to the location of the magnetic anomaly . it should be remembered that the anomaly is essentially an area of low permeability , and that the flux between tends to flow in the areas of high permeability since areas of low permeability resist the flow of flux . as the core is rotated through 360 °, the flux measured by the search coil will be in phase with the flux produced by the right hand source at one max position and in phase with the flux produced by the left hand source at the max position 180 ° opposite . the important consideration is that regardless of the reason for the anomaly , this type of fixture serves to identify cores which have a magnetic anomaly that will exhibit the phenomenon known as load shift when assembled in a gfci . the key to the function of the test fixture is the introduction of magnetic flux from either side of the core and rotation of the core to then determine if anisotropic behavior occurs . table 1__________________________________________________________________________uncorrected of amp op amp corrected for noisecore degaussed dc shock degaused dc shockno min max min max min max min max__________________________________________________________________________1 1 . 6 2 . 8 1 . 5 4 . 1 0 . 7 2 . 5 0 . 7 3 . 82 1 . 4 3 . 5 1 . 7 5 . 3 0 . 6 2 . 9 0 . 8 5 . 23 1 . 4 3 . 3 1 . 5 5 . 7 0 . 6 2 . 8 0 . 6 5 . 34 1 . 4 2 . 5 1 . 6 4 . 2 0 . 6 2 . 5 0 . 7 4 . 15 1 . 4 2 . 4 1 . 5 4 . 4 0 . 6 1 . 8 0 . 6 4 . 36 1 . 5 1 . 7 1 . 6 1 . 9 0 . 7 1 . 1 0 . 8 1 . 17 1 . 5 1 . 6 1 . 6 1 . 7 0 . 7 0 . 8 0 . 7 o . 88 1 . 5 3 . 1 1 . 5 3 . 5 0 . 7 2 . 9 0 . 7 3 . 39 1 . 4 3 . 5 1 . 5 3 . 6 0 . 6 3 . 1 0 . 7 3 . 510 1 . 5 2 . 5 1 . 6 3 . 1 0 . 7 2 . 2 0 . 7 2 . 9__________________________________________________________________________ notes 1 ) cores 1 - 5 failed load shift test in gfci cores 6 - 10 passed load shift test in gfci 2 ) cores 8 - 10 show tendency to fail load shift . they have a magnetic anomaly , probably an area of low permeability , but do not exhibit anisotropic behavior ( remnant flux ) as pronounced as cores 6 - 7 ( see max values before and after dc shock ) two sets of data are shown , with the operational amplifier corrected and uncorrected for white noise . ten cores were tested , with five from &# 34 ; good &# 34 ; gfci &# 39 ; s and five from gfci &# 39 ; s with load shift failures . note the four columns marked min e which denote the minimum output voltage while rotating the cores . these readings are essentially the same for all cores which is to be expected . the only difference is the consistently lower reading for the case where the operational amplifier was corrected for white noise . for &# 34 ; bad &# 34 ; cores , the maximum voltage reading is markedly higher than the minimum reading . in fact , cores 8 , 9 and 10 from &# 34 ; good &# 34 ; gfci &# 39 ; s are really defective cores , and are actually marginal in performance in spite of having passed the load shift test . only cores 6 and 7 are relatively free from defects . of particular interest is the performance comparison after demagnetization ( degaussed ) as opposed to the readings after application of a magnetizing field ( dc shock ). for good cores ( 6 and 7 ) there is no change . for bad cores ( 1 - 5 , 8 - 10 , there is a substantial change in the maximum voltage readings . this is proof of anisotropic behavior , showing a preferred direction of domain alignment and indicating remnant flux , all in a localized area of the cores . thus a substantial change in maximum voltage reading from demagnetized to magnetized condition is an additional indication of a magnetic anomaly and a tendency to fail when assembled in a gfci when subjected to the load shift test . as explained earlier , the differential transformer turns in the area of the magnetic anomaly will produce a different voltage , due to this remnant flux , than the turns at undamaged areas of the transformer core . although these particular fixtures are successful in identifying cores with magnetic anomalies , other fixtures may serve to give the same results . the key factors for such fixtures are the following : 1 . a source of flux that will proceed in a symmetrical pattern through the plane of the magnetic core . 2 . a search coil located at a specific point or points of the magnetic core . 3 . a volt meter or amplification means attached to this search coil with sufficient sensitivity to record the voltage produced by the flux in the core . 4 . means to rotate the core in a symmetrical fashion about its axis perpendicular to the plane of the core at least 180 ° but preferably 360 °. these principles are exemplified in the typical fixtures shown in fig4 through 15 , comprising four fixtures each shown in three different conditions . in fig4 the source of flux consists of an electromagnet 5 resembling an interrupted rectangle with the magnetic core 6 located on one leg of the electromagnet 5 . pole faces 11 face the magnetic core in its plane , and flux 9 flows through the electromagnet and the magnetic core 6 under test in response to the current produced in coil 4 of the electromagnet 5 . this current is determined by a source of ac voltage i impressed upon terminals 2 and controlled by variable resistor 3 in series with the winding 4 of electromagnet 5 . a search coil 7 , which may consist of one or more turns , is located at a specific point on the magnetic core 6 under test , and the search coil 7 is connected to a sensitive volt meter 8 in order to obtain a reading of voltage in response to the flux 9 linked by search coil 7 in accordance with the transformer equation . the magnetic core under test is rotatable through 360 ° about axis 13 . a motor 14 effects this rotation . in fig4 is shown a good magnetic core without magnetic disturbance of any type , such that rotation of the core 6 about the axis 13 will not result in any change in the path of the flux 9 through the core . as a result , a certain value of voltage will be continuously recorded by volt meter 8 in response to this flux 9 . fig5 is the same fixture as shown in fig4 except that the magnetic core 6 has a magnetic anomaly 10 located on the horizontal axis . because of the location of this magnetic anomaly , the voltage recorded by volt meter 8 in response to the flux 9 linking search coil 7 will be exactly the same as the reading for a good core as shown in fig4 . fig6 is the same as fig5 but the magnetic core has been rotated 90 &# 39 ; in a clockwise fashion such that magnetic anomaly 10 represents a low permeability path , and flux 9 will tend to travel in a path of higher permeability and away from the magnetic anomaly in the magnetic core under test . as a result , the voltage recorded by volt meter 8 in response to the flux 9 linked by search coil 7 will be much higher than the reading for fig4 or 5 . similarly , as the magnetic core is rotated about axis 13 , magnetic anomaly 10 assumes different positions causing the reading of volt meter 8 to increase in value and have two peaks , at 90 ° and 270 ° respectively during rotation of the core , and two low readings , at 0 ° and 180 ° respectively . thus , a core which is bad due to magnetic anomaly will indicate a variation in the reading of the volt meter , whereas a good core will maintain a steady and consistent reading as the core is rotated . it &# 39 ; s obvious that variations in the dimensions of the magnetic core that depart from symmetry , and in the location of the magnetic core within the text fixture itself that depart from a symmetrical condition can cause minor variations in the path of the flux 9 of even a good core , and fringing flux will have the same effect , so that a practical production fixture can expect to have some tolerance assigned to it to allow for the variation in the reading of volt meter 8 . this can easily be determined by analysis of cores known to perform acceptably in the final application in comparison with cores which do not . should a core contain more than one magnetic anomaly , it will almost certainly exhibit very low total permeability and be rejected as a result of that type of test . in the event it is not , voltage readings from any of the fixtures described will be low and / or erratic , indicating a problem , even in the unlikely event that two anomalies occur exactly 180 ° apart . fig7 through 9 show a fixture similar to that of fig4 through 6 , with the exception that two search coils in opposing relationship are employed at specific points located 180 ° apart along the plane of the magnetic core under test . the advantage of this scheme is that the voltage produced by search coil 7 opposes that produced by search coil 12 , such that a good core 6 under test will produce essentially zero voltage in volt meter 8 . similarly , a core with a magnetic anomaly 10 located in the position shown in fig . s will also produce zero voltage , whereas that core with its magnetic anomaly rotated 90 ° as shown in fig9 will produce a positive voltage . in a similar fashion , the voltage will again be zero when the magnetic anomaly is at a position 180 ° removed from the position shown in fig8 and again produce a maximum reading when the magnetic anomaly 10 is at a position located 270 ° from that shown in fig8 . fig1 through 12 show a test fixture similar to that shown in fig3 in which &# 34 ; bucking fluxes &# 34 ; are employed . in this fixture , electromagnets 5 and 5 &# 39 ; consisting of interrupted rectangles with magnetic core 6 located at the point where the electromagnets are interrupted , in a symmetric fashion are free to rotate about axis 10 . a source of ac voltage 1 is impressed upon terminals 2 and controlled by variable resistor 3 in order to produce a current 9 through the windings 4 and 4 &# 39 ; of the electromagnets 5 and 5 &# 39 ;. as a result of the winding configuration of coils 4 and 4 &# 39 ;, fluxes 7 and 7 &# 39 ; flow toward each other through the magnetic core 6 under test , where these fluxes split or divide to take paths determined by the permeability of the relative paths in well - known means . portions of flux 7 and 7 &# 39 ; pass in opposing directions through the section of magnetic core 6 where search coil 11 is located and connected to volt meter 8 . since these fluxes are essentially equal , volt meter s has zero reading . fig1 shows the same test fixture but with a magnetic core 6 with magnetic anomaly 12 located in the fixture . again , it can be seen that volt meter 8 will have essentially zero voltage reading because fluxes 7 and 7 &# 39 ; will not have any portions that flow through the core towards magnetic anomaly 12 , and there will be essentially zero flux flowing through the area of search coil 11 and therefore zero voltage indicated on volt meter 8 . fig1 shows the magnetic anomaly rotated 90 ° in a counter - clockwise fashion such that flux 7 will choose a long path around the core under test , and all of flux 7 will be linked by search coil 11 connected to volt meter 8 , giving a positive reading . in a similar fashion , as the magnetic core continues to rotate about axis 10 , zero readings will occur at points 180 ° from that shown in fig1 , with maximums at 90 ° and 270 ° from the position shown in fig1 . fig1 through 15 are essentially the same as shown in fig1 through 12 , with the exception that electromagnet 4 &# 39 ; has been rewired to produce flux in a direction that aids the flux produced by electromagnet coil 4 . as can be seen in fig1 , search coil 11 links a significant portion of the flux 7 and 7 &# 39 ; which is now in an aiding relationship , such that volt meter 8 will produce a high and unvarying voltage regardless of the rotation of a good core 6 about the axis 10 in this test fixture . in fig1 , a core with a magnetic anomaly 12 will produce essentially zero voltage because the flux 7 and 7 &# 39 ; will choose to flow in a path of high permeability are away from a path interrupted by the low permeability region caused by magnetic anomaly 12 . in fig1 , magnetic anomaly 12 has been rotated 90 ° in a counterclockwise direction from that shown in fig1 , and flux 7 now chooses a path that links search coil 11 connected to volt meter 8 , producing a value of voltage at a maximum that is one half the value of that produced by a good core in any position . again , as core 6 is rotated about axis 10 , zero readings occur at 180 ° from the position shown in fig1 , while maximum readings , equal to one half of the reading given by a good core occur at positions 90 ° and 270 ° from that shown in fig1 . fig4 through 15 serve to illustrate the various means by which the invention may be practiced , and it should be obvious that variations are possible . the use of multiple search coils , search coils connected to individual meters , the substitution of indicators or actuators for the meters , the use of amplifiers , and other forms of flux sources should be obvious . referring to fig1 , a schematic diagram of the amplifier 32 configuration used to evaluate the homogeneity or variation in permeability of a magnetic core is illustrated . as shown therein , a uniform magnetic field is created in the vicinity of the core under test by utilizing an excitation core comprising conventional e laminations 40 constructed of grain oriented silicon steel with the center leg clipped off and the ends of the two outer legs cut on a diagonal . the 60 hz a - c source 42 is configured to deliver about 200 ma of current to the winding 44 about the excitation core 40 . the spatial amplitude and direction of the ac magnetic field thus created closely approximates the actual field present in the vicinity of the differential transformer used in the ground fault circuit interrupter . the ac voltage induced in the core as a result of the magnetic field is coupled via a pickup winding to a multi - stage ac voltage amplifier 32 and filter 38 consisting of a plurality of inverting amplifiers 50 , 52 and 54 and low pass filters 38 to reduce high frequency noise . as configured , the multi - stage amplifier utilizes 3 stages . the first stage 50 has a gain of 1000 , the second stage 52 has a gain of 100 , and the third stage 54 has a gain of 5 . thus , the total gain of the amplifier is 500 , 000 . under certain conditions it may not be necessary to utilize the full gain of the amplifier 32 . accordingly , the overall gain of the amplifier 32 may be changed by decreasing the value of the feedback resistors or by utilizing the jumper wires 70 , 72 to bypass an entire stage . ideally , for a homogeneous core there should be not variation in the permeability thereof and the output ac voltage , i . e ., the amplified and filtered induced ac voltage , should remain constant as the core is rotated , manually or otherwise , 360 ° about its central axis . on the other hand , it has been found that non - homogeneous cores , i . e ., ones with anomalies , exhibit at least one maximum and one minimum as they are rotated through 360 °. thus , by observing the change in value of the amplified and filtered induced ac voltage at ac output terminal 66 as the core is rotated 360 ° about its axis an indication of the degree of homogeneity or non - homogeneity of the core is obtained . more specifically , by calculating the ratio of the maximum output ac voltage to the minimum output ac voltage an indication of the degree of homogeneity or non - homogeneity of the core is obtained . in the ideal situation of a perfectly homogeneous core this ratio would be 1 . it has been found experimentally that for the cores utilized in the differential transformers employed in ground fault circuit interrupters this ratio should not exceed 1 . 5 . in some situations because of the high noise level and very small input signal it may be difficult to measure the output ac voltage , except with an averaging digital oscilloscope . thus , in accordance with the present invention , and in order to permit use of a relatively inexpensive instrument , a conversion circuit , which includes a rectifying circuit 46 and a low pass filter 38 , is connected to the output terminal 66 of the ac voltage amplifier . the conversion circuit further reduces the noise associated with the amplified and filtered induced ac voltage and converts same to a dc level . as in the situation described above , by observing the change in value of the dc level at the d . c . output terminals 68 as the core is rotated 360 ° about its axis , an indication of the degree of homogeneity or non - homogeneity of the core is obtained . referring now to fig1 , a schematic diagram of the amplifier configuration used to evaluate the permeability of a magnetic core 6 is illustrated . as shown therein , a 60 hz current source 80 is utilized to provide an ac excitation current of 5 ma which is coupled via a primary winding 82 to the core . this level of excitation current conforms to the u . l . trip current requirement for ground fault circuit interrupter . the ac voltage induced in the core , 6 as a result of the excitation current applied thereto , is coupled via a secondary winding 84 to a multi - stage ac voltage amplifier and filter identical to the one depicted and discussed above in conjunction with fig1 . as discussed in more detail below , the value of the amplified and filtered induced ac voltage may be utilized in conjunction with predetermined and premeasured characteristics of the core 6 and the number of turns in the primary and secondary windings , 82 , 84 respectively , to determine the value of the permeability of the core 6 . again , because of the high noise level and very low input signal it may be difficult in some situations to measure the output ac voltage , except with an averaging digital oscilloscope . thus , as was the situation described above , a conversion circuit identical to the one depicted and discussed in conjunction with fig1 may be advantageously utilized to further reduce the noise associated with the amplified and filtered induced ac voltage and convert same to a dc level . as illustrated in the example below , the value of the de level is utilized in conjunction with predetermined and premeasured characteristics of the core , the number of turns in the primary and secondary windings , 82 , 84 respectively , and the ac / dc slope characteristic of the ac voltage amplifier to determine the value of the permeability of the core 6 . the ac / de slope characteristic of the ac voltage amplifier is determined by plotting the output peak to peak ac voltage versus the output dc voltage for different values of input excitation current . the following example illustrates the steps to be followed to determine the value of the permeability of a typical core utilizing the apparatus illustrated in fig1 , including the conversion circuit . 2 . magnetizing force ( oersteds ): ## equ2 ## where : n --# of turns of the primary 3 . flux density ( gausses ) ## equ3 ## where : v -- rms output voltage which is calculated by the measured d . c . output voltage and the corresponding ac / dc . let us assume that the transformer has 5 rings and 5 ma rms current is applied to the primary . the secondary is connected to stage # 1 ( av = 500 , 000 ). the turns ratio is 1 : 1 . ## equ5 ## similarly , let us assume that the determined value of ac / dc = 2 . 4 and that the measured output d . c . ( v ) - 7 . 51 v . it is to be understood that the embodiments of this invention which have been described and illustrated herein are by way of illustration and not of limitation , and that this invention may be practiced in a wide variety of other embodiments without departing materially from the spirit or scope of this invention , which is defined by the following claims . | 6 |
[ 0018 ] fig1 shows a perspective view of an aerosol canister or container 10 with an extension spray tube 12 magnetically affixed . such aerosol spray canisters , containing solvents , lubricants ( such as lubricants sold under the trademark wd - 40 ), and the like , are in common use , with the contents of the canister being under pressure for delivery through a very small orifice 20 in a nozzle 16 atop the container 10 . a valve , not shown , is interposed between the nozzle 16 and the pressurized interior of the container 10 , with nozzle 16 thus being in selective communication with the pressurized interior of container 10 , and the valve typically being operated by downward pressure upon the nozzle 16 , thereby allowing the pressurized contents of the container 10 to sprayingly emerge from orifice 20 . nozzle 16 has an enlarged tube - receiving bore 14 concentric with orifice 20 and adapted for close - fitting receipt of one end of spray tube 12 so as to allow spray tube 12 to be an extension of nozzle 16 . in a preferred embodiment the cylindrical portion 22 of container 10 is of greater length than the length of the spray tube 12 . referring to fig2 a perspective view of an aerosol canister or container 10 with an extension spray tube 12 ready for insertion after removal from the side of the container 10 is shown . [ 0020 ] fig3 illustrates the container 10 after insertion of the extension tube 12 into the nozzle 16 . it should be noted that the magnetic attraction may be due to either the container 10 or the extension tube 12 being magnetically constructed or may be due to both the container 10 and the extension tube 12 being magnetically constructed . the extension tube 12 may be flexible and / or rigid . the extension tube 12 in one embodiment may also be formed of steel or iron . a flexible tube may be constructed from flexible permanent magnetic materials which are often supplied in the form of sheets or rolls and have been commercially available for many years . these materials are typically prepared by mixing a powdered ferrite material with a suitable polymeric or plastic binder into a uniform mixture . the polymeric materials are often elastomers , and the process is therefore typically accomplished through the use of sheet extrusion or calendering . the mixture is converted into strip or sheet form , providing a permanent stable product that is usually somewhat flexible , and that may be readily handled and made into elements of any desired shape by cutting and / or stamping . alternatively , the extension tube 12 may be formed through an extrusion process and / or injection molded from magnetic materials . the magnetic material is permanently magnetized so as to maintain a permanent attraction and consistent bond , the magnetic field being of sufficient strength for the magnetic tube to adhere to a magnetically attracted surface , such as the surface of an iron or steel sheet or container . the magnetic material may suitably include about 75 weight % to about 95 weight %, more suitably about 80 weight % to about 92 weight %, and most suitably about 85 wt -% to about 90 wt -% of a magnetic material , suitably about 5 wt % to about 25 wt -%, more suitably about 8 wt -% to about 20 wt -% and most suitably about 10 wt -% to about 15 wt -% of a polymeric binder . the magnetic material is generally uniformly dispersed in the polymeric binder . as used herein , the term “ magnetic ”( when applied to a substrate , article , object , etc .) shall refer to any material which exhibits a permanent magnetic behavior or is readily permanently magnetized . magnetic materials which are particularly suitable for use herein include the ferrites having the general formula ( m 2 + o6fe 2 o 3 ) mfe 12 o 19 where m represents ba or sr . other examples of magnetic materials suitable for use herein include a rare earth - cobalt magnet of rco 5 where r is one or more of the rare earth elements such as sm or pr , yttrium ( y ), lanthanum ( la ), cerium ( ce ), and so forth . other specific examples of magnetic materials include , for instance , manganese - bismuth , manganese - aluminum , and so forth . the materials of the present invention are not limited to any particular magnetic material , and the scope of the invention is therefore not intended to be limited as such . while the above described materials find particular utility in the present invention , other materials which are readily permanently magnetized may also find utility herein . the magnetic composition suitably includes about 70 wt -% or more of the magnetic material as to have a sufficient attractive force for practical uses . however , it is usually impractical to employ more than 95 wt -% of the magnetic material because of production concerns , and also because of the difficulty of retaining more than this in the binder material . furthermore , including more than about 95 wt -% of the magnetic material may lead to a rougher surface . the magnetic material is often supplied in a powder form . the magnetic strength of the finished product is a function of the amount of magnetic material or powder in the mix , the surface area , thickness , and method of magnetization ( e . g . whether it is aligned or not ). the thermoplastic material , often referred to in the industry as a thermoplastic binder , suitable for use in the process of the present invention may include any polymeric material that is readily processible with the magnetic material on , for instance , the thermoplastic or hot melt processing equipment as described in detail below . such thermoplastic materials include both thermoplastic elastomers and non - elastomers or any mixture thereof . the thermoplastic composition may be selected based on , for one , the type of printable substrate which is being used for the canister , and the adhesion obtained between the thermoplastic composition and the printable substrate . examples of thermoplastic elastomers suitable for use herein include , but are not limited to , natural and synthetic rubbers and rubbery block copolymers , such as butyl rubber , neoprene , ethylene - propylene copolymers ( epm ), ethylene - propylene - diene polymers ( epdm ), polyisobutylene , polybutadiene , polyisoprene , styrene - butadiene ( sbr ), styrene - butadiene - styrene ( sbs ), styrene - ethylene - butylene - styrene ( sebs ), styrene - isoprene - styrene ( sis ), styrene - isoprene ( si ), styrene - ethylene / propylene ( sep ), polyester elastomers , polyurethane elastomers , nitrile , nylon , nylon 6 / 6 , polyphenylsulfide or pps , cross - linked nitrile rubber , and / or cross - linked polymers , to mention only a few , and mixtures thereof . where appropriate , included within the scope of this invention are any copolymers of the above described materials . the materials selected may be chosen for retentive properties of the composition following prolonged exposure to solvents being utilized within the canister . the duration of utility of the extension tube 12 and canister is thereby maximized . examples of suitable commercially available thermoplastic elastomers such as sbs , sebs , or sis copolymers include kraton ® g ( sebs or sep ) and kraton ® d ( sis or sbs ) block copolymers available from kraton polymers ; vector ® ( sis or sbs ) block copolymers available from dexco chemical co . ; and finaprene ® ( sis or sbs ) block copolymers available from atofina . some examples of non - elastomeric polymers include , but are not limited to , polyolefins including polyethylene , polypropylene , polybutylene and copolymers and terpolymers thereof such as ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers ( eva ), ethylene n - butyl acrylates ( enba ), ethylene methyl ( meth ) acrylates including ethylene methyl acrylates ( ema ), ethylene ethyl ( meth ) acrylates including ethylene ethyl acrylates ( eea ), interpolymers of ethylene with at least one c 3 to c 20 alphaolefin , polyamides , polyesters , polyurethanes , to mention only a few , and mixtures thereof . where appropriate , copolymers of the above described materials also find utility herein . examples of polymers useful herein may be found in u . s . pat . no . 6 , 262 , 174 incorporated by reference herein in its entirety . polymeric compositions exhibiting high hot tack have been found to be particularly suitable for use herein . examples of commercially available non - elastomeric polymers include enba copolymers available from such companies as atofina under the tradename of lotryl ®, from exxonmobil under the tradename of escorene ®, from du pont de nemours & amp ; co . under the tradename of elvaloy ®; ema copolymers available from exxon chemical co . under the tradename of optema ®; eva copolymers are available from du pont under the tradename of elvax ® and from equistar under the tradename of ultrathene ® to name only a few . in some embodiments of the present invention , the binder includes at least one polyolefin or polyalphaolefin , or a copolymer or terpolymer thereof . examples of useful polyolefins include , but are not limited to , amorphous ( i . e . atactic ) polyalphaolefins ( apao ) including amorphous propylene homopolymers , propylene / ethylene copolymers , propylene / butylene copolymers and propylene / ethylene / butylene terpolymers ; isotactic polyalphaolefins ; and linear or substantially linear interpolymers of ethylene and at least one alpha - olefin including , for instance , ethylene and 1 - octene , ethylene and 1 - butene , ethylene and 1 - hexene , ethylene and 1 - pentene , ethylene and 1 - heptene , and ethylene and 4 - methyl - 1 - pentene and so forth . in some embodiments , it may be preferable to employ a small amount of another polymer in combination with the polyalphaolefin such as maleic anhydride grafted polymers which have been used to improve wetting and adhesion . other chemical grafting can be used , but maleic anhydride is by far the most common . usually only a few percent in grafting ( 1 - 5 %) are used and most tend to be ethylene or propylene copolymers . the terms “ polyolefin ” and “ polyalphaolefin ” are often used interchangeably , and in fact , are often used interchangeably to describe amorphous polypropylenes ( homo -, co - and terpolymers ). for a detailed description of such materials , see u . s . pat . no . 5 , 482 , 982 , u . s . pat . no . 5 , 478 , 891 and u . s . pat . nos . 5 , 397 , 843 , 4 , 857 , 594 , each of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety . the term “ alpha ” is used to denote the position of a substituting atom or group in an organic compound . as used herein , the terms “ copolymer ” and “ interpolymer ” shall be used to refer to polymers having two or more different comonomers , e . g . copolymer , terpolymer , and so forth . examples of commercially available amorphous polyolefins suitable for use herein include those available under the tradename of rextac ® from huntsman polymers including polypropylene homopolymers , propylene / ethylene copolymers and propylene - butene copolymers ; vestoplast ® apaos available from hüls including homopolymers and copolymers , as well as terpolymers of propylene / ethylene / butene ; as well as those available from rexene and those available under the tradename of eastoflex ® available from eastman chemical co . in kingsport , tenn . examples of copolymers of a polyolefin and at least one alpha - olefin include metallocene catalyzed polyolefins ( interpolymers of ethylene and at least one alphaolefin ) commercially available from exxon under the tradename exxact ®, and from dupont dow elastomers under the tradename engage ®, and from dow under the tradename affinity ®. any of the polymeric materials useful herein may be used in combination with one another . furthermore , other polymeric materials not specifically described herein also find utility in the present invention . the list described above is intended for illustrative purposes only , and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention . one of skill in the art would understand that there are vast numbers of polymeric materials available that may find utility herein . plasticizers are available from many sources and include plasticizing oils , for instance . plasticizing oils are often petroleum based and are available from various petroleum companies . waxes may also be optionally added to the compositions to lower the melt viscosity and / or change rheological characteristics . other optional ingredients include , but are not limited to , antioxidants , dyes or pigments , uv agents , and so forth . such optional ingredients are known to those of skill in the art and are typically added in low concentrations which do not adversely affect the physical characteristics of the composition . the list of materials described above is intended for illustrative purposes only , and is by no means exclusive of the materials which may be employed in the magnetic composition herein , and as such is not intended as a limit on the scope of the invention herein . it should be noted that following manufacture of the canister and extension tube , the extension tube in addition to magnetic attraction to the exterior surface of the canister may be supplementally mechanically attached thereto by cellophane tape and / or rubber bands during shipping of the invention and / or prior to the use of the canister and magnetic tube invention . although the present invention has been described and illustrated with respect to a preferred embodiment and a preferred use therefore , it is not to be so limited since modifications and changes can be made therein which are within the full intended scope of the invention . | 1 |
the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings are provided for the purpose of describing certain presently preferred embodiments of the invention only , and are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention in any way . as will be apparent from the following description of the operation of the stretching apparatus of this invention , a unique feature thereof is the triangulation of the stretching process for the user . the vertices of the triangle are located at ( a ) the pivot point of the user &# 39 ; s joint , i . e . the hip pivot point , ( b ) the point where the beam is pinned on the pivot plate subassembly ( 0 °- 180 °) and ( c ) the point on the user &# 39 ; s leg resting on the roller pad . the three vertices form a triangle . the vertices located at ( b ) and ( c ) remain fixed once the settings on the machine are selected . the vertex located at the user &# 39 ; s hip joint may slide up or down on the back pad as the user moves . this is only limited by length of the back pad and the user &# 39 ; s leg length . referring now to drawings , and initially to fig1 shows a beginner user with the machine set at 45 °. fig1 shows an advanced user of the machine set at 135 °. notice that in each figure the user has the roller pad located behind the user &# 39 ; s knee . it can be located anywhere from the user &# 39 ; s ankle to his or her thigh . the location of the roller pad depends upon the preference of the user . referring now to drawings , and initially to fig3 and fig4 , there is depicted a muscle stretching machine 10 , constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention . as illustrated , the muscle stretching machine 10 comprises four subassemblies : back pad subassembly 100 , pivot plate subassembly 200 a , pivot plate subassembly 200 b and roller pad subassembly 300 . subassemblies 200 a and 200 b are mirror images of each other . referring now to fig5 , two of the three subassemblies of the stretching machine 10 are removed except for the pieces comprising the back pad subassembly 100 . this will allow for a clear description of the items comprising the back pad subassembly 100 . fig3 shows a perspective , exploded view of the back pad subassembly 100 . the back pad subassembly comprises the combination of a long flat back pad 101 ; three foot beams 102 a , 102 b , & amp ; 102 c ; six adjustable feet 108 ; seven screws 109 ; and seven washers 110 . the back pad 101 has two distinct sides , top and bottom . the top side is a fabric covered , low density , compressible foam , designed to comfortably cushion the user . whereas the bottom side is a fabric covered structural plate of sufficient strength to withstand loads from large , strong , and or aggressive users . the bottom side must also allow for the attachment of the foot beams , 102 a , 102 b , & amp ; 102 c . the structural portion of the back pad 101 must be strong enough to withstand heavy loads when the threaded foot pads 108 and screws 109 are fastened to the underside of back pad 101 , which raises it off of the floor . it must also withstand high bending loads applied to the back pad 101 , when one end is raised off of the floor . referring now to fig6 for the sake of clarity the back pad subassembly 100 , and roller pad subassembly 300 are not shown in fig6 . the two pivot plate subassemblies 200 a and 200 b are shown in fig6 . pivot plate subassembly 200 a is shown as a perspective , exploded view . pivot plate subassembly 200 b is shown as a perspective assembled view . the two subassemblies 200 a and 200 b are mirror images of each other . as can be seen from the exploded and assembled pivot plate subassemblies 200 a and 200 b , it is designed to attach to the underside of back pad subassembly 100 . the outside beams 203 a and 203 b accept the roller pad subassembly 300 . now looking at pivot plate subassembly 200 a , the exploded view , it is comprised of one pivot 201 a , one inner beam 202 a , one outer beam 203 a , two pivot blocks 204 a and 204 b , two levers 205 a and 205 b , two pins 206 a and 206 b , one pointer 207 a , one label 208 a , one shoulder screw 220 a , two pins 221 a and 221 b , four flat head screws 222 a and 222 b , two button head screws 223 a , two screws 224 a , and one stop 225 a . the same parts and quantity of parts are used on pivot plate subassembly 200 b and they are assembled as the mirror image to pivot plate subassembly 200 a . the two labels 208 a and 208 b are required to identify the angle designation for each hole in pivots 201 a and 201 b . the inside surface of pivot plate 201 b requires a label 208 b that reads 0 ° to 180 ° from left to right . the inside surface of pivot plate 201 a requires a label 208 a that reads 0 ° to 180 ° from right to left . the shoulder screws 220 a and 220 b are used to attach the beams 202 a and 202 b to the pivots 201 a and 201 b , and allow them to freely pivot . the quick release pins 206 a and 206 c allows the user to lock the beams 202 a and 202 b in any one of 37 holes in the pivots 201 a and 201 b , spaced 5 degrees apart . the pivots 201 a and 201 b attach to the bottom of the back pad subassembly 100 using screws 224 a and 224 b . pointers 207 a and 207 b attach to beams 202 a and 202 b and point to the degree selected as shown on labels 208 a and 208 b . screws 223 a and 223 b are used to attach the pointers 207 a and 207 b to beams 202 a and 202 b respectively . each of the four quick release pin assemblies , which attach to beams 202 a and 202 b using screws 222 a , 222 b , 222 c , and 222 d consist of pivot blocks 204 a , 204 b , 204 c , and 204 d ; pins 206 a , 206 b , 206 c , & amp ; 206 d ; levers 205 a , 205 b , 205 c , and 205 d ; pins 221 a , 221 b , 221 c , and 221 d . stops 225 a and 225 b prevent roller pad subassembly 300 and outside beams 203 a and 203 b from coming off the ends of inside beams 202 a and 202 b . referring to fig7 a plan view of the inboard side of pivot 201 b is shown . the inboard side is the side of the pivot 201 b , which makes contact with the back pad subassembly 100 when the pivot plate subassembly 200 is attached to the underside of back pad subassembly 100 . for the sake of clarity the back pad subassembly 100 is removed from this view . label 208 b is adhered to the inboard surface of pivot 201 b so that the 0 ° mark is aligned with the center of the lowest hole on the left , the 90 ° mark is aligned with the center of the top most hole , and the 180 ° mark is aligned with the lowest hole on the right . the holes on pivot 201 b between two labeled marks , for example 0 ° and 10 °, indicate a setting halfway between the two marks . in this case the value is 5 °. fig7 also shows how pivot 201 b fastens to the underside of back pad subassembly 100 using screws 224 a . the screws 222 a are used to attach the pointer 207 b to beam 202 b . shoulder screw 220 b attaches beam 202 b to the outboard surface of pivot 201 b . referring to fig8 and fig9 the fourth of the four subassemblies of the muscle stretching machine 10 is shown . for the sake of clarity the back pad subassembly 100 and the pivot plate subassemblies 200 a & amp ; 200 b are not shown . fig8 shows the assembled view of the roller pad assembly 300 . fig9 shows the exploded isometric view of the roller pad assembly 300 . as shown in fig9 the roller pad subassembly 300 consists of the roller pad 301 , tube 302 , washers 310 a and 310 b , collars 311 a and 311 b , nuts 312 a and 312 b , and threaded rod 313 . the tube 302 is inserted into the roller pad 301 and allows roller pad 301 to freely spin on tube 302 . roller pad 301 is held in place using washers 310 a and 310 b , and collars 311 a and 311 b . each end of the tube 302 is fastened to the inside surfaces of outer beams 203 a and 203 b using nuts 312 a & amp ; 312 b and threaded rod 313 . the roller pad 301 is similar in construction to the back pad 101 except for its shape . the roller pad 301 has two distinct surfaces , inside and outside . the outside , cylindrical surface is a fabric covered , low density , compressible foam , designed to comfortably cushion the user &# 39 ; s leg . whereas the inside surface is a structural tube of sufficient strength to withstand loads from large , strong , and or aggressive users . the rigid inside surface must allow it to be easily inserted onto the steel tube 302 . in operation a first time user will need to determine their natural stride length measured in degrees as provided by this invention . after the user is sufficiently warmed up a good rule of thumb would be to set the angle the inside beams makes with the floor at 50 ° or 60 °. next the user sets the distance the roller pad subassembly is from the pivot plate subassembly so that a point on the back of the leg behind the knee is comfortably resting on the roller pad . the angle adjustments and the length adjustments are easily made using spring loaded , lever actuated , quick release pins . the quick release pins are easily set to any of the available settings on the pivot plate . this same type of quick release pin allows the roller pad subassembly to be positioned anywhere along the length of the inner beams . after warming up and adjusting the settings of the muscle stretching machine to the user &# 39 ; s preference , the user then locates the center of rotation of their leg / hip pivot point . this is done very easily . while standing with the feet shoulder width apart the user will place the palm of their left hand over their left hip . then slightly raise the heel of their left foot off the floor and pivot their left foot back and forth about the ball of their foot . they will feel movement in their left hip . this is the approximate center of rotation of their leg / hip pivot point . the user places their left index finger on this point and keeps it there . then the user reclines on the back pad subassembly so that the location of their leg / hip pivot point is placed approximately at the center of rotation of the pivot plate subassembly . or , the user positions this point to one side of the center of rotation of the pivot plate subassembly and the stretching triangle is formed . as previously stated and repeated here for convenience the points of the stretching triangle consist of the center point of rotation of the leg hip pivot point , the center of rotation of the pivot plate subassembly , and the point on the back of the user &# 39 ; s leg in contact with the roller pad subassembly . the user then lies all the way down and places the back of one leg on the roller pad and lets the other leg hang down . both legs are kept as straight as possible . if the hanging leg easily touches the floor then the maximum stride length is yet to be reached . if the hanging leg is a large distance from the floor then the maximum stride length has been exceeded by the settings on the machine and it still must be determined by the user . in both cases the stretching machine is adjusted until the leg is held just off of the floor , which is then determined to be just greater than the maximum stride length of the user . once the maximum stride length is known the machine settings are now set and the leg is held a short distance off of the floor , which exceeds the user &# 39 ; s maximum stride length . the user then lets the weight of the hanging leg be the force used to stretch all the muscles in their stride . there is a tremendous advantage as previously described in stretching in this manner . the back bone remains in a straight or neutral position , auxiliary muscle movements are minimized thereby minimizing fatigue , and the muscles are stretched in functional or leg scissoring motion . the leg scissoring motion is the same motion used for walking or running . it is not uncommon for a user to easily stretch for ten or fifteen minutes when using this muscle stretching machine because it is used in a relaxed state . once the user has stretched for an extended amount of time the leg positions are switched and the stretch is continued . a very beneficial function of this machine is to provide the capability to do dynamic stretching . dynamic stretching is defined as the inventions ability to emulate the tensile and compressive loads the muscles will see while walking or running . all the user has to do to perform dynamic stretching is either move up or down on the back pad so that their leg / hip pivot point moves away from the center of rotation of the pivot plate . after making this move the user then stretches as described before . now when the user stretches the pull of the stretch will move up or down the leg depending upon which direction the user moved away from the center of rotation of the pivot plate subassembly thereby completing a dynamic stretch . side stretches are also possible when using this invention . to do a side stretch the user lies on their side and puts the side of their leg just above the ankle onto the roller pad . the other leg is allowed to hang freely without coming in contact with the floor . a bent leg stretch where the user lays flat on their back is also possible . as described previously the user lays flat on their back and one leg is placed on the roller pad and the other leg is allowed to hang freely without touching the floor . but in this case the roller pad is placed behind the knee and instead of keeping the leg straight the leg is allowed to bend . this is very similar to one of the positions of the leg when running . the user is now able to perform a functional stretch , which stretching the muscles of the leg in the same position they are used while walking or running . | 0 |
the semiconductor device fabricating apparatus of the present invention will first be described , followed by various methods for fabricating a polysilicon film using the disclosed apparatus . fig2 is a plan view of a semiconductor device fabricating apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig2 the semiconductor device fabricating apparatus includes a cassette chamber 200 , with a carrier 202 having a wafer 204 loaded therein , with the cassette chamber 200 separating the carrier 202 from atmosphere . a wafer transfer chamber 210 , having a robot arm 212 , transfers the wafer 204 to a reaction chamber 220 , where a process for fabricating a semiconductor device proceeds . a wafer cooling chamber 230 cools the wafer after the fabricating process is complete . five cooling jackets are installed on the reaction chamber 220 according to the embodiment of the present invention . they are described in detail with reference to fig3 showing an exaggerated sectional view of the reaction chamber 220 taken along the line iii - iii ′ of fig2 . referring to fig3 a gate valve 118 formed on a first side wall 300 separates the wafer transfer chamber 210 from the reaction chamber 220 . a first cooling jacket 400 and a second cooling jacket 410 are respectively formed on a first side wall 300 and a second side wall 320 . a gas injection opening 350 is formed to pass through an upper wall of the reaction chamber 340 . a third cooling jacket 420 is formed on the upper wall of the reaction chamber 340 . a fourth cooling jacket 430 is also formed outside of a bottom wall 360 of the reaction chamber 220 . a heating block 392 inside the reaction chamber 220 contains a heater 390 and a susceptor 394 for sustaining the wafer 204 on the heating block 392 . a turbo pump 380 is connected to the second side wall 320 . a fifth cooling jacket 440 is formed on the surface of the gate valve 118 . a refrigerant , selected from the group consisting of cooling water and a mixture of the cooling water and ethylene glycol , is preferably used in the first to the fifth cooling jackets 400 , 410 , 420 , 430 , and 440 . also , it is preferable that the refrigerant have a temperature substantially less than 9 ° c ., thus making the temperature in the reaction chamber 220 substantially less than 10 ° c . in the semiconductor device fabricating apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention , since the cooling jackets are installed on all the walls , including the upper and bottom walls of the reaction chamber , it is possible to prevent gas from being exuded from the chamber walls by supplying the refrigerant to the respective cooling jackets during the processing in the reaction chamber . the first embodiment of the polysilicon film fabricating method according to the present invention is as follows . the multi - chamber type semiconductor device fabricating apparatus shown in fig2 is used in the first embodiment . in this embodiment , the reaction chamber does not have to include five cooling jackets as shown in fig3 it being sufficient to include only two cooling jackets on the upper 34 and bottom 36 walls . after loading the semiconductor wafer 204 for forming the polysilicon film in the cassette chamber 200 , the pressure of the cassette chamber 200 is adjusted to less than 0 . 05 mtorr by performing a pumping down operation for more than ten minutes . the reason why the pumping down should be performed for more than ten minutes is shown in fig4 since the maximum pressure decrease is achieved in the first ten minutes . the robot arm 212 transfers the wafer 204 from the cassette chamber 200 to the reaction chamber 220 via the wafer transfer chamber 210 . the polysilicon film is formed by injecting a source ( reactant ) gas into the reaction chamber , with the gas being selected from the group consisting of silane , disilane , and the gas mixture in which silane and disilane are mixed in the 30 : 1 to 1 : 30 ratio . the hsg - si is thereafter formed by performing a thermal treatment thereon . the polysilicon film is preferably used as a lower electrode of the capacitor . by keeping the pressure of the cassette chamber 200 to less than 0 . 05 mtorr , the influx of the atmospheric contaminants into the wafer transfer chamber 210 is prevented . also , the moisture , generated by the wet pre - processing that removes the native oxide film or organic material on the surface of the wafer , can be completely evaporated from the surface of the wafer . therefore , the problem that the remaining moisture on the surface of the wafer evaporates in the wafer transfer chamber or the reaction chamber and acts as a contaminant is solved since the influx of the contaminant gas into the wafer transfer chamber 210 or the reaction chamber 220 is prevented . the second embodiment of the polysilicon film fabricating method according to the present invention is different from the first embodiment in that the pressure of the cassette chamber 200 is not controlled , but the pressure of the wafer cooling chamber 230 is controlled to be about equal to that of the wafer transfer chamber 210 . in particular , in this embodiment , the wafer whose reaction is completed is cooled in the cooling chamber 230 after adjusting the pressure of the wafer cooling chamber 230 to be equal to that of the wafer transfer chamber 210 without injecting a cooling gas . the pressure of the wafer cooling chamber 230 and the wafer transfer chamber 210 is preferably kept to less than about 1 μtorr . if the wafer is cooled in the wafer cooling chamber 230 without using the cooling gas , the pressures of the wafer transfer chamber and the reaction chamber do not increase since we do not inject the pressure of the cooling gas . therefore , the problem that an increased pressure of the reaction chamber results in contamination of the surface of the wafer during the step of heating the wafer may be prevented . in the third embodiment of the present invention , the polysilicon film is fabricated using the reaction chamber shown in fig3 including all the cooling jackets 400 , 410 , 420 , 430 and 440 . first , the wafer for forming the polysilicon film is loaded in the cassette chamber 200 . the robot arm 212 places the wafer on the susceptor 394 in the reaction chamber 220 through the wafer transfer chamber 210 . then , the temperature of the reaction chamber 220 is raised to a certain temperature by the heater 390 in the heating block 392 . the amorphous silicon film is formed to a predetermined thickness on the wafer using a source gas selected from the group consisting of silane , disilane , and the gas mixture in which silane and disilane are mixed in the 30 : 1 to 1 : 30 ratio . the polysilicon film is completed by forming the hsg - si using a thermal treatment on the wafer on which the amorphous silicon film is formed . the polysilicon film is preferably used as a lower electrode of the capacitor . when the process proceeds in the reaction chamber 220 , the problem that gas is exuded from the walls of the cooling chamber is prevented by supplying the refrigerant to the first to fifth cooling jackets 400 , 410 , 420 , 430 , and 440 . therefore , according to the third embodiment , it is possible to form the polysilicon film whose area is enlarged to a maximum extent . the characteristics of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the following examples . however , the present invention is not restricted to the examples , and it is clearly understood that many variations can be made within the scope and spirit of the present invention by anyone skilled in the art . a wafer having an insulating layer with a contact hole exposing a source region has already been formed and loaded on a susceptor 394 in the semiconductor device fabricating apparatus shown in fig3 . the capacitor having an enlarged surface area is fabricated by forming an amorphous silicon layer to the thickness of 3000 å by flowing the disilane gas . the hsg - si is then formed by flowing the disilane gas at a rate of 18 sccm on the surface of the amorphous silicon layer while keeping the temperature of wafer to 620 ° c . during the above process , the temperature of the walls of the wafer cooling chamber are kept to about 10 ° c . by flowing the 9 ° c . refrigerant into the first to the fifth cooling jackets 400 , 410 , 420 , 430 and 440 . the scanning electron microscope ( sem ) photographs of the lower electrode of the capacitor formed by the above process are shown in fig5 a to 5 e . fig5 a to 5 e show the photographs of the surface of the lower electrode of the capacitor formed in the positions of the wafer shown in fig5 f , respectively . reference numerals 500 a , 500 b , 500 c , 500 d , and 500 e respectively denote the insulating layers . reference numerals 502 a , 502 b , 502 c , 502 d , and 502 e respectively denote the surfaces of the lower electrodes on which the hsg - si is formed . as noted from the above photographs , the surface area is maximized regardless of the position of the wafer on which the lower electrode is formed since hsg - si is uniformly formed on the surface of the lower electrode . to clearly check and compare the gas exudation feature of the present invention to that of the conventional art , the lower electrode of the capacitor is also formed in the conventional semiconductor device fabricating apparatus shown in fig1 after controlling the processing conditions , such as reaction gas and temperature , to be equal to that of the present invention . the sem photographs of the lower electrodes of a contrast group are shown in fig6 a and 6b . fig6 a and 6b respectively show the lower electrode formed in the reaction chamber which is adjacent to the wafer transfer chamber and the lower electrode formed in the reaction chamber which is adjacent to a vent portion . the reference numerals 600 a and 600 b respectively denote the insulating films . the reference numerals 602 a and 602 b respectively denote the surfaces of the lower electrodes on which the hsg - si is formed . it is noted that there exist the portions in which the formation of the surface flection degrades . when the lower electrode of the capacitor is formed using the semiconductor device fabricating apparatus according to the present invention , the temperature of the walls of the reaction chamber , especially , the gate valve 118 , the first wall 300 to which the gate valve 118 is connected , and the second wall 320 on which the vent portion is formed , can be kept low . therefore , the problem that the formation of the surface flection degrades as the speed of the surface movement decreases due to the exuded gas is overcome since the gas exudation from the chamber walls is prevented . to examine the relations between the pressure of the cassette chamber and the pressure of the wafer transfer chamber , and between the pressure of the cassette chamber and the pressure of the reaction chamber , the pressure between the respective chambers are measured and provided in table 1 below : as noted from the results of the experimental group , in the case of controlling the pressure of the cassette chamber to about 0 . 02 mtorr , even though the gate valves between the cassette chamber 200 and the wafer transfer chamber 210 and between the cassette chamber 200 and the reaction chamber 220 are opened , the pressure in the wafer transfer chamber does not increase . the lower electrode with the hsg - si is also formed by depositing the amorphous silicon film after adjusting the pressure of the cassette chamber to be 0 . 05 mtorr and flowing the disilane source gas at a rate of 18 sccm while keeping the temperature of the wafer at 620 ° c . the sem photograph of the surface of the lower electrode is shown in fig7 a . as a comparison , fig7 b shows the sem photograph of the lower electrode formed by controlling the pressure of the cassette chamber to about 0 . lmtorr and controlling the other conditions to be equal to those of the example of fig7 a of the present invention . the reference numerals 700 a and 700 b respectively denote the insulating layers . the reference numerals 702 a and 702 b respectively denote the surfaces of the lower electrodes . as noted from fig7 a , while it is possible to form a uniform hsg - si on the surface of the lower electrode in the case of controlling the pressure of the cassette chamber to be 0 . 05 mtorr according to the present invention , the degradation of the surface flection is generated as shown from fig7 b by the atmospheric contaminants and the evaporated vapor from the wafer as in the conventional technology . fig8 is a bar graph showing the value of measuring the maximum capacitance of the capacitor shown in fig7 a and 7b . this result shows the mean value of the maximum capacitance measured from 10 wafers . as noted from the graph , the capacitance of the capacitor formed by the present inventions is 65 ( ff / cell ), which is twice that of the capacitor formed by the conventional technology , i . e ., 30 ( ff / cell ). to examine the relations between the pressure of the cooling chamber 230 and the pressure of the wafer transfer chamber 210 , and between the pressure of the cooling chamber 230 and the pressure of the reaction chamber 220 , the pressure between the respective chambers are measured and provided in table 2 below : as noted from the results of the contrast group , in the case of cooling the wafer in the wafer cooling chamber , the injected cooling gas raises the pressure of the wafer transfer chamber ( 0 . 25 μtorr → 2 . 3 μtorr ). also , when transferring the wafer to the reaction chamber to perform another process on the wafer , the cooling gas raises the pressure of the reaction chamber ( 7 . 3 ntorr → 2 . 3 μtorr ). such an increased pressure causes contamination of the surface of the wafer . in the experimental group , where the cooling of the wafer in the wafer cooling chamber is carried out under a pressure that is about equal to that of the wafer transfer chamber , i . e ., 1 μtorr without injecting the cooling gas , there is no change in the pressure in the wafer transfer chamber 210 and a slight change in the pressure in the reaction chamber 220 , thus suppressing the contamination of the reaction chamber 220 . fig9 a is a sem photograph of the surface of the lower electrode , in which the hsg - si is formed by depositing the amorphous silicon film after equalizing the pressure of the wafer cooling chamber and the wafer transfer chamber at about 1 μtorr , and having a source gas of disilane flowing at a rate of 18 sccm while keeping the wafer temperature at about 620 ° c . fig9 b is a sem photograph of the lower electrode formed by injecting argon at a pressure of 240 mtorr as the cooling gas and controlling the other conditions to be equal to those of the example in fig9 a . the reference numerals 900 a and 900 b denote the insulating layers . the reference numerals 902 a and 902 b denote the surface of the lower electrode . it is noted from the result of fig9 a that a flection is uniformly formed on the surface of the amorphous silicon when the pressure of the wafer cooling chamber and the wafer transfer chamber are both kept under 1 μtorr . it is also noted from the result of fig9 b that it is impossible to obtain a desirable surface flection effect due to the reduction of the speed of the surface migration of the amorphous silicon atoms to the crystalline silicon when the wafer is cooled in the wafer cooling chamber using the cooling gas and the pressure of the wafer cooling chamber is higher than 1 μtorr . fig1 a depicts the result of measuring the capacitances of the respective portions of the wafer after forming the lower electrode of the capacitor by controlling the pressure of the cassette chamber to be about 0 . 05 mtorr and that of the wafer cooling chamber and the wafer transfer chamber to be less than 1 μtorr and controlling the other conditions to be equal to those of example 1 above . the capacitances of the respective portions of the wafer after forming the lower electrode of the capacitor by a conventional processing condition using the conventional apparatus is shown in fig1 b . the numbers in the respective blocks denote the capacitances . it is noted from fig1 a and 10b that the lower electrodes have a uniform capacitance throughout the whole surface of the wafer when the lower electrode of the capacitor is formed by the present invention . fig1 is a graph showing the capacitance measured after continuously performing the process on the five wafers according to the fourth example . when the polycrystalline silicon film is formed using the semiconductor device fabricating apparatus according to the present invention , it is possible to obtain the uniform capacitance result . the reproducability is high compared with the conventional apparatus and method even though the process is continuously performed . in particular , when the reaction chamber 220 includes all the cooling jackets like the apparatus of fig3 of the present invention , the reliability of the processing performance is improved since it is possible to prevent gas from being exuded in the reaction chamber . also , when the polycrystalline silicon film is formed using the semiconductor device fabricating apparatus according to the present invention , it is possible to prevent the reduction of the speed of the surface migration of the amorphous silicon due to the contaminants . therefore , it is possible to repeatedly form a capacitor having high capacitance . while preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made , and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the true scope of the present invention . therefore , it is intended that the present invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed , but that the present invention include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims . | 2 |
in order to increase the range of presentations of fresh shellfish on the market , this patent was aimed at creating an atmosphere different from air and better suited for permitting the mussel to stay alive , hermetically packed and maintaining a natural and fresh appearance , guaranteeing its quality for a period of time greater than that of standard treatment ( air ), in the refrigerated state and under optimum conditions for being marketed . as this concerns a live product , interest was focused on achieving stability and increasing its period of life , maintaining the response capacity and the sensorial qualities that the consumer demands . the authors of this patent demonstrate greater survival for the bivalves during marketing , achieving compositions of gas mixtures which favour respiration and are less injurious for the bivalves than others containing co 2 which are typical of other packaged foods . the fact that the intervalvular metabolism of any bivalve excretes co 2 gas among other substances would cause the concentration of this gas to increase in a sealed container where this component had previously been introduced , with toxic levels being able to be reached for the live organism . the authors have already observed that the presence of carbon dioxide in the initial gaseous composition favours the mortality of shellfish ( values unpublished ). operations prior to packaging are also included . this novel system starts from the conventional system of the typical processing of fresh marketable bivalve shellfish ( extraction of the mussel in the culture park , declumping , cleaning , sometimes debyssing , surface cleaning of the valves and packaging ) though novel suitable stages and systems are introduced and claimed for achieving greater survival of this organism . it includes : a ) a refrigerated sea - water immersion bath following the debyssing so that the shellfish , which was stressed and injured during the debyssing operation , can recover in a short space of time . b ) the following stage that is included is that of filling of the product in plastic containers . the filling with bivalves will be done so as to take up the entire volume of the interior of the plastic container . c ) the accommodation that then follows is done by a vibrator in contact with the bottom of the container , and a level of filling must be achieved that is no less than the height corresponding to the closure of the container so that the bivalves do not have the opportunity of being able to open their valves and lose the intervalvular liquid . d ) the system of filling with modified atmospheres and sealing is done immediately afterwards . the mixture of gases that has to remain inside the sealed container must contain approximately 80 % of oxygen and 20 % of nitrogen . the provision of the gas is done with a predetermined mixture ( o 2 / n 2 ; 80 %/ 20 %), or by oxygen ( 100 % concentration ) both marketed . in the latter case the 20 % composition that would correspond to nitrogen is provided by means of air being added by the filling equipment so that the interior composition can be approximately 80 % o 2 and 20 % n 2 as is intended . the sealing , which is done by the same equipment and for filling with atmosphere , has to be hermetic . the plastic sealing film will tighten the content of bivalves preventing them from moving . the following phases are the usual ones in the marketing of these products , though the results , survival to 6 days , are subject to the temperature being kept at 0 - 3 ° c . it improves the presentation of the bivalves , it minimises spillages of intervalvular water due to the fact that the shells remain closed by the pressure exerted among the units . the high concentration of oxygen does not alter the product as in the case of containers with dead food . the dissolution of the oxygen in the intervalvular liquid is favoured by applying lower refrigeration temperatures ( 0 - 3 ° c .). the uptake of oxygen by the living organism is more efficient . the evident mortality of organisms adhered to the outside surface of the shells ( barnacles , tubiforms , etc .) is slower than in the case of bivalves marketed in contact with air , or with gas mixtures containing co 2 ( which are toxic for living organisms ) at ambient temperatures or unsuitable refrigeration temperatures . the effect of the death of these small accompanying organisms is the production of undesirable odours , especially in sealed containers . the quality of the product is improved in relation to the conventional art given equal storage times . the greater survival rate extends the marketing network further . there is a reduction in rejects owing to dead shellfish . processing of mussels in a protective atmosphere applying a commercial gas mixture after keeping the shellfish in cleaning pools for 48 hours , they will be mechanically debyssed by equipment known in the industry . a surface cleaning of the shells will be carried out in order to remove the majority of organisms stuck to the surface . the shellfish is introduced into tanks of refrigerated sea - water ( 6 ° c .) by means of a hoist containing perforated baskets which submerge the bivalve for up to 6 minutes . a grader selects batches of units weighing around 1 kg , and units that are broken or show signs of mortality will be discarded . these batches are introduced into rectangular containers made of a barrier plastic material of the pe - hd type of dimensions 264 × 165 × 51 cm , for example . the operation of filling the atmosphere can take place by coupling a bottle to the machine , the bottle being supplied by a gas supplier firm and having a volumetric composition of o 2 / n 2 ; 80 %/ 20 %. the machine itself will proceed to seal the container with a barrier film of the gpo1570 type , for example . the process is cheap and , in a short period of time , the living organism is subjected to high vacuum conditions . the immediate quality control consists of checking the airtightness of the seal . the container must not be swollen , and the pressure inside must be atmospheric . the sealing of the container is checked by submerging it in water and making sure that no bubbles appear . shellfish that are broken , defects in the seal and cuts in the film produced by the sharp edges of the bivalve are all cause for rejection . processing of mussels in a protective atmosphere applying pure commercial gases with in situ mixing all steps described in example 1 will be performed except that pure commercial gases are applied , which are mixed in situ by means of the corresponding flowmeters indicating the quantity of each gas ; an expansion chamber can be inserted in the line in order to ensure homogenous mixing at the moment of packaging , or the gases can be applied directly and mixed in the container . the flow of oxygen is four times greater than that of nitrogen in order to achieve the composition o 2 / n 2 ; 80 %/ 20 %. all the steps described in example 1 will be performed except in the filling which will be more economical due to using just one gas coming from a bottle containing 100 % oxygen . the handling of the filling system for the machine can achieve less evacuation of air in the system by producing a partial vacuum in order to achieve mixtures with a composition of 80 % oxygen and 20 % air ( the composition of which is mostly nitrogen ). fine adjustment of this system requires precise control of the sealing machine and previous testing with regard to the arrangement of the controls for the equipment and also checking of the composition of the filling gas in empty containers . suitable , easy to handle , equipment for determining gas compositions can be acquired from spanish companies . fig1 shows mussel processing in diagrammatic form . the conventional line starts with the extraction of the mollusc and ends in the debyssing for being bagged . we include a stabilisation stage for the live organism , application of atmospheres , sealing and marketing in a cold environment . notable in fig2 is the arrangement of the shellfish after they have been accommodated and compacted . the line of the level of the tray sealing indicates the filling height of the bivalve . the external appearance of a sealed container can also be seen . while the invention has been described and illustrated herein by references to the specific embodiments , various specific materials , procedures and examples , it is understood that the invention is not restricted to the particular materials , combinations of materials , and procedures selected for that purpose . indeed , various modifications of the invention in addition to those described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description and the accompanying figures . such modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims . | 0 |
exemplary embodiments are described with reference to specific configurations . those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes and modifications can be made while remaining within the scope of the claims . an exemplary embodiment of the invention is described with reference to fig1 - 6 . fig1 depicts a computer system 10 according to an embodiment of the invention . the computer system includes a processor ( cpu ) 12 coupled to a bus 13 . a random access memory 14 and a hard disk memory 16 are also coupled to the bus 13 and are accessible by the processor . the hard disk 16 is configured to store programs and data necessary for the invention , as described below . an optional user interface 18 is provided for input of raw data . in one embodiment , the input / output devices include a keyboard , mouse , and monitor . an optional network interface 20 is also provided . it should be appreciated that raw data may be entered in various different ways , for example via the user interface 18 or the network interface 20 . the hard disk 16 is configured to store the program and data in the computer system 10 . the memory , including the ram and the hard disk , is divided into three primary components : communications procedures 22 , control procedures 28 , and data 42 . the communications procedures include routines 24 and 26 for receiving raw data into the memory . the control procedures include routines 30 - 40 that perform the invention &# 39 ; s classification functions . the data portion of the memory stores the raw data 44 , the flattened data 46 , the decision structure 48 , and the pruned decision structure 50 . these routines are described in greater detail below . operation of the invention is described with reference to the fig2 flowchart . in step 102 , the communications procedures 22 accept raw data as input . the raw data includes entries and a number of attributes for each entry . the attributes are typically categorical attributes , although they can be continuous attributes as well . an example of raw data is shown in fig3 . the raw data may or may not be ordered . that is , the attributes of each entry are not necessarily in any sort of ascending or descending order . often , categorical attribute data is of a nature that is not suited to being sorted in an ascending or descending order . also , for purposes of classification , the order of the attributes is often irrelevant . data is said to be of the no dimension where n is the total number of different possible attributes of a data entry . in step 104 , the data is organized by entry and attributes . after the raw data is received , in step 106 , the flattening procedures 30 then flatten the data into a boolean representation . flattening converts the categorical attributes into boolean attributes by using a boolean representation of length n , where n is the total number of different possible attributes of a data entry . the n th position in the boolean representation is ‘ 1 ’ if the corresponding attribute is present in the raw data entry , and the no position representation is ‘ 0 ’ if the corresponding attribute is absent from the raw data entry . the resultant data is said the be n - dimensional . the raw data in fig3 is depicted in flattened form in fig4 . one aspect of the invention uses large itemsets . this aspect employs steps 108 and 110 . step 108 identifies the use of large itemsets . step 110 uses the flattened data employing the large itemset procedures 34 to determine which attributes are large itemsets . let l = i 1 , i 2 , . . . , i n be a set of binary attributes . let t be the training set consisting of patterns . each pattern t is a subset of l . a pattern t supports an itemset x if x ⊂ t . itemsets of cardinality k are referred to as k - itemsets . the support of an itemset is a measure of statistical significance and is defined to be the fraction of patterns that contain the itemset . large itemsets are itemsets that have support greater than a given threshold . such a threshold is typically 3 - 10 %, and may be determined based on the percentage that yields the most accurate decision tree . however , it should be appreciated that the threshold may be lower than 3 % or higher than 10 %. several known algorithms may be used to derive large itemsets . one such algorithm which may be used is the apriori algorithm , as presented in agrawal and srikant , fast algorithms for mining association rules , proc . of the 20th international conference on very large databases , santiago , chile , 1994 . the decision tree , as detailed below , is then generated also using large itemsets as attributes on which to base the splitting criterion during classification . if the support is chosen to be high enough , the number of large itemsets may be substantially smaller than the large number of initial attributes . in addition to increasing the accuracy of the decision tree , if the large itemsets are appropriate attributes on which to base the splittin criterion , the total time required to build the decision tree mey be substantially less than the time required to build a decision tree based on all of the initial attributes . also , the resulting decision tree may be substantially smaller than a decision tree based on the initial attributes . another aspect of the invention uses clustering . this aspect employs steps 111 and 112 . step 111 identifies the use of clustering . step 112 uses the flattened data employing the clustering procedures 35 to add clustering attributes to each data entry . clustering is performed by first grouping the set of possible attributes into clusters . next , each entry is assigned one or more weights pertaining to the entry &# 39 ; s degree of inclusion in each cluster . these weights are added to the entry as additional attributes on which classification may be based . for example , in a grocery store there might be 10 , 000 items which a consumer could buy . however , a typical consumer only purchases about thirty items at one time . each of the 10 , 000 items which the consumer could have bought belongs to a cluster , such as meats , dairy , vegetable , bread , etc . each of the about thirty items which the consumer did buy belongs to one of the predetermined clusters . the consumer is then assigned a weight for each cluster , based on the number of items bought which belong to a cluster versus the total number of items bought . the weights represent the degree to which the consumer belongs to each cluster . clustering is well known in the art . one clustering method which may be used is association rule hypergraph clustering , which is described in detail in han , karypis , kumar , and mobasher , clustering based on association rule hypergraplhs , sigmod &# 39 ; 97 workshop on research issues on data mining and knowledge discovery , 1997 . using the flattened data and any combination of large itemsets and clusters , including the combination of neither large itemsets nor clusters , in step 113 the classification procedures 32 build a model on which future classification is based . decision trees , which are known in the art , are one form of such a model that may be created . the creation of a decision tree includes two phases : the construction phase and the pruning phase . the construction phase requires that the training set be recursively partitioned into two or more subpartitions until a stopping criterion is met , e . g . each subpartition dominantly ( or entirely ) includes examples of one class . thus , creation involves applying a splitting criterion to every internal node of the tree . an internal node is defined as any node that has at least one child node . these splitting criterion are determined by applying a predetermined splitting function . the splitting criterion at each internal node of the tree is based on one of the attributes in the set of possible attributes of the entries , including large itemset and cluster attributes , if used . the tree is created with a decreasing entropy as the nodes get farther away from the root node of the tree . the decision tree is the resulting hierarchical tree structure that is generated with the root representing the entire dataset . fig6 depicts a decision tree created based on the sample data depicted in fig5 . in fig6 the dataset evaluated at each node is in parentheses , with the splitting criterion below . it should be noted that a decision tree is not always symmetrical . the creation and pruning of decision trees is known in the art , and examples of decision tree creation and pruning algorithms may be found in mehta , agrawal , and rissanen , sliq : a fast scalable classifier for data mining , proc . of the fifth international conference on extending database technology , avignon , france ; 1996 . in another embodiment of the invention , after the data has been flattened , a class determination for an entry e is made using a nearest neighbor technique . this is done by finding the m nearest neighbors of e , and then assigning the class of e based on the class assignments of the m nearest neighbors . the euclidean distance between two data entries is used to find the nearest m neighbors , as represented by equation 1 . [ ∑ i = 1 n ( x i - y i ) 2 ] 1 / 2 ( 1 ) determination of nearest neighbors is known in the art . there are two main parameters : the value of m , generally between 3 and 5 inclusive , and the choice of which class to be assigned based on the class memberships of the m neighbors . there are three possible scenarios that may occur : all m neighbors belong to the same class , one class has a majority , or there is a tie . in the first case , the assigned class is the class of the m neighbors . in the second case , the assigned class is the class of the majority of the neighbors . in the third case , the tie can be broken arbitrarily . in another embodiment , in the second and third cases , all classes of the nearest neighbors are reported , and an appropriate choice can be made by an end user based on additional factors . in another aspect of the invention , more than one class may be assigned to the entry e . in one aspect of the invention , the nearest neighbor attributes are weighted as will now be described . in the second and third cases above , the simple majority and arbitrary rules are modified to provide for weighted votes based on the inverse frequency of different classes present in the training set . that is , each vote is weighted inversely to the class &# 39 ; percentage representation in the training set . in order to avoid weighing an attribute too heavily , each dimension is generally normalized using the standard of deviation along that dimension . the inventive apparatus and method were constructed and performed , with respect to flattening , on data derived from the in - patient stay records at a hospital . the dataset consisted of two delivery related drgs : delivery with complications and delivery without complications . as shown below , the raw data training set classification error rate was 11 . 6 %. the raw data test set classification error rate was 14 . 9 %. the flattened data training set classification error rate was 0 . 8 %, and the flattened data test set classification error rate was 1 . 4 %. thus , flattening the data has a significant impact on the overall accuracy rate . having disclosed exemplary embodiments and the best mode , modifications and variations may be made to the disclosed embodiments while remaining within the scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims . | 6 |
the best modes for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail using embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings . hereinbelow , the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and the reference numerals and characters . in a door locking handle assembly of a pull - out and side - swinging lever - action type , a stationary casing 1 is fixedly mounted on a door 8 . this stationary casing 1 is provided with a recess in its front surface and a cylindrical portion 2 in its base - end portion . this cylindrical portion 2 projects rearward from a rear surface of the base - end portion of the stationary casing 1 . a main pin 3 is rotatably mounted in the cylindrical portion 2 of the base - end portion of the stationary casing 1 in an insertion manner . the main pin 3 is non - axially slidable in the cylindrical portion 2 and has its rear - end portion fixed to a catch plate 6 . this catch plate 6 is engaged with and disengaged from a receiving portion 5 of a stationary frame element 4 . the main pin 3 is provided with a connecting boss portion 7 in its front - end portion . on the other hand , a control handle 10 has its base - end portion pivoted to the connecting boss portion 7 of the main pin 3 through a cross pivot 9 passing through a through - hole 28 ( shown in fig1 ) of the control handle 10 , so that the control handle 10 is foldable into and projectable from the recess in the stationary casing 1 , whereby the control handle 10 is side - swingable in its projected position . the door locking handle assembly of the present invention further comprises a laminated leaf spring 11 , which is constructed of a pair of an upper and a lower spring element stacked together . the laminated leaf spring 11 is provided with a central through - hole 12 through which the laminated leaf spring 11 is fixedly mounted on the connecting boss portion 7 of the main pin 3 . the upper spring element of the laminated leaf spring 11 is provided with a pair of upwardly protruding portions 33 , 34 which are diametrically opposite to each other so as to have the central through - hole 12 disposed therebetween . a front surface of the main pin 3 faces a rear surface of the laminated leaf spring 11 and is curved rearwardly to form a concave portion 13 . an engaging projection 14 is provided in a rear surface of the base - end portion of the control handle 10 , and brought into abutting contact with a front surface of the laminated leaf spring 11 . after the control handle 10 including its grip portion 15 is entirely received in the recess in the stationary casing 1 and the engaging projection 14 has its top portion 14a positioned in a position oppositely disposed from the grip portion 15 of the control handle 10 with respect to a reference line 39 extending in a direction perpendicular to a front surface of the door 8 , when the control handle 10 is pulled out of the recess of the stationary casing 1 , the top portion 14a of the engaging projection 14 of the control handle 10 thus pulled out moves across the reference line 39 . on the other hand , a first engaging groove portion 31 is provided in a first oblique surface 14b of the engaging projection 14 of the control handle 10 and engaged with the engaging upwardly protruding portions 33 , 34 of the laminated leaf spring 11 when the control handle 10 projects from the stationary casing 1 . a second engaging groove portion 32 is provided in a second oblique surface 14c of the engaging projection 14 of the control handle 10 and engaged with the upwardly protruding portions 33 , 34 of the laminated leaf spring 11 when the control handle 10 folds into the recess of the stationary casing 1 . in the door locking handle assembly of the present invention having the above construction , in a condition in which the control handle 10 including its grip portion 15 is received in the recess of the stationary casing 1 as a whole , the second engaging portion 32 formed in the second oblique surface 14c of the engaging projection 14 in the control handle 10 as shown in fig1 is engaged with the upwardly protruding portions 33 , 34 of the front spring element in the laminated leaf spring 11 . at this time , the top portion 14a of the engaging projection 14 in the control handle 10 is brought into abutting contact with the upper spring element of the laminated leaf spring 11 in the side opposite to the grip portion 15 of the control handle 10 with respect to the reference line 39 which passes through the cross pivot 9 to extend in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the door 8 . due to the above construction , the laminated leaf spring 11 exerts its resilient force on the top portion 14a of the engaging projection 14 of the control handle 10 to produce counterclockwise torque in the control handle 10 about the cross pivot 9 , as viewed in fig1 . as a result , due to the presence of the resilient force exerted by the laminated leaf spring 11 , the grip portion 15 of the control handle 10 is resiliently urged to a bottom surface of the recess of the stationary casing 1 , so that the control handle 10 is resiliently held in its retracted position within the recess of the stationary casing 1 . when the control handle 10 is pulled out of the recess of the stationary casing 1 so that the top portion 14a of the engaging projection 14 of the control handle 10 moves across the reference line 39 to reach the side of the grip portion 15 of the control handle 10 with respect to the reference line 39 , as viewed in fig5 the resilient force exerted by the laminated leaf spring 11 acts on the control handle 10 to rotate the same clockwise about the cross pivot 9 . thereafter , when the control handle 10 is pulled out of the recess of the stationary casing 1 to reach a predetermined projected position thereof , the first oblique surface 14b of the engaging projection 14 of the control handle 10 is brought into abutting contact with an upper half portion of the laminated leaf spring 11 so that the first engaging groove portion 31 of the first oblique surface 14b engages with the upwardly protruding portions 33 , 34 of the upper spring element of the laminated leaf spring 11 , which makes it possible to firmly hold the control handle 10 in its predetermined projected position , as viewed in fig5 . at this time , when the top portion 14a of the engaging projection 14 of the control handle 10 moves across the reference line 39 , the laminated leaf spring 11 is resiliently deformed to the maximum within the concave portion 13 ( shown in fig8 ) of the main pin 3 . then , when the user grips the grip portion 15 of the control handle 10 thus projected forward and side - swings or - turns the control handle 10 about the main pin 3 , the catch plate 6 is disengaged from the receiving portion 5 of the stationary frame element 4 so that the door 8 is unlocked from the stationary frame element 4 , which enables the user to open the door 8 by pulling its control handle 10 forward . incidentally , when the control handle 10 is side - swung or turned to the unlocking position of the door 8 as described above , the first oblique surface 14b of the engaging projection 14 slides on the front surface of the laminated leaf spring 11 so that the leaf spring 11 still exerts its resilient force on the control handle 10 to hold the same in its predetermined projected position . in the above embodiment of the present invention , the main pin 3 has a lower axial surface of its intermediate shoulder portion 17 brought into abutting contact with an upper axial surface of a flange portion 16 formed in an inner peripheral surface of the cylinder portion 2 of the base - end portion of the stationary casing 1 , so that the main pin 3 is prevented from moving rearward relative to the stationary casing 1 . further , the main pin 3 has its rear - end square pin portion 18 fixedly fitted in a square central through - hole of a turning angle control disc 18 , an upper axial surface of which disc 18 is brought into abutting contact with a lower axial surface of the flange portion 16 of the stationary casing 1 to prevent the main pin 3 from moving forward relative to the stationary casing 1 . the catch plate 6 is provided with a central through - hole assuming a square shape . fitted in both these central through - holes of the turning angle control disc 18 and the catch plate 6 is the rear - end square pin portion 19 of the main pin 3 to prevent the main pin 3 from rotating relative to both the turning angle control disc 18 and the catch plate 6 , both of which are fixedly mounted on the main pin 3 by a fastener , for example such as bolt 20 . on the other hand , as shown in fig6 the connecting boss portion 7 of the main pin 3 assumes a square shape in cross section . a pivot through - hole 27 is formed in the connecting boss portion 7 of the main pin 3 to extend in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the main pin 3 . the laminated leaf spring 11 is constructed of the pair of the leaf spring elements each constructed of a disc provided with the central through - hole assuming a square shape . as is clear from fig8 the main pin 3 is provided with an annular groove 26 in an outer peripheral surface of its intermediate portion . as shown in fig5 a watertight o - ring 21 is fitted in the annular groove 26 of the main pin 3 . as is clear from fig1 , the lower spring element of the laminated leaf spring 11 is provided with a pair of rearwardly protruding portions 33 , 34 ( shown in dotted lines ), wherein a line of diameter passing through the upwardly protruding portions 33 , 34 ( shown in solid lines in fig1 ) of the upper spring element is arranged so as to be perpendicular to that of diameter passing through the rearwardly protruding portions 33 , 34 ( shown in dotted lines in fig1 ) of the lower spring element of the laminated leaf spring 11 . on the other hand , as shown in fig6 and 7 , the concave portion 13 formed in the front surface of the main pin 3 assumes a sector shape . a pair of the thus formed sector - shaped concave portions 13 are symmetrically arranged about the central through - hole 12 ( shown in fig1 ) of the laminated leaf spring 11 . further formed in the front surface of the main pin 3 are a pair of v - shaped groove portions 35 , 36 which are also symmetrically arranged about the connection boss portion 7 of the main pin 3 . further , in the front surface of the main pin 3 , a line of diameter passing through the v - shaped groove portions 35 , 36 is perpendicular to that of diameter passing through a pair of bottom portions 37 , 38 of the concave portions 13 , as is clear from fig8 and 9 . each of the diametrically opposing concave portions 13 is curved with a relatively large radius in formation to provide a sufficient room for receiving therein the laminated leaf spring 11 when the spring 11 is resiliently deformed to the maximum by the engaging projection 14 of the control handle 10 . on the other hand , the pair of the upper one 35 and the lower one 36 ( as viewed in fig6 ) of the v - shaped groove portions 35 , 36 are engaged with the pair of the upper one 33 and the lower one 34 ( as shown in dotted lines in fig1 ) of the rearwardly protruding portions 33 , 34 of the lower spring element of the laminated leaf spring 11 , which makes it possible to precisely position the laminated leaf spring 11 . as shown in fig1 , the second oblique surface 14c of the engaging projection 14 of the control handle 10 is disposed in the side of the grip portion 15 , and has an inclination of 4 degrees relative to the front surface of the control handle 10 . mounted in a front end portion of the grip portion 15 of the control handle 10 is a lock unit 22 . when a rotor 23 of the lock unit 22 is rotated by a key ( not shown ) the lock plate 24 mechanically interlocked with the rotor 23 is engaged with a receiving portion 25 of the stationary casing 1 , so that the control handle 10 is locked in its retracted or embedded position within the recess of the stationary casing 1 . as is clear from fig9 the pivot hole 28 of the control handle 10 extend in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the main pin 3 to form a through - hole . in installation , the stationary casing 1 is mounted on the door 8 so as to have its longitudinal axis be vertical . then , as shown in fig5 amounting plate 29 is abutted against a rear surface of the door 8 and fixedly mounted on the door 8 by means of a plurality of round - head screws 30 ( shown in dotted lines ) which are threadably engaged with the stationary casing 1 , as is clear from fig5 whereby the stationary casing 1 is fixedly mounted on the door 8 . as described above , in the door locking handle assembly of the present invention of the pull - out and side - swinging lever - action type , the handle holding mechanism for holding the control handle 10 in each of the retracted , side - swung or - turned , and the projected position thereof is constructed having only the laminated leaf spring 11 which is constructed of only one pair of the leaf spring elements , which makes it possible to remarkably reduce the number of components used in the handle holding mechanism and therefore makes it possible to realize the manufacturing - cost reduction . further , in the door locking handle assembly of the present invention , since no hollow portion for receiving therein the conventional compression coil spring is provided in the cylinder portion 2 of the base - end portion of the stationary casing 1 , it is possible to reduce in height the cylindrical portion 2 of the stationary casing 1 , which makes it possible to downsize the door locking handle assembly of the present invention as a whole . still further , as described above , the handle holding mechanism of the present invention is constructed of only the laminated leaf spring 11 . further , the engaging groove portions 31 , 32 of the first oblique surface 14b and the second oblique surface 14c of the engaging projection 14 are engaged with the protruding portions 33 , 34 of the laminated leaf spring 11 . consequently , it is possible to improve the handle holding mechanism of the present invention in its handle holding power , and also possible to precisely position and hold the control handle 10 in a predetermined position . finally , the present application claims the convention priority based on japanese patent application no . hei 10 - 364724 filed on dec . 22 , 1998 , which is herein incorporated by reference . | 8 |
as illustrated in fig1 a , a component 10 can include a substrate 20 having a first surface 21 and a second surface 22 opposite therefrom , and a conductive via 40 disposed within an opening 30 extending from the first surface towards the second surface . in some embodiments , the substrate 20 may be a semiconductor chip , a wafer , or the like . the substrate 20 preferably has a coefficient of thermal expansion (“ cte ”) less than 10 * 10 − 6 /° c . ( or ppm /° c .). in a particular embodiment , the substrate 20 can have a cte less than 7 ppm /° c . the substrate 20 may consist essentially of an inorganic material such as silicon . the thickness of the substrate 20 between the first surface 21 and the second surface 22 typically is less than 500 μm , and can be significantly smaller , for example , 130 μm , 70 μm or even smaller . in a particular embodiment , the substrate 20 can be made from a material such as semiconductor material , ceramic , glass , liquid crystal polymer , a composite material such as glass - epoxy or a fiber - reinforced composite , a laminate structure , or a combination thereof . in one example , the substrate 20 can include a composite material that has an effective cte that is tunable during fabrication of the substrate to approximately match the cte of the metal of the conductive vias that extend therein , such as copper or nickel . for example , the substrate 20 can have an effective cte that is tunable to a value between 10 - 20 ppm /° c . in a particular embodiment , the substrate 20 can have an effective cte that is tunable to a value between 15 - 18 ppm /° c . in fig1 a , the directions parallel to the first surface 21 are referred to herein as “ horizontal ” or “ lateral ” directions , whereas the directions perpendicular to the first surface are referred to herein as upward or downward directions and are also referred to herein as the “ vertical ” directions . the directions referred to herein are in the frame of reference of the structures referred to . thus , these directions may lie at any orientation to the normal or gravitational frame of reference . a statement that one feature is disposed at a greater height “ above a surface ” than another feature means that the one feature is at a greater distance in the same orthogonal direction away from the surface than the other feature . conversely , a statement that one feature is disposed at a lesser height “ above a surface ” than another feature means that the one feature is at a smaller distance in the same orthogonal direction away from the surface than the other feature . as used in this disclosure , a statement that an electrically conductive element is “ exposed at ” a surface of a substrate indicates that the electrically conductive element is available for contact with a theoretical point moving in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate toward the surface of the substrate from outside the substrate . thus , a terminal or other conductive element which is exposed at a surface of a substrate may project from such surface ; may be flush with such surface ; or may be recessed relative to such surface and exposed through a hole or depression in the substrate . the substrate 20 can further include an insulating dielectric layer 23 overlying the first surface 21 and / or the second surface 22 . such a dielectric layer can electrically insulate conductive elements from the substrate 20 . this dielectric layer can be referred to as a “ passivation layer ” of the substrate 20 . the dielectric layer can include an inorganic or organic dielectric material or both . the dielectric layer may include an electrodeposited conformal coating or other dielectric material , for example , a photoimageable polymeric material , for example , a solder mask material . in embodiments where the semiconductor element 20 includes a semiconductor substrate , made for example from silicon , one or a plurality of semiconductor devices ( e . g ., transistors , diodes , etc .) can be disposed in an active device region 24 thereof located at and / or below the first surface 21 . in the embodiments described herein , a dielectric layer overlying the first surface 21 and / or the second surface 22 can have a thickness that is substantially less than a thickness of the substrata 20 , such that the substrate can have an effective cte that is approximately equal to the cte of the material of the substrate , even if the cte of the dielectric layer is substantially higher than the cte of the substrate material . in one example , the substrate 20 can have an effective cte less than 10 ppm /° c . the substrate 20 can include one or more openings 30 extending from the first surface 21 partially or completely through a thickness t of the substrate towards the second surface 22 . in the embodiment shown in fig1 a , the opening 30 extends partially through the substrate 20 between the first and second surfaces 21 , 22 . the openings 30 can be arranged in any top - view geometric configuration , including for example , an m × n array , each of m and n being greater than 1 . each opening 30 includes an inner surface 31 that extends from the first surface 21 at least partially through the substrate 20 at an angle between 0 and 90 degrees to the horizontal plane defined by the first surface . in one example ( e . g ., fig8 ), the inner surface 31 of one or more of the openings 30 can extend between the first surface 21 and the second surface 22 . the inner surface 31 can have a constant slope or a varying slope . for example , the angle or slope of the inner surface 31 relative to the horizontal plane defined by the first surface 21 can decrease in magnitude ( i . e ., become less positive or less negative ) as the inner surface penetrates further towards the second surface 22 . in a particular embodiment , each opening 30 can be tapered in a direction from the first surface 21 towards the second surface 22 . in some examples , each opening 30 can have any three - dimensional shape , including for example , a frusto - conical shape , a cylinder , a cube , a prism , an elliptic paraboloid , a hyperboloid , or a structure bounded by a curvilinear inner surface , among others . as used herein , when a three - dimensional structure is described as having or being bounded by a curvilinear surface , a cross - section of that surface in a plane that is generally perpendicular to the first and second surfaces of the substrate is a curve having a varying slope ( e . g ., a second order polynomial ). in particular embodiments , the opening 30 and any of the other openings described herein can have various shapes , as described for example in u . s . patent application ser . nos . 12 / 842 , 717 and 12 / 842 , 651 , filed jul . 23 , 2010 , which are hereby incorporated by reference herein , and such openings can be formed using exemplary processes as described in the aforementioned applications . the opening 30 can include a conductive via 40 disposed therein and extending from the first surface 21 towards the rear surface 22 . in a particular embodiment , first and second conductive vias 40 of a particular component 10 can be connectable to respective first and second electric potentials . the conductive via 40 can include a metal having a relatively high cte , such as copper , aluminum , tungsten , an alloy including copper , an alloy including nickel , or an alloy including tungsten , among others . in a particular example where a conductive via 40 extends within a substrate 20 that includes a composite material , the substrate can have an effective cte less than 20 ppm /° c ., and the conductive via 40 can extend within a semiconductor region of the substrate . such a semiconductor region can consist essentially of a material having an effective cte in a plane of the substrate of no more than 10 ppm /° c . the component 10 can also include an insulating dielectric layer 60 overlying the inner surface 31 of the opening 30 and extending from the first surface 21 towards the second surface 22 , such that the conductive via 40 extends within the insulating dielectric layer . such an insulating dielectric layer 60 can separate and electrically insulate the conductive via 40 from the material of the substrate 20 , at least within the opening 30 . the insulating dielectric layer 60 and the insulating dielectric layer 23 can be formed together as a single insulating dielectric layer , or they can be formed separately as individual insulating dielectric layers . in one example , such an insulating dielectric layer 60 can be conformally coat the inner surface 31 exposed within the opening 30 . the insulating dielectric material 60 can include an inorganic or organic dielectric material or both . in some embodiments , more than one type of insulating dielectric material can be used , such as silicon dioxide and silicon nitride , or a polymer and a nitride . in a particular embodiment , the insulating dielectric material 60 can include a compliant dielectric material , such that the insulating dielectric material has a sufficiently low modulus of elasticity and sufficient thickness such that the product of the modulus and the thickness provide compliancy . in the embodiment shown in fig1 a and 1b , an inward - facing surface of the insulating dielectric layer 60 defines an inner wall 32 of the opening . in embodiments in which the insulating dielectric layer 60 is omitted , the inner wall 32 of the opening can be coincident with the inner surface 31 of the opening . in particular embodiments in which the substrate consists essentially of dielectric material ( e . g ., glass or ceramic ), the dielectric layers 60 and / or 23 , or any of the other dielectric layer described herein , may be omitted . the dielectric layers 60 and / or 23 may also be omitted in embodiments in which it is desired that the conductive via 40 is not electrically insulated from the material of the substrate 20 , for example , when the conductive via is configured to carry a reference potential . in a particular embodiment , for example , when the conductive via 40 is configured to carry a reference potential , the substrate 20 can consist essentially of a semiconductor material , a surface of the semiconductor material can be exposed at and can define the inner wall 32 of the opening , and a portion of the conductive via 40 can be in contact with the semiconductor material within the opening 30 . the opening 30 can further include a layer 43 that can be a barrier metal layer , an adhesion layer , and / or a seed layer extending between the conductive via 40 and the inner wall 32 of the opening ( which , in the embodiment of fig1 a and 1b , is an inward - facing surface of the insulating dielectric layer 60 ). the layer 43 can extend within the opening 30 from the first surface 21 towards the rear surface 22 . the layer 43 can prevent or reduce diffusion of metal from the conductive via 40 into the material of the substrate 20 . the layer 43 can function as a barrier layer to avoid transport of material between the conductive via 40 and the insulating layer 60 . the layer 43 may also or alternatively serve as an adhesion layer . the layer 43 typically has a thickness of less than 100 nanometers , although the thickness in a particular structure can be greater than or equal to 100 nanometers . the layer 43 can include a metal different than the metal or metals of the conductive via 40 . examples of metals that can be suitable for use in the layer 43 can include nickel , an alloy including nickel , titanium nitride , tantalum nitride , tantalum silicon nitride , tantalum , tungsten silicon nitride , and combinations thereof . the conductive via 40 can include one or more outer contact surfaces 50 exposed at either or both of the first and second surfaces 21 , 22 of the substrate 20 for interconnection with an external element . as shown in fig1 a , each outer contact surface 50 can be coated by a layer 51 that can be a barrier metal layer similar to the layer 43 described above . the conductive via 40 can define one or more relief channels 55 within the opening adjacent the first surface 21 of the substrate 20 . in a particular embodiment , such as that shown in fig1 a and 1b , the surfaces of the conductive via 40 that are exposed within the relief channels 55 can be coated by a portion of the layer 51 . in some cases , areas of maximum stress in the component 10 can be at or near the first surface 21 of the substrate 20 , so the presence of the relief channels 55 at or near the first surface can reduce the maximum stress experienced by the component in the vicinity of the conductive vias 40 . in a conventional component including conductive vias in a semiconductor substrate , it may be necessary to limit the location of active semiconductor devices within an active device region to be at least three conductive via diameters away from any part of the conductive vias . on the other hand , in a component 10 including a conductive via 40 having a relief channel , the reduced maximum stress experienced by the component near the conductive vias can permit a design where an active device region 24 can extend to a location relatively close to a conductive via . for example , in a particular embodiment of the component 10 , an active device region 24 can be located outside of a keep - out zone that extends from the conductive via 40 to a standoff distance d 5 away from any part of the conductive via . in one embodiment , the standoff distance d 5 can be less than three times a maximum width w 1 of the opening 30 , the maximum width w 1 extending between opposite portions of the inner wall 32 . in a particular embodiment , the standoff distance d 5 can be less than two times the maximum width w 1 of the opening 30 . in one example , the standoff distance d 5 can be less than the maximum width w 1 of the opening 30 . in an exemplary embodiment , the standoff distance d 5 can be less than one - half the maximum width w 1 of the opening 30 . in one embodiment , at least one of the relief channels 55 can have an edge 56 within a first distance d 1 from the inner wall that is the lesser of one micron and five percent of the maximum width w 1 of the opening 30 in a direction d 2 in a relief plane p parallel to the first surface 21 of the substrate 20 and located within a depth d 3 of five microns of the first surface . in one embodiment , one or more of the relief channels 25 can extend below the first surface 21 of the substrate 20 to a depth d 4 that is at most two times the maximum width w 1 of the opening 30 . in a particular example , the depth d 4 can be at most equal to the maximum width w 1 of the opening 30 . in one example , the depth d 4 can be at most half the maximum width w 1 of the opening 30 . the edge 56 of at least one of the relief channels 55 can extend a second distance in a circumferential direction c along the inner wall 32 of at least five percent of a circumference of the inner wall . as shown in fig1 b , the edge 56 of the outer one of the relief channels 55 extends around the entire circumference of the inner wall 32 , but that need not be the case . in a particular embodiment , the component 10 having the relief channels 55 can be configured to reduce resulting stress emanating from the conductive via 40 within the relief plane p to a level below 200 mpa when external stress is applied to the component . a method of fabricating the component 10 ( fig1 a and 1b ) will now be described , with reference to fig2 a - 2g . referring to fig2 a , to form one or more openings 30 extending from the first surface 21 towards the second surface 22 of the substrate 20 , material can be removed from the first surface of the substrate . the opening 30 can be formed for example , by selectively etching the substrate 20 , after forming a mask layer where it is desired to preserve remaining portions of the first surface 21 . for example , a photoimageable layer , e . g ., a photoresist layer , can be deposited and patterned to cover only portions of the first surface 21 , after which a timed etch process can be conducted to form the opening 30 . the inner surfaces 31 of the opening 30 , extending downwardly from the first surface 21 towards the second surface 22 , may be sloped , i . e ., may extend at angles other a normal angle ( right angle ) to the first surface . wet etching processes , e . g ., isotropic etching processes and sawing using a tapered blade , among others , can be used to form an opening 30 having sloped inner surfaces 31 . laser dicing , mechanical milling , among others , can also be used to form an opening 30 having sloped inner surfaces 31 . alternatively , instead of being sloped , the inner surface 31 of each opening 30 may extend in a vertical or substantially vertical direction downwardly from the first surface 21 substantially at right angles to the first surface ( as shown in fig1 a ). anisotropic etching processes , laser dicing , laser drilling , mechanical removal processes , e . g ., sawing , milling , ultrasonic machining , among others , can be used to form openings 30 having essentially vertical inner surfaces 31 . in a particular embodiment , the opening 30 can be formed , for example , by first using an anisotropic etch process such as a fast drie etch or a reactive ion etch to produce an initial opening having a relatively rough initial inner surface , and then using a chemical etch or electropolishing to remove the roughness or scallops extending along the initial inner surface . in one example , the opening 30 can be formed , for example , by isotropic etching of the substrate followed by anisotropic etching of the substrate . a portion of a passivation layer ( e . g ., the insulating dielectric layer 23 shown in fig1 a ) overlying the first surface 21 of the substrate 20 can also be removed during the formation of the opening 30 , and such portion can be etched through during the etching of the substrate , or as a separate etching step . etching , laser drilling , mechanical milling , or other appropriate techniques can be used to remove the portion of such a passivation layer . after formation of the opening 30 , the insulating dielectric layer 60 shown in fig1 a can be deposited overlying or coating the inner surfaces 31 of the opening 30 , such that the conductive via 40 will extend within the insulating dielectric layer when it are deposited within the opening . as described above , the dielectric layers 23 and 60 can be deposited in a single process . in order to simplify the figures used in describing the method of forming the component 10 , the insulating dielectric layers 23 and 60 are not shown in fig2 a - 2g . in a particular embodiment , a mask can be applied to portions of the first surface 21 of the substrate 20 having openings 30 in which it is desired not to form such an insulating dielectric layer 60 . such uncoated ones of the openings 30 can be later filled with conductive vias 40 that have portions directly contacting material of the substrate 20 . such a conductive via 40 can be electrically coupled to a ground electric potential . in a particular embodiment in which the substrate consists essentially of dielectric material ( e . g ., glass or ceramic ), the dielectric layers 60 and / or 23 , or any of the other dielectric layers described herein , may be partially or entirely omitted . in such embodiments having one or more openings 30 without dielectric layers 60 and / or 23 , the inner wall 32 of such an opening 30 can be coincident with the inner surface 31 of the opening . various methods can be used to form such an insulating dielectric layer 60 overlying the inner surfaces 31 of the opening 30 , and such methods are described below . in particular examples , chemical vapor deposition ( cvd ) or atomic layer deposition ( ald ) can be used to deposit a thin insulating dielectric layer overlying the inner surfaces 31 of the openings 30 . in one example , tetraethylorthosilicate ( teos ) can be used during a low - temperature process for depositing such an insulating dielectric layer . in exemplary embodiments , a layer of silicon dioxide , borophosphosilicate glass ( bpsg ), borosilicate glass ( bsg ), or phosphosilicate glass ( psg ) can be deposited overlying the inner surfaces 31 of the openings 30 , and such glass can be doped of undoped . in one example , a flowable dielectric material can be applied to the first surface 21 of the substrate 20 , and the flowable material can then more evenly distributed across the inner surfaces 31 of the opening 30 during a “ spin - coating ” operation , followed by a drying cycle which may include heating . in another example , a thermoplastic film of dielectric material can be applied to the first surface 21 after which the assembly is heated , or is heated in a vacuum environment , i . e ., placed in an environment under lower than ambient pressure . in still another example , the assembly including the substrate 20 can be immersed in a dielectric deposition bath to form a conformal dielectric coating or insulating dielectric material 60 . as used herein , a “ conformal coating ” is a coating of a particular material that conforms to a contour of the surface being coated , such as when the insulting dielectric material 60 conforms to a contour of the inner surfaces 31 of the opening 30 . an electrochemical deposition method can be used to form the conformal dielectric material 60 , including for example , electrophoretic deposition or electrolytic deposition . in one example , an electrophoretic deposition technique can be used to form a conformal dielectric coating , such that the conformal dielectric coating is only deposited onto exposed conductive and semiconductive surfaces of the assembly . during deposition , the semiconductor device wafer is held at a desired electric potential and an electrode is immersed into the bath to hold the bath at a different desired potential . the assembly is then held in the bath under appropriate conditions for a sufficient time to form an electrodeposited conformal dielectric material 60 on exposed surfaces of the substrate that are conductive or semiconductive , including but not limited to along the inner surfaces 31 of the opening 30 . electrophoretic deposition occurs so long as a sufficiently strong electric field is maintained between the surface to be coated thereby and the bath . as the electrophoretically deposited coating is self - limiting in that after it reaches a certain thickness governed by parameters , e . g ., voltage , concentration , etc . of its deposition , deposition stops . electrophoretic deposition forms a continuous and uniformly thick conformal coating on conductive and / or semiconductive exterior surfaces of the substrate 20 . in addition , the electrophoretic coating can be deposited so that it does not form on a remaining passivation layer 23 overlying the first surface 21 of the substrate 20 , due to its dielectric ( nonconductive ) property . stated another way , a property of electrophoretic deposition is that it does not normally form on a layer of dielectric material , and it does not form on a dielectric layer overlying a conductor provided that the layer of dielectric material has sufficient thickness , given its dielectric properties . typically , electrophoretic deposition will not occur on dielectric layers having thicknesses greater than about 10 microns to a few tens of microns . a conformed dielectric material 60 can be formed from a cathodic epoxy deposition precursor . alternatively , a polyurethane or acrylic deposition precursor could be used . a variety of electrophoretic coating precursor compositions and sources of supply are listed in table 1 below . in another example , the dielectric material 60 can be formed electrolytically . this process is similar to electrophoretic deposition , except that the thickness of the deposited layer is not limited by proximity to the conductive of semiconductive surface from which it is formed . in this way , an electrolytically deposited dielectric layer can be formed to a thickness that is selected based on requirements , and processing time is a factor in the thickness achieved . as shown in fig2 a , the layer 43 can then be formed overlying the inner surfaces 31 of the opening 30 ( and the insulating dielectric layers 60 and 23 if they are present ). for example , the layer 43 or portions of the layer 43 can be formed using atomic layer deposition ( ald ), physical vapor deposition ( pvd ), or electroless or electrolytic deposition methods . then , the conductive via 40 can be formed overlying and electrically coupled to the layer 43 . as shown , material of the layer 43 and the conductive via 40 can be deposited onto portions of the first surface 21 that are outside of the opening 30 . to form any one of the layer 43 and the conductive via 40 , an exemplary method involves depositing a metal layer by one or more of sputtering a primary metal layer onto exposed surfaces of the insulating dielectric layers 60 and / or 23 , plating , or mechanical deposition . mechanical deposition can involve the directing a stream of heated metal particles at high speed onto the surface to be coated . in other embodiments , sub - micron metal powder can be screened or selectively screened into the cavities , for example , using a pulse laser , and the metal flow will fill the cavities . this step can be performed by blanket deposition onto the insulating dielectric layers 60 and / or 23 , for example . referring now to fig2 b , an initial exposed surface 14 ( fig2 a ) of the conductive via 40 can be planarized so that the resulting exposed surface 45 is closer to the first surface 21 of the substrate 20 . the initial exposed surface 44 of the conductive via 40 can be planarized by various exemplary methods . in one embodiment , a grinding process can be used , for example , to planarize the initial exposed surface 44 . the grinding process can remove both a portion of the material of the conductive via 40 above the first surface 21 of the substrate 20 . the initial exposed surface 44 can also be planarized by lapping , polishing , or by high - precision milling . in a particular example , chemical mechanical polishing (“ cmp ”) can be used to planarize the initial exposed surface 44 of the conductive via 40 . an exemplary cmp process can include sanding the initial exposed surface 44 with an abrasive pad , using a slurry . such a slurry can typically include an oxidizing agent and a passivation agent . an exemplary cmp process can include using an abrasive slurry , including , for example , a micro - silica paste , to planarize the initial exposed surface 44 . referring now to fig2 c , a mask layer 25 can be formed overlying an exposed surface 45 of the conductive via 40 at the first surface 21 of the substrate 20 . the mask layer 25 can have gaps 26 at the areas of the exposed surface 45 where it is desired to form the relief channels 55 and the outer contact surfaces 50 adjacent the relief channels . for example , a photoimageable layer , e . g ., a photoresist layer , can be deposited and patterned to cover portions of the exposed surface 45 . as shown in fig2 d , material of the conductive via 40 can be removed from the exposed surface 45 at the gaps 26 within the mask layer 25 , thereby forming the relief channels 55 and the outer contact surfaces 50 . portions of the material of the conductive via 40 can be removed , for example , using an etching process or any of the other material removal processes described above with reference to forming the opening 30 . referring now to fig2 e , the mask layer 25 ( fig2 d ) can be removed , leaving the relief channels 55 and the outer contact surfaces 50 adjacent the relief channels . in fig2 f , if it is desired to remove excess metal of the layer 43 and / or the conductive via 40 that overlies the first surface 21 of the substrate 20 outside of the opening 30 , such excess metal can be removed via any of the removal processes described above with reference to forming the opening 30 or planarizing the initial exposed surface 44 of the conductive via 40 . then , as shown in fig2 g , the outer contact surfaces 50 and the exposed surfaces 52 of the relief channels 55 can be coated by a layer 51 that can be a barrier metal layer similar to the layer 43 described above , a passivation layer , or a coupling layer such as an adhesion layer to make the via 40 configured to receive an additional conductive layer thereon . such a layer 51 can be deposited via any of the metal deposition processes described above with reference to the conductive via 40 or the layer 43 . in one alternative method , material of the conductive via 40 can be removed from the exposed surface 45 without using a mash layer 25 as shown in fig2 c . in such a method , the exposed surface 45 of the conductive via 40 can be polished , for example , using a cmp process as described above , until the interface between the conductive via and the layer 43 ( e . g . a barrier metal layer ) is exposed at the first surface 21 of the substrate 20 . then , the exposed surface 45 can be etched . etching of the exposed surface 45 of conductive via 40 can progress more quickly at the interface between the conductive via and the layer 43 than at other portions of the exposed surface , thereby forming a channel 55 within the conductive via adjacent to this interface . an example conductive via 940 a resulting from this alternative method is shown and described below with reference to fig9 a . after the channel 53 is formed , the method can proceed as described above with reference to fig2 g . in another alternative method , shown in fig2 h and 2i , material of a conductive via 40 ′ can be deposited into the opening 30 such that one or more channel portions or voids 55 ′ are formed at the radial periphery 40 a of the conductive via adjacent the outer contact surface 50 ′. as shown in fig2 h , an insulating dielectric layer 60 such as that described above with reference to fig1 a can be deposited overlying or coating the inner surfaces 31 of the opening 30 . then , a barrier layer 43 a can be formed as described above overlying the dielectric layer 60 , and a seed layer 43 b can be formed overlying the barrier layer 43 a . a mask layer can be applied to an exposed surface of the seed layer 43 b at the first surface 21 , the mask layer can be patterned , and the seed layer can be etched to form gaps 43 c in the seed layer between adjacent portions of the mask layer . the gaps 43 c can extend down below the first surface 21 to a desired depth , such as the depth d 4 shown in fig1 a . as can be seen in fig2 h , there can be a plurality of discontinuous gaps 43 c distributed in a circumferential direction c along the seed layer 43 b , but that need not be the case . as shown in fig2 i , the conductive via 40 ′ can then be formed overlying and electrically coupled to the seed layer 43 b . the metal of the conductive via 40 ′ will deposit more quickly on the seed layer 43 b than on the portions of the barrier layer 43 a exposed within the gaps 43 c , so that as the conductive via is formed , the gaps will become channel portions or voids 55 ′. as can be seen in fig2 i , there can be a plurality of discontinuous channel portions 55 ′ distributed in the circumferential direction c about the radial periphery 40 a of the conductive via 40 ′, but that need not be the case . in a particular example , the channel portions 55 ′ can have a width w 4 in a radial direction r of less than one micron . in an exemplary embodiment , the width w 4 can be less than 0 . 5 microns . fig3 a through 6c illustrate variations of the conductive via 40 of fig1 a and 1b having alternate configurations . in order to simplify the figures , the optional insulating dielectric layers 23 and 60 and the optional barrier layers 43 and 51 shown un fig1 a are not shown in fig3 a through 6c . the conductive via 340 shown in fig3 a and 3b is the same as the conductive via 40 described above , except that the conductive via 340 includes a single relief channel 335 having an edge 356 extending around the entire circumference of the inner wall 332 of the opening 330 . the conductive via 440 shown in fig4 a and 4b is the same as the conductive via 40 described above , except that the conductive via 440 includes a first relief channel 455 a having an edge 456 extending around the entire circumference of the inner wall 432 of the opening 430 , and a second relief channel 455 b located approximately at the center of the conductive via 440 . the second relief channel 455 b can be a relief region having only a single outer edge 457 , such that no portion of the outer contact surfaces 450 is located within the area circumscribed by the outer edge 457 . the conductive via 540 a shown in fig5 a is the same as the conductive via 340 described above with respect to fig3 a and 3b , except that the conductive via 540 a includes a relief channel 555 a having an oblong or oval shape , wherein the relief channel defines a first dimension l 1 that is greater than a second dimension l 2 , the first and second dimensions being located in the relief plane p shown and described with respect to fig1 a . as shown in fig5 a , the conductive via 540 a can have an oblong or oval cross - sectional shape in a plane generally parallel to the first surface of the substrate . in other embodiments , the invention contemplates other cross - sections of conductive vias having relief channels , including for example , square , rectangular , triangular , hexagonal , non - circular , curvilinear , or any other shape . the conductive via 540 b shown in fig5 b is the same as the conductive via 540 a described above with respect to fig5 a , except that the relief channel 555 b of the conductive via 540 b has a first width w 2 at a first side of the conductive via that is greater that a second width w 3 at a second opposite side of the conductive via , the first and second widths being located in the relief plane p shown in fig1 a . the conductive via 540 c shown in fig5 c is the same as the conductive via 340 described above with respect to fig3 a and 3b , except that the conductive via 540 c includes a relief channel 555 c having an irregularly - shaped inner edge 557 opposite the outer edge 556 . in other embodiments , the invention contemplates relief channels having other inner edge shapes , including for example , square , rectangular , triangular , hexagonal , curvilinear , or any other shape . the conductive via 640 a shown in fig6 a is the same as the conductive via 340 described above with respect to fig3 a and 3b , except that the conductive via 640 a includes a first relief channel 655 a having an edge 656 extending around the entire circumference of the inner wall 632 of the opening 630 , and a second relief channel 655 a ′ extending through the center of the conductive via 640 between opposing sides of the first relief channel . the conductive via 640 b shown in fig6 b is the same as the conductive via 340 described above with respect to fig3 a and 3b , except that the conductive via 640 b includes a plurality of discrete relief channels 655 b separated from one another along the circumference of the inner wall 632 of the opening 630 , the relief channels 655 b being distributed about the circumference of the inner wall of the opening . each of the discrete relief channels 655 b defines an edge 656 b that extends around a portion of the circumference of the inner wall 632 of the opening 630 . as shown in fig6 b , the conductive via 640 b can have eight relief channels 655 b . in other embodiments , the conductive via 640 b can have any number of relief channels 655 b , including , for example , two , three , four , six , ten , twelve , or twenty relief channels . the conductive via 640 c shown in fig6 c is the same as the conductive via 340 described above with respect to fig3 a and 3b , except that the conductive via 640 c includes a relief channel 665 c that only extends around a portion of the circumference of the inner wall 632 of the opening 630 . as shown in fig6 c , the relief channel 655 c can extend around approximately 50 % of the circumference of the inner wall 632 of the opening 630 . in other examples , the relief channel 655 c can extend around any portion of the circumference of the inner wall 632 of the opening 630 , including , for example , 5 %, 10 %, 20 %, 33 %, 66 %, or 75 %. fig7 through 12 illustrate further variations of the conductive via 40 of fig1 a and 1b having alternate configurations . similar to fig3 a through 6c , the optional insulating dielectric layers 23 and 60 and the optional barrier layers 43 and 51 are not shown in fig7 through 12 , except that fig9 a shows a barrier layer 943 , and fig1 b shows a barrier layer 1051 . the conductive via 740 shown in fig7 is an alternative side sectional view of the conductive via 40 shown in fig1 b . the conductive via 740 has outer contact surfaces 750 that extend above the first surface 721 of the substrate 720 . fig8 shows a variation of the conductive via of fig7 having relief channels 855 in both ends of the conductive via 840 at each of the respective first and second surfaces 821 , 822 of the substrate 820 . the conductive via 840 is disposed in a through - opening 830 that extends through a thickness of the substrate 820 from the first surface 821 to the second surface 822 . in a particular embodiment ( not shown ), a conductive via having relief channels in only one end of the conductive via can be disposed within a through - opening . in such an embodiment , the other end of the conductive via that does not contain the relief channels can have any configuration , including , for example , a flat conductive contact surface or a conductive post exposed at the respective surface of the substrate . fig9 a and 9b show conductive vias 940 a and 940 b , respectively . the conductive vias 940 a and 940 b are the same as the conductive via 340 described above with respect to fig3 a and 3b , except that the conductive vias 940 a and 940 b each include a relief channel 955 having a tapered inner edge 957 , the tapered inner edge not being perpendicular to the first surface 921 of the substrate 920 . in the embodiments shown in fig9 a and 9b , the tapered inner edge 957 is not parallel to the outer edge 956 of the relief channel 955 , and the outer edge 956 is perpendicular to the first surface 921 of the substrate 920 . the conductive via 940 a of fig9 a has a barrier or seed layer 943 ( such as the layer 43 described above ) surrounding the conductive via , while the conductive via 940 b of fig9 b is shown without such a barrier or seed layer . fig9 c shows a conductive via 940 c that is the same as the conductive via 940 a described above with respect to fig9 a , except that the substrate 921 also includes an outer relief channel 958 adjacent an insulating dielectric layer 960 . in one example , the outer relief channel 958 can be filled with a low - k insulating dielectric material 961 such as that commonly used in semiconductor manufacturing . other dielectric materials 961 may be deposited to fill the outer relief channel 958 which , in some cases , may have a young &# 39 ; s modulus lower than the young &# 39 ; s modulus of the material of the substrate 920 ( e . g ., semiconductor material ) or the material of the insulating dielectric layer 960 , such that a degree of compliancy is achieved . the outer relief channel 958 can extend to a depth d 8 below the first surface 921 of the substrate 920 . in a particular embodiment , the depth d 8 to which the outer relief channel 958 extends can be greater than a depth d 7 to which the relief channel 955 extends below the first surface 921 of the substrate 920 , although that need not be the case . in one example , the outer relief channel 958 can be etched into a portion of the substrate 920 adjacent the insulating dielectric layer 960 . in an exemplary embodiment , the outer relief channel 958 can be etched into both a portion or the substrate 920 and a portion of the insulating dielectric layer 960 . in a particular example , the outer relief channel 958 can be etched into the substrate 920 using reactive ion etching , and the relief channel 955 can be etched into the material of the conductive via 940 c using a chemical etching process . the outer relief channel 958 can be a single continuous relief channel , or it can be a plurality of discrete relief channels 958 separated from one another along the outer circumference of the insulating dielectric layer 960 , the relief channels 950 being distributed about the outer circumference of the insulating wall 960 . fig1 a and 10b show conductive vias 1040 a and 1040 b , respectively . the conductive vias 1040 a and 1040 b are the same as the conductive via 340 described above with respect to fig3 a and 3b , except that the conductive vias 1040 a and 1040 b each include a conductive joining material ( e . g ., solder , a conductive adhesive , or a conductive paste ) overlying at least the outer contact surface 1050 of the conductive via . connection between the conductive vias 1040 a or 1040 b ( or any of the other conductive elements described herein ) and components external to the substrate 1020 can be through the respective conductive joining material 1011 a or 1011 b . such conductive joining material can comprise a fusible metal baying a relatively low melting temperature , e . g ., solder , tin , or a eutectic mixture including a plurality of metals . alternatively , such conductive joining material can include a wettable metal , e . g ., copper or other noble metal or non - noble metal having a melting temperature higher than that of solder or another fusible metal . such wettable metal can be joined with a corresponding feature , e . g ., a fusible metal feature of an interconnect element . in a particular embodiment , such conductive joining material can include a conductive material interspersed in a medium , e . g ., a conductive paste , e . g ., metal - filled paste , solder - filled paste or isotropic conductive adhesive or anisotropic conductive adhesive . the conductive via 1040 a of fig1 a has a conductive joining material 1011 a adjacent the outer contact surface 1050 of the conductive via , but the conductive joining material does not extend into the relief channel 1055 . in embodiments such as that shown in fig1 a where the relief channel 1055 is left unfilled , when the conductive via 1040 a is joined with another conductive element , the relief channel 1055 can serve as a moat to receive excess conductive joining material 1011 a that can be squeezed out from between the outer contact surface 1050 and a confronting contact surface of another conductive element . having excess conductive joining material 1011 a flow into the relief channel 1055 can help to prevent the conductive joining material from flowing onto the first surface 1021 of the substrate 1020 and potentially shorting out adjacent conductive vias 1040 a ( i . e ., creating a direct electrically conductive path between adjacent conductive vias ). by reducing the tendency of excess conductive joining material 1011 a to flow onto the first surface 1021 of the substrate 1020 , adjacent conductive vias 1040 a can be spaced closer together without having adjacent conductive vias short out . such a design can improve reliability or the component for a given spacing or pitch between adjacent conductive vias . also , such a design can allow a reduced pitch ( spacing between ) of bonding structures such as conductive posts or exposed pads of the conductive vias 1040 a , without having excess conductive joining material 1011 a short out adjacent ones of the bonding structures . the conductive via 1040 b of fig1 b has a conductive joining material 1011 b overlying the outer contact surface 1050 , overlying a portion of the first surface 1021 of the substrate 1020 , and extending into the relief channel 1055 . the conductive via 1040 b also has a barrier layer 1051 ( such as the layer 51 described above ) that can extend between the conductive via and the conductive joining material 1011 b . the conductive via 1140 shown in fig1 a is the same as the conductive via 40 described above with respect to fig1 a and 1b , except that the conductive via 1140 has a low stress material 1112 disposed in the relief channels 1155 at the first surface 1121 of the substrate 1120 . the low stress material 1112 can be conductive ( e . g ., solder or a conductive adhesive paste ), nonconductive ( e . g ., a polymer or another dielectric material ), or a porous conductive or nonconductive material such as a polymer foam . such a material can have a low modulus of elasticity , or the material can have enough collapsible pores that can compress under a load . in one example , one or more of the relief channels 1155 can be capillary channels , each capillary channel having a maximum width in a direction in the relief plane p shown and described with respect to fig1 a of less than five microns . in an embodiment where the low stress material 1112 is solder , such capillary channels can draw solder away from the outer contact surface 1150 of the conductive via 1140 when another conductive structure ( e . g ., the conductive post 2741 b shown in fig2 b ) is joined to the conductive via , such that a reduced volume of solder can be used to join the conductive via and the conductive structure to one another . the presence of the capillary channels can prevent solder from being squeezed out onto the first surface 1121 when another conductive structure is joined to the conductive via 1140 . in an example where a conductive post such as the conductive post 2741 b shown in fig2 b is joined to the conductive via 1140 , a base of the conductive post can be joined to the outer contact surface 1150 of the conductive via . such a conductive post can have at least one capillary channel extending into the conductive post from a base surface thereof adjacent the outer contact surface 1150 . in such an embodiment , the capillary channels in both the conductive via 1140 and the conductive post joined thereto can draw solder away from the interface between the conductive via and the conductive post , and a reduced volume of solder can be used to join the conductive via and the conductive post to one another . the presence of the capillary channels in both be conductive via and the conductive post can prevent solder from extending onto the first surface 1121 when the conductive post is joined to the conductive via 1140 . the conductive via 1140 ′ shown in fig1 b is the same as the conductive via 1140 described above with respect of fig1 a , except that the conductive via 1140 ′ has a conductive pad 1159 overlying the relief channels 1155 and the outer contact surface 1150 at the first surface 1121 of the substrate 1120 . such a conductive pad 1159 can be exposed at the first surface 1121 of the substrate 1120 for interconnection with a conductive element of another component . as shown in fig1 b , the conductive pad 1159 can completely seal the relief channels 1150 at the first surface 1121 . in some embodiments , the conductive pad 1159 can partially seal one or more of the relief channels 1155 . in a particular example , the conductive pad 1159 can seal one or more of the relief channels 1155 at the first surface 1121 , enclosing a void 1113 within at least some of the sealed relief channels . in one embodiment , also illustrated in fig1 b , a low stress material 1112 , such as solder or a polymer , can fill one or more of the relief channels 1155 that are sealed by the conductive pad 1159 . the conductive pad 1159 can be plated onto the outer contact surface 1150 and across the relief channels 1155 , such that the metal material of the conductive pad only partially extends into one or more of the relief channels , as shown in fig1 b , thereby leaving voids 1113 within at least some of the relief channels . the conductive via 1240 shown in fig1 is the same as the conductive via 1140 described above with respect to fig1 a , except that the conductive via 1240 has a low stress material 1212 disposed in relief channels 1255 at both the first surface 1221 and the second surface 1222 of the substrate 1220 . the low stress material 1212 can be conductive or nonconductive . the conductive via 1240 can further include a conductive joining material 1211 overlying the outer contact surfaces 1250 , overlying a portion of the first surface 1221 of the substrate 1220 , and overlying the low stress material 1212 that is disposed in the relief channels 1255 . in a particular embodiment , the conductive joining material 1211 can be the same material as the low stress material 1212 , and in such an embodiment , the conductive joining material and the low stress material at the first surface 1221 of the substrate 1220 can be deposited as a single continuous conductive joining material region . in a particular example , the low stress material 1212 can serve to prevent the conductive joining material 1211 from flowing into the relief channel a 1255 when an external structure is joined with the conductive via 1240 using the conductive joining material . in another example , a porous low stress material 1212 can be used to prevent the conductive joining material 1211 from contacting structures at the first surface 1221 of the substrate 1220 that are located near the conductive via 1240 . in such an embodiment , when an external structure is joined with the conductive via 1240 using the conductive joining material 1211 , the conductive joining material can flow into the pores of the low stress material rather than flowing onto the first surface 1221 . fig1 shows a conductive via 1340 that is the same as the conductive via 340 described above with respect to fig3 a and 3b , except that the conductive via 1340 includes a conductive joining material 1311 overlying the outer contact surface 1350 of the conductive via and extending into the relief channel 1355 . the conductive via 1340 also has a barrier layer 1351 ( such as the layer 51 described above ) that can extend between the conductive via and the conductive joining material 1311 . the outer contact surface 1350 can be recessed below the first surface 1321 of the substrate 1320 by a distance d 6 . in the embodiment shown in fig1 , the conductive joining material 1311 does not overlie the first surface 1321 of the substrate 1320 . similar to the embodiment shown in fig1 a , when the conductive via 1340 is joined with another conductive element , having the outer contact surface 1350 of the conductive via recessed below the first surface 1321 of the substrate 1320 can help prevent the conductive joining material 1311 from flowing onto the first surface and potentially shorting out adjacent conductive vias 1340 . in the example shown in fig1 , the conductive joining material 1311 extends above the first surface 1321 of the substrate 1320 , but that need not be the case . for example , in other embodiments , the conductive joining material 1311 may have an exposed surface that is recessed below the first surface 1321 of the substrate 1320 . similar to fig3 a through 6c , the optional insulating dielectric layers 23 and 60 and the optional barrier layer 43 is not shown in fig1 through 14d . a method of fabricating the component 1310 ( fig1 ) will now be described , with reference to fig1 a - 14d . the method steps of fig2 a - 2g can be used to form the opening 1330 extending from the first surface 1321 into the substrate 1320 , the conductive via 1340 , the relief channels 1355 , and the layer 1351 shown in fig1 a . referring now to fig1 b , a mask layer 1325 can be deposited overlying the barrier layer 1351 and portions of the first surface 1321 of the substrate 1320 . the mask layer 1325 can be patterned , and then , as shown in fig1 c , gaps 1326 can be formed through the mask layer to expose the barrier layer 1351 overlying one or more conductive vias 1340 . subsequently , as shown in fig1 d , the conductive joining material 1311 can be deposited into the gaps 1326 , such that the conductive joining material is in contact with the barrier layer 1351 and extends into the relief channels 1355 . finally , referring again to fig1 , the remaining portions of the mask layer 1325 can be removed from the first surface 1321 of the substrate 1320 , leaving a conductive joining material 1311 that extends above the first surface of the substrate . fig1 shows a conductive via 1540 that is the same as the conductive via 1340 described above with respect to fig1 , except that the conductive via 1540 includes a dielectric layer 1523 overlying the first surface 1521 of the substrate 1520 outside the opening 1530 and a seed layer 1562 overlying the conductive via and a portion of the dielectric layer 1523 . the dielectric layer 1523 can be a passivation layer such as the layer 23 described above with reference to fig1 a and 1b . the conductive via 1540 can also have an adhesion or barrier layer 1551 ( such as the layer 51 described above ) that cam extend between the conductive via and the seed layer 1552 . in one example , the adhesion or barrier layer 1551 can be tantalum nitride / tantalum , e . g ., alpha - tantalum with interstitial impurities , titanium nitride , titanium nitride / titanium , or a nickel - tungsten alloy , and the seed layer 1552 can be copper , nickel , or gold . in a particular embodiment , the adhesion or barrier layer 1551 and the seed layer 1552 can be a single layer , such as , for example , a single nickel alloy barrier and seed layer . the conductive joining material 1511 overlies the conductive via 1540 and a portion of the dielectric layer 1523 . similar to fig3 a through 6c , the optional insulating dielectric layer 60 and the optional barrier layer 43 is not shown in fig1 through 16d . a method of fabricating the component 1510 ( fig1 ) will now be described , with reference to fig1 a - 16d . the method steps of fig2 a - 2g can be used to form the dielectric layer 1523 , the opening 1530 extending from the first surface 1521 into the substrate 1520 , the conductive via 1540 , the relief channels 1555 , the adhesion or barrier layer 1551 , and the seed layer 1552 shown in fig1 a . referring now to fig1 b , a mask layer 1525 can be deposited overlying the seed layer 1552 . the mask layer 1525 can be patterned , and then , as shown in fig1 c , gaps 1526 can be formed through the mask layer to expose a portion of seed layer 1552 overlying one or more conductive vias 1540 and overlying a portion of the dielectric layer 1523 . subsequently , as shown in fig1 d , the conductive joining material 1511 can be deposited into the gaps 1526 , such that the conductive joining material is in contact with the seed layer 1552 and extends into the relief channels 1555 . finally , referring again to fig1 , the remaining portions of the mask layer 1523 can be removed from the dielectric layer 1523 , leaving a conductive joining material 1511 that extends above the first surface of the substrate and above the dielectric layer 1523 . fig1 a and 17b show a component 1701 and a component 1702 that are the same as the component 1510 described above with respect to fig1 , except that the components 1701 and 1702 include a respective conductive joining material 1711 and 1711 ′ that does net extend into the relief channels 1755 . as can be seen in fig1 a , the conductive joining material 1711 can overlie the conductive via 1740 and a portion of the dielectric layer 1723 . alternatively , as can be seen in fig1 b , the conductive joining material 1711 ′ can overlie the conductive via 1740 , but the conductive joining material may not overlie a portion of the dielectric layer 1723 . similar to fig1 , the optional insulating dielectric layer 60 and the optional barrier layer 43 is not shown in fig1 a through 18 . a method or fabricating the components 1701 ( fig1 a ) and 1702 ( fig1 b ) will now be described , with reference to fig1 . the method steps of fig2 a - 2g can be used to form the dielectric layer 1723 , the opening 1730 extending from the first surface 1721 into the substrate 1720 , the conductive via 1740 , the relief channels 1755 , the adhesion or barrier layer 1751 , and the seed layer 1752 shown in fig1 . in fig1 , the adhesion or barrier layer 1751 and the seed layer 1752 are shown as being deposited onto an exposed surface of the conductive via 1740 , and the dielectric layer 1723 is shown partially overlying the barrier layer and the seed layer . after the dielectric layer 1723 is deposited , the conductive joining material 1711 ( fig1 a ) or 1711 ′ ( fig1 b ) can be deposited into the gap 1726 in the dielectric layer 1723 . in a particular embodiment , a mask layer such as the mask layer 1525 shown in fig1 b - 16d can be deposited and patterned to control the deposition of the conductive joining material 1711 or 1711 ′ only to desired locations . fig1 shows a component 1910 that is the same as the components 1701 and 1702 described above with respect to fig1 a and 17b , except that the component 1910 includes a conductive post 1941 overlying the conductive via 1940 , and the conductive joining material 1911 overlies an exposed surface of the conductive post . in one example , the conductive post 1941 ( and the other conductive posts described herein with respect to other embodiments ) can consist essentially of at least one of : copper , a copper alloy , and nickel . similar to fig1 a and 17b , the optional insulating dielectric layer 60 and the optional barrier layer 43 is not shown in fig1 through 20b . also , the optional seed layer such as the seed layer 1752 shown in fig1 is not shown in fig1 through 20b . a method of fabricating the component 1910 ( fig1 ) will now be described , with reference to fig2 a and 20b . the method steps of fig2 a - 2g can be used to form the dielectric layer 1923 , the opening 1930 extending from the first surface 1921 into the substrate 1920 , the conductive via 1940 , the relief channels 1955 , and the adhesion or barrier layer 1951 . in a particular example , a seed layer such as the seed layer 1752 shown in fig1 may be deposited overlying the adhesion or barrier layer a 1951 . the method steps of fig1 b and 14c can be used to form the mask layer 1925 and the gaps 1926 in the mask layer . subsequently , as shown in fig2 a , the conductive post 1941 can be deposited into the gaps 1926 , such that the conductive post is in contact with the adhesion or barrier layer 1951 . similar to the conductive via 40 described above with reference to fig1 a and 1b , the conductive post 1941 can include a metal having a relatively high cte , such as copper , aluminum , tungsten , an alloy including copper , an alloy including nickel , or an alloy including tungsten , among others . the conductive post 1941 can be made of the same electrically conductive material as the conductive via 1940 , or alternatively , the conductive post and the conductive via can be made of different electrically conductive materials . then , referring to fig2 b , the conductive joining material 1911 can be deposited into the gap 1926 in the mask layer 1925 overlying the exposed surface of the conductive post 1941 . finally , referring again to fig1 , the remaining portions of the mask layer 1925 can be removed from the dielectric layer 1923 , leaving a conductive post 1941 that extends above the first surface of the substrate and above the dielectric layer 1923 , with a conductive joining material 1911 overlying an exposed surface of the conductive post . fig2 a - 21c show components 2101 , 2102 , and 2103 that are the same as the component 1910 described above with respect to fig1 , except that the components 2101 , 2102 , and 2103 include a conductive post 2141 that extends a substantial distance above an exposed surface of the dielectric layer 2123 . the components 2101 , 2102 , and 2103 can also have a barrier layer 2143 extending between the conductive post 2141 and the conductive joining material 2111 . the barrier layer 2143 can be similar to the barrier layer 1951 described above with reference to fig1 . similar to fig1 , the optional insulating dielectric layer 60 and the optional barrier layer 43 is not shown in fig2 a through 22 . also , the optional seed layer such as the seed layer 1752 shown in fig1 is not shown in fig2 a through 22 . as can be seen in fig2 a , the conductive post 2141 can have an exposed vertically - extending surface 2142 . in one example , shown in fig2 b , the conductive post 2141 can have a barrier layer 2144 overlying the vertically - extending surface 2142 . in one example , the barrier layer 2144 can be an electrically conductive barrier layer similar to the barrier layer 43 described above with reference to fig1 a . in another example , the barrier layer 43 can be similar to a passivation layer , which can be made from an insulating dielectric material . in a particular embodiment , shown in fig2 c , the conductive via 2140 ′ can include a relief channel 2155 having a tapered inner edge 2157 similar to that shown in fig9 a and 9b , the tapered inner edge not being perpendicular to the first surface 2121 of the substrate 2120 . the tapered inner edge 2157 may not be parallel to the outer edge 2156 of the relief channel 2155 , and the outer edge can be perpendicular to the first surface 2121 of the substrate 2120 . fig2 shows a stage in fabrication of the components 2101 and 2102 shown in fig2 a and 21b . to fabricate the component 2101 shown in fig2 a , the same method steps described above with respect to fig1 through 20b can be performed , except the mash layer 2125 and the gaps 2126 shown in fig2 can have a greater vertical height than the mask layer 1925 and the gaps 1920 shown in fig2 a and 20b . to fabricate the component 2102 shown in fig2 b , the same method steps for fabrication of the component 2101 can be performed , and in addition , after the mask layer 2125 is removed , the barrier layer 2144 can be deposited overlying the vertically - extending surface 2142 of the conductive post 2141 . to fabricate the component 2103 shown in fig2 c , the same method steps for fabrication of the component 2101 can be performed , but the relief channels 2155 of the conductive via 2140 ′ can be formed with a tapered inner edge 2157 . fig2 shows a component 2310 that is the same as the component 1310 described above with respect to fig1 , except that the component 2310 includes two spaced - apart regions of conductive joining material 2311 a and 2311 b , and each region of conductive joining material can partially overlie the first surface 2321 of the substrate 2320 . each region of conductive joining material 2311 a and 2311 b can extend into a portion of the relief channel 2355 . similar to fig3 a through 6c , the optional insulating dielectric layer 60 and the optional barrier layer 43 is not shown in fig2 through 24b . a method of fabricating the component 2310 ( fig2 ) will now be described , with reference to fig2 a and 24b . the method steps of fig2 a - 2g can be used to form the opening 2330 extending from the first surface 2321 into the substrate 2320 , the conductive via 2340 , the relief channels 2355 , and the barrier layer 2351 shown in fig2 . referring now to fig2 a , a mask layer 2325 can be deposited overlying the barrier layer 2351 and portions of the first surface 2321 of the substrate 2320 . gaps 2326 a and 2326 b can be formed through the mask layer to expose the barrier layer 2351 overlying the portions of the conductive via 2340 at which it is desired to deposit the respective regions of conductive joining material 2311 a and 2311 b . subsequently , as shown in fig2 b , the conductive joining material 2311 a and 2311 b can be deposited into the respective gaps 2326 a and 2326 b , such that the regions of conductive joining material are in contact with portions of the barrier layer 2351 and extend into portions of the relief channels 2335 . finally , referring again to fig2 , the remaining portions of the mask layer 2325 can be removed from the first surface 2321 of the substrate 2320 , leaving regions of conductive joining material 2311 a and 2311 b that extend above the first surface of the substrate . the component 2510 shown in fig2 is the same as the component 1110 described above with respect to fig1 a , except that the competent 2510 has a plurality of conductive vias 2540 each having relief channels 2555 , and a low stress material 2512 can be disposed in the relief channels at the first surface 2521 of tee substrate 2520 . the low stress material 2512 can be conductive ( e . g ., solder or a conductive adhesive paste ) nonconductive ( e . g ., a polymer or another dielectric material ), or a porous conductive or nonconductive material such as a polymer foam . such a material can have a low modulus of elasticity , or the material can have enough collapsible pores that can compress under a load . in embodiments where the semiconductor element 2520 includes a semiconductor substrate , made for example from silicon , one or a plurality of semiconductor devices ( e . g ., transistors , diodes , etc .) can be disposed in an active device region 2524 thereof located at and / or below the first surface 2521 . the component 2510 can also have beol layers 2560 overlying the first surface of the substrate 2520 and the exposed surface of the conductive vias 2540 . the beol layers 2560 can include an insulating dielectric material 2561 and conductive leads 2562 ( conductive traces and conductive vias ) extending between the conductive vias 2540 and conductive terminals 2564 exposed at a top surface 2566 of the beol layers 2560 for interconnection with an external component . in one embodiment , each conductive via can have a maximum width w 5 in a direction in a horizontal plane p ′ parallel to the first surface , the maximum width being located within five microns of the first surface . the plurality of conductive vias 2540 can define a minimum pitch 2548 in the horizontal plane p ′ between respective vertical central axes 2549 of any two adjacent ones of the conductive vias , the minimum pitch being less than three times the maximum width of each of the adjacent conductive vias . in a particular example , the minimum pitch 2548 between any two adjacent ones of the conductive vias 2540 can be less than two times the maximum width of each of the adjacent conductive vias . in an exemplary embodiment , the minimum pitch 2548 between any two adjacent ones of the conductive vias 2540 can be less than 1 . 2 times the maximum width of each of the adjacent conductive vias . the conductive vias 2640 a and 2640 b shown in fig2 a and 26b are the same as the conductive via 340 described above with respect to fig3 a and 3b , except that the conductive vias 2640 a and 2640 b extend within a respective tapered opening 2630 a and 2630 b in a substrate 2620 . such a tapered opening 2630 a or 2630 b can taper in either direction between the first and second surfaces 2621 , 2622 of the substrate 2620 . as shown in fig2 a , the tapered opening 2630 a can have an elliptic paraboloid shape , a hyperboloid shape , or a curvilinear shape ( i . e ., the opening is bounded by an inner wall 2632 a having a curvilinear shape ). as shown in fig2 b , the tapered opening 2630 b can have a frusto - conical shape . in a particular example , a tapered opening such as the opening 2630 a or 2630 b can be formed by isotropic etching followed by anisotropic etching . in one example , a portion of the opening or the entire opening 2630 a or 2630 b can be bounded by a surface defining a curvilinear cross - sectional shape in a plane that is perpendicular to the first surface of the substrate , and such a curvilinear opening structure can be formed by isotropic etching of the substrate from one surface ( either the first or second surface ) to form a cavity extending partially through the substrate , then the substrate can be thinned by removing material from the opposite surface of the substrate , and then anisotropic etching can be performed from the opposite surface to extend the cavity into an opening extending completely through the substrate . a tapered opening 2630 a or 2630 b having a smaller diameter at the first surface 2621 than at the second surface 2622 can help protect structures at the first surface such as an active device region during temperature changes , because it may help prevent pumping , i . e ., vertical motion of the conductive via relative to the substrate , when there is a significant difference between the coefficient of thermal expansion of the material of the conductive via and the material of the substrate . as shown in fig2 a and 26b , the openings 2630 a and 2630 b have relief channels 2655 extending into the exposed surface of the respective conductive via 2640 a and 2640 b . in a particular example , a tapered opening such as the opening 2630 a or 2630 b can be provided without a relief channel 2655 . the components 2701 , 2702 , 2703 , and 2704 shown in fig2 a - 27d are variations of the component 2101 shown in fig2 a , but with a tapered opening 2730 that is the same as the tapered opening 2630 a shown in fig2 a that can have an elliptic paraboloid shape , a hyperboloid shape , or a curvilinear shape . in a particular example , the tapered opening 2730 of fig2 a - 27d can have a frusto - conical shape like the tapered opening 2630 b shown in fig2 b . the component 2101 shown in fig2 a can have a conductive post 2741 a that is the same as the conductive post 2141 shown in fig2 a . in one example , the conductive post 2741 a can have conductive joining material overlying an exposed surface of the conductive post . similar to fig2 a , the conductive post 2741 a can overlie an exposed surface of the conductive via 2740 , but the conductive post may not overlie the relief channels 2755 . in a particular embodiment , the relief channels 2755 may be filled with a portion of a dielectric layer overlying the first surface 2721 of the substrate 2720 such as the dielectric layer 2123 shown in fig2 a . the component 2102 shown in fig2 b is a variation of the component 2101 shown in fig2 a . the component 2102 can have a conductive post 2741 b that can overlie an exposed surface of the conductive via 2740 and the relief channels 2755 . in a particular embodiment , the relief channels 2755 may be filled with a low stress material 2712 disposed in the relief channels 2755 at the first surface 2721 of the substrate 2720 . the low stress material 2712 can be conductive ( e . g ., solder or a conductive adhesive paste ), nonconductive ( e . g ., a polymer or another dielectric material ), or a porous conductive or nonconductive material such as a polymer foam . such a material can have a low modulus of elasticity , or the material can have enough collapsible pores that can compress under a load . the components 2103 and 2104 shown in fig2 c and 27d are further variations of the component 2101 shown in fig2 a . the components 2103 and 2104 can have a respective conductive post 2741 c or 2741 d that can overlie an exposed surface of the conductive via 2740 , but the respective conductive post may not overlie the relief channels 2755 . the conductive posts 2741 c and 2741 d shown in fig2 c and 27d can have a tapered shape , for example , an elliptic paraboloid shape , a hyperboloid shape , or a curvilinear shape ( i . e ., the conductive post has an outer surface having a curvilinear shape in a direction generally perpendicular to the first surface of the substrate ). in a particular example , the conductive posts 2741 c and 2741 d can have a frusto - conical shape . as shown in fig2 c , the conductive post 2741 c has a tapered shape that is wider at the base adjacent to the first surface 2721 of the substrate 2720 and narrower at the tip remote from the first surface . as shown in fig2 d , the conductive post 2741 d has a tapered shape that is narrower at the base adjacent to the first surface 2721 of the substrate 2720 and wider at the tip remote from the first surface . referring now to fig2 a , the component 2801 includes a conductive via 2840 that has some features of the conductive via 540 a shown in fig5 a and the conductive 2740 and the conductive post 2741 c shown in fig2 c . fig2 b shows a component 2802 that is a variation of the component 2801 having an opening 2830 ′ with an alternative tapered shape , as described below . similar to the conductive via 540 a shown in fig5 a , the conductive via 2840 can include a relief channel 2855 , and the conductive via can have an oblong or oval shape , wherein the conductive via defines a first dimension l 3 that is greater than a second dimension l 4 , the first and second dimensions being located in the relief plane p shown and described with respect to fig1 a . in a particular example , l 3 can be several times greater than l 4 , such as , for example , 6 times or 8 times greater . as shown in fig2 a , the relief channel 2855 and the opening 2830 in which the conductive via extends can each have an oblong or oval cross - sectional shape in a plane generally parallel to the first surface of the substrate . in one example , such a conductive via 2840 having an oblong or oval shape and a plurality of conductive posts 2841 extending therefrom can be used for power or ground ( i . e ., reference potential ) distribution within the component 2301 . in a particular example , the conductive via 2840 can have an elongated cross - sectional shape , the conductive via defining a length ( e . g ., the first dimension l 3 ) in a first direction and a width ( e . g ., the second dimension l 4 ) in a second direction transverse to the first direction , the first and second directions being within a plane that is perpendicular to the first surface 2821 of the substrate 2820 , the length being greater than the width . one or a plurality of semi conductor devices ( e . g ., transistors , diodes , etc .) can be disposed in one or more active device regions 2824 thereof located at and / or below the first surface 2821 . the active device regions 2824 can be located between adjacent conductive vias 2840 in a single component 2801 . in the example shown in fig2 a , one or more active device regions 2624 can be oriented substantially parallel to a direction of the first dimension l 3 or the conductive via 2840 , and one or more active device regions can be oriented substantially parallel to a direction of the second dimension l 4 of the conductive via . similar to the component 2703 shown in fig2 c , the component 2601 can include one or more conductive vias 2840 that extend within a respective tapered opening 2630 in a substrate 2820 . such a tapered opening 2830 can taper in either direction between the first and second surfaces 2821 , 2822 of the substrate 2320 . in the example shown in fig2 a , the opening 2830 can have a cross - section in the plane of the first surface 2321 that has a smaller area than its cross - section in the plane of the second surface 2822 , such that the opening tapers from the second surface toward the first surface . in another example , as shown in fig2 b , the opening 2830 ′ can have a cross - section in the plane of the first surface 2821 that has a larger area than its cross - section in the plane of the second surface 2822 , such that the opening tapers from the first surface toward the second surface . such a tapered opening 2830 or 2830 ′ can have an elliptic paraboloid shape , a hyperboloid shape , or a curvilinear shape as described above . in a particular example , a tapered opening such as the opening 2830 or 2830 ′ can be formed by isotropic etching followed by anisotropic etching . similar to the component 2703 shown in fig2 c , the component 2801 can include one or more conductive posts 2841 that can over lie an exposed surface 2830 of a particular conductive via 2840 , but the conductive posts may not overlie the relief channel or channels 2835 . the conductive post 2841 can have a tapered shape , for example , an elliptic paraboloid shape , a hyperboloid shape , or a curvilinear shape as described above . in a particular example , the conductive posts 2841 can have a frusto - conical shape . as shown in fig2 a , the conductive post 2841 has a tapered shape that is wider at the base adjacent to the first surface 2821 of the substrate 2320 and narrower at the tip remote from the first surface . in a particular example , the component 2840 can include one or more conductive posts having any other shape , such as the conductive post shapes described above with respect to the various embodiments herein . the components described above can be utilized in construction of diverse electronic systems , as shown in fig2 . for example , a system 2800 in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention includes a microelectronic assembly 2806 as described above in conjunction with other electronic components 2808 and 2810 . in the example depicted , component 2808 is a semiconductor chip whereas component 2810 is a display screen , but any other components can be used . of course , although only two additional components are depicted in fig2 for clarity of illustration , the system may include any number of such components . the microelectronic assembly 2806 may be any of the components described above . in a further variant , any number of such microelectronic assemblies 2806 can be used . the microelectronic assembly 2806 and components 2808 and 2810 can be mounted in a common housing 2801 , schematically depicted in broken lines , and can be electrically interconnected with one another as necessary to form the desired circuit . in the exemplary system shown , the system can include a circuit panel 2802 such as a flexible printed circuit board , and the circuit panel can include numerous conductors 2804 , of which only one is depicted in fig2 , interconnecting the components with one another . however , this is merely exemplary ; any suitable structure for making electrical connections can be used . the housing 2801 is depicted as a portable housing of the type usable , for example , in a cellular telephone or personal digital assistant , and screen 2810 can be exposed at the surface of the housing . where structure 2806 includes a light - sensitive element such as an imaging chip , a lens 2811 or other optical device also can be provided for routing light to the structure . again , the simplified system shown in fig2 is merely exemplary ; other systems , including systems commonly regarded as fixed structures , such as desktop computers , routers and the like can be made using the structures discussed above . although a silicon substrate having active device regions therein is only shown and described with reference to the embodiment shown in fig1 a and 1b , the substrate of any of the components described herein can be made of silicon or a dielectric material such as glass , ceramic , a composite material , or symmetric or asymmetric laminates , as described above . when the substrate is made of silicon , any such substrate in any of the embodiments described herein can include active semiconductor devices in one or more active device regions of the substrate . the openings , apertures , and conductive elements disclosed herein can be formed by processes such as those disclosed in greater detail in the co - pending , commonly assigned u . s . patent application ser . nos . 12 / 842 , 587 , 12 / 842 , 612 , 12 / 842 , 651 , 12 / 842 , 669 , 12 / 842 , 692 , and 12 / 842 , 717 , filed jul . 23 , 2010 , and in published u . s . patent application publication no . 2008 / 0246136 , the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein . although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments , it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention . it is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims . it will be appreciated that the various dependent claims and the features set forth therein can be combined in different ways than presented in the initial claims . it will also be appreciated that the features described in connection with individual embodiments may be shared with others of the described embodiments . | 7 |
referring first more particularly to fig1 - 3 , the fabricating jig of the present invention includes a rigid horizontal frame f formed from longitudinal and transverse i - beams 7 and 3 , respectively . in the illustrated embodiment , the frame is supported for transport by dolly 4 and the wheel means 10 , a trailer hitch 1 and a - frame 2 being provided at the forward end of the frame . preferably the longitudinal and transverse i - beam members have flanges of 4 inches and 21 / 2 inches , respectively . the upper flange surfaces of the longitudinal i - beams 7 are provided with bracket index indicia 6 , and the sides of the web portions of the longitudinal i - beams are provided with grid increment indicia 5 originating from the forward end of the frame . as shown in fig1 and 4 , an auxiliary longitudinal frame member 7a is provided adjacent one side edge of the frame , the auxiliary member being connected for lateral displacement relative to the frame ( as indicated by the arrow in fig4 ). more particularly , connected at one end with auxiliary longitudinal member 7a are a plurality of transverse auxiliary members 33 that extend beneath the frame , said auxiliary members 33 being suspended from the lower flange portion of the transverse frame members 3 by means of rollers 21 and suspension straps 22 , thereby to permit linear displacement of the auxiliary members 33 transversely of the frame . extending upwardly in parallel spaced relation from the remote outer side edges of the auxiliary longitudinal frame member 7a and the remote longitudinal frame member 7 are upwardly extending top and bottom vertical stop plates 12 and 11 , respectively , which stop plates are parallel with the longitudinal axis of the frame . arranged between these stop plates are upwardly extending stud support brackets 13 which are connected for displacement longitudinally of the frame f . more particularly , each stud support bracket 13 is connected with the upper end of a spacer arm 18 the lower end of which is secured to a rider sleeve 19 mounted concentrically upon a guide shaft 8 that is connected with and extends longitudinally of the frame f . set screw or bolt 23 secures the position of the stud support bracket relative to the longitudinal guide shaft . furthermore , upon loosening of the set screw 23 , the support bracket may be pivoted downwardly about the guide shaft 8 toward an inoperable retracted position relative to the frame . the support bracket means may be a single stud bracket 14 ( as shown in fig5 and 6 ), a double stud bracket ( as shown in fig7 and 8 ), a corner post support bracket ( as shown in fig9 and 10 ), or a t - post support bracket ( as shown in fig1 and 12 ). as will be developed below , longitudinal structural stud components c 1 and c 2 ( fig4 ) are seated on the outermost longitudinal frame members in contiguous engagement with the adjacent surfaces of the top and bottom stop plates 12 and 11 , respectively , and transverse components c 3 supported on the stud support brackets 13 extend transversely of the frame between the longitudinal components c 1 and c 2 . air cylinder motor 30 is then actuated to cause stop plates 11 and 12 to be displaced toward each other , thereby compressing the components together for the fastening thereof into a structural building unit or truss t . air cylinder 30 is then operated to release the building unit , whereupon air cylinders 20 are operated to elevate the pair of roller conveyor means 9 that extend longitudinally of the frame , together with the assembled building unit t . fig1 , and 3 show views of the wall component fabricating jig . in addition to the jig , equipment making the invention mobile is also included in the drawings such as the hitch 1 attached to the dismounting a - frame 2 . the dolly 4 is illustrated showing the wheel / hub / drum assembly 10 . fig1 illustrates the general construction of the jig in starting with the wide flange longitudinal i - beams 7 connected by the smaller transverse beams or girders 3 . these beams 7 may be any length with the 8 &# 34 ; grid increment indicia 5 indicating the center of the bracket indexes 6 in numerical progression . the spacer shafts 8 extend longitudinally of the frame for supporting the axially adjustable rider sleeves 19 which in turn support the stud supports 13 . the rider sleeves may be rotated through 180 ° as shown to lower the stud supports from the operable vertical position to a downwardly directed inoperable retracted position within the frame . the rider sleeves are adjustable for alignment with the bracket index 6 is also shown . the roller conveyor 9 is elevated as a result of the pressure from air cylinders 20 of fig4 thereby providing means for removing the assembled unit t from the frame . of special note in fig2 is the diagrammatic numerical indicia 5 on the left side or bottom plate side of the i - beam 7 . these numerals 5 must be sized in 4 &# 34 ; multiples : 16 &# 34 ;, 24 &# 34 ;, 4 &# 39 ;- 0 &# 34 ;, 10 &# 39 ;- 8 &# 34 ;, 24 &# 39 ;- 0 &# 34 ;, etc . the selection of the basic grid may be almost any convenient multiple size . the basic 4 &# 34 ; module was adopted by the american standards association after careful study , as being the most convenient unit from which major materials could be sized and construction features could be dimensioned . the basic module is also compatible with sizing of products from countries using the metric system . the 100 millimeter &# 34 ; module &# 34 ; comes close to the widely used 4 - inch module and would mean only a slight variation ( somewhat smaller ) in 2 × 4 studs , 4 × 8 panels , etc . for example , a 4 × 8 - foot plywood panel , converted to the 100 mm module , would come out 1200 × 2400 mm . a &# 34 ; soft &# 34 ; conversion ( merely retaining the original size transposed in metric units ) would come out something like 1238 × 2470 mm . each numeral whether read from left to right fig2 no . 5 or from right to left fig3 no . 5 represents an 8 &# 34 ; increment . each 8 &# 34 ; increment is given a number of numerical sequence beginning with 0 . the numbers on the grid would read 0 , 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , etc . with 16 &# 34 ; being the distance between any two like numbers ( odd or even ) in numerical progression , whether the measure be to the next high or to the next low number . this makes it possible to place the studs either 16 &# 34 ; on center or 24 &# 34 ; on center . most structures today use 16 &# 34 ; stud pacing in the rooms where paneling is used , and 24 &# 34 ; stud spacing in the rooms where dry wall is used . by using 8 &# 34 ; multiples however , almost any stud spacing may be used . greater stud spacings most likely will be used if they are made of steel , aluminum , copper , plastic , or any of the present day substitute materials for wood . fig4 shows a front end sectional view of the fabricator . the top surface of the longitudinal i - beams 7 are illustrated forming the horizontal assembly surface . these beams and the transverse i - beams 3 make up the basic structure of the machine . attached to the edge of one i - beam 7 is a bottom plate stop 11 , and to the auxiliary beam 7a , a top plate stop 12 . the stops hold the components in place while they are being fastened through the use of cylinders 30 applying pressure to the auxiliary transverse girder beams 33 mounted by a combination of rollers 21 and hangers 22 . the rotation of the holding brackets 13 into working position on the spacer shaft 8 made possible by the rider sleeve 19 which is connected to the holding bracket 13 by the spacer arm 18 . the cylinders 20 attached to the girder i - beams 3 which raise the conveyors 9 releasing the components from their racked position are illustrated . fig5 , 9 and 10 all illustrate end section views of the different holding brackets . as may be observed the end section views are the same for these brackets . number 14 is a single stud holding bracket ; number 15 is a double stud holding bracket ; number 16 is a corner post holding bracket ; and number 17 is a t - post holding bracket . the different parts of the holding brackets making them functional are shown . these parts are the spacer arm 18 , the rider 19 , the spacer shaft 8 and the lock bolt 23 . the lock bolt 23 tightens on the spacer shaft 8 after the holding bracket 13 has been placed at a dimensioned location . fig7 , 11 and 12 show side sections of the different holding brackets . the different size openings which hold the components in parallel position may be observed . number 14 is a single stud holding bracket , number 15 is a double stud holding bracket , number 16 is a corner post holding bracket , and number 17 is a t - post holding bracket . in each figure the rider 19 is shown attached to the spacer shaft 8 upon which the rider both slides and revolves to predetermined locations on the assembly surface . fig1 , 14 , 15 and 16 show diagrammatic views of the bracket index 6 on the assembly surface 7 and the alignment of the different holding brackets with the bracket index 6 . the bracket index 6 is illustratd by a top view while the holding bracket is illustrated by a side view in order to show their alignment . fig1 shows the alignment for a single stud , fig1 for a double stud , fig1 for a corner post , and fig1 for a t - post . it will thus be seen that the objects set forth above , among those made apparent from the preceding description , are efficiently attained and , since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof , 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 . | 1 |
the present invention will be described in detail with reference to fig2 a and 3b . fig2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention . reference numeral 1 denotes an mpu of a main device used in a control device or the like ; and 10 , an auxiliary memory device as an embodiment of the present invention , which is connected to the mpu 1 of the main device . reference numeral 11 denotes a control mpu of the auxiliary memory device 10 ; and 12 , a memory medium , such as a magnetic disk , in the auxiliary memory device 10 . reference numerals 24 and 25 denote first and second common rams , respectively ; 13 and 14 , data bus transceivers ; and 26 and 27 , memory means for storing data representing that the first or second common ram 24 or 25 is occupied by the mpu 11 . the memory means 26 and 27 are referred to as first and second latches 26 and 27 hereinafter . reference numerals 17 to 20 denote data bus buffers . reference numerals 21 and 22 denote priority order control circuits . when the mpus 1 and 11 simultaneously access the first or second common rams , 24 or 25 , the priority order control circuits 21 and 22 control priority order . reference numerals 7 and 23 denote buses . with this arrangement , the auxiliary memory device 10 performs high - speed operation . a data exchange operation between the main device mpu 1 and the auxiliary memory device 10 will be described with reference to fig3 a and 3b . fig3 a shows the operation of the mpu 1 of the main device . when the mpu 1 supplies a command to the external auxiliary memory device 10 , e . g ., when the mpu 1 generates a command to fetch a file f1 , the mpu 1 checks through the data bus buffer 17 whether or not the first latch 26 is set ( step 101 ). in a manner to be described later , since the first latch 26 is held set while the mpu 11 in the auxiliary memory device 10 accesses the first common ram 24 , the mpu 1 determines whether or not the first common ram 24 is occupied by the mpu 11 in accordance with the state of the first latch 26 . if the result of step 101 is no , i . e ., when the first common ram 24 is not occupied by the mpu 11 , the command data is written in the first common ram 24 ( step 102 ). however , if the mpu 1 determines that the first latch 26 is set , the mpu 1 then determines through the data bus buffer 19 whether or not the second latch 27 is set ( step 103 ). if the result of step 103 is no , the command is written in the second common ram 25 ( step 104 ). when the second latch 27 is also set , it indicates that the second common ram 25 is also being accessed by the mpu 11 . in this case , the mpu 1 performs other processing ( step 105 ). the above processing has been described for writing command data from the mpu 1 to the first and second common rams 24 and 25 . in the read access of the first and second common rams 24 and 25 , the above operation can also be applied . more specifically , the operating state of the first or second latch 26 or 27 is checked , and the data is fetched from one of the first and second common rams 24 and 25 which is available . the mpu 1 repeats the above operation every time the auxiliary memory device is accessed . the mpu 11 in the auxiliary memory device 10 performs the sequence shown in fig3 b . the mpu 11 checks through the data bus transceivers 14 and 16 whether or not a command is supplied from the mpu 1 to the first or second common ram 24 or 25 ( step 201 ). when the mpu 11 determines the command data is received by the first or second common ram 24 or 25 , the first or second latch 26 or 27 which corresponds to the first or second common ram 24 or 25 receiving the command data , is set . for example , when the first common ram 24 receives the command data , the first latch 26 corresponding to the first common ram 24 is set through the data bus buffer 18 ( step 202 ). the operation is performed in accordance with the command written in the first or second common ram 24 or 25 ( the first common ram 24 in this case ). the operation result is written in the corresponding common ram ( the common ram which has received the command ; the first common ram 24 in this case ) ( step 203 ). the setting state of the first or second latch 26 or 27 which corresponds to this common ram is cancelled ( step 204 ). the mpu 11 signals that the setting of the first or second common ram 24 or 25 is cancelled . the mpu 11 repeatedly performs operations in steps 201 to 204 . in this manner , when the mpu 11 in the auxiliary memory device 10 accesses the first or second common ram 24 or 25 , the first or second latch 26 or 27 corresponding to the first or second common ram 24 or 25 , is set when it occupies the corresponding common ram . therefore , the mpu 1 in the main device can use the common ram which is not occupied . unlike in the conventional system , waiting time is decreased , and the mpu 11 in the auxiliary memory device 10 can be operated at high speed . the priority order control circuits 21 and 22 determine access priority order when the mpus 1 and 11 simultaneously access the first or second common rams 24 or 25 . in this embodiment , the mpu 11 in the auxiliary memory device 10 has a priority over the mpu 1 , since the auxiliary memory device 10 is operated at high speed . in the above embodiment , two common rams are provided . however , three or more common rams can be arranged . | 6 |
as people vacation , a common item brought with them are their golf clubs . in many instances , people who own golf clubs also own golf bag pull carts . golf bag pull carts are portable carts that are specifically designed to hold the shape of a golf bag . such pull carts are typically both lightweight and collapsible so they can be easily transported . furthermore , such carts typically are very sturdy in order to hold the full weight of a loaded golf bag as it travels over rough terrain . lastly , such pull carts are well balanced on large wheels so that the carts are easy to maneuver and pull even when loaded with a significant amount of weight . the present invention is a carrying case that is designed to be carried by a conventional golf pull cart . such a carrying case is shaped to hold a wide range of equipment . consequently , a person &# 39 ; s golf cart can be transformed into a pull cart for use at the beach , an amusement park or any other place that is toured by walking . as a result , a strong , light - weight pull cart can be had without the need for purchasing separate pull carts for separate applications . referring to fig1 a typical golf pull cart 10 is illustrated . the golf pull cart 10 has a primary frame element 12 . at the bottom of the primary frame element 12 is an annular support 14 that is sized to accept the base of most traditional golf bags . at a point near the top of the primary frame element 12 is a semicircular support 16 that is sized to cradle a section of the upper part of a golf bag . a strap 18 is attached to the semicircular support 16 . the strap 18 traverses the two ends of the semicircular support 16 and acts to retain the top of a golf bag in contact with the semicircular support 16 . a handle 20 is attached to the top of the primary frame element 12 with a locking hinge 22 . the handle 20 can be pivoted about the hinge 22 and laid against the primary frame element 12 when folded and not in use . a bipod assembly 24 is also pivotably attached to the primary frame element 12 . each leg 26 of the bipod assembly 24 supports a wheel 28 . the legs 26 of the bipod assembly 24 collapse together and against the primary frame element 12 when the golf pull cart 10 is collapsed and not in use . locking guides 29 set the legs 26 of the bipod assembly 24 in place , when the golf pull cart 10 is fully deployed and in use . also illustrated in fig1 is an exemplary embodiment of a carrying case 30 in accordance with the present invention . the carrying case 30 preferably contains at least three sections . the bottom section 32 of the carrying case 30 is generally cylindrical in shape and is sized to fit within the annular support 14 of the golf pull cart 10 . the top section 34 of the carrying case 30 is sized to fit within the semicircular support 16 on the golf pull cart 10 . the top section 34 is also sized to enable the strap 18 on the semicircular support 16 of the golf pull cart 10 to pass around the top section 34 of the carrying case 30 and retain that section of the carrying case in contact with the semicircular support 16 . the presence of both the bottom section 32 of the carrying case 30 in the annular support 14 and the top section 34 of the carrying case 30 strapped to the semicircular support 16 firmly interconnects the carrying case 30 to the golf pull cart 10 . the middle section 36 of the carrying case 30 is enlarged and preferably has a generally flat back surface 38 . optional shoulder straps 40 are attached to the carrying case 30 , wherein the shoulder straps 40 pass over the back surface 38 of the carrying case 30 . the shoulder straps 40 enable the carrying case 30 to be worn as a back pack should the golf pull cart 10 be unavailable or should the terrain be incompatible with the use of a pull cart . a plurality of straps 42 and hooks 44 are disposed on the sides of the carrying case 30 . the hooks 44 and straps 42 can be used to secure large items to the carrying case 30 that are too big to fit within the carrying case 30 . for example , the straps 42 can be used to secure beach umbrellas or beach chairs to the carrying case 30 , while the hooks 44 can be used to secure camera bags , umbrella handles or diaper bags to the carrying case 30 . referring to fig2 it can be seen that the carrying case 30 contains numerous compartments and a variety of access openings to reach those compartments . although the number size and location of the various compartments can be altered , it is preferred that the carrying case 30 have a main center compartment 48 that is disposed in the center of the middle section 36 of the carrying case 30 . the central compartment 48 is accessible by two large flaps 52 that join together in a vertical line down the front of the compartment 48 . side compartments 50 are disposed on either side of the main compartment 48 . fasteners 54 , such as snaps or hook and loop patches are disposed on the flaps of the main compartment . in this manner , the flaps 52 of the main compartment 48 can be retained in an open condition for a purpose which will later be explained . in addition to the main compartment 48 and the two side compartments 50 , the shown embodiment also contains an upper compartment 56 in the top section of the carrying case 30 and a lower compartment 58 in the lower section of the carrying case 30 . all the compartments are accessible by at least one opening . each opening on the carrying case 30 is preferably closable with a fastener such as a zipper , snaps , buttons , hook and loop fasteners or similar devices . referring to fig3 it can be seen that rigid or semi - rigid plates 60 are sewn into the back surface 38 of the main compartment 48 . multiple plates 60 are preferably used instead of a single plate , thereby allowing the back surface 38 of the carrying case 30 to collapse and fold when the carrying case 30 is not in use . the plates 60 can be paperboard or cardboard , but are preferably a water impervious material such as a thin sheet of plastic . the plates 60 in the back surface 38 of the main compartment 30 serve a few functions . first , the presence of the plates 60 give rigidity to the carrying case 30 , thereby preventing the carrying case 30 from collapsing vertically under its own weight . secondly , the presence of the plates 60 prevent the main frame element 12 of the golf pull cart 10 from deforming the carrying case 30 as the weight of the carrying case 30 rests against the main frame element 12 . lastly , the presence of the plates 60 in the back surface 38 of the carrying case 30 make the carrying case 30 more comfortable to wear as a backpack , should the carrying case 30 be removed from the golf pull cart 10 . a lateral platform 62 is disposed at the bottom of the main compartment 48 . the lateral platform 62 is preferably coupled to the lowest plate in the back surface 38 of the carrying case 30 with a hinge 63 . as such , the lateral platform 62 is free to fold up against the lower most plate when the carrying case 30 is collapsed and folded . due to the configuration of the carrying case 30 and the hinge connection at the rear of the lateral platform 62 , the lateral platform 62 comes to rest generally at a perpendicular to the plates 60 in the back surface 38 of the main compartment 48 . the lateral platform 62 serves as the main support for any heavy object that is placed in the main compartment 48 of the carrying case 30 . in fig3 a small cooler 65 is shown resting upon the lateral platform 62 . the main compartment 48 is preferably between two and four feet high and has a floor area of between one and two square feet . this provides the main compartment 48 with a volume of between two cubic feet and eight cubic feet , which is large enough to hold a cooler 65 , a case of beverage cans 67 and other heavy objects . referring to fig4 it can be seen that the two flaps 52 covering the main compartment 48 can be opened and retained in an open position . furthermore , an optional three point harness 70 can be positioned within the main compartment 48 , wherein the three point harness 70 attaches to the lateral platform 62 and the back surface of the main compartment 48 . when the flaps 52 of the main compartment 48 are opened , the main compartment 48 can be used as a child &# 39 ; s seat . a child can sit on the lateral platform 70 with his / her back against the back surface of the main compartment 48 . the three point harness 70 is then used to restrain the child in the main compartment 48 . accordingly , the assembly of the golf pull cart and the carrying case can be used as a baby stroller . the present invention carrying case is capable of holding a large number of items both within its structure and as attachments on its exterior . by having the ability to attach to a common golf pull cart , the overall assembly provides an inexpensive alternative to dedicated travel carts . accordingly , the present invention can be adapted for use in carrying camping equipment , beach equipment , picnic materials of just sight seeing equipment . furthermore , the use of the carrying case / golf pull cart assembly eliminates the need of people with children to bring a separate dedicated stroller . some golf carts do not have annular supports at their bottoms . rather , some golf carts only have a platform upon which the bottom of a golf bag rests . accordingly , the present invention need not have the cylindrical bottom section previously described . rather , the lateral platform at the bottom of the main compartment can be the lowest part of the device . the lateral platform would provide a stiff surface that can rest upon the platform of the golf cart , thereby supporting the device on the golf car . it will be understood that the embodiments of the present invention described and illustrated herein are merely exemplary and a person skilled in the art can make many variations to the embodiment shown without departing from the scope of the present invention . it should also be understood that the various elements from the different embodiments shown can be mixed together to create alternate embodiments that are not specifically described . for example , although the golf pull cart and carrying case are shown as separate components , a person skilled in the art would know haw to combine both components into a single integral assembly . all such variations , modifications and alternate embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims . | 1 |
referring now to the drawings , fig1 shows a compressor installation with the control system of the present invention . the installation includes , for example , a dynamic compressor 101 for compressing the gas , a turbine drive 102 having a steam distribution system 103 , and a pipeline l04 connecting the compressor 101 with a user 139 of compressed gas . the pipeline 104 is supplied by a blow - off valve 105 . the control system shown in fig1 is a multi - loop system using a cascade control . the first loop 106 of this system is for controlling the steam distribution system 103 . the loop 106 includes a position controller 107 , an actuator 108 , a comparator 109 and a position transmitter 110 . the position transmitter 110 measures the position of the actuator 108 and sends its output signal to the comparator 109 . the comparator 109 compares the actual position of the actuator with a set point , and sends the difference signal to controller 107 as an input signal . according to fig2 wherein the numbers in brackets shown in fig2 correspond to the elements shown in fig1 the transfer function of the actuator 108 is ## equ11 ## where : t 1 , a = the time constant of the actuator 108 . the actuator 108 is a well known aperiodic component . in order to compensate the time constant t 1 , a , the transfer function of the controller 107 is selected according to formula ( 7 ): ## equ12 ## in formula ( 18 ) and below the small time constants , which are not subjected to compensation , are supplied with subscript o . accordingly , the transfer function of the whole control loop 106 of the steam distribution system 103 can be transformed to the following form : ## equ13 ## the second control member of the control system ( the blow - off valve 105 ) has an analogous control loop 138 . the transfer function of the control member 105 will be also : ## equ14 ## the following control loop of the control system shown on fig1 is the loop 114 for controlling the speed of rotation . this loop 114 develops the set point for the loop 106 and includes a speed transducer 111 , a speed controller 112 , and a comparator 113 . according to fig2 the transfer function of the controlled object including the turbine 102 , the compressor 101 , the pipeline 104 and the control loop 106 of the steam distributing system 103 will be : ## equ15 ## where : r = the time constant of the net of delivery , t o , 1 = the time constant of the loop 106 , and correspondingly , the transfer function of the speed controller 112 is selected so that the time constants r and t will be compensated : ## equ16 ## then the transfer function of the whole closed loop of speed of rotation , which includes the control loops 114 and 106 , steam distributing device 103 and the turbine 102 , can be transformed to the following form : ## equ17 ## the control loop 114 of speed of rotation receives its setpoint from whichever one of the control loops 116 or 117 which is immediately outer with respect to the speed loop 114 , by means of the distributing device 115 . the control loop 116 is intended to control the discharge pressure , and the control loop 117 is intended to control the minimal admissible flow rate through the compressor 101 . the construction of the distributive device 115 and the loop 117 of minimal admissible flow rate can be different . for example , consider the two different versions of construction . according to first version , fig1 the distributive device 115 includes a relay element 118 and a switch 119 . relay element 118 controls the switch 124 based on a signal corresponding to the difference between the actual and minimal admissible magnitudes of the flow differential in suction . this signal is proportional to the last said difference and it comes from the comparator 123 . the switch 119 connects the input of the speed control loop 114 with the pressure loop 116 until the flow differential in suction becomes less than its minimum admissible magnitude under the given pressure differential across the compressor . after that , the input of the speed loop 114 connects with the loop of minimal admissible flow rate 117 and the output of the pressure loop 116 connects to a loop 138 for controlling the blow - off valve 105 . in this case , the compressor 101 is protected from surge by increasing the speed of rotation , and the discharge pressure of the gas is maintained at the required level by blowing off into the atmosphere or by recycling the corresponding part of the compressed gas into the suction . the control loop of minimal admissible flow rate 117 , according to the first version , includes a transmitter 120 for sensing the pressure differential across the compressor , a manual set point device 121 , a multiplier 122 , a comparator 123 , a controller of minimal admissible flow rate through the compressor 124 , and a transmitter 125 of flow differential in suction . according to the equation ( 1 ), the magnitude of the minimal admissible flow rate through the compressor can be calculated by means of the multiplier 122 receiving signals form the transmitter 120 , such signals corresponding to changes in the pressure differential across the compressor . the multiplier 122 and the transmitter 125 send their output signals to the comparator 123 . comparator 123 develops an output signal for the controller of minimal flow rate 124 and for the relay element 118 . according to fig2 the transfer function of the controlled object relating to the considering loop will be : ## equ18 ## accordingly , the transfer function of the controller 125 of minimal flow rate is selected to compensate the time constant r : ## equ19 ## in this case , the transfer function of the whole closed loop of minimal flow rate can be simply transformed to the following equation : ## equ20 ## the control loop 117 limits the reduction of the flow rate through the compressor depending on the requirements of antisurge protection . normally this loop should operate in parallel with the pressure loop 116 . both of these loops 116 and 117 mutually supplement each other , increasing the reliability of the protection of the compressor from surge . during an increasing of the resistance of the discharge network , the loop 117 of minimal flow rate protects the compressor by increasing the speed of rotation , and the pressure loop 116 , by blowing off a part of the compressed gas into the atmosphere . the second version of construction of the distributive device 115 and the loop 117 can be effectively used in a case when the gas dynamic characteristics of the dynamic compressor have a slope that is not too small . according to this version shown in fig3 a transmitter 132 of pressure measures the pressure in the compressor discharge , a transmitter 127 measures the specific weight of the gas in the compressor suction , and a calculating device 128 , based on the minimal admissible magnitude of speed of rotation , develops the set point for the speed loop 114 . in this particular case , the minimal admissible speed of rotation , according to the required conditions for antisurge protection , is calculated as a function of the discharge pressure and the specific weight of the gas in the compressor suction ( see formula 3 ). the distributive device 115 shown in fig3 includes a comparator 129 and a switch 130 . the comparator 129 receives signals from the transmitter 111 and from the calculating device 128 which signals of both transmitter 111 and device 128 correspond to the actual and to the minimal permissible magnitudes of the speed of rotation , compares these magnitudes and , depending on the result of the comparison , controls the switch 130 by means of a relay 131 . this switch 130 , under normal conditions , ( which means if the speed of rotation exceeds the minimal level defined by the conditions for antisurge protection ) connects the output signal of the pressure loop 116 only with the input of the speed loop 114 . but , as soon as the speed of rotation reaches its minimal permissible level , the input of the loop 114 immediately connects with the output signal of the loop 117 , and simultaneously , the output signal of the pressure loop 116 connects to the blowoff valve 105 ( fig1 ). the main advantage of this last described version lies in its simplicity . as shown in fig1 the pressure loop 116 includes a pressure transmitter 132 , a comparator 134 , the set point device 133 which can be controlled , for example , by a digital process computer controlling the whole plant , the comparator 134 and a pressure controller 134 consisting of two channels , 136 and 137 , each of which is adjusted according to a certain transfer function . thus , the channel 136 , connecting with the speed loop 114 , is adjusted according to the following transfer function ( see fig2 ): ## equ21 ## correspondingly , the transfer function of the pressure controller 135 will have the form : ## equ22 ## then the transfer function of the whole closed pressure loop , which includes the control loops 116 , 114 and 106 , steam distributing device 103 , turbine 102 and compressor 101 , can be transformed to the following form : ## equ23 ## a channel 137 of the loop 116 connected to blow - off valve 105 is adjusted in accordance to the following transfer function : ## equ24 ## correspondingly , the transfer function of the pressure controller 135 and the whole closed pressure loop can be simply transformed to the following forms : ## equ25 ## according to fig1 the output signal of the pressure control loop 116 comes to a saturating element 126 . this element 126 is intended to protect the compressor unit from dangerous speed of rotation growth by the saturation of a set point to the speed control loop 114 . the operation of the system shown in fig1 can be illustrated by following examples ( see fig4 ). assume that at an initial moment the characteristic of the discharge network is defined by the curve oe , and the dynamic compressor works at point a . then , as a result of the increase of resistance of net delivery the characteristic of the net delivery changes its position and takes the shape of . under such circumstances the compressor immediately shows a tendency to increase the discharge pressure . however , the control loop 116 , acting through the channel 136 of pressure controller 135 , decreases the set point to the speed control loop 114 . correspondingly , the speed loop 114 begins to decrease the speed of rotation until the required magnitude of discharge pressure will be restored . the new operating point of the compressor will be then displaced from the point a to the point b , which is the point of the intersection of the control line ad of pressure controller 135 and the new curve of resistance of net delivery of . if the resistance of the net continues to increase and the characteristics of the net adopts the curve oq , the speed of rotation of the compressor 101 will change by means of the control loops 116 and 114 until the control line ad of the pressure controller 135 will cross the control line mn of the minimal flow differential controller 124 . at this moment the distributing device 115 through the switch 119 simultaneously connects the output signal of the control loop 117 with the speed loop 114 and switches the output signal of the pressure loop 116 . if before said switching of the output signal of the pressure control loop 116 was emitted by the channel 136 and was connected to the input of the speed control loop 114 , then after switching , the output signal of loop 116 is emitted by the channel 137 and is connected to the input of the control loop 138 of the blow - off valve 105 . this important change in the control system &# 39 ; s response to the changed external conditions significantly improves the transient precision and stability of the system . if after that the resistance of net of delivery still continues to rise ( and the characteristic of the net of delivery adopts the position ok , fig4 ), then the operating point of compressor 101 will still correspond to the point c ( if not to take into consideration a transient response ). the reason is that this point c is the only point which will simultaneously satisfy the equations of the control lines of both of the controllers 135 and 124 . the excess amount of compressed air corresponding to the section dc ( fig4 ) will be then blowed off in the atmosphere or recirculated into the suction by means of the valve 105 ( fig1 ). obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings . it is therefore to be understood that , within the scope of the appended claims , the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described . | 6 |
a texel addressing mode places texels in a sampling area defined by the centers of four corner texels , in a texel grid . in one embodiment , the tile size and valid texel domain remains the same while the sampling region is reduced by one texel . the sampling region is measured in normalized coordinates that span from 0 . 0 on the left / top edges of the sampling region , to 1 . 0 on its right / bottom edges . then , a half texel width region , within the valid texel domain , remains around the periphery and catches any filtering operations , from within the sampling area , but using portions of texels outside the sampling area . with this mode , any linear filtering operation inside the sampling area accesses only valid texels , as shown in fig1 . the two crosses in fig1 are two different sampling coordinates for a texel , indicated as a square with a dot at its center . the dashed boxes show the four texels that are accessed for bilinear interpolation for the sampling coordinates at texels at ( 1 , 1 ) and ( 4 , 3 ). in the standard mode ( i . e . without texel corner addressing ), for texels along the edge of the valid texture domain , texels needed for bilinear interpolation / filtering lie outside the valid texture domain when sampling near the border and as a result , texels of different tiles or texels computed by applying a wrap mode can be accessed . these different tiles may be null tiles , in some cases . null tiles have not been allocated to memory . accessing null tiles may result in user visible artifacts . similarly texels computed by application of a wrap mode may represent incorrect colors and result in user visible artifacts . with corner texel addressing , only valid texels ( i . e . texels within the valid texel domain ) are accessed during filtering . this feature , combined with sample tap discard , supports smooth anisotropic sampling across multiple textures and / or all the way to the edge of a null tile in a tiled resource , in one embodiment . it also improves wrap modes such as mirror , wrap , and border wrap modes . the unnormalized texel coordinate grid changes so that texel values are specified at integral positions instead of at half - texel offsets , as in current application program interfaces ( apis ). since the hardware is changed to place texels at corners , in some embodiments extra coding and null tile fallback to access a lower mip level to fill in missing data is not needed . under this corner texel placement , conventional texture wrap modes are redefined to handle out - of - bounds coordinates without replicating edge texels . discarding of out - of - bounds sample taps handles anisotropic filtering smoothly across multiple textures and / or at the border of null tiles in tiled resources in some embodiments . this may eliminate the need for a more elaborate null tile fallback . without the corner texel addressing feature , a border of incorrect color may result , and there may be visible seams whenever textures meet or at the edges of null tiles in a tiled resource . with standard linear sampling of tiled resources , one or more sample taps may belong to null tiles ( i . e ., tiles that are not yet created or loaded from memory ). a null tile fallback is thus required in standard linear sampling to fill in missing data , e . g ., by accessing a lower mip level that has been loaded or by returning a predefined color for missing texels . these linear sampling operations will there therefore interpolate between valid texels and invalid texels provided by the null tile fallback , resulting in a border region of incorrect color . in some embodiments , any linear sampling operation within a valid tile ( i . e . valid texel domain ) always accesses texels only within that tile , i . e ., without triggering the null tile fallback . for anisotropic sampling , the texture sampler computes a weighted sum of bilinear filtering operations along the main axis of anisotropy . with a corner texel addressing mode , each such bilinear filter is either valid or invalid . with sample tap discard , the invalid ones are discarded and the result renormalized . hence , filtering is smooth all the way to the edge of the null tile , which gives an improvement in image quality . corner texel addressing can be implemented for linear and point sampling in one dimension ( 1d ). this extends to higher dimensions by applying the same rules along each dimension . anisotropic sampling is typically done by a number of linear filtering operations along the main direction of anisotropy , so the rules for linear sampling apply . consider the task of linear sampling an element from a particular mip level of a one - dimensional texture ( texture1d ), given a scalar floating point texture coordinate in normalized space . linear sampling in 1d selects the nearest two texels and weights the texels based on the proximity of the sample location to them . these operations are performed in sequence : 1 . given a 1d texture coordinate in normalized space u , assumed to be any float32 value . 2 . u is scaled by the texture1d size - 1 because the sampling region is one texel smaller than with center texel addressing . call this scaledu . 3 . scaledu is converted to at least 16 . 8 fixed point . call this fxpscaledu . 4 . the integer part of fxpscaledu is the chosen left texel . call this tflooru . note that the conversion to fixed point is basically accomplished by : tflooru = floor ( scaled ). 5 . the right texel , tceilu , is simply tflooru + 1 . 6 . the weight value wceilu is assigned the fractional part of fxpscaledu , converted to float ( although using less than full float32 precision for computing and processing wceilu and wflooru is permitted ). 7 . the weight value wflooru is 1 . 0f − wceilu . 8 . if tflooru or tceilu are out of range of the texture , a texture wrap mode ( in one embodiment defined by d3d11_sampler_state &# 39 ; s addressu mode ) is applied to each individually . 9 . since more than one texel is chosen , the single sample result is computed as : texelfetch ( tflooru )* wflooru + texelfetch ( tceilu )* wceilu . for point sampling , the address computation is modified so that the normalized texture coordinate is scaled by the texture dimension minus 1 , and then a 0 . 5 offset is added before truncating to round to the nearest texel : 1 . given a 1d texture coordinate in normalized space u , assumed to be any float32 value . 2 . u is scaled by the texture1d size − 1 , and 0 . 5f is added . call this scaledu . 3 . scaledu is converted to at least 16 . 8 fixed point . call this fxpscaledu . 4 . the integer part of fxpscaledu is the chosen texel . call this t . note that the conversion to fixed point basically accomplished : t = floor ( scaledu ). 5 . if t is outside [ 0 . . . numtexels − 1 ] range , the texture wrap mode ( in one embodiment defined by d3d11_sampler_state &# 39 ; s addressu mode ) is applied . texture wrap modes specify what value to assign to out - of - bounds texels . in current apis , the following wrap modes are commonly defined : border ( use fixed border color ), clamp ( clamp texel coordinates to the edge ), mirror ( every odd repetition of the texture is flipped ), mirror_once ( repeat with flipping once around zero , and use clamping beyond that ), and wrap ( wrap texel coordinates to the valid domain by a modulo operation ). in a corner texel addressing mode , texels are placed at integral texel coordinates including the edges of the texture domain [ 0 , 1 ] in normalized coordinates . thus the texture wrap modes may be redefined to select which texel to use at the edges of the domain . for example , in wrap mode , the texels may be placed ( in 1d ) as shown in fig2 for a 4 - texel wide 1d texture . in one embodiment , the texture wrap modes are defined as shown in fig3 that illustrates the wrapping behavior in one dimension for the different wrapping modes with corner addressing . the lower squares indicate the texel colors . fig3 shows different wrap modes for both corner texel addressing ( on the left ) and center texel addressing ( on the right ) as labeled . for center texel addressing , a five texels wide texture with colors : yellow , blue , purple , green , and orange is used , where the leftmost texel # 0 is yellow , and the rightmost texel # 4 is orange . for illustrating center texel addressing , a four texels wide texture with colors yellow , blue , purple , and green , is used . the first wrap mode called wrap mode is illustrated in connection with a border at coordinate 0 on the u axis . as shown , the colors orange ( 0 ), and yellow ( y ) are split right at the sampling region border marked by the coordinate 0 . in one embodiment , sampling exactly at the border returns texel # 0 ( yellow ). the behavior is repeated at every border , i . e ., normalized sampling coordinate that is a whole integer ( positive or negative ). however in center addressing , the green ( g ) and yellow texel colors are on either side of the border marked by coordinate 0 and thus mixing occurs in between . in the clamp mode shown next , the yellow color is aligned directly at the border while it is split across the border in the center texel addressing mode . sampling at any coordinate outside the border returns yellow . for corner texel addressing , sampling at a coordinate just inside the border results in mixing in between the border and interior texels , while for center addressing , mixing does only occur for coordinates more than half texel inside the border ( thus resulting in a half texel wide region of constant color ). in border mode , the border , indicated by gray color , splits precisely at the sampling region edge marked by coordinate 0 on the left , but the gray color and the yellow color are split apart in the center texel mode , resulting in bleeding in between so that a precisely colored border is not achieved . similarly in the mirror mode , the yellow colors border precisely at the edge 0 but not so in the center texel addressing mode . in corner addressing mode , sampling at any coordinate to the left or right of the border results in mixing the colors of the neighboring texels at each respective side , while in center addressing mode , sampling at a coordinate within a half texel wide region on either side of the border results in a constant color ( yellow ), which is undesirable in some applications . for border and wrap modes logic decides between the two edge texels when crossing borders of the sampling region . since corner texel addressing changes how a texture would be authored , the addressing mode ( corner vs center ) may be part of the texture resource and not the sampler state . the addressing mode may be selected by a bit ( flag ) associated with each resource in one embodiment . computing mipmaps for a texture with corner addressing may involve a different mipmap reduction filter than standard center addressing . for standard addressing and power - of - two textures , each texel lies directly under 2 × 2 texels on the next lower mipmap level and many implementations thus use a simple box filter ( averaging the four texels ). for corner addressing using the default mipmap sizes , this is no longer true , as shown in the fig4 . in this example using corner addressing , texel ( 1 , 1 ) at the coarser level ( l + 1 ) overlaps 3 × 3 texels in the next lower mip level ( l ). a wider reduction filter may be used . thus a larger mipmap reduction kernel may be used with individually computed weights . the same situation also occurs for non - power - of - two textures using standard addressing . the feature changes the effective number of texels that map to the [ 0 , 1 ] domain from n to n − 1 at each miplevel . hence , with the standard selection of mipmap sizes ( i . e . for center addressing ) and default level of detail ( lod ) computation that finds the ( fractional ) miplevel to sample from , texture filtering will be slightly overblurred ( smaller texel to pixel ratio than lod suggests ). in practice , the difference is minimal and can usually be ignored ( i . e . mipmap sizes and lod kept as is ). in one embodiment , mipmap sizes are modified with corner texel addresses to account for the reduction in effective resolution . in current apis , mipmap sizes are chosen as : mipslice l + 1 size = floor ( mipslice l size / 2 ). to keep the same effective resolution with corner addressing , this equation may be changed with corner addressing to : mipslice l + 1 size = floor (( mipslice l size − 1 )/ 2 )+ 1 . for example , starting with a base resolution that is a power - of - two plus one , i . e ., 2 k + 1 where k is a positive integer , this scheme results in a chain of mipmaps that are each of size 2 k - l + 1 , where l is the mip level ( 0 is the highest resolution mip level ), i . e ., the effective resolution is a power - of - two at each level . in another embodiment , the level of detail ( lod ) computation is modified in corner addressing mode to account for the slight reduction in effective resolution . in practice , this results in a negative lod bias ( when a lower lod value refers to a higher resolution mip level ). the lod bias may either be computed directly in the texture sampler , or in user space by additional shader code . one possible lod modification is given by : where m is the base resolution of the texture in texels , and x is the standard fractional lod and y is the modified lod accounting for the reduction in effective resolution . this can be extended to a 2d texture of base resolution m × n texels by using , for example , the maximum max ( m , n ) or geometric mean √{ square root over ( mn )} in the equation above . a sequence 20 , shown in fig5 , for corner addressing may be implemented in software , firmware and / or hardware . in software and firmware embodiments computer executed instructions may be stored in one or more non - transitory computer readable media such as magnetic , optical or semiconductor storage . for example , a graphics processor may implement the sequence . the sequence 20 begins by determining whether corner addressing has been selected as indicated in diamond 22 . a bit may be set or reset to select corner addressing versus conventional texel addressing . if corner addressing was selected , then the texel values are specified at integral positions as indicated in block 24 . out - of - bounds coordinates are handled without replicating edge texels as pointed out in block 26 . redefined texture wrap modes are used to select which texels to use at edges of the valid texel domain as indicated in block 28 . out - of - bounds sample taps may be discarded as indicated in block 30 . fig6 is a block diagram of a processing system 100 , according to an embodiment . in various embodiments the system 100 includes one or more processors 102 and one or more graphics processors 108 , and may be a single processor desktop system , a multiprocessor workstation system , or a server system having a large number of processors 102 or processor cores 107 . in on embodiment , the system 100 is a processing platform incorporated within a system - on - a - chip ( soc ) integrated circuit for use in mobile , handheld , or embedded devices . an embodiment of system 100 can include , or be incorporated within a server - based gaming platform , a game console , including a game and media console , a mobile gaming console , a handheld game console , or an online game console . in some embodiments system 100 is a mobile phone , smart phone , tablet computing device or mobile internet device . data processing system 100 can also include , couple with , or be integrated within a wearable device , such as a smart watch wearable device , smart eyewear device , augmented reality device , or virtual reality device . in some embodiments , data processing system 100 is a television or set top box device having one or more processors 102 and a graphical interface generated by one or more graphics processors 108 . in some embodiments , the one or more processors 102 each include one or more processor cores 107 to process instructions which , when executed , perform operations for system and user software . in some embodiments , each of the one or more processor cores 107 is configured to process a specific instruction set 109 . in some embodiments , instruction set 109 may facilitate complex instruction set computing ( cisc ), reduced instruction set computing ( risc ), or computing via a very long instruction word ( vliw ). multiple processor cores 107 may each process a different instruction set 109 , which may include instructions to facilitate the emulation of other instruction sets . processor core 107 may also include other processing devices , such a digital signal processor ( dsp ). in some embodiments , the processor 102 includes cache memory 104 . depending on the architecture , the processor 102 can have a single internal cache or multiple levels of internal cache . in some embodiments , the cache memory is shared among various components of the processor 102 . in some embodiments , the processor 102 also uses an external cache ( e . g ., a level - 3 ( l3 ) cache or last level cache ( llc )) ( not shown ), which may be shared among processor cores 107 using known cache coherency techniques . a register file 106 is additionally included in processor 102 which may include different types of registers for storing different types of data ( e . g ., integer registers , floating point registers , status registers , and an instruction pointer register ). some registers may be general - purpose registers , while other registers may be specific to the design of the processor 102 . in some embodiments , processor 102 is coupled to a processor bus 110 to transmit communication signals such as address , data , or control signals between processor 102 and other components in system 100 . in one embodiment the system 100 uses an exemplary ‘ hub ’ system architecture , including a memory controller hub 116 and an input output ( i / o ) controller hub 130 . a memory controller hub 116 facilitates communication between a memory device and other components of system 100 , while an i / o controller hub ( ich ) 130 provides connections to i / o devices via a local i / o bus . in one embodiment , the logic of the memory controller hub 116 is integrated within the processor . memory device 120 can be a dynamic random access memory ( dram ) device , a static random access memory ( sram ) device , flash memory device , phase - change memory device , or some other memory device having suitable performance to serve as process memory . in one embodiment the memory device 120 can operate as system memory for the system 100 , to store data 122 and instructions 121 for use when the one or more processors 102 executes an application or process . memory controller hub 116 also couples with an optional external graphics processor 112 , which may communicate with the one or more graphics processors 108 in processors 102 to perform graphics and media operations . in some embodiments , ich 130 enables peripherals to connect to memory device 120 and processor 102 via a high - speed i / o bus . the i / o peripherals include , but are not limited to , an audio controller 146 , a firmware interface 128 , a wireless transceiver 126 ( e . g ., wi - fi , bluetooth ), a data storage device 124 ( e . g ., hard disk drive , flash memory , etc . ), and a legacy i / o controller 140 for coupling legacy ( e . g ., personal system 2 ( ps / 2 )) devices to the system . one or more universal serial bus ( usb ) controllers 142 connect input devices , such as keyboard and mouse 144 combinations . a network controller 134 may also couple to ich 130 . in some embodiments , a high - performance network controller ( not shown ) couples to processor bus 110 . it will be appreciated that the system 100 shown is exemplary and not limiting , as other types of data processing systems that are differently configured may also be used . for example , the i / o controller hub 130 may be integrated within the one or more processor 102 , or the memory controller hub 116 and i / o controller hub 130 may be integrated into a discreet external graphics processor , such as the external graphics processor 112 . fig7 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a processor 200 having one or more processor cores 202 a - 202 n , an integrated memory controller 214 , and an integrated graphics processor 208 . those elements of fig7 having the same reference numbers ( or names ) as the elements of any other figure herein can operate or function in any manner similar to that described elsewhere herein , but are not limited to such . processor 200 can include additional cores up to and including additional core 202 n represented by the dashed lined boxes . each of processor cores 202 a - 202 n includes one or more internal cache units 204 a - 204 n . in some embodiments each processor core also has access to one or more shared cached units 206 . the internal cache units 204 a - 204 n and shared cache units 206 represent a cache memory hierarchy within the processor 200 . the cache memory hierarchy may include at least one level of instruction and data cache within each processor core and one or more levels of shared mid - level cache , such as a level 2 ( l2 ), level 3 ( l3 ), level 4 ( l4 ), or other levels of cache , where the highest level of cache before external memory is classified as the llc . in some embodiments , cache coherency logic maintains coherency between the various cache units 206 and 204 a - 204 n . in some embodiments , processor 200 may also include a set of one or more bus controller units 216 and a system agent core 210 . the one or more bus controller units 216 manage a set of peripheral buses , such as one or more peripheral component interconnect buses ( e . g ., pci , pci express ). system agent core 210 provides management functionality for the various processor components . in some embodiments , system agent core 210 includes one or more integrated memory controllers 214 to manage access to various external memory devices ( not shown ). in some embodiments , one or more of the processor cores 202 a - 202 n include support for simultaneous multi - threading . in such embodiment , the system agent core 210 includes components for coordinating and operating cores 202 a - 202 n during multi - threaded processing . system agent core 210 may additionally include a power control unit ( pcu ), which includes logic and components to regulate the power state of processor cores 202 a - 202 n and graphics processor 208 . in some embodiments , processor 200 additionally includes graphics processor 208 to execute graphics processing operations . in some embodiments , the graphics processor 208 couples with the set of shared cache units 206 , and the system agent core 210 , including the one or more integrated memory controllers 214 . in some embodiments , a display controller 211 is coupled with the graphics processor 208 to drive graphics processor output to one or more coupled displays . in some embodiments , display controller 211 may be a separate module coupled with the graphics processor via at least one interconnect , or may be integrated within the graphics processor 208 or system agent core 210 . in some embodiments , a ring based interconnect unit 212 is used to couple the internal components of the processor 200 . however , an alternative interconnect unit may be used , such as a point - to - point interconnect , a switched interconnect , or other techniques , including techniques well known in the art . in some embodiments , graphics processor 208 couples with the ring interconnect 212 via an i / o link 213 . the exemplary i / o link 213 represents at least one of multiple varieties of i / o interconnects , including an on package i / o interconnect which facilitates communication between various processor components and a high - performance embedded memory module 218 , such as an edram module . in some embodiments , each of the processor cores 202 - 202 n and graphics processor 208 use embedded memory modules 218 as a shared last level cache . in some embodiments , processor cores 202 a - 202 n are homogenous cores executing the same instruction set architecture . in another embodiment , processor cores 202 a - 202 n are heterogeneous in terms of instruction set architecture ( isa ), where one or more of processor cores 202 a - n execute a first instruction set , while at least one of the other cores executes a subset of the first instruction set or a different instruction set . in one embodiment processor cores 202 a - 202 n are heterogeneous in terms of microarchitecture , where one or more cores having a relatively higher power consumption couple with one or more power cores having a lower power consumption . additionally , processor 200 can be implemented on one or more chips or as an soc integrated circuit having the illustrated components , in addition to other components . fig8 is a block diagram of a graphics processor 300 , which may be a discrete graphics processing unit , or may be a graphics processor integrated with a plurality of processing cores . in some embodiments , the graphics processor communicates via a memory mapped i / o interface to registers on the graphics processor and with commands placed into the processor memory . in some embodiments , graphics processor 300 includes a memory interface 314 to access memory . memory interface 314 can be an interface to local memory , one or more internal caches , one or more shared external caches , and / or to system memory . in some embodiments , graphics processor 300 also includes a display controller 302 to drive display output data to a display device 320 . display controller 302 includes hardware for one or more overlay planes for the display and composition of multiple layers of video or user interface elements . in some embodiments , graphics processor 300 includes a video codec engine 306 to encode , decode , or transcode media to , from , or between one or more media encoding formats , including , but not limited to moving picture experts group ( mpeg ) formats such as mpeg - 2 , advanced video coding ( avc ) formats such as h . 264 / mpeg - 4 avc , as well as the society of motion picture & amp ; television engineers ( smpte ) 421 m / vc - 1 , and joint photographic experts group ( jpeg ) formats such as jpeg , and motion jpeg ( mjpeg ) formats . in some embodiments , graphics processor 300 includes a block image transfer ( blit ) engine 304 to perform two - dimensional ( 2d ) rasterizer operations including , for example , bit - boundary block transfers . however , in one embodiment , 2d graphics operations are performed using one or more components of graphics processing engine ( gpe ) 310 . in some embodiments , graphics processing engine 310 is a compute engine for performing graphics operations , including three - dimensional ( 3d ) graphics operations and media operations . in some embodiments , gpe 310 includes a 3d pipeline 312 for performing 3d operations , such as rendering three - dimensional images and scenes using processing functions that act upon 3d primitive shapes ( e . g ., rectangle , triangle , etc .). the 3d pipeline 312 includes programmable and fixed function elements that perform various tasks within the element and / or spawn execution threads to a 3d / media sub - system 315 . while 3d pipeline 312 can be used to perform media operations , an embodiment of gpe 310 also includes a media pipeline 316 that is specifically used to perform media operations , such as video post - processing and image enhancement . in some embodiments , media pipeline 316 includes fixed function or programmable logic units to perform one or more specialized media operations , such as video decode acceleration , video de - interlacing , and video encode acceleration in place of , or on behalf of video codec engine 306 . in some embodiments , media pipeline 316 additionally includes a thread spawning unit to spawn threads for execution on 3d / media sub - system 315 . the spawned threads perform computations for the media operations on one or more graphics execution units included in 3d / media sub - system 315 . in some embodiments , 3d / media subsystem 315 includes logic for executing threads spawned by 3d pipeline 312 and media pipeline 316 . in one embodiment , the pipelines send thread execution requests to 3d / media subsystem 315 , which includes thread dispatch logic for arbitrating and dispatching the various requests to available thread execution resources . the execution resources include an array of graphics execution units to process the 3d and media threads . in some embodiments , 3d / media subsystem 315 includes one or more internal caches for thread instructions and data . in some embodiments , the subsystem also includes shared memory , including registers and addressable memory , to share data between threads and to store output data . fig9 is a block diagram of a graphics processing engine 410 of a graphics processor in accordance with some embodiments . in one embodiment , the gpe 410 is a version of the gpe 310 shown in fig8 . elements of fig9 having the same reference numbers ( or names ) as the elements of any other figure herein can operate or function in any manner similar to that described elsewhere herein , but are not limited to such . in some embodiments , gpe 410 couples with a command streamer 403 , which provides a command stream to the gpe 3d and media pipelines 412 , 416 . in some embodiments , command streamer 403 is coupled to memory , which can be system memory , or one or more of internal cache memory and shared cache memory . in some embodiments , command streamer 403 receives commands from the memory and sends the commands to 3d pipeline 412 and / or media pipeline 416 . the commands are directives fetched from a ring buffer , which stores commands for the 3d and media pipelines 412 , 416 . in one embodiment , the ring buffer can additionally include batch command buffers storing batches of multiple commands . the 3d and media pipelines 412 , 416 process the commands by performing operations via logic within the respective pipelines or by dispatching one or more execution threads to an execution unit array 414 . in some embodiments , execution unit array 414 is scalable , such that the array includes a variable number of execution units based on the target power and performance level of gpe 410 . in some embodiments , a sampling engine 430 couples with memory ( e . g ., cache memory or system memory ) and execution unit array 414 . in some embodiments , sampling engine 430 provides a memory access mechanism for execution unit array 414 that allows execution array 414 to read graphics and media data from memory . in some embodiments , sampling engine 430 includes logic to perform specialized image sampling operations for media . in some embodiments , the specialized media sampling logic in sampling engine 430 includes a de - noise / de - interlace module 432 , a motion estimation module 434 , and an image scaling and filtering module 436 . in some embodiments , de - noise / de - interlace module 432 includes logic to perform one or more of a de - noise or a de - interlace algorithm on decoded video data . the de - interlace logic combines alternating fields of interlaced video content into a single fame of video . the de - noise logic reduces or removes data noise from video and image data . in some embodiments , the de - noise logic and de - interlace logic are motion adaptive and use spatial or temporal filtering based on the amount of motion detected in the video data . in some embodiments , the de - noise / de - interlace module 432 includes dedicated motion detection logic ( e . g ., within the motion estimation engine 434 ). in some embodiments , motion estimation engine 434 provides hardware acceleration for video operations by performing video acceleration functions such as motion vector estimation and prediction on video data . the motion estimation engine determines motion vectors that describe the transformation of image data between successive video frames . in some embodiments , a graphics processor media codec uses video motion estimation engine 434 to perform operations on video at the macro - block level that may otherwise be too computationally intensive to perform with a general - purpose processor . in some embodiments , motion estimation engine 434 is generally available to graphics processor components to assist with video decode and processing functions that are sensitive or adaptive to the direction or magnitude of the motion within video data . in some embodiments , image scaling and filtering module 436 performs image - processing operations to enhance the visual quality of generated images and video . in some embodiments , scaling and filtering module 436 processes image and video data during the sampling operation before providing the data to execution unit array 414 . in some embodiments , the gpe 410 includes a data port 444 , which provides an additional mechanism for graphics subsystems to access memory . in some embodiments , data port 444 facilitates memory access for operations including render target writes , constant buffer reads , scratch memory space reads / writes , and media surface accesses . in some embodiments , data port 444 includes cache memory space to cache accesses to memory . the cache memory can be a single data cache or separated into multiple caches for the multiple subsystems that access memory via the data port ( e . g ., a render buffer cache , a constant buffer cache , etc .). in some embodiments , threads executing on an execution unit in execution unit array 414 communicate with the data port by exchanging messages via a data distribution interconnect that couples each of the sub - systems of gpe 410 . fig1 is a block diagram of another embodiment of a graphics processor 500 . elements of fig1 having the same reference numbers ( or names ) as the elements of any other figure herein can operate or function in any manner similar to that described elsewhere herein , but are not limited to such . in some embodiments , graphics processor 500 includes a ring interconnect 502 , a pipeline front - end 504 , a media engine 537 , and graphics cores 580 a - 580 n . in some embodiments , ring interconnect 502 couples the graphics processor to other processing units , including other graphics processors or one or more general - purpose processor cores . in some embodiments , the graphics processor is one of many processors integrated within a multi - core processing system . in some embodiments , graphics processor 500 receives batches of commands via ring interconnect 502 . the incoming commands are interpreted by a command streamer 503 in the pipeline front - end 504 . in some embodiments , graphics processor 500 includes scalable execution logic to perform 3d geometry processing and media processing via the graphics core ( s ) 580 a - 580 n . for 3d geometry processing commands , command streamer 503 supplies commands to geometry pipeline 536 . for at least some media processing commands , command streamer 503 supplies the commands to a video front end 534 , which couples with a media engine 537 . in some embodiments , media engine 537 includes a video quality engine ( vqe ) 530 for video and image post - processing and a multi - format encode / decode ( mfx ) 533 engine to provide hardware - accelerated media data encode and decode . in some embodiments , geometry pipeline 536 and media engine 537 each generate execution threads for the thread execution resources provided by at least one graphics core 580 a . in some embodiments , graphics processor 500 includes scalable thread execution resources featuring modular cores 580 a - 580 n ( sometimes referred to as core slices ), each having multiple sub - cores 550 a - 550 n , 560 a - 560 n ( sometimes referred to as core sub - slices ). in some embodiments , graphics processor 500 can have any number of graphics cores 580 a through 580 n . in some embodiments , graphics processor 500 includes a graphics core 580 a having at least a first sub - core 550 a and a second core sub - core 560 a . in other embodiments , the graphics processor is a low power processor with a single sub - core ( e . g ., 550 a ). in some embodiments , graphics processor 500 includes multiple graphics cores 580 a - 580 n , each including a set of first sub - cores 550 a - 550 n and a set of second sub - cores 560 a - 560 n . each sub - core in the set of first sub - cores 550 a - 550 n includes at least a first set of execution units 552 a - 552 n and media / texture samplers 554 a - 554 n . each sub - core in the set of second sub - cores 560 a - 560 n includes at least a second set of execution units 562 a - 562 n and samplers 564 a - 564 n . in some embodiments , each sub - core 550 a - 550 n , 560 a - 560 n shares a set of shared resources 570 a - 570 n . in some embodiments , the shared resources include shared cache memory and pixel operation logic . other shared resources may also be included in the various embodiments of the graphics processor . fig1 illustrates thread execution logic 600 including an array of processing elements employed in some embodiments of a gpe . elements of fig1 having the same reference numbers ( or names ) as the elements of any other figure herein can operate or function in any manner similar to that described elsewhere herein , but are not limited to such . in some embodiments , thread execution logic 600 includes a pixel shader 602 , a thread dispatcher 604 , instruction cache 606 , a scalable execution unit array including a plurality of execution units 608 a - 608 n , a sampler 610 , a data cache 612 , and a data port 614 . in one embodiment the included components are interconnected via an interconnect fabric that links to each of the components . in some embodiments , thread execution logic 600 includes one or more connections to memory , such as system memory or cache memory , through one or more of instruction cache 606 , data port 614 , sampler 610 , and execution unit array 608 a - 608 n . in some embodiments , each execution unit ( e . g . 608 a ) is an individual vector processor capable of executing multiple simultaneous threads and processing multiple data elements in parallel for each thread . in some embodiments , execution unit array 608 a - 608 n includes any number individual execution units . in some embodiments , execution unit array 608 a - 608 n is primarily used to execute “ shader ” programs . in some embodiments , the execution units in array 608 a - 608 n execute an instruction set that includes native support for many standard 3d graphics shader instructions , such that shader programs from graphics libraries ( e . g ., direct 3d and opengl ) are executed with a minimal translation . the execution units support vertex and geometry processing ( e . g ., vertex programs , geometry programs , vertex shaders ), pixel processing ( e . g ., pixel shaders , fragment shaders ) and general - purpose processing ( e . g ., compute and media shaders ). each execution unit in execution unit array 608 a - 608 n operates on arrays of data elements . the number of data elements is the “ execution size ,” or the number of channels for the instruction . an execution channel is a logical unit of execution for data element access , masking , and flow control within instructions . the number of channels may be independent of the number of physical arithmetic logic units ( alus ) or floating point units ( fpus ) for a particular graphics processor . in some embodiments , execution units 608 a - 608 n support integer and floating - point data types . the execution unit instruction set includes single instruction multiple data ( simd ) instructions . the various data elements can be stored as a packed data type in a register and the execution unit will process the various elements based on the data size of the elements . for example , when operating on a 256 - bit wide vector , the 256 bits of the vector are stored in a register and the execution unit operates on the vector as four separate 64 - bit packed data elements ( quad - word ( qw ) size data elements ), eight separate 32 - bit packed data elements ( double word ( dw ) size data elements ), sixteen separate 16 - bit packed data elements ( word ( w ) size data elements ), or thirty - two separate 8 - bit data elements ( byte ( b ) size data elements ). however , different vector widths and register sizes are possible . one or more internal instruction caches ( e . g ., 606 ) are included in the thread execution logic 600 to cache thread instructions for the execution units . in some embodiments , one or more data caches ( e . g ., 612 ) are included to cache thread data during thread execution . in some embodiments , sampler 610 is included to provide texture sampling for 3d operations and media sampling for media operations . in some embodiments , sampler 610 includes specialized texture or media sampling functionality to process texture or media data during the sampling process before providing the sampled data to an execution unit . during execution , the graphics and media pipelines send thread initiation requests to thread execution logic 600 via thread spawning and dispatch logic . in some embodiments , thread execution logic 600 includes a local thread dispatcher 604 that arbitrates thread initiation requests from the graphics and media pipelines and instantiates the requested threads on one or more execution units 608 a - 608 n . for example , the geometry pipeline ( e . g ., 536 of fig1 ) dispatches vertex processing , tessellation , or geometry processing threads to thread execution logic 600 ( fig1 ). in some embodiments , thread dispatcher 604 can also process runtime thread spawning requests from the executing shader programs . once a group of geometric objects has been processed and rasterized into pixel data , pixel shader 602 is invoked to further compute output information and cause results to be written to output surfaces ( e . g ., color buffers , depth buffers , stencil buffers , etc .). in some embodiments , pixel shader 602 calculates the values of the various vertex attributes that are to be interpolated across the rasterized object . in some embodiments , pixel shader 602 then executes an application programming interface ( api )- supplied pixel shader program . to execute the pixel shader program , pixel shader 602 dispatches threads to an execution unit ( e . g ., 608 a ) via thread dispatcher 604 . in some embodiments , pixel shader 602 uses texture sampling logic in sampler 610 to access texture data in texture maps stored in memory . arithmetic operations on the texture data and the input geometry data compute pixel color data for each geometric fragment , or discards one or more pixels from further processing . in some embodiments , the data port 614 provides a memory access mechanism for the thread execution logic 600 output processed data to memory for processing on a graphics processor output pipeline . in some embodiments , the data port 614 includes or couples to one or more cache memories ( e . g ., data cache 612 ) to cache data for memory access via the data port . fig1 is a block diagram illustrating a graphics processor instruction formats 700 according to some embodiments . in one or more embodiment , the graphics processor execution units support an instruction set having instructions in multiple formats . the solid lined boxes illustrate the components that are generally included in an execution unit instruction , while the dashed lines include components that are optional or that are only included in a sub - set of the instructions . in some embodiments , instruction format 700 described and illustrated are macro - instructions , in that they are instructions supplied to the execution unit , as opposed to micro - operations resulting from instruction decode once the instruction is processed . in some embodiments , the graphics processor execution units natively support instructions in a 128 - bit format 710 . a 64 - bit compacted instruction format 730 is available for some instructions based on the selected instruction , instruction options , and number of operands . the native 128 - bit format 710 provides access to all instruction options , while some options and operations are restricted in the 64 - bit format 730 . the native instructions available in the 64 - bit format 730 vary by embodiment . in some embodiments , the instruction is compacted in part using a set of index values in an index field 713 . the execution unit hardware references a set of compaction tables based on the index values and uses the compaction table outputs to reconstruct a native instruction in the 128 - bit format 710 . for each format , instruction opcode 712 defines the operation that the execution unit is to perform . the execution units execute each instruction in parallel across the multiple data elements of each operand . for example , in response to an add instruction the execution unit performs a simultaneous add operation across each color channel representing a texture element or picture element . by default , the execution unit performs each instruction across all data channels of the operands . in some embodiments , instruction control field 714 enables control over certain execution options , such as channels selection ( e . g ., predication ) and data channel order ( e . g ., swizzle ). for 128 - bit instructions 710 an exec - size field 716 limits the number of data channels that will be executed in parallel . in some embodiments , exec - size field 716 is not available for use in the 64 - bit compact instruction format 730 . some execution unit instructions have up to three operands including two source operands , src 0 722 , src 1 722 , and one destination 718 . in some embodiments , the execution units support dual destination instructions , where one of the destinations is implied . data manipulation instructions can have a third source operand ( e . g ., src 2 724 ), where the instruction opcode 712 determines the number of source operands . an instruction &# 39 ; s last source operand can be an immediate ( e . g ., hard - coded ) value passed with the instruction . in some embodiments , the 128 - bit instruction format 710 includes an access / address mode information 726 specifying , for example , whether direct register addressing mode or indirect register addressing mode is used . when direct register addressing mode is used , the register address of one or more operands is directly provided by bits in the instruction 710 . in some embodiments , the 128 - bit instruction format 710 includes an access / address mode field 726 , which specifies an address mode and / or an access mode for the instruction . in one embodiment the access mode to define a data access alignment for the instruction . some embodiments support access modes including a 16 - byte aligned access mode and a 1 - byte aligned access mode , where the byte alignment of the access mode determines the access alignment of the instruction operands . for example , when in a first mode , the instruction 710 may use byte - aligned addressing for source and destination operands and when in a second mode , the instruction 710 may use 16 - byte - aligned addressing for all source and destination operands . in one embodiment , the address mode portion of the access / address mode field 726 determines whether the instruction is to use direct or indirect addressing . when direct register addressing mode is used bits in the instruction 710 directly provide the register address of one or more operands . when indirect register addressing mode is used , the register address of one or more operands may be computed based on an address register value and an address immediate field in the instruction . in some embodiments instructions are grouped based on opcode 712 bit - fields to simplify opcode decode 740 . for an 8 - bit opcode , bits 4 , 5 , and 6 allow the execution unit to determine the type of opcode . the precise opcode grouping shown is merely an example . in some embodiments , a move and logic opcode group 742 includes data movement and logic instructions ( e . g ., move ( mov ), compare ( cmp )). in some embodiments , move and logic group 742 shares the five most significant bits ( msb ), where move ( mov ) instructions are in the form of 0000xxxxb and logic instructions are in the form of 0001xxxxb . a flow control instruction group 744 ( e . g ., call , jump ( jmp )) includes instructions in the form of 0010xxxxb ( e . g ., 0x20 ). a miscellaneous instruction group 746 includes a mix of instructions , including synchronization instructions ( e . g ., wait , send ) in the form of 0011xxxxb ( e . g ., 0x30 ). a parallel math instruction group 748 includes component - wise arithmetic instructions ( e . g ., add , multiply ( mul )) in the form of 0100xxxxb ( e . g ., 0x40 ). the parallel math group 748 performs the arithmetic operations in parallel across data channels . the vector math group 750 includes arithmetic instructions ( e . g ., dp4 ) in the form of 0101xxxxb ( e . g ., 0x50 ). the vector math group performs arithmetic such as dot product calculations on vector operands . fig1 is a block diagram of another embodiment of a graphics processor 800 . elements of fig1 having the same reference numbers ( or names ) as the elements of any other figure herein can operate or function in any manner similar to that described elsewhere herein , but are not limited to such . in some embodiments , graphics processor 800 includes a graphics pipeline 820 , a media pipeline 830 , a display engine 840 , thread execution logic 850 , and a render output pipeline 870 . in some embodiments , graphics processor 800 is a graphics processor within a multi - core processing system that includes one or more general purpose processing cores . the graphics processor is controlled by register writes to one or more control registers ( not shown ) or via commands issued to graphics processor 800 via a ring interconnect 802 . in some embodiments , ring interconnect 802 couples graphics processor 800 to other processing components , such as other graphics processors or general - purpose processors . commands from ring interconnect 802 are interpreted by a command streamer 803 , which supplies instructions to individual components of graphics pipeline 820 or media pipeline 830 . in some embodiments , command streamer 803 directs the operation of a vertex fetcher 805 that reads vertex data from memory and executes vertex - processing commands provided by command streamer 803 . in some embodiments , vertex fetcher 805 provides vertex data to a vertex shader 807 , which performs coordinate space transformation and lighting operations to each vertex . in some embodiments , vertex fetcher 805 and vertex shader 807 execute vertex - processing instructions by dispatching execution threads to execution units 852 a , 852 b via a thread dispatcher 831 . in some embodiments , execution units 852 a , 852 b are an array of vector processors having an instruction set for performing graphics and media operations . in some embodiments , execution units 852 a , 852 b have an attached l1 cache 851 that is specific for each array or shared between the arrays . the cache can be configured as a data cache , an instruction cache , or a single cache that is partitioned to contain data and instructions in different partitions . in some embodiments , graphics pipeline 820 includes tessellation components to perform hardware - accelerated tessellation of 3d objects . in some embodiments , a programmable hull shader 811 configures the tessellation operations . a programmable domain shader 817 provides back - end evaluation of tessellation output . a tessellator 813 operates at the direction of hull shader 811 and contains special purpose logic to generate a set of detailed geometric objects based on a coarse geometric model that is provided as input to graphics pipeline 820 . in some embodiments , if tessellation is not used , tessellation components 811 , 813 , 817 can be bypassed . in some embodiments , complete geometric objects can be processed by a geometry shader 819 via one or more threads dispatched to execution units 852 a , 852 b , or can proceed directly to the clipper 829 . in some embodiments , the geometry shader operates on entire geometric objects , rather than vertices or patches of vertices as in previous stages of the graphics pipeline . if the tessellation is disabled the geometry shader 819 receives input from the vertex shader 807 . in some embodiments , geometry shader 819 is programmable by a geometry shader program to perform geometry tessellation if the tessellation units are disabled . before rasterization , a clipper 829 processes vertex data . the clipper 829 may be a fixed function clipper or a programmable clipper having clipping and geometry shader functions . in some embodiments , a rasterizer / depth 873 in the render output pipeline 870 dispatches pixel shaders to convert the geometric objects into their per pixel representations . in some embodiments , pixel shader logic is included in thread execution logic 850 . in some embodiments , an application can bypass the rasterizer 873 and access un - rasterized vertex data via a stream out unit 823 . the graphics processor 800 has an interconnect bus , interconnect fabric , or some other interconnect mechanism that allows data and message passing amongst the major components of the processor . in some embodiments , execution units 852 a , 852 b and associated cache ( s ) 851 , texture and media sampler 854 , and texture / sampler cache 858 interconnect via a data port 856 to perform memory access and communicate with render output pipeline components of the processor . in some embodiments , sampler 854 , caches 851 , 858 and execution units 852 a , 852 b each have separate memory access paths . in some embodiments , render output pipeline 870 contains a rasterizer and depth test component 873 that converts vertex - based objects into an associated pixel - based representation . in some embodiments , the rasterizer logic includes a windower / masker unit to perform fixed function triangle and line rasterization . an associated render cache 878 and depth cache 879 are also available in some embodiments . a pixel operations component 877 performs pixel - based operations on the data , though in some instances , pixel operations associated with 2d operations ( e . g . bit block image transfers with blending ) are performed by the 2d engine 841 , or substituted at display time by the display controller 843 using overlay display planes . in some embodiments , a shared l3 cache 875 is available to all graphics components , allowing the sharing of data without the use of main system memory . in some embodiments , graphics processor media pipeline 830 includes a media engine 837 and a video front end 834 . in some embodiments , video front end 834 receives pipeline commands from the command streamer 803 . in some embodiments , media pipeline 830 includes a separate command streamer . in some embodiments , video front - end 834 processes media commands before sending the command to the media engine 837 . in some embodiments , media engine 337 includes thread spawning functionality to spawn threads for dispatch to thread execution logic 850 via thread dispatcher 831 . in some embodiments , graphics processor 800 includes a display engine 840 . in some embodiments , display engine 840 is external to processor 800 and couples with the graphics processor via the ring interconnect 802 , or some other interconnect bus or fabric . in some embodiments , display engine 840 includes a 2d engine 841 and a display controller 843 . in some embodiments , display engine 840 contains special purpose logic capable of operating independently of the 3d pipeline . in some embodiments , display controller 843 couples with a display device ( not shown ), which may be a system integrated display device , as in a laptop computer , or an external display device attached via a display device connector . in some embodiments , graphics pipeline 820 and media pipeline 830 are configurable to perform operations based on multiple graphics and media programming interfaces and are not specific to any one application programming interface ( api ). in some embodiments , driver software for the graphics processor translates api calls that are specific to a particular graphics or media library into commands that can be processed by the graphics processor . in some embodiments , support is provided for the open graphics library ( opengl ) and open computing language ( opencl ) from the khronos group , the direct3d library from the microsoft corporation , or support may be provided to both opengl and d3d . support may also be provided for the open source computer vision library ( opencv ). a future api with a compatible 3d pipeline would also be supported if a mapping can be made from the pipeline of the future api to the pipeline of the graphics processor . fig1 a is a block diagram illustrating a graphics processor command format 900 according to some embodiments . fig1 b is a block diagram illustrating a graphics processor command sequence 910 according to an embodiment . the solid lined boxes in fig1 a illustrate the components that are generally included in a graphics command while the dashed lines include components that are optional or that are only included in a sub - set of the graphics commands . the exemplary graphics processor command format 900 of fig1 a includes data fields to identify a target client 902 of the command , a command operation code ( opcode ) 904 , and the relevant data 906 for the command . a sub - opcode 905 and a command size 908 are also included in some commands . in some embodiments , client 902 specifies the client unit of the graphics device that processes the command data . in some embodiments , a graphics processor command parser examines the client field of each command to condition the further processing of the command and route the command data to the appropriate client unit . in some embodiments , the graphics processor client units include a memory interface unit , a render unit , a 2d unit , a 3d unit , and a media unit . each client unit has a corresponding processing pipeline that processes the commands . once the command is received by the client unit , the client unit reads the opcode 904 and , if present , sub - opcode 905 to determine the operation to perform . the client unit performs the command using information in data field 906 . for some commands an explicit command size 908 is expected to specify the size of the command . in some embodiments , the command parser automatically determines the size of at least some of the commands based on the command opcode . in some embodiments commands are aligned via multiples of a double word . the flow diagram in fig1 b shows an exemplary graphics processor command sequence 910 . in some embodiments , software or firmware of a data processing system that features an embodiment of a graphics processor uses a version of the command sequence shown to set up , execute , and terminate a set of graphics operations . a sample command sequence is shown and described for purposes of example only as embodiments are not limited to these specific commands or to this command sequence . moreover , the commands may be issued as batch of commands in a command sequence , such that the graphics processor will process the sequence of commands in at least partially concurrence . in some embodiments , the graphics processor command sequence 910 may begin with a pipeline flush command 912 to cause any active graphics pipeline to complete the currently pending commands for the pipeline . in some embodiments , the 3d pipeline 922 and the media pipeline 924 do not operate concurrently . the pipeline flush is performed to cause the active graphics pipeline to complete any pending commands . in response to a pipeline flush , the command parser for the graphics processor will pause command processing until the active drawing engines complete pending operations and the relevant read caches are invalidated . optionally , any data in the render cache that is marked ‘ dirty ’ can be flushed to memory . in some embodiments , pipeline flush command 912 can be used for pipeline synchronization or before placing the graphics processor into a low power state . in some embodiments , a pipeline select command 913 is used when a command sequence requires the graphics processor to explicitly switch between pipelines . in some embodiments , a pipeline select command 913 is required only once within an execution context before issuing pipeline commands unless the context is to issue commands for both pipelines . in some embodiments , a pipeline flush command is 912 is required immediately before a pipeline switch via the pipeline select command 913 . in some embodiments , a pipeline control command 914 configures a graphics pipeline for operation and is used to program the 3d pipeline 922 and the media pipeline 924 . in some embodiments , pipeline control command 914 configures the pipeline state for the active pipeline . in one embodiment , the pipeline control command 914 is used for pipeline synchronization and to clear data from one or more cache memories within the active pipeline before processing a batch of commands . in some embodiments , return buffer state commands 916 are used to configure a set of return buffers for the respective pipelines to write data . some pipeline operations require the allocation , selection , or configuration of one or more return buffers into which the operations write intermediate data during processing . in some embodiments , the graphics processor also uses one or more return buffers to store output data and to perform cross thread communication . in some embodiments , the return buffer state 916 includes selecting the size and number of return buffers to use for a set of pipeline operations . the remaining commands in the command sequence differ based on the active pipeline for operations . based on a pipeline determination 920 , the command sequence is tailored to the 3d pipeline 922 beginning with the 3d pipeline state 930 , or the media pipeline 924 beginning at the media pipeline state 940 . the commands for the 3d pipeline state 930 include 3d state setting commands for vertex buffer state , vertex element state , constant color state , depth buffer state , and other state variables that are to be configured before 3d primitive commands are processed . the values of these commands are determined at least in part based the particular 3d api in use . in some embodiments , 3d pipeline state 930 commands are also able to selectively disable or bypass certain pipeline elements if those elements will not be used . in some embodiments , 3d primitive 932 command is used to submit 3d primitives to be processed by the 3d pipeline . commands and associated parameters that are passed to the graphics processor via the 3d primitive 932 command are forwarded to the vertex fetch function in the graphics pipeline . the vertex fetch function uses the 3d primitive 932 command data to generate vertex data structures . the vertex data structures are stored in one or more return buffers . in some embodiments , 3d primitive 932 command is used to perform vertex operations on 3d primitives via vertex shaders . to process vertex shaders , 3d pipeline 922 dispatches shader execution threads to graphics processor execution units . in some embodiments , 3d pipeline 922 is triggered via an execute 934 command or event . in some embodiments , a register write triggers command execution . in some embodiments execution is triggered via a ‘ go ’ or ‘ kick ’ command in the command sequence . in one embodiment command execution is triggered using a pipeline synchronization command to flush the command sequence through the graphics pipeline . the 3d pipeline will perform geometry processing for the 3d primitives . once operations are complete , the resulting geometric objects are rasterized and the pixel engine colors the resulting pixels . additional commands to control pixel shading and pixel back end operations may also be included for those operations . in some embodiments , the graphics processor command sequence 910 follows the media pipeline 924 path when performing media operations . in general , the specific use and manner of programming for the media pipeline 924 depends on the media or compute operations to be performed . specific media decode operations may be offloaded to the media pipeline during media decode . in some embodiments , the media pipeline can also be bypassed and media decode can be performed in whole or in part using resources provided by one or more general purpose processing cores . in one embodiment , the media pipeline also includes elements for general - purpose graphics processor unit ( gpgpu ) operations , where the graphics processor is used to perform simd vector operations using computational shader programs that are not explicitly related to the rendering of graphics primitives . in some embodiments , media pipeline 924 is configured in a similar manner as the 3d pipeline 922 . a set of media pipeline state commands 940 are dispatched or placed into in a command queue before the media object commands 942 . in some embodiments , media pipeline state commands 940 include data to configure the media pipeline elements that will be used to process the media objects . this includes data to configure the video decode and video encode logic within the media pipeline , such as encode or decode format . in some embodiments , media pipeline state commands 940 also support the use one or more pointers to “ indirect ” state elements that contain a batch of state settings . in some embodiments , media object commands 942 supply pointers to media objects for processing by the media pipeline . the media objects include memory buffers containing video data to be processed . in some embodiments , all media pipeline states must be valid before issuing a media object command 942 . once the pipeline state is configured and media object commands 942 are queued , the media pipeline 924 is triggered via an execute command 944 or an equivalent execute event ( e . g ., register write ). output from media pipeline 924 may then be post processed by operations provided by the 3d pipeline 922 or the media pipeline 924 . in some embodiments , gpgpu operations are configured and executed in a similar manner as media operations . fig1 illustrates exemplary graphics software architecture for a data processing system 1000 according to some embodiments . in some embodiments , software architecture includes a 3d graphics application 1010 , an operating system 1020 , and at least one processor 1030 . in some embodiments , processor 1030 includes a graphics processor 1032 and one or more general - purpose processor core ( s ) 1034 . the graphics application 1010 and operating system 1020 each execute in the system memory 1050 of the data processing system . in some embodiments , 3d graphics application 1010 contains one or more shader programs including shader instructions 1012 . the shader language instructions may be in a high - level shader language , such as the high level shader language ( hlsl ) or the opengl shader language ( glsl ). the application also includes executable instructions 1014 in a machine language suitable for execution by the general - purpose processor core 1034 . the application also includes graphics objects 1016 defined by vertex data . in some embodiments , operating system 1020 is a microsoft ® windows ® operating system from the microsoft corporation , a proprietary unix - like operating system , or an open source unix - like operating system using a variant of the linux kernel . when the direct3d api is in use , the operating system 1020 uses a front - end shader compiler 1024 to compile any shader instructions 1012 in hlsl into a lower - level shader language . the compilation may be a just - in - time ( jit ) compilation or the application can perform shader pre - compilation . in some embodiments , high - level shaders are compiled into low - level shaders during the compilation of the 3d graphics application 1010 . in some embodiments , user mode graphics driver 1026 contains a back - end shader compiler 1027 to convert the shader instructions 1012 into a hardware specific representation . when the opengl api is in use , shader instructions 1012 in the glsl high - level language are passed to a user mode graphics driver 1026 for compilation . in some embodiments , user mode graphics driver 1026 uses operating system kernel mode functions 1028 to communicate with a kernel mode graphics driver 1029 . in some embodiments , kernel mode graphics driver 1029 communicates with graphics processor 1032 to dispatch commands and instructions . one or more aspects of at least one embodiment may be implemented by representative code stored on a machine - readable medium which represents and / or defines logic within an integrated circuit such as a processor . for example , the machine - readable medium may include instructions which represent various logic within the processor . when read by a machine , the instructions may cause the machine to fabricate the logic to perform the techniques described herein . such representations , known as “ ip cores ,” are reusable units of logic for an integrated circuit that may be stored on a tangible , machine - readable medium as a hardware model that describes the structure of the integrated circuit . the hardware model may be supplied to various customers or manufacturing facilities , which load the hardware model on fabrication machines that manufacture the integrated circuit . the integrated circuit may be fabricated such that the circuit performs operations described in association with any of the embodiments described herein . fig1 is a block diagram illustrating an ip core development system 1100 that may be used to manufacture an integrated circuit to perform operations according to an embodiment . the ip core development system 1100 may be used to generate modular , re - usable designs that can be incorporated into a larger design or used to construct an entire integrated circuit ( e . g ., an soc integrated circuit ). a design facility 1130 can generate a software simulation 1110 of an ip core design in a high level programming language ( e . g ., c / c ++). the software simulation 1110 can be used to design , test , and verify the behavior of the ip core . a register transfer level ( rtl ) design can then be created or synthesized from the simulation model 1100 . the rtl design 1115 is an abstraction of the behavior of the integrated circuit that models the flow of digital signals between hardware registers , including the associated logic performed using the modeled digital signals . in addition to an rtl design 1115 , lower - level designs at the logic level or transistor level may also be created , designed , or synthesized . thus , the particular details of the initial design and simulation may vary . the rtl design 1115 or equivalent may be further synthesized by the design facility into a hardware model 1120 , which may be in a hardware description language ( hdl ), or some other representation of physical design data . the hdl may be further simulated or tested to verify the ip core design . the ip core design can be stored for delivery to a 3 rd party fabrication facility 1165 using non - volatile memory 1140 ( e . g ., hard disk , flash memory , or any non - volatile storage medium ). alternatively , the ip core design may be transmitted ( e . g ., via the internet ) over a wired connection 1150 or wireless connection 1160 . the fabrication facility 1165 may then fabricate an integrated circuit that is based at least in part on the ip core design . the fabricated integrated circuit can be configured to perform operations in accordance with at least one embodiment described herein . fig1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary system on a chip integrated circuit 1200 that may be fabricated using one or more ip cores , according to an embodiment . the exemplary integrated circuit includes one or more application processors 1205 ( e . g ., cpus ), at least one graphics processor 1210 , and may additionally include an image processor 1215 and / or a video processor 1220 , any of which may be a modular ip core from the same or multiple different design facilities . the integrated circuit includes peripheral or bus logic including a usb controller 1225 , uart controller 1230 , an spi / sdio controller 1235 , and an i 2 s / i 2 c controller 1240 . additionally , the integrated circuit can include a display device 1245 coupled to one or more of a high - definition multimedia interface ( hdmi ) controller 1250 and a mobile industry processor interface ( mipi ) display interface 1255 . storage may be provided by a flash memory subsystem 1260 including flash memory and a flash memory controller . memory interface may be provided via a memory controller 1265 for access to sdram or sram memory devices . some integrated circuits additionally include an embedded security engine 1270 . additionally , other logic and circuits may be included in the processor of integrated circuit 1200 , including additional graphics processors / cores , peripheral interface controllers , or general purpose processor cores . one example embodiment may be a method comprising defining , in hardware , a sampling region that is one texel smaller than a valid texel domain , and filtering a valid texel domain by always accessing only texels within the domain . the method may also include specifying texel values at texel corners . the method may also include computing an address for point sampling by scaling a normalized texture coordinate by a texture dimension minus 1 and then adding a 0 . 5 offset before truncating to the nearest texel . the method may also include defining a texture wrap mode to handle out - of - bounds coordinates without replicating edge texels . the method may also include implementing wrap modes by discerning between edge texels when crossing borders . the method may also include implementing a wrap mode by selecting which texel within the valid texel domain to use for out - of - bounds coordinates . the method may also include adjusting for a resolution reduction with corner addressing . the method may also include modifying mipmap sizes to account for a resolution reduction due to corner addressing . the method may also include calculating mipmap size l + 1 by taking the half of a quantity floor of mipmap size l minus one and then adding one to the floor . the method may also include modifying the level of detail computation to account for a resolution reduction due to corner addressing . in another example embodiment one or more non - transitory computer readable media storing instructions executed by a processor to perform a sequence comprising defining a sampling region that is one texel smaller than a valid texel domain , and linearly filtering a valid texel domain by always accessing only texels within the domain . the media may also include said sequence including specifying texel values at texel corners . the media may also include said sequence including defining a texture wrap mode to handle out - of - bounds coordinates without replicating edge texels . the media may also include said sequence including computing an address for point sampling by scaling a normalized texture coordinate by a texture dimension minus 1 and then adding a 0 . 5 offset before truncating to the nearest texel . the media may also include said sequence including implementing a wrap mode by selecting which texel within the valid texel domain to use at the edges of the domain . the media may also include said sequence including adjusting for a resolution reduction with corner addressing . the media may also include said sequence including modifying mipmap sizes to account for a resolution reduction due to corner addressing . the media may also include said sequence including calculating mipmap size l + 1 by taking the half of a quantity floor of mipmap size l minus one and then adding one to the floor . the media said sequence including modifying the level of detail computation to account for a resolution reduction due to corner addressing . the media may also include said sequence including implementing wrap modes by discerning between edge texels when crossing borders . another example embodiment may be an apparatus comprising a processor to define a sampling region that is one texel smaller than a valid texel domain and linearly filter a valid texel domain by always accessing only texels within the domain , and a storage coupled to said processor . the apparatus may include said processor to specify texel values at texel corners . the apparatus may include said processor to define a texture wrap mode to handle out - of - bounds coordinates without replicating edge texels . the apparatus may include said processor to compute an address for point sampling by scaling a normalized texture coordinate by a texture dimension minus 1 and then add a 0 . 5 offset before truncating to the nearest texel . the apparatus may include said processor to implement a wrap mode by selecting which texel within the valid texel domain to use at the edges of the domain . the apparatus may include said processor to adjust for a resolution reduction with corner addressing . the apparatus may include said processor to modify mipmap sizes to account for a resolution reduction due to corner addressing . the apparatus may include said processor to calculate mipmap size l + 1 by taking the half of a quantity floor of mipmap size l minus one and then add one to the floor . the apparatus may include said processor to modify the level of detail computation to account for a resolution reduction due to corner addressing . the apparatus may include said processor to implement wrap modes by discerning between edge texels when crossing borders . the graphics processing techniques described herein may be implemented in various hardware architectures . for example , graphics functionality may be integrated within a chipset . alternatively , a discrete graphics processor may be used . as still another embodiment , the graphics functions may be implemented by a general purpose processor , including a multicore processor . references throughout this specification to “ one embodiment ” or “ an embodiment ” mean that a particular feature , structure , or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one implementation encompassed within the present disclosure . thus , appearances of the phrase “ one embodiment ” or “ in an embodiment ” are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment . furthermore , the particular features , structures , or characteristics may be instituted in other suitable forms other than the particular embodiment illustrated and all such forms may be encompassed within the claims of the present application . while a limited number of embodiments have been described , those skilled in the art will appreciate numerous modifications and variations therefrom . it is intended that the appended claims cover all such modifications and variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of this disclosure . | 6 |
as indicated above , the system and method of the invention make the use of signature information practical , thereby resulting in a drastic reduction in the system false alarm rate and paving the way for a stand - alone operational surveillance system based on remote , passive hs detection . although the emphasis below is on military surveillance systems , the invention has other applications as was indicated previously , and , in this regard , the invention also greatly facilitates the detection of selected mineral outcroppings defined by signatures collected previously and validated by on - site inspection . turning to a more detailed description of the invention , as was also indicated above , the system of the invention is a component of a remote sensing system based on a hyperspectral sensor . the object or goal of the system is to find unusual ( typically manmade ) objects or known materials from an overhead vantage by exploiting spectral distinctions ( reflectivities or emissivities ) in the surface properties of these targets . the basic operational concept underlying the invention requires at least two passes of data - collecting missions ( overflights ) with respect to the same area or an overlapping area , on the first of which one or more target locations have somehow been confirmed . the source of confirmation can be either an hs detection made during the first flight , or any other intelligence asset . as indicated below , a further aspect of the invention concerns a variant embodiment that focuses on the detection only of changes in a scene ( caused , for example , by the arrival or departure of an object ). in a preferred embodiment , the basic system of the invention consists of three main elements . the first is a database consisting of entries collected and processed on previous missions of a reconnaissance operation . the second is the affine compensation algorithm , called covariance equalization , which was described above . the third is a spectral matched filter detection algorithm , a particular version of which is discussed below . these elements , the theory of their operation , and the change detection variant will now be described . considering the first element , the database consists of entries that pair ( apparent ) target spectra t with statistics of the background area against which the targets were located on an earlier mission . the target spectra are taken to be the test values x measured on pixels at which a target declaration had been made earlier , and confirmed . in military applications , the confirmation can be made by any intelligence asset . ( in two systems developed by the assignee here , the war horse and dark horse systems , the confirmation decision is made at the ground station , based on high spatial - resolution imagery derived from a camera cued by the onboard hs detection system .) in commercial applications , the confirmation can be made through a single site visit . the stored statistics include the mean vector μ and covariance matrix m of a background area surrounding each target , along with a record defining the geographic area , as derived from a gps - based ( global positioning system ) location system . the operational scenario under consideration here assumes that the hs sensor has collected several target signatures together with the associated background statistics on one or more earlier reconnaissance or data collection missions . each such prior mission is referred to generically as a “ day 1 ” mission . the current mission is generically referred to as “ day 2 .” while the raw data from day 1 can be thought of as having been collected in an autonomous manner , the preparation of the database for use on day 2 involves man - in - the - loop post - processing of such raw data . the post - processing of the raw data from day 1 consists mainly in a culling operation . only data structures associated with confirmed targets are included in the database prepared for day 2 operation . furthermore , these targets must have been detected against backgrounds thought to be similar to the backgrounds planned for examination on day 2 missions . in the simplest case , this involves scanning the same geographic area on day 2 as on day 1 . finally , only a limited number of data structures ( on the order of ten or less ) are prioritized for inclusion in the onboard database . to summarize with respect to the database , the key data structures to be used on a day 2 mission each consist of two vectors and a matrix : a day 1 target signature t 1 , and a background mean μ 1 , and covariance matrix m 1 that are associated with a locale surrounding the target location . turning to a consideration of covariance equalization , which is a dynamic variability compensation algorithm , in the course of a day 2 mission , the reconnaissance system flies over backgrounds which are similar to or , preferably , partially overlapping with those encountered on previous missions that contributed entries to the database . the onboard signal processor implements a standard procedure for generating recursive estimates of background statistics on a continuous basis . these algorithms , which are as described in appendix 1 below , or are equivalent algorithms , are used to compute / update estimates of the background means vector μ 2 and covariance matrix m 2 . the subscript 2 is used in the discussions below to denote a day 2 value whereas values from the database will be denoted by the subscript 1 . after the standard recursive estimate procedure is implemented , the aforementioned affine compensation algorithm , covariance equalization ( ce ), is then applied to each target spectrum t 1 from the database , thereby transforming the spectrum into a predicted day 2 target spectrum t 2 . the ce algorithm requires both the database statistical values μ 1 , m 1 , and the recursive estimates of the day 2 statistics μ 2 and m 2 . the underlying assumption of ce is that all major effects contributing to differences between μ 1 and μ 2 , and between m 1 and m 2 , can be modeled with an affine transformation , which is a combination of offset ( shift in the vector mean value ) and linear transform . when transforming a target signature t 1 , the ce algorithm has the general form : t 2 = μ 2 + m 2 1 / 2 λm 1 − 1 / 2 ( t 1 − μ 1 ). ( 2 ) the ½ notation is a reference to the unambiguous “ square root of a nonnegative matrix .” both covariance matrix estimates m 1 and m 2 are examples of nonnegative matrices . their square roots can be computed using standard software libraries for diagonalizing a matrix . for example , an orthogonal matrix ψ 1 can always be found such that in which d 1 is a diagonal matrix with nonnegative entries and the superscript t , as described above indicates matrix transposition . the square root of m 1 is then defined as in which the square root of d 1 is defined as a diagonal matrix whose entries are the positive square roots of d 1 &# 39 ; s diagonals . the matrix m 1 − 1 / 2 is defined to be the inverse of m 1 1 / 2 ( and can be computed trivially from equation ( 4 )). similar definitions apply to the day 2 covariance matrix m 2 . the final quantity to be defined in equation ( 2 ) is the orthogonal matrix λ . for the hs data processing according to the embodiment of the invention being considered here , λ is chosen to be the identity matrix . for other multivariate applications , other choices for λ are more appropriate . a rationale for the general form of covariance equalization transformation in equation ( 2 ), as well as for the particular choice of λ for hs applications , is included in appendix 2 . finally , the spectral matched filter detection algorithm , which is the third element in the system of the invention mentioned above , is a detection algorithm that exploits the transformed target signature vector t 2 . the form of this detector ( detection algorithm ) can range from template matching to a more advanced idea called matched subspace detection ( see a . schaum , spectral subspace matched filtering , algorithms for multispectral , hyperspectral , and ultraspectral imagery vii , proc . of spie , vol . 4381 , 2001 , pp . 1 - 17 which is hereby incorporated by reference ). a robust , standard intermediate form is , the spectral linear matched filter ( lmf ), is employed in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the invention and will now be described . as does the rx algorithm ( equation ( 1 )) mentioned above , the lmf computes a detection statistic , here called s 2 , whose value is used to decide whether a pixel contains a target or not . unlike rx , the lmf uses an assumed intrinsic spectral signature t 2 which , in this discussion , is derived from covariance equalization ( equation ( 2 )). the formula for the detection statistic is s 2 =( t 2 − μ 2 ) t m 2 − 1 ( x 2 − μ 2 ), ( 5 ) and is to be computed for each day 2 test pixel &# 39 ; s hs radiance value . this radiance value is represented by the column vector x 2 . the inputs to this algorithm from the day 2 data are the recursively estimated statistics μ 2 , m 2 , and the test value x 2 . the value of t 2 is determined by equation ( 2 ) above , which requires both day 1 and day 2 statistics . when the detector is the lmf detector , and ce is the compensation algorithm , the final detection statistic can be written : s 2 =( t 1 − μ 1 ) t m 1 − 1 / 2 m 2 − 1 / 2 ( x 2 − μ 2 ). ( 6 ) for each text pixel , the value of s 2 relative to a thresold defines the decision “ target ” or “ background .” the threshold is defined adaptively and depends on the collected day 2 multivariate statistics generated by local background measurements . the threshold value is adjusted continuously to maintain a low false alarm rate . the reed et al reference , which was mentioned above , discussed adaptive methods of defining the threshold value in such a way that a specified false alarm rate can be maintained . as set forth above , a further aspect of the invention involves the use thereof in change detection . more specifically , the method of spectral detection described above can also be used to greatly enhance the detectability of unusual changes occurring between day 1 to day 2 . such events are the primary concern of many military reconnaissance operations . the mathematically optimal method of change detection is known ( and is called chronochrome , as described in a . schaum , a . stocker , long - interval chronochrome target detection , proc . 1997 international symposium on spectral sensing research , 1998 , which is hereby incorporated by reference ), but this method cannot be applied unless an accurate ( and expensive ) pointing system designed to meet severe image registration requirements is integrated with the hyperspectral sensor . the alternative change detection technique envisioned in accordance with this aspect of the invention involves applying matched filters to both day 1 and day 2 images . besides the day 2 matched filter ( which is given by equation ( 6 )), a day 1 matched filter , given as : s 1 =( t 1 − μ 1 ) t m 1 − 1 ( x 1 − μ 1 ) ( 7 ) is computed and applied to test pixels x 1 from the day 1 imagery . the values of s 1 and s 2 define detection maps that can be compared for consistency , so as to detect either the arrival / departure of objects in a scene , or changes in their disposition that indicate activity . considering the advantages and new features of the system of the invention , the system of the invention has the major advantage of achieving most of the theoretical gain associated with matched filtering without the burden of obtaining a priori knowledge of target signatures just before a day 2 mission . as indicated above , the algorithm that makes this feasible is covariance equalization , the affine compensation procedure described previously . this algorithm produces an estimate of the day 2 target signature , thereby obviating the need for a priori knowledge . other significant advantages are associated with the ce compensation algorithm . for example , the algorithm allows for a relatively compact database . in this regard , besides the target signature vector t 1 , each data structure in the database contains only one additional vector μ 1 and one matrix m 1 . if the dimension of the spectra being collected has the typical value of 30 , there are only 525 numbers to store per data structure ( ½ ( 30 )( 31 ) for the symmetric matrix m 1 , plus 30 each for the mean vector μ 1 and the signature vector t 1 ). associated with this relatively small set of numbers is a low level of computational complexity ., there are several additional advantages . the spectra used to generate the mean and target vectors and the covariance matrices are all collected with the same instrument under very similar ( flight ) conditions . this results in a “ common mode ” type of rejection of interference factors that would adversely affect performance if spectra were collected with different instruments ( e . g ., a laboratory spectrometer and a remote sensing device ). the statistics μ t and m 1 can be very accurately estimated from the day 1 collections , because typically thousands of image frames can be averaged . comparing the invention to alternative approaches , as indicated above , the standard approach to hs target detection is to search for spectra that appear anomalous to the local background . as described above , performance is limited in this approach . better approaches that attempt to exploit target signature information must account for the altered in situ appearance of target spectra . the problem arises because the signature data are derived under a set of conditions different from that encountered operationally . the most common form of conditioning of the signature is to construct a model of the atmosphere ( only ) and attempt to infer its effects on the apparent target spectrum . the use of ce to accomplish the conditioning has several advantages over this form of conditioning , as follows : ce accounts for , at the same time , many effects that are usually modeled separately . typically , one model is used for atmospheric effects , another for soil / vegetation moisture changes , and yet another for illumination compensation . moreover , great efforts are usually expended to eliminate sensor artifacts . the corrections usually involve the use of sensor - specific affine transformations . ce compensates for all these effects jointly , using multivariate statistics derived from thousands of pixels . ce does not rely on a detailed atmospheric model . such models are described , for example , in a . schaum , a . stocker , long - interval chronochrome target detection , proc . 1997 intemational symposium on spectral sensing research , 1998 and these models typically attempt to estimate atmospheric constituents , based on data at selected wavelengths . these methods are often confounded when the viewing geometry is from above , as in a reconnaissance operation , because of interference from the larger terrestrial signals . a related method of scene compensation called vantage and described in e . p . crist , j . w . wegrzyn , j . n . cederquist , automatic scene - adaptive target detection in hyperspectral emissive data , 2000 meeting of military sensing symposium specialty group on ccd , vol . 2 , pp . 89 - 98 , 2000 , attempts to use a spectral feature in chlorophyll to detect vegetation in each of two images . it then uses the vegetation as a calibration source to “ normalize ” day 2 data to correspond to that from day 1 . however , the vantage approach fails to account for any offset in the relative responses of the sensor system ( something that is accomplished in ce by use of the first - order statistics ), and vantage normalizes each spectral channel independently . this means that channels far from the chlorophyll feature are modified much less reliably . it also means that the covariance matrices are not equalized , only the variances . also , the method can only be applied to scenes both of which contain verdant vegetation ; it does not apply at all to hs systems operating at wavelengths outside the chlorophyll feature . mayer et al . “ object detection and color constancy using a whitening transformation in multi - spectral imagery ” ( presented april 2002 , published february 2003 in proceedings ; 2002 parallel meetings of the mss specialty groups on passive sensors ; camouflage , concealment and deception ; detectors ; and materials : veridian ann arbor ) discusses related material in the context of multi - spectral sensing and detection . schaum and stocker “ linear chromodynamic models for hyperspectral target detection : ( published february 2003 in proceeding of ieee aerospace conference ) discussed mathematical details underlying some of the central ideas above . preliminary results of using ce to generate target signatures indicate that there is a large reduction in false alarm rate , approaching the idealized limit of performance . with respect to a change detection variant , in operational surveillance applications , precision image registration is impossible without extreme expense , and this makes the ideal change detection technique ( i . e ., the “ chronochrome ” approach mentioned above ) impractical . instead , one is forced to compare target detections made independently at two or more times . as described above , ce combined with matched filtering is an alternative that amplifies the target signals . the conventional method compares low signal - to - clutter ratio signals derived from an anomaly detector , which is one of a class of algorithms that cannot exploit signature information . ce enhances signal - to - noise ratios achievable with conventional methods of change detection . turning now to the drawings , fig1 shows , in a highly schematic manner , an aircraft 10 overflying a target ( e . g ., a tank ) t . the aircraft 10 uses both hyperspectral ( hs ) imagery , as discussed above and represented by beam 12 a , and visible panchromatic high resolution imagery , represented by beam 14 a , in detecting target t . as discussed below , a hs imager 12 and a high resolution imager 14 are part of the real - time onboard target detection system shown in fig2 . referring to fig2 , the hyperspectral imager 12 outputs raw data to a preprocessor 16 which converts the raw data into the calibrated data described above . the system includes onboard data storage 18 for storing target signatures , gps coordinates and local hyperspectral statistics from a prior mission or missions . this information is used by a main onboard signal processor 20 in the evolution of prior signatures , as represented by block 22 , in the manner described hereinbefore . processor 20 also provides autonomous target detection as represented by block 24 and as was also described previously . processor 20 outputs a detector report , indicated by block 20 , which is used in controlling the high resolution imager 14 , i . e ., in providing imager 14 with real - time detection for use thereby . imagery obtained by imager 14 is annotated and transmitted by a radio link or the like to a ground station 28 . this appendix describes a recursive algorithm for the estimation of the background mean vector and covariance matrix . a recursive algorithm computes a new value ( the n th value ) on receipt of a new observation ( also conventionally labeled n th ) based on the value of a new observation and the past few old values ( n − 1 th , n − 2 th etc .). in the algorithm of interest here , only the ( n − 1 ) th values are used . the algorithm is m n =( 1 − α ) m n − 1 + α ( 1 − α )( x n − μ n − 1 )( x n − μ n − 1 ) t . in this expression , the vector x n is the newest hyperspectral observation , ( the subscripts here are not the same as day 1 and day 2 subscripts used above .) the parameter α determines the strength with which a new observation influences the recursive estimate for μ and m . it is an adjustable parameter with a typical value of 0 . 02 . the affine compensation algorithm described above is not optimal in a mathematical sense . however , several strong factors motivate its use . the mathematically ideal transformation from day 1 to day 2 data is known . it is the “ chronochrome ” technique mentioned above . however , implementing chronochrome is usually impractical , because it requires strict operational and sensing conditions . day 1 and day 2 scenes need to be geographically identical , and the sensor pointing direction , orientation , and sampling phases on day 2 must perfectly reproduce those from day 1 . on the other hand , the ce algorithm ( equation ( 2 ) above ) does not impose such requirements and originated as an approximate solution to the same minimum mean squared error problem that the chronochrome approach solves exactly . ce can thus be thought of as an approximation to the ideal solution . ce can also be derived as the solution to a maximum likelihood problem . maximum likelihood is a standard procedure used to generate sub - optimal solutions to problems for which ideal information is lacking . the missing information in the operational surveillance problem is the pixel - level correlations , which cannot be known because of imperfect image registration , or because day 2 data derive from a different geographic location from day 1 . if ce is applied to day 1 background data x , instead of only to the target t 1 ( so that x 1 replaces t 1 in equation ( 2 ) above ), it produces an estimate of how each pixel would be transformed if the sensing conditions on day 1 were replaced by those on day 2 . indeed , ce is called covariance equalization because such transformed background data have identical first - order ( mean value ) and second - order ( covariance matrix ) statistics to the actual day 1 statistics . these statistical characterizations of the data are virtually the only ones ever used for detection / discrimination purposes . ce perfectly equalizes all of them . the underlying idea motivating the use of the algorithm in the manner described above is that target spectra should be transformed in the same way as background spectra . the only circumstance for which this assumption should not hold is when intrinsic spectral properties of the target change from day 1 to day 2 . ( however , in this case the change detection method described above is applicable .) the choice of the transformation λ ( equation ( 2 )) as the unit matrix depends on the application being spectral . this include not only the hs utility emphasized above , but also applications where more widely separated bands ( usually called “ multispectral ”) are used . however , for other types of multivariate usage , different choices are appropriate . most generally , a could be chosen as some rotation ( plus a possible axis permutation ) for the spectral application , but there is no general theoretical guideline for selecting which one except the trivial choice of the identity matrix ( λ = 1 )/ there are some physics - based arguments ( beyond the scope of this discussion ) implying that any rotations in hs applications should be small . the only data - driven choices for λ are the two mentioned above , either λ = 1 or λ = λ 2 λ t 1 . however , the second choice is not robust in the situation where some of the eigenvalues of the background covariance matrix are nearly degenerate . for high - dimensional hs data , this condition of near - degeneracy almost always applies and is associated with the inevitable presence of measurement noise . the mathematical formalism supporting this observation is that of principal component analysis applied to hs data . the details of this argument are also beyond the scope of this disclosure and are strictly peripheral to it . although the invention has been described above in relation to preferred embodiments thereof , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations and modifications can be effected in these preferred embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention . | 6 |
the following description is of the best - contemplated mode of 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 is a schematic diagram of an image system 100 without recovering . image system 100 comprises data inputting device 110 , driver ic 150 and panel 180 . panel 180 comprises a lcd panel and a touch panel . the touch panel is disposed on top of the lcd panel . driver ic 150 comprises memory 152 , refresh data unit 154 and digital to analog converter 158 ( dac ). data inputting device 110 directly outputs digital data signals to refresh data unit 154 or indirectly outputs digital data signals through memory 152 to refresh data unit 154 . refresh data unit 154 outputs serial digital signals s 154 to digital to analog converter 158 . digital to analog converter 158 converts serial digital signals s 154 into analog data signals s 158 for the panel 180 . panel 180 receives analog data signals s 158 to display normal images . fig2 is a schematic diagram of recovering image system 200 according to an embodiment of the invention . recovering image system 200 comprises data inputting device 210 , a driver device 250 and panel 280 . the drive device 250 can be a drive ic . panel 280 can comprise a lcd panel and a touch panel . the touch panel provides signals to represent a push domain area . the touch panel is disposed on top of the lcd panel . driver ic 250 comprises memory 252 , refresh data unit 254 , timing control unit 255 , and logic circuit 256 , digital to analog converter ( dac ) 258 and push domain detection unit 259 . data inputting device 210 directly outputs digital data signals to refresh data unit 254 or indirectly outputs digital data signals through memory 252 to refresh data unit 254 . refresh data unit 254 outputs digital signals to and logic circuit 256 . and logic circuit 256 receives digital signals s 254 and timing control signal s 255 and outputs logic circuit signal s 256 according to digital signals s 254 and timing control signal s 255 . digital to analog converter ( dac ) 258 receives logic circuit signal s 256 from and logic circuit 256 . digital to analog converter 258 converts logic circuit signal s 256 into analog data signals s 258 or reset data signals s 259 for panel 280 . panel 280 receives analog data signals s 258 to display normal images when timing control signal s 255 is disabled . otherwise , panel 280 receives reset data signals s 259 to display reset images when timing control signal s 255 is enabled . in addition , one frame can comprise normal images , reset images or both . the detail is discussed in following embodiments of the invention in fig3 , 4 and 5 . timing control unit 255 outputs timing control signal s 255 according to reset enable signal s enable and reset rate signal s rate . reset signal s enable can control driver ic 250 to reset panel 280 or not . reset rate signal s rate can control the reset rate of panel 280 and is adjustable by another controller ( not shown ). according to an embodiment of the invention , if timing control signal s 255 is low voltage level ( logic 0 ), logic circuit signal s 256 is low voltage level when digital signals s 254 is high or low voltage level . when logic circuit signal s 256 is low voltage level , panel 280 is reset . after resetting panel 280 , the panel will show the normal images again . timing control circuit unit 255 can output timing control signal s 255 to reset panel 280 at variable reset rates according to reset rate signal s rate . during resetting panel 280 , panel 280 turns black . the luminance of panel 280 drops according to the reset rate of reset rate signal s rate . by selecting an optimum reset rate , a balance can be found between the visibility of the push domain and the luminance loss . according to another embodiment of the invention , timing control unit 255 can output timing control signal s 255 to reset the push domain area of panel 280 according to the corresponding push domain control signal . due to mechanical stress occurring on panel 280 , push domain detection unit 259 can detect the push domain area of panel 280 to generate a corresponding push domain control signal for indicating locations of push domain areas of panel 280 . timing control unit 255 can output timing control signal s 255 for resetting the push domain area of panel 280 according to the corresponding push domain control signals . summarily , panel 280 can displays the reset images to restore the push domain areas of the panel . the detail is discussed as following . for example , panel 280 can be the combination of the mva ( multi - domain vertical alignment ) panel and the touch panel . since the mva panel has a tendency for showing a domain disturbance for a long period of time after mechanical stress occurs on the touch panel ( or mva panel ). according to the above embodiments , timing control circuit unit 255 can output timing control signal s 255 to reset panel 280 at variable reset rates according to reset rate signal s rate . after resetting panel 280 , the panel will show the normal images again and the disturbance will not appear on panel 280 for a long period of time . it makes mva useful for touch panel applications . fig3 is a schematic diagram of a panel frame reset according to another embodiment of the invention . panel 280 displays the reset images for n consecutive frames and the normal images for m consecutive frames . the reset images , as shown in fig3 , are blanked , meaning switching off panel 280 to display black images . fig4 is a schematic diagram of a panel row reset according to another embodiment of the invention . panel 280 displays reset images at certain rows of one frame for n consecutive frames according to a timing control signal . next , panel 280 displays the reset images on shifted rows of one frame for next n consecutive frames as shown in fig4 . the reset images , meaning to switch off pixels at certain rows of panel 280 , will scan all areas of panel 280 . in addition , panel 280 comprises a plurality of pixels at different rows and different columns to form a matrix ( not shown ). fig5 is a schematic diagram of a panel area reset according to another embodiment of the invention . panel 280 display the reset images at first area of one frame for n consecutive frames . next , panel 280 displays the reset images at second area of one frame for next n consecutive frames . the reset images , meaning to switch off pixels at certain areas of panel 280 , will scan all areas of panel 280 . fig6 schematically shows another embodiment of a system for displaying images which , in this case , is implemented as recovering image system 200 or electronic device 600 . as shown in fig6 , recovering image system 200 comprises a driver ic 250 and panel 280 of fig2 . recovering image system 200 can form a portion of a variety of electronic devices ( in this case , electronic device 600 ). generally , electronic device 600 can comprise recovering image system 200 and power supply 700 . further , power supply 700 is operatively coupled to recovering image system 200 and provides power to recovering image system 200 . electronic device 600 can be a mobile phone , digital camera , pda ( personal data assistant ), notebook computer , desktop computer , television , gps ( global positioning system ), automotive display , avionics display or portable dvd player , for example . while the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of preferred embodiment , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to thereto . to 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 . | 6 |
a system architecture for an optical character recognition system is illustrated in fig1 . the optical character recognition system 10 comprises the scanner 12 , the recognition engine 14 , and the computer memory 16 . a document enters the scanner 12 at the document input 18 and leaves at the document output 20 . the scanner 12 generates a digital image of the document by illuminating it with a light source and recording the reflected light using storage devices such as ccds . illustratively , the recorded digital image is bitonal , i . e . each pixel is black or white , with black corresponding to logic &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ; and white corresponding to logic &# 34 ; 0 &# 34 ;. the digital image produced by the scanner 12 is outputted to the recognition engine 14 . the recognition engine 14 may be implemented in software through use of a general purpose computer or may be implemented in hardware using electronics or optical processing elements . the purpose of the recognition engine 14 is to transform information received from the scanner in the form of a digital image into symbolic information about what symbols are contained in the image . after the symbolic information is obtained by the recognition engine 14 , it is stored in the computer memory 16 . the recognition engine 14 is shown in greater detail in fig2 . the recognition engine 14 comprises system 22 for performing character extraction and system 24 for performing character recognition . when the recognition engine 14 is implemented using a programmable device such as a general purpose computer , the character extraction system 22 and the character recognition system 24 are implemented in software . the purpose of the character extraction system 22 in the case of a complex document is to identify and delete graphical regions , identify lines of text in textual regions , and identify boundaries between characters in the lines of text . the purpose of the character recognition system is to identify particular words or characters in a line of text and to output symbolic information representative of these characters . a character extraction system 22 is illustrated in greater detail in fig3 and in fig4 . the first step ( box 30 ) performed by the character extraction system 22 is to divide the pixels of a digital image into columns which illustratively are 32 pixels ( or bits ) wide . fig5 shows an image of chinese text which has been divided into columns 31 , 32 , 33 and fig6 shows one such column 35 . the next step ( box 40 of fig3 ) is to separate each column horizontally into units . this is accomplished by obtaining the horizontal histogram of the column . the horizontal histogram is obtained by counting the number of black pixels in each row of pixels in the column . one column 41 and its horizontal histogram is schematically illustrated in fig7 and 7a . in fig7 and 7a , the column is labeled 41 , the horizontal histogram labeled 42 , and the shadow of the histogram on the vertical axis is labeled 43 . by looking at the histogram or its shadow , it can be seen how the column 41 divides itself into small rectangular units 45 , where each unit comprises , for example , a small unit of a line of text . in an alternative embodiment of the invention , the separation into units may be obtained , without forming the histogram 42 and by directly obtaining the shadow of the column 41 on the vertical axis . when the units 45 are obtained , they are arranged ( box 50 of fig3 ) in a two - dimensional array or linking list illustrated in fig8 . the vertical arrows link the units of a column . how the units are linked horizontally is discussed below . for each unit in the two dimensional linking list , data is stored in memory including the unit height measured in pixels and a vertical histogram or a shadow of the unit on the horizontal axis . there is one bit in the shadow on the horizontal axis for each column of pixels in the unit and the value of the bit in the shadow is obtained by performing a logical or operation on the pixel values in the column . fig9 illustrates for a unit 45 a vertical histogram 51 and shadow 52 on the horizontal axis . the horizontal histogram and / or shadow on the vertical axis may also be stored for each unit in the computer memory . the next step is to eliminate units which are two tall or too short . units which are too tall usually correspond to graphics or to vertical lines bordering tables and units which are too short correspond to noise . for example , a unit which has as height less than three pixels is noise and may be eliminated . to determine which units are too tall , and thereby correspond to graphics , the mean height of the units is obtained ( box 60 of fig3 ). the mean height is multiplied by a tolerance factor such as 1 . 5 to obtain a threshold ( box 65 of fig3 ). units which have a height in pixels greater than the threshold are for example deleted or in some other way identified as belonging to a graphics region of an image ( box 70 of fig3 ). the next step is to link together the remaining units to form text lines ( box 80 of fig3 ). adjacent units 45 are linked in the horizontal direction as shown in fig1 and 10a if their horizontal histograms ( or their shadows on the vertical axis ) overlap . fig1 and 10a illustrates two units 45 which may be linked horizontally because their shadows on the vertical axis overlap . in this manner the units of text are connected together to form lines in a manner which takes slant into account ( box 80 of fig3 ). once a digital image is organized into a two dimensional linking list wherein graphic regions have been identified and separated or eliminated and wherein rectangular units of text are linked vertically and horizontally to form lines of text , the lines of text may be easily accessed for various processing tasks . after the lines of text have been identified , the next step is to identify character boundaries within each text line ( box 90 of fig3 ). the process ( box 90 ) utilized by the character extraction system 22 of fig2 to identify character boundaries is illustrated in greater detail in fig4 . to carry out the boundary recognition process , the recognition engine 14 ( see fig1 ) makes use of the table memory 21 . the table memory 21 stores two tables . the first table is illustrated in fig1 . the table of fig1 comprises 256 hexadecimal numbers arranged in a string . the table of fig1 also comprises a plurality of hexadecimal numbers arranged in a string . as shown in the flowchart of fig4 the first step utilized by the recognition engine 14 of fig1 to identify character boundaries in a line of text is to obtain the shadow of the line of text on the horizontal axis ( box 91 of fig4 ). the next step is to divide the shadow into groups of 8 - bits ( box 92 of fig4 ). the binary number formed by each eight - bit group is used by the recognition engine 14 of fig1 to address the table stored in the table memory 21 and illustrated in fig1 . more particularly , the eight - bit group has a binary value j ( which is between 0 and 255 ). this binary value j is used to retrieve the j th hexadecimal entry in the string comprising the table of fig1 ( box 93 of fig4 ). this hexadecimal number is then converted to binary form ( box 94 of fig4 ) and is now represented by the binary values a , b , c , d , e , f , g , h as illustrated in fig1 . the binary values a , b , c , d , e , f , g , h are utilized to determine the location of the character boundaries within the portion of the line of text corresponding to the eight bit shadow utilized to access the table of fig1 ( box 95 of fig4 ). the various possibilities for character boundaries in an eight - bit wide segment of a line of text are illustrated in fig1 . in case & lt ; 1 & gt ; a = 0 , b = 0 . if h = 0 , the corresponding portion of the shadow is all logic 0 and there is no character boundary in this portion of the line of text . similarly , if a = 0 , b = 0 and h = 1 , the corresponding portion of the shadow is all logic 1 and there is no character boundary in this portion of the line of text . in case & lt ; 2 & gt ;, a = 0 and b = 1 . if c = 0 , a character ends ( i . e . there is a transition from logic 1 &# 39 ; s to logic 0 &# 39 ; s ) at a position in the eight - bit group of the shadow given by f , g , h . the ending of the character is schematically illustrated by the arrow 96 in fig1 . if c = 1 , a character begins ( i . e . there is a transition from logic 0 &# 39 ; s to logic 1 &# 39 ; s ) at the position of the eight - bit group of the shadow given by f , g , h . the arrow 97 in fig1 illustrates where the character begins . in case & lt ; 3 & gt ; a = 1 . if b = 0 , there is a transition 98 in the shadow from logic 0 to logic 1 at c , d , e and a transition 99 from logic 1 to logic 0 at f , g , h . if b = 1 there is a transition 101 from logic 1 to logic 0 at c , d , e and transition 102 from logic 0 to logic 1 at f , g , h . in case & lt ; 4 & gt ; a = 0 , b = 0 . if cd = 01 , the transitions abcd can be distributed as follows : a ( 0 or 1 ), b ( 2 or 3 ), c ( 4 or 5 ), d ( 6 or 7 ) where the number in parenthesis indicates bit positions in the original eight - bit group of the shadow of the line of text . in this case the location of the transitions a , b , c , and d are stored by the values of e , f , g , h in the binary representation of the hexadecimal number retrieved from the table of fig1 . if a = 0 , b = 0 , and cd = 10 , then the transitions abc may be distributed as a ( 0 or 1 ), b ( 2 , 3 , or 4 ), c ( 4 , 5 , or 6 ). similarly , if a = 0 , b = 0 , and cd = 11 , then the transitions abc may be distributed a ( 1 , 2 , or 3 ), b ( 3 , 4 , or 5 ), c ( 5 , 6 , or 7 ). in these cases , the four bits e , f , g , h are not sufficient for recording all possible transitions a , b , c . the values e , g , f , h from the binary representation of the number retrieved from the table of fig1 , are then utilized as pointers to the table of fig1 . the table of fig1 also stores a string of hexadecimal numbers . a hexadecimal number is accessed from the table of fig1 in response to the binary values e , f , g , h from a number from the table of fig1 . when the hexedecimal number from the table of fig1 is rewritten in binary form ( abcdefgh ) a , b determines the location of the transition a , d , e determine the location of the transition b , and g , h determine the location of the transition c . because there are no more than three possible positions for a , b , and c no more than two bits are needed to locate these transitions . to understand the use of the table stored in the memory 21 of fig1 consider the following example . in a line of text , a byte of the shadow has the value this has the value j = 222 ( decimal ) and thus is utilized to retrieve the j = 222 value from the string of hexadecimal values stored in the table of fig1 . the j = 222 value in the table of fig1 is 0 × 29 ( hexadecimal ). the binary representation of this value is the table of fig1 is now accessed using efgh = 1001 (= 9 ) to retrieve the hexadecimal value 0 × 4a . when converted to binary form 0 × 4a is whereby the locations of transitions a , b and c are as follows : ## equ1 ## as can be seen from this example , two table accesses at most are needed to determine character boundaries , although in most case one table access will be sufficient . thus the character boundary determination process is fast and efficient . finally , the above - described embodiments of the invention are intended to be illustrative only . numerous alternative embodiments may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the following claims . | 6 |
in applying the method according to the invention , all known groups of adjuvants can be used , that is to say : 2 . 1 active fillers which result in a decisive improvement of the mechanical properties , particularly of the tensile strength and the abrasion resistance , such as : types of active black carbon , aluminium and calcium silicate , and zinc oxide ; or 2 . 2 inactive fillers which do not result in a quantitative improvement of the vulcanized goods , for example calcium and magnesium carbonate , kaolin , barite , kieselguhr , and various clays ; 2 . 3 for elastomers which are not filled with carbon black : dyes , namely : 2 . 3 . 1 inorganic pigments , for example lithopone , titanium dioxide , iron oxide , and chrome oxide green ; or 3 plasticizers for improving the processing properties , the elasticity , and the cold - behavior , namely : 3 . 1 for non - polar or weakly polar crude rubber types ( for example natural rubber ( nr ), styrene - butadiene copolymers ( sbr ), polybutadiene ( br ), isobutylene - isoprene copolymers ( iir )): mineral oil products . 3 . 2 for more polar types ( for example acrylonitrile - butadiene copolymer ( nbr ) and polychlorobutadiene ( cr )): phthalates ( for example dibutyl and dioctylphthalate ), phosphoric esters ( for example tricresyl phosphate ), and aromatic mineral oils . 3 . 3 further processing adjuvants , for example factices ( i . e vegetable oils treated with sulfur or sulfur chloride ), lanoline , soft paraffin , soft polyethylene , bitumen , and pitch . 4 age protectors for improving the resistance of the finished vulcanized good against oxygen , the action of light , and dynamic strain , namely : 4 . 1 for protecting elastomers the macromolecules of which contain double bonds against oxygen and ozone : antioxidants , for example amines and phenols ; 4 . 2 screening agents , in particular paraffinic substances , for example ceresin and ozocerite ; 4 . 3 for retarding the hydrolysis of elastomers having the tendency to hydrolyze ( for example polyurethane elastomers ( pu ) and ethylene - vinylacetate copolymers ( eva ): polycarbodiimine . 5 . 1 . 1 agents for reducing the undesired adherence of the crude rubber during its processing , for example paraffin , lanoline , stearic acid and its salts ; 5 . 1 . 2 agents for improving the stickiness of the crude rubber during its assembly , for example colophonium , coumarone resins , alkylphenol acetylene condensates , as well as low - molecular polyethylenes . 5 . 2 adhesives which are necessary for manufacturing firm joints between elastomers and metals , as well as compound materials with fabrics , for example in the tire production and for conveyor belts , namely : 5 . 2 . 1 for manufacturing metallic compound materials : for example cobalt naphthenate , recorcin resin , as well as increased quantities of sulfur ; 5 . 2 . 2 for manufacturing textile compound materials : for example styrene - butadiene - vinylpyridine terpolymers in combination with resorcinol formaldehyde resins and special isocyanates . 5 . 3 foaming agents for the manufacturing of porous vulcanized goods , for example sulfohydrazides ( such as benzenesulfohydrazide ), nitroso compounds ( such as dinitrosopentamethylenetetramine and am - monium carbonate . as a general rule , the adjuvants can be used with the commercial grain sizes in the my - range . their use in paste form provides the possibility of refining them , in particular to pulverize , to disperse or to degas them . this makes it possible to use coarse - grinded and therefore less expensive adjuvants , for example black carbons . in carrying out the method of the invention , at least part of said plasticizer oil and at least part of said other additives may be converted into one or several pastes which are introduced into said premixer of said first step ( a ). if pastes are to be prepared from said adjuvants , it is obviously necessary that the quantity of liquid adjuvants , and in particular of plasticizer oil , be high enough . a single paste may be produced from all additives , said single paste being then introduced into said premixer of said first step ( a ). alternatively , said additives may be shared for preparing several pastes , preferably two pastes , which are then introduced into said premixer of said first step ( a ), either separately or after being mixed together . if said adjuvants are to be converted into a paste or pastes , respectively , the quantity of liquid ingredients , in particular that of the plasticizer oil , should obviously be high enough for allowing the effective forming of a paste or of pastes , respectively . preferably , groups of adjuvants which remain unchanged for different applications are combined into one paste . for example , when working with two pastes , one of them may colour - neutral and the other paste may be coloured . in this way it is possible to use the colour - neutral paste for the manufacturing of differently coloured elastomer mixtures , so that only the coloured paste is to be adapted to the desired colouring . said single paste or said pastes , respectively , may be refined before being introduced into said premixer of said first step ( a ), in particular by pulverization , by dispersing , or by degasification . since homogenous mixing of the various ingredients is the easier the quantities of the various adjuvants are equal , it is advisable to prepare first a prepaste of those adjuvants which are needed in relatively small quantities only , and to mix said prepaste with the other paste or pastes , respectively , before mixing it with the elastomer . alternatively , part of the additives , which are in powdered form , may be directly introduced into said premixer of said first step ( a ) and / or part of the additives , which are in powdered or paste form , may be directly introduced into said mixing extruder of said second step ( b ). the latter is particularly useful if mixtures , for example tire mixtures , are to be prepared in which the quantity of plasticizer is relatively small as compared with that of the the fillers . preferably , a continuously working high speed turbomixer is used as premixer , said turbomixer working for example at 2000 r . p . m ( revolutions per minute ), and in particular a annular zone mixer . as it is generally known , this mixing device has a shaft provided with teeth which rotates with high speed inside a smooth tube . thereby , a turbulent annular zone is produced near the wall of the tube . the decomposition of the elastomer and its mixing with the other ingredients is essentially effected exclusively in this zone , due to the high frictional forces produced by said turbulence . the method according to the invention may be used for preparing crosslinkable and / or thermoplastic elastomer blends form all crosslinkable or thermoplastic elastomers , and in particular from : for preparing commercial semifinished products , the resulting mixture is preferably continuously pelleted after the mixing procedure . preferably , the obtained pellets , depending of the intended use , are either immediately : continuously cooled in order to prevent them from vulcanization or crosslinking , respectively . alternatively , the elastomer mixture coming out from the mixing extruder may be directly subject to its final shaping procedure , for example in an extruder or on a calender . the method according to the invention shows a number of outstanding advantages , as compared with the status of the art , namely : the mixing extruder necessary for completing the mixing procedure , i . e . an extruder comprising a mixing zone , can be of simple and light construction , due to the fact that only a low speed of rotation , for example 100 r . p . m . ( revolutions per minute ), is necessary . a spindle length of 12 ° d to 18 ° d is quite sufficient . such mixing extruders have a very high throughput , as compared with the vulcanization devices according to the status of the art . at the same time , the mixing is extremely energy - saving , since the elastomer is already present in the form of a powder or a granulate and does not need to be rendered flowable or kneadable by the application of heat . accordingly , the mechanical overdimensioning of the mixing device , which was so far necessary , is dropped . the present problem of a subsequent treatment owing to bubble formation does no longer exist , a short degasification segment being just sufficient . a typical mixing extruder may , for example , comprise the following segments : ______________________________________addition of materials ( premix + eventual powders ): 2 . sup .. dmixing : 4 . sup .. ddegasification : 4 . sup .. dmixing : 4 . sup .. dtotal length : 14 . sup .. d______________________________________ the elastomers used can -- per se -- be unplasticized . this not only facilitates their pulverization or granulation , respectively , but also avoids the situation where , due to insufficient shearing forces , an effective mixing is no longer possible . from the point of view of industrial hygiene , it is important that a dust - free working is possible both at the premixer and at the mixing extruder . three vulcanizable rubber blends were prepared form the following ingredients in the manner described hereafter . the &# 34 ; parts &# 34 ; referred to are parts by weight . ______________________________________no . component parts parts______________________________________1 buna ap 447 . sup . 1 ) 100 . 02 zinc oxide rs 5 . 0 3 . 1 stearic acid 1 . 0 3 . 2 stearic acid 1 . 03 total stearic acid 2 . 04 chalk 250 . 0 5 . 1 paraffinic / naphthenic mineral oil 70 . 0 5 . 2 paraffinic / naphthenic mineral oil 10 . 05 total paraffinic / naphthenic mineral oil 80 . 06 iron oxide red 6 . 07 sulfur 7 . 08 vulcacit cz . sup . 2 ) 1 . 09 vulcacit lda . sup . 3 ) 1 . 010 vulcacit thiuram . sup . 4 ) 0 . 4 total 452 . 4______________________________________ . sup . 1 ) epdm = ethylenepropylene - dien terpolymer grain size smaller than 10 mm . sup . 2 ) cps = benzodiacetyl2 - cyclohexyl sulfenamide . sup . 3 ) zdec = zinc ndiethyl thiocarbamate . sup . 4 ) tmtb = tetramethyl thiuramdisulfide all adjuvants ( nos . 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 and 10 ) were mixed to from one single paste . this paste , if desired after homogenization , was premixed with the elastomer ( no . 1 ) in an annular zone mixer , the elastomer thereby being decomposed . the resulting premix was then introduced into the material feed sector of a mixing extruder . the adjuvants nos . 2 , 3 . 1 , 4 , 5 . 1 , 7 , 8 , 9 and 10 were mixed to form a colour - neutral paste , and the adjuvants nos . 3 . 2 , 5 . 2 and 6 were mixed to form a coloured paste . these pastes , if desired after homogenization , were premixed with the elastomer ( no . 1 ) in an annular zone mixer , the elastomer thereby being decomposed . the resulting premix was then introduced into the material feed sector of a mixing extruder . the adjuvants nos . 2 , 3 , 7 , 8 , 9 and 10 were premixed to form a prepaste , and the adjuvants nos . 4 , 5 and 6 were mixed to form a main paste . then , the two pastes were combined . the combined single paste , if desired after homogenization , was premixed with the elastomer ( no . 1 ) in an annular zone mixer , the elastomer thereby being decomposed . the resulting premix was then introduced into the material feed sector of a mixing extruder . a typical tire mixture was prepared from the following ingredients , the &# 34 ; parts &# 34 ; referred to being again parts by weight : ______________________________________100 parts rubber10 parts plasticizer oil60 to 80 parts carbon black8 to 10 parts other adjuvants ( including sulfur ). ______________________________________ the rubber , the plasticizer oil and the other adjuvants were continuously premixed in an annular zone mixer rotating at 2000 r . p . m . ( revolutions per minute ). the resulting blend and the carbon black were then introduced into a vulcanization extruder . there , the elastomer blend was completed . | 2 |
the following definitions of the general terms used in the present description apply irrespective of whether the terms in question appear alone or in combination . as used herein , the term “ lower alkyl ” denotes a straight - or branched - chain hydrocarbon group containing from 1 - 7 carbon atoms , for example , methyl , ethyl , propyl , isopropyl , n - butyl , i - butyl , t - butyl and the like . the term “ lower alkoxy ” denotes the group — or ′ wherein r ′ is a lower alkyl group as defined above . the term “ lower alkyl substituted by halogen ” denotes a lower alkyl group as defined hereinabove which is substituted by one or more , preferably one , two or three halogen atom ( s ), i . e . chlorine , iodine , fluorine or bromine . particularly cf 3 . the term “ lower alkoxy substituted by halogen ” denotes a lower alkoxy group as defined above in which one or more hydrogen atom is replaced with a halogen atom . the term “ cycloalkyl ” denotes a saturated carbocyclic group containing 3 - 6 carbon atoms . the term “ 5 or 6 membered heterocycloalkyl ring ” denotes a heterocyclic ring having 5 or 6 ring members comprising at least two carbon atoms as ring members and 1 , 2 or 3 additional heteroatom ( s ) ring members selected from n , o and s , the remaining ring members being carbon atoms . examples of 5 or 6 heterocycloalkyl rings include , for example pyrrolidin - 1 - yl , piperidin - 1 - yl , morpholinyl and the like . the term “ 5 or 6 membered heteroaryl group ” denotes an aromatic group having 5 to 6 ring atoms and containing one or more heteroatoms selected from nitrogen , oxygen and sulphur . examples of 5 or 6 membered heteroaryl groups include , for example thiophenyl , furanyl , pyrrolyl , pyridinyl and the like . the term “ thiophenyl ” as used herein is synonymous with “ thienyl ” and denotes a thiophene substituent , i . e ., c 4 h 4 s . “ pharmaceutically acceptable ,” such as pharmaceutically acceptable carrier , excipient , etc ., means pharmacologically acceptable and substantially non - toxic to the subject to which the particular compound is administered . the term “ pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts ” embraces salts with inorganic and organic acids , such as hydrochloric acid , nitric acid , sulfuric acid , phosphoric acid , citric acid , formic acid , fumaric acid , maleic acid , acetic acid , succinic acid , tartaric acid , methanesulfonic acid , p - toluenesulfonic acid and the like . “ therapeutically effective amount ” means an amount that is effective to prevent , alleviate or ameliorate symptoms of disease or prolong the survival of the subject being treated . one embodiment of the invention provides compounds of formula i , wherein ar is optionally substituted phenyl and ( r 3 ) n is 3 , 5 - di - cf 3 , for example the following compounds 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -( 1 - ethyl - 4 - o - tolyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl )- n - methyl - isobutyramide ; 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -[ 1 - ethyl - 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- n - methyl - isobutyramide ; 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -[ 4 -( 2 - chloro - phenyl )- 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- n - methyl - isobutyramide ; 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -[ 4 -( 3 , 4 - dichloro - phenyl )- 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- n - methyl - isobutyramide ; 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -[ 1 -( 2 , 2 - difluoro - ethyl )- 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- n - methyl - isobutyramide ; 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -[ 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1 - methyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- n - methyl - isobutyramide ; n -[ 1 - benzyl - 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n - methyl - isobutyramide ; 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -[ 1 - ethyl - 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methoxy - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- n - methyl - isobutyramide ; 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -[ 4 -( 2 - chloro - 3 - fluoro - phenyl )- 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- n - methyl - isobutyramide ; 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -[ 4 -( 2 , 3 - dichloro - phenyl )- 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- n - methyl - isobutyramide ; 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -[ 4 -( 2 - chloro - 4 - fluoro - phenyl )- 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- n - methyl - isobutyramide ; 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -[ 4 -( 2 - chloro - 5 - hydroxymethyl - phenyl )- 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- n - methyl - isobutyramide ; 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -[ 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- n - methyl - isobutyramide ; n -[ 1 - acetyl - 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n - methyl - isobutyramide ; 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -[ 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- n - methyl - isobutyramide ; 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -[ 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1 -( 2 - methoxy - acetyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- n - methyl - isobutyramide ; 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -[ 1 - cyclopropanecarbonyl - 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- n - methyl - isobutyramide ; 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -[ 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1 - methanesulfonyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- n - methyl - isobutyramide ; 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -[ 1 - dimethylsulfamoyl - 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- n - methyl - isobutyramide ; and 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -[ 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1 - methanesulfonylmethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- n - methyl - isobutyramide . a further embodiment of the invention provides compounds of formula i , wherein ar is an optionally substituted five or six membered heteroaryl group and ( r 3 ) n is 3 , 5 - di - cf 3 , for example the following compounds a further embodiment of the invention provides compounds of formula i , wherein ar is an optionally substituted phenyl and ( r 3 ) n is halogen and lower alkyl , for example the following compounds the present compounds of formula i and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts can be prepared by methods known in the art , described in schemes 1 to 3 and in specific examples 1 to 38 and , for example , by a process described below , which process comprises the following variants wherein r 1 , r 2 , r 3 , ar and n have the significances given above , with the proviso that r 1 is different from hydrogen ; wherein r 1 , r 2 , r 3 , ar and n have the significances given above , with the proviso that r 1 is different from hydrogen ; under high pressure of hydrogen and in the presence of pd / c to obtain a compound of formula wherein r 2 , r 3 , ar and n have the significances given above ; or wherein r 1 , r 2 , r 3 , ar and n have the significances given above , with the proviso that r 1 is different from hydrogen , and , if desired , converting the compound obtained into a pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salt . the following schemes 1 - 3 describe the processes for preparation of compounds of formula i in more detail . the starting materials are known compounds or they can be prepared according to methods known in the art . furthermore , the preparation of intermediates is described in more detail in the experimental part . in general , the compounds of formula i can be prepared as follows : the preparation of derivatives of general formula i - a wherein r 1 is not a hydrogen atom and the other definitions are as described above , can be done using the following general synthetic scheme : a mickael addition between an amino pyrrazole ii and 2 - ethoxymethylene - malonic acid diethyl ester at 120 ° c . give the intermediate iii which readily undergo an intramolecular cyclization with pocl 3 at 130 ° c . yielding iv . a suzuki coupling with an aryl boronic acid catalized by palladium , particularly pd ( pph 3 ) 4 give the compound of formula v . hydrolysis of the ester under basic conditions , for example naoh , followed by a curtius rearrangement with dppa in presence of tbuoh lead to compound vi . an alkylation with r 2 — x and nah followed by boc - deprotection with tfa give a compound of formula vii , which is finally coupled with an acid chloride viii to give a compound of formula i - a . alternatively , derivatives of type i - a wherein r 1 is not a hydrogen atom and the other definitions are as described above , can be prepared via the following route : after hydrolysis of the intermediate iv under basic conditions , for instance with naoh , a curtius rearrangement is performed with dppa and tbuoh to form compound ix . deprotonation with preferably nah and alkylation with r 2 — x , followed by deprotection with tfa lead to a compound of formula x . the amine x is then coupled with an acid chloride of formula viii in the presence of a base , such as ipr 2 net , to give an amide of formula xi . finally , a suzuki coupling with an aryl boronic acid give final derivatives of formula i - a . finally , a third route is used to prepared derivatives of formula i - b wherein r 1 is an hydrogen and the other definitions are as described above . additionally , compounds of the type i - b can be converted into final compounds of general formula i . compounds i - a - 1 , wherein r 1 is benzyl and the other definitions are as described above , is debenzylated under high pressure of hydrogen ( preferably 10 bars ) and in the presence of pd / c to give a compound of formula i - b . deprotonation of compounds i - b with nah follwed by addition of r 1 — x give derivatives of formula i . as mentioned earlier , the compounds of formula i and their pharmaceutically usable addition salts possess valuable pharmacological properties . it has been found that the compounds of the present invention are antagonists of neurokinin 3 ( nk - 3 ) and neurokin 1 ( nk - 1 ) receptors . the compounds were investigated in accordance with the tests given hereinafter . the affinity of test compounds for the nk1 receptor was evaluated at human nk1 receptors in cho cells infected with the human nk1 receptor ( using the semliki virus expression system ) and radiolabelled with [ 3 h ] substance p ( final concentration 0 . 6 nm ). binding assays were performed in hepes buffer ( 50 mm , ph 7 . 4 ) containing bsa ( 0 . 04 %) leupeptin ( 16 . 8 μg / ml ), mncl 2 ( 3 mm ) and phosphoramidon ( 2 μm ). binding assays consisted of 250 μl of membrane suspension ( approximately 1 . 5 μg / well in a 96 well plate ), 0 . 125 μl of buffer of displacing agent and 125 μl of [ 3 h ] substance p . displacement curves were determined with at least seven concentrations of the compound . the assay tubes were incubated for 60 min at room temperature after which time the tube contents were rapidly filtered under vacuum through gf / c filters presoaked for 60 min with pei ( 0 . 3 %) with 3 × 1 ml washes of hepes buffer ( 50 mm , ph 7 . 4 ). the radioactivity retained on the filters was measured by scintillation counting . all assays were performed in duplicate in at least 2 separate experiments . recombinant human nk 3 ( hnk3 ) receptor affinity was determined in a 96 well plate assay , using [ 3 h ] sr142801 ( final concentration 0 . 3 nm ) to radiolabel the hnk3 receptor in the presence of 10 concentrations of competing compound or buffer . non specific binding was determined using 10 μm sb222200 . assay buffer consisted of tris - hcl ( 50 mm , ph 7 . 4 ), bsa ( 0 . 1 %), mncl 2 ( 4 mm ) and phosphoramidon ( 1 μm ). membrane preparations of hnk3 receptors ( approximately 2 . 5 μg / well in a 96 well plate ) were used to initiate the incubation for 90 min at room temperature . this assay was terminated by rapid filtration under vacuum through gf / c filters , presoaked for 90 min with pei ( 0 . 3 %), with 3 × 0 . 5 ml washes of ice - cold tris buffer ( 50 mm , ph 7 . 4 ) containing 0 . 1 % bsa . the radioactivity retained on the filters was measured by scintillation counting . all assays were performed in duplicate in at least two separate experiments . the activity of the present compounds is described in the table below : the present invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions containing compounds of the invention , for example , compounds of formula i or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier . such pharmaceutical compositions can be in the form of tablets , coated tablets , dragées , hard and soft gelatin capsules , solutions , emulsions or suspensions . the pharmaceutical compositions also can be in the form of suppositories or injectable solutions . the pharmaceutical compositions of the invention , in addition to one or more compounds of the invention , contain a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier . suitable pharmaceutically acceptable carriers include pharmaceutically inert , inorganic or organic carriers . gelatingelatinlactose , corn starch or derivatives thereof , talc , stearic acid or its salts etc can be used as such excipients e . g . for tablets , dragées and hard gelatin capsules . suitable excipients for soft gelatin capsules are e . g . vegetable oils , waxes , fats , semi - solid and liquid polyols etc . suitable excipients for the manufacture of solutions and syrups are e . g . water , polyols , saccharose , invert sugar , glucose etc . suitable excipients for injection solutions are e . g . water , alcohols , polyols , glycerol , vegetable oils etc . suitable excipients for suppositories are e . g . natural or hardened oils , waxes , fats , semi - liquid or liquid polyols etc . moreover , the pharmaceutical compositions can contain preservatives , solubilizers , stabilizers , wetting agents , emulsifiers , sweeteners , colorants , flavorants , salts for varying the osmotic pressure , buffers , masking agents or antioxidants . they can also contain still other therapeutically valuable substances . the dosage at which compounds of formula i can be administered can vary within wide limits and will , of course , be fitted to the individual requirements in each particular case . in general , in the case of oral administration a daily dosage of about 10 to 1000 mg per person of a compound of general formula i should be appropriate , although the above upper limit can also be exceeded when necessary . the active substance , lactose and corn starch are firstly mixed in a mixer and then in a comminuting machine . the mixture is returned to the mixer , the talc is added thereto and mixed thoroughly . the mixture is filled by machine into hard gelatin capsules . the suppository mass is melted in a glass or steel vessel , mixed thoroughly and cooled to 45 ° c . thereupon , the finely powdered active substance is added thereto and stirred until it has dispersed completely . the mixture is poured into suppository moulds of suitable size , left to cool , the suppositories are then removed from the moulds and packed individually in wax paper or metal foil . the following examples illustrate the present invention . all temperatures are given in degrees celsius . to a stirred solution of 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -( 4 - chloro - 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl )- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( intermediate xi - 1 , 0 . 1 mmol ) in etoh ( 2 ml ) and toluene ( 4 ml ) was added the aryl boronic acid ( 0 . 15 mmol ), pd ( pph 3 ) 4 ( 0 . 01 mmol ) and an aqueous solution of nahco 3 ( 1m , 0 . 2 mmol ). the reaction mixture was heated at 80 ° c . until completion of the reaction ( assessed by lcms or tlc ). the mixture was then poured on etoac ( 10 ml ) and washed with aqueous naoh ( 0 . 1 m , 10 ml ). the organic phase was dried over na 2 so 4 , concentrated under vacuo and then purification by preparative hplc afforded the desired compound . to a stirred solution of [ 1 - ethyl - 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- methyl - amine ( intermediate vii - 1 , 0 . 1 mmol ) in ch 2 cl 2 ( 5 ml ) was added et 3 n ( 0 . 2 mmol ) and an acid chloride of formula viii . the reaction mixture was heated at 35 ° c . until completion of the reaction ( assessed by lcms or tlc ), and then washed with h 2 o . the organic phase was dried over na 2 so 4 , concentrated under vacuo and then purification by preparative hplc afforded the desired compound . reaction of the intermediate i - b - 1 with various electrophile ( alkyl - halides , acid chloride , sulfonyl chloride or sulfamyl chlorid to solution of 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -[ 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( 0 . 1 mmol ) in dmf ( 4 ml ) at 0 ° c . was added nah ( 0 . 12 mmol ). after 30 minutes , an alkyl halide , acid chloride sulfonyl chloride or sulfamid chloride of formula r 1 — x ( 0 . 11 mmol ) was added and the temperature was raised to rt until competion of the reaction ( assessed by lcms or tlc ). the reaction mixture was poured into etoac ( 30 ml ) and then washed with h 2 o ( 25 ml ). the organic phase was dried over na 2 so 4 , concentrated under vacuo and then purification by preparative hplc afforded the desired compound . to 2 - ethyl - 2h - pyrazol - 3 - ylamine ( 5 . 6 g , 0 . 050 mol ) was added 2 - ethoxymethylene - malonic acid diethyl ester ( 10 . 1 ml , 0 . 050 mol ) and the mixture was heated at 120 ° c . for 4 hours . after cooling down to rt , the crude mixture was purified by column chromatography ( sio 2 , etoac / heptane 1 / 1 ) to give 12 . 25 g ( 86 %) of the title compound as a yellow oil . es - ms m / e : 282 . 4 ( m + h − ). a solution of 2 -[( 2 - ethyl - 2h - pyrazol - 3 - ylamino )- methylene ]- malonic acid diethyl ester ( 11 . 75 g , 0 . 041 mol ) in pocl 3 ( 70 ml ) was heated at reflux ( 135 ° c .) for 8 hours . the excess of pocl 3 were distilled off and the reaction mixture cooled to 0 ° c ., before careful addition of water ( 100 ml ) and then aqueous naoh ( 3n ) until ph reached 7 . the product was extracted with ch 2 cl 2 several times , and the combined orgnic phase were dried over na 2 so 4 and concentrated under vacuo . column chromatography ( sio 2 , etoac / heptane 1 / 5 ) afforded 7 . 22 g ( 69 %) of the title product as a white solid . es - ms m / e : 254 . 2 ( m + h + ). a solution of 4 - chloro - 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridine - 5 - carboxylic acid ethyl ester ( 3 . 6 g , 0 . 014 mol ) in toluene ( 80 ml ) and etoh ( 40 ml ) was degassed 3 times before pd ( pph 3 ) 4 ( 0 . 49 g , 0 . 425 mmol ), 4 - fluoro - 2 - methylphenylboronic acid ( 2 . 62 g , 0 . 017 mol ) and an aqueous solution of na 2 co 3 ( 2n , 14 . 2 ml , 0 . 028 mol ) were added . the reaction mixture was stirred at 70 ° c . for 15 hours , cooled down to rt , filtered and the volatiles evaporated under vacuo . the residue was taken up in etoac and washed with aqueous naoh ( 1n ). the organic phase was dried over na 2 so 4 , concentrated under vacuo , before a purification on column chromatography ( sio 2 , etoac / heptane , 1 / 3 ) yielded 3 . 6 g ( 77 %) of the title compound as a colorless oil . es - ms m / e : 328 . 2 ( m + h − ). to a solution of 1 - ethyl - 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridine - 5 - carboxylic acid ethyl ester ( 3 . 6 g , 0 . 011 mol ) in etoh ( 20 ml ) and thf ( 20 ml ) was added an aqueous solution of naoh ( 1n , 16 . 5 ml , 0 . 016 mol ) and the mixture was heated at 50 ° c . for 3 hours . after cooling down to rt , the mixture was acidified with aqueous hcl ( 1n ) until ph reached 3 and the product extracted with etoac . the combined organic phases were dried over na 2 so 4 and concentrated to give the crude acid which was used directly in the next step without further purification . the residue was taken up in thf ( 90 ml ) before et 3 n ( 1 . 49 ml , 0 . 0107 mol ), dppa ( diphenyl phosphorazidate , 2 . 94 g , 0 . 0107 mol ) and tbuoh ( 4 . 0 ml , 0 . 0428 mol ) were added . the reaction mixture was heated at 60 ° c . for 7 hours , volatiles were then partially evaporated , and the concentrated solution poured onto etoac ( 200 ml ) and washed with h 2 o . the organic layer was dried over na 2 so 4 , and purification by column chromatography ( sio 2 , etoac / heptane 1 / 4 ) yielded 2 . 6 g ( 65 %) of the title compound as a white solid . es - ms m / e : 371 . 2 ( m + h + ). to a solution of [ 1 - ethyl - 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- carbamic acid tert - butyl ester ( 2 . 6 g , 7 . 02 mmol ) in dmf ( 50 ml ) at 0 ° c . was added nah ( 0 . 44 g , 50 % purity , 9 . 12 mmol ). after 20 minutes , iodomethane ( 1 . 49 g , 10 . 5 mmol ) was added and the temperature raised to rt . the reaction was quenched by addition of h 2 o and the product extracted with etoac . the combined organic phases were dried over na 2 so 4 , and concentrated under vacuo to give a crude intermediate which was used directly in the next step without further purification . this residue as dissolved in ch 2 cl 2 ( 30 ml ) and tfa ( 8 ml ) was added . the reaction mixture was heated at 40 ° c . for 2 hours , diluted with ch 2 cl 2 ( 100 ml ) and aqueous naoh ( 1n ) was added until ph reached 8 . the organic phase was dried over na 2 so 4 , concentrated under vacuo to give the title product 1 . 95 g with high purity ( no further purification needed ) ( 99 %) as a light yellow solid . es - ms m / e : 285 . 1 ( m + h + ). to a solution of 4 - chloro - 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridine - 5 - carboxylic acid ethyl ester ( described herein above , 3 . 5 g , 0 . 0138 mol ) in etoh ( 20 ml ) and thf ( 20 ml ) was added an aqueous solution of naoh ( 1n , 20 . 7 ml , 0 . 0207 mol ) and the mixture was heated at 35 ° c . for 2 hours . after cooling down to rt , the mixture was acidified with aqueous hcl ( 1n ) until ph reached 4 and the product extracted with etoac . the combined organic phases were dried over na 2 so 4 and concentrated to give the crude acid which was used directly in the next step without further purification . the residue was taken up in thf ( 90 ml ) before et 3 n ( 1 . 85 ml , 0 . 0133 mol ), dppa ( diphenyl phosphorazidate , 3 . 66 g , 0 . 0133 mol ) and tbuoh ( 5 . 0 ml , 0 . 0532 mol ) were added . the reaction mixture was heated at 60 ° c . for 6 hours , volatiles were then partially evaporated , and the concentrated solution poured onto etoac ( 200 ml ) and washed with h 2 o ( 2 times 150 ml ). the organic layer was dried over na 2 so 4 , and purification by column chromatography ( sio 2 , etoac / heptane 1 / 4 ) yielded 3 . 3 g ( 84 %) of the title compound as a white waxy solid . es - ms m / e : 297 . 2 ( m + h + ). to a solution of ( 4 - chloro - 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl )- carbamic acid tert - butyl ester ( 3 . 3 g , 11 . 1 mmol ) in dmf ( 50 ml ) at 0 ° c . was added nah ( 0 . 694 g , 50 % purity , 14 . 5 mmol ). after 20 minutes , iodomethane ( 2 . 37 g , 16 . 7 mmol ) was added and the temperature raised to rt . the reaction was quenched by addition of h 2 o and the product extracted with etoac . the combined organic phases were dried over na 2 so 4 , and concentrated under vacuo to give a crude intermediate which was used directly in the next step without further purification . this residue as dissolved in ch 2 cl 2 ( 50 ml ) and tfa ( 10 ml ) was added . the reaction mixture was heated at 30 ° c . for 3 hours , diluted with ch 2 cl 2 ( 100 ml ) and aqueous naoh ( 1n ) was added until ph reached 8 . the organic phase was dried over na 2 so 4 , concentrated under vacuo to give the title product 2 . 24 g with high purity ( no further purification needed ) ( 96 %) as a light yellow solid . es - ms m / e : 211 . 2 ( m + h + ). to a solution of ( 4 - chloro - 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl )- methyl - amine ( 2 . 24 g , 10 . 63 mmol ) in ch 2 cl 2 ( 50 ml ) was added ipr 2 net ( 3 . 69 ml , 21 . 20 mmol ) and 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- 2 - methyl - propionyl chloride ( described in j . org . chem , 2006 , 71 , 2000 - 2008 , 4 . 38 g , 13 . 70 mmol ). the reaction mixture was heated at 40 ° c . for 2 hours , diluted with ch 2 cl 2 ( 100 ml ), and washed with h 2 o . the organic phase was dried over na 2 so 4 , concentrated under vacuo , and column chromatography ( sio 2 , etoac / heptane 1 / 4 ) afforded 4 . 96 g ( 95 %) of the title compound as a light yellow solid . es - ms m / e : 493 . 2 ( m + h + ). to 2 - benzyl - 2h - pyrazol - 3 - ylamine ( 5 . 0 g , 0 . 0289 mol ) was added 2 - ethoxymethylene - malonic acid diethyl ester ( 5 . 78 ml , 0 . 0289 mol ) and the mixture was heated at 120 ° c . for 4 hours . after cooling down to rt , the crude mixture was purified by column chromatography ( sio 2 , etoac / heptane 1 / 1 ) to give 7 . 44 g ( 75 %) of the title compound as a light yellow oil . a solution of 2 -[( 2 - benzyl - 2h - pyrazol - 3 - ylamino )- methylene ]- malonic acid diethyl ester ( 7 . 0 g , 0 . 020 mol ) in pocl 3 ( 50 ml ) was heated at reflux ( 130 ° c .) for 8 hours . the excess of pocl 3 were distilled off and the reaction mixture cooled to 0 ° c ., before careful addition of water ( 100 ml ) and then aqueous naoh ( 3n ) until ph reached 7 . the product was extracted with ch 2 cl 2 several times , and the combined orgnic phase were dried over na 2 so 4 and concentrated under vacuo . column chromatography ( sio 2 , etoac / heptane 1 / 6 ) afforded 4 . 10 g ( 65 %) of the title product as a white solid . a solution of 1 - benzyl - 4 - chloro - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridine - 5 - carboxylic acid ethyl ester ( 4 . 56 g , 0 . 0144 mol ) in toluene ( 80 ml ) and etoh ( 40 ml ) was degassed 3 times before pd ( pph 3 ) 4 ( 0 . 834 g , 0 . 722 mmol ), 4 - fluoro - 2 - methylphenylboronic acid ( 2 . 67 g , 0 . 0173 mol ) and an aqueous solution of na 2 co 3 ( 2n , 14 . 4 ml , 0 . 0288 mol ) were added . the reaction mixture was stirred at 75 ° c . for 15 hours , cooled down to rt , filtered and the volatiles evaporated under vacuo . the residue was taken up in etoac and washed with aqueous naoh ( 1n ). the organic phase was dried over na 2 so 4 , concentrated under vacuo , before a purification on column chromatography ( sio 2 , etoac / heptane , 1 / 4 ) yielded 4 . 74 g ( 84 %) of the title compound as a colorless solid . to a solution of 1 - benzyl - 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridine - 5 - carboxylic acid ethyl ester ( 4 . 0 g , 10 . 3 mmol ) in etoh ( 20 ml ) and thf ( 20 ml ) was added an aqueous solution of naoh ( 1n , 20 ml , 20 . 0 mmol ) and the mixture was heated at 50 ° c . for 3 hours . after cooling down to rt , the mixture was acidified with aqueous hcl ( 1n ) until ph reached 3 and the product extracted with etoac . the combined organic phases were dried over na 2 so 4 and concentrated to give the crude acid which was used directly in the next step without further purification . the residue was taken up in thf ( 20 ml ) before et 3 n ( 1 . 42 ml , 10 . 3 mmol ), dppa ( diphenyl phosphorazidate , 2 . 83 g , 10 . 3 mmol ) and tbuoh ( 3 . 85 ml , 41 . 1 mmol ) were added . the reaction mixture was heated at 60 ° c . for 7 hours , volatiles were then partially evaporated , and the concentrated solution poured onto etoac ( 200 ml ) and washed with h 2 o . the organic layer was dried over na 2 so 4 , and purification by column chromatography ( sio 2 , etoac / heptane 1 / 5 ) yielded 2 . 6 g ( 58 %) of the title compound as a white solid . to a solution of [ 1 - benzyl - 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- carbamic acid tert - butyl ester ( 2 . 6 g , 6 . 01 mmol ) in dmf ( 50 ml ) at 0 ° c . was added nah ( 0 . 462 g , 50 % purity , 9 . 62 mmol ). after 20 minutes , iodomethane ( 1 . 54 g , 10 . 8 mmol ) was added and the temperature raised to rt . the reaction was quenched by addition of h 2 o and the product extracted with etoac . the combined organic phases were dried over na 2 so 4 , and concentrated under vacuo to give a crude intermediate which was used directly in the next step without further purification . this residue as dissolved in ch 2 cl 2 ( 50 ml ) and tfa ( 15 ml ) was added . the reaction mixture was heated at 30 ° c . for 2 hours , diluted with ch 2 cl 2 ( 100 ml ) and aqueous naoh ( 1n ) was added until ph reached 8 . the organic phase was dried over na 2 so 4 , concentrated under vacuo to give the title product 2 . 24 g ( 97 %) with high purity ( no further purification needed ) as a light yellow solid . es - ms m / e : 347 . 3 ( m + h + ). to a solution of [ 1 - benzyl - 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- methyl - amine ( 2 . 125 g , 6 . 13 mmol ) in ch 2 cl 2 ( 30 ml ) was added ipr 2 net ( 2 . 14 ml , 12 . 3 mmol ) and 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- 2 - methyl - propionyl chloride ( described in j . org . chem , 2006 , 71 , 2000 - 2008 , 2 . 93 g , 9 . 20 mmol ). the reaction mixture was heated at 40 ° c . for 2 hours , diluted with ch 2 cl 2 ( 100 ml ), and washed with h 2 o . the organic phase was dried over na 2 so 4 , concentrated under vacuo , and column chromatography ( sio 2 , etoac / heptane 1 / 4 ) afforded 3 . 2 g ( 83 %) of the title compound as a white foam . es - ms m / e : 629 . 2 ( m + h + ). to a solution of n -[ 1 - benzyl - 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( 0 . 40 g , 0 . 636 mmol ) in meoh ( 12 ml ) was added pd / c ( 120 mg ) and aqueous hcl ( 0 . 078 ml , 37 % in h 2 o ) and was put under hydrogen pressure at 10 bars . the reaction mixture was stirred at 60 ° c . for 20 hours before volatiles were removed , ph adjusted to 8 with aqueous naoh , and the product extracted with etoac . the combined organic phases were dried over na 2 so 4 , and purification by column chromatography ( sio 2 , etoac / heptane 1 / 1 ) yielded 141 mg ( 41 %) of the title compound as a white powder . es - ms m / e : 539 . 2 ( m + h + ). pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -( 4 - chloro - 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl )- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( xi - 1 ) boronic acid : o - tolylboronic acid ( commercially available ) pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : [ 1 - ethyl - 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- methyl - amine ( vii - 1 ) acid chlorid : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- 2 - methyl - propionyl chloride ( preparation described j . org . chem , 2006 , 71 , 2000 - 2008 ) pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -( 4 - chloro - 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl )- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( xi - 1 ) boronic acid : 2 - chlorophenylboronic acid ( commercially available ) es - ms m / e : 569 . 2 ( m + h + ). pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -( 4 - chloro - 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl )- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( xi - 1 ) boronic acid : 3 , 4 - dichlorophenylboronic acid ( commercially available ) [ 1 - ethyl - 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- carbamic acid tert - butyl ester ( preparation described above in course of the synthesis of vii - 1 ) was boc - deprotected upon treatment with tfa at rt in ch 2 cl 2 to yield the free primary amine which was directly coupled with the acid chloride 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- 2 - methyl - propionyl chloride using the general procedure i to give the tile product . es - ms m / e : 553 . 3 ( m + h + ). pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -[ 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( i - b - 1 ) and 2 , 2 - difluoroethyl triflate ( commercially available ) es - ms m / e : 603 . 2 ( m + h + ). pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -[ 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( i - b - 1 ) and iodomethane ( commercially available ) es - ms m / e : 553 . 3 ( m + h + ). pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -( 4 - chloro - 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl )- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( xi - 1 ) boronic acid : 2 , 4 - difluorophenylboronic acid ( commercially available ) es - ms m / e : 571 . 3 ( m + h + ). pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -( 4 - chloro - 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl )- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( xi - 1 ) boronic acid : 2 , 3 - difluorophenylboronic acid ( commercially available ) es - ms m / e : 571 . 3 ( m + h + ). pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -( 4 - chloro - 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl )- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( xi - 1 ) boronic acid : phenylboronic acid ( commercially available ) es - ms m / e : 535 . 1 ( m + h + ). this compound is a precursor of the intermediate i - b - 1 and its full synthesis is described there . es - ms m / e : 627 . 7 ( m + h + ). pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -( 4 - chloro - 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl )- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( xi - 1 ) boronic acid : 4 - fluoro - 2 - methoxyphenylboronic acid ( commercially available ) es - ms m / e : 583 . 2 ( m + h + ). pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -( 4 - chloro - 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl )- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( xi - 1 ) boronic acid : ( 5 - fluoro - 2 - methylphenyl ) boronic acid ( commercially available ) pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -( 4 - chloro - 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl )- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( xi - 1 ) boronic acid : ( 2 - chloro - 3 - fluorophenyl ) boronic acid ( commercially available ) es - ms m / e : 587 . 1 ( m + h + ). pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -( 4 - chloro - 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl )- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( xi - 1 ) boronic acid : 2 - methoxyphenylboronic acid ( commercially available ) pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -( 4 - chloro - 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl )- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( xi - 1 ) boronic acid : 4 - methoxy - 2 - methylphenylboronic acid ( commercially available ) pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -( 4 - chloro - 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl )- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( xi - 1 ) boronic acid : 3 - chlorophenylboronic acid ( commercially available ) pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -( 4 - chloro - 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl )- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( xi - 1 ) boronic acid : 2 , 3 - dichlorophenylboronic acid ( commercially available ) es - ms m / e : 603 . 1 ( m + h + ). pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -( 4 - chloro - 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl )- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( xi - 1 ) boronic acid : 2 - chloro - 4 - fluorophenylboronic acid ( commercially available ) pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -( 4 - chloro - 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl )- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( xi - 1 ) boronic acid : ( 2 - hydroxymethylphenyl ) boronic acid ( commercially available ) pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -( 4 - chloro - 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl )- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( xi - 1 ) boronic acid : 4 - methyl - 3 - thiopheneboronic acid ( commercially available ) pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -( 4 - chloro - 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl )- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( xi - 1 ) boronic acid : 2 - chloro - 5 - hydroxymethylphenylboronic acid ( commercially available ) pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -( 4 - chloro - 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl )- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( xi - 1 ) boronic acid : ( 4 - cyanophenyl ) boronic acid ( commercially available ) pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -( 4 - chloro - 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl )- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( xi - 1 ) boronic acid : 2 - chlorothiophene - 3 - boronic acid ( commercially available ) pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -( 4 - chloro - 1 - ethyl - 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl )- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( xi - 1 ) boronic acid : 2 - methylpyridine - 3 - boronic acid ( commercially available ) pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : [ 1 - ethyl - 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- methyl - amine ( vii - 1 ) acid chloride : 2 -( 3 - fluoro - 5 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- 2 - methyl - propionyl chloride ( preparation described in wo2005002577 ) es - ms m / e : 517 . 4 ( m + h + ). pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : [ 1 - ethyl - 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- methyl - amine ( vii - 1 ) acid chloride : 2 -( 3 , 5 - dichloro - phenyl )- 2 - methyl - propionyl chloride ( preparation described in wo2005002577 ) es - ms m / e : 499 . 3 ( m + h + ). this compound was already described as the intermediate i - b - 1 ( see above ). es - ms m / e : 539 . 3 ( m + h + ). pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : [ 1 - ethyl - 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- methyl - amine ( vii - 1 ) acid chloride : 2 -( 3 - chloro - phenyl )- 2 - methyl - propionyl chloride ( preparation described in wo2005002577 ) es - ms m / e : 465 . 1 ( m + h + ). pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : [ 1 - ethyl - 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- methyl - amine ( vii - 1 ) acid chloride : 2 - methyl - 2 -( 3 - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- propionyl chloride ( preparation described in wo2005002577 ) es - ms m / e : 499 . 3 ( m + h + ). pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -[ 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( i - b - 1 ) and acetyl chloride ( commercially available ) es - ms m / e : 581 . 2 ( m + h + ). pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -[ 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( i - b - 1 ) and methoxy - acetyl chloride ( commercially available ) es - ms m / e : 611 . 2 ( m + h + ). pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -[ 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( i - b - 1 ) and cyclopropanecarbonyl chloride ( commercially available ) es - ms m / e : 607 . 2 ( m + h + ). pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -[ 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( i - b - 1 ) and 2 - bromo - 1 -( 1 - pyrrolidinyl )- 1 - ethanone ( commercially available ) es - ms m / e : 650 . 4 ( m + h + ). pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -[ 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( i - b - 1 ) and 2 - chloro - n , n - dimethylacetamide ( commercially available ) es - ms m / e : 624 . 3 ( m + h + ). pyrrazolo - pyridine intermediate : 2 -( 3 , 5 - bis - trifluoromethyl - phenyl )- n -[ 4 -( 4 - fluoro - 2 - methyl - phenyl )- 1h - pyrazolo [ 3 , 4 - b ] pyridin - 5 - yl ]- n - methyl - isobutyramide ( i - b - 1 ) and methanesulfonyl chloride ( commercially available ) es - ms m / e : 617 . 2 ( m + h + ). the above intermediate was dissolved in ch 2 cl 2 and mcpba ( 2 eq .) was added . after one hour at rt , the reaction mixture was diluted in ch 2 cl 2 , washed with an aqueous solution of nahco 3 . the organic phase was dried over na 2 so 4 , concentrated under vacuo , purified by preparation hplc to yield the title compound as a white solid ( 33 %). es - ms m / e : 631 . 1 ( m + h + ). | 2 |
a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings . in the following description , well - known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the invention in unnecessary detail . in a mobile communication system , a coding rate r of a channel encoder can be represented by r = k / n . here , k indicates the number of input bits , and n indicates the number of output bits . for example , in the case of the symmetric coding rate 1 / 2 , the channel encoder receives 1 input bit and generates 2 output bits . the output bits are comprised of 1 systematic bit and 1 parity bit . in the case of the asymmetric coding rate 3 / 4 , the channel encoder receives 3 input bit and generates 4 output bits . the output bits are comprised of 3 systematic bits and 1 parity bit . the hybrid automatic repeat request (“ h - arq ”) to be linked to the smp technique according to one aspect of the present invention is a link control technique for correcting an error by retransmitting the errored data upon occurrence of a packet error . the h - arq is classified into h - arq type ii and h - arq type iii according to whether to retransmit information bits . typically , full incremental redundancy (“ fir ”) represents the h - arq type ii . further , the h - arq type ii is divided into chase combing (“ cc ”) and partial incremental redundancy (“ pir ”) according to whether parity bits used for retransmission are identical to each other . herein , a description of the embodiment of the present invention will be made separately with reference to the h - arq type ii and the h - arq type iii . [ 0049 ] fig4 illustrates a structure of a transmitter in a cdma mobile communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig4 a cyclic redundancy check (“ crc ”) addition part 402 receives transmission data source , and adds crc for error checking on the received data . a channel encoder 404 receives the crc - added data , and encodes the received data using a prescribed code . the prescribed encoder refers to an encoder for outputting transmission bits and error control bits for the transmission bits by coding the received data . the prescribed coder , as mentioned above , includes a turbo coder and a systematic convolutional coder . meanwhile , the channel encoder 404 encodes data at a prescribed coding rate . the prescribed coding rate determines a ratio of systematic , bits to parity bits output from the channel encoder 404 . for example , if the prescribed coding rate is a symmetrical coding rate of 1 / 2 , the channel encoder 404 receives 1 bit , and outputs 1 systematic bit and 1 parity bit . however , if the prescribed coding rate is an asymmetrical coding rate of 3 / 4 , the channel encoder 404 receives 3 bits , and outputs 3 systematic bits and 1 parity bit . an embodiment of the present invention described below may be equally applied not only to the coding rates 1 / 2 and 3 / 4 but also to other coding rates . that is , the embodiment of the present invention delays the coded bits by only the modulation order regardless of the coding rate . a detailed structure of the channel encoder 404 is illustrated in fig5 . a rate matcher 406 performs rate matching through repetition and puncturing on the coded bits from the channel encoder 404 . an interleaver 408 receives the coded bits from the rate matcher 406 , and interleaves the received coded bits . therefore , the coded bits output from the interleaver 408 are randomly located in a buffer delay 410 . the buffer delay 410 delays the buffered coded bits in a prescribed bit unit , under the control of a buffer controller 412 . the buffer controller 412 determines whether to delay the coded bits buffered or temporarily stored in the buffer delay 410 , at a retransmission request from a receiver . further , the buffer controller 412 controls the buffer delay 410 according to the determination . an operation of the buffer delay 410 is applicable to all the h - arq types of cc , pir and fir , and a detailed description of this will be made later with reference to an embodiment . although the retransmission request is represented by an ack / nack signal in fig4 a retransmission command is issued by an upper layer that has received a retransmission request from the receiver . therefore , in this embodiment , a retransmission command may be provided to the buffer controller 412 from the upper layer . a modulator 414 maps the coded bits from the buffer delay 410 to prescribed symbols , before transmission to the receiver . for example , when using 16qam modulation , the modulator 414 maps the coded bits to the symbols having the reliability pattern [ h , h , l , l ]. a controller 420 controls the overall operation of the transmitter . the controller 420 determines the coding rate and the modulation mode to be used in the current radio channel state . the controller 420 controls a coding rate of the channel encoder 404 according to the determined coding rate , and controls the modulator 414 according to the determined modulation mode . although the buffer delay 410 is controlled by the retransmission request from the buffer controller 412 in fig4 the function of the buffer controller 412 may be replaced with the same function of an undepicted upper layer . [ 0054 ] fig5 illustrates a detailed structure of the channel encoder 404 shown in fig4 . the channel encoder of fig5 uses an r = 1 / 6 code adopted in 3 rd generation partnership project (“ 3gpp ”). referring to fig5 upon receiving one transmission frame , the channel encoder outputs the intact transmission frame as a systematic bit frame x . the transmission frame is also provided to a first channel encoder 510 , and the first channel encoder 510 performs coding on the transmission frame and outputs two different parity bit frames y 1 and y 2 . in addition , the transmission frame is also provided to an interleaver 512 , and the interleaver 512 interleaves the transmission frame . the intact interleaved transmission frame is transmitted as an interleaved systematic bit frame x ′. the interleaved transmission frame is provided to a second channel encoder 514 , and the second channel encoder 514 performs coding on the interleaved transmission frame and outputs two different parity frames z 1 and z 2 . the systematic bit frame x is comprised of a transmission unit of x 1 , x 2 , . . . , x n , and the interleaved systematic bit frame x ′ is comprised of a transmission unit of x ′ 1 , x ′ 2 , . . . , x ′ n . the parity bit frame y 1 is comprised of a transmission unit of y 11 , y 12 , . . . , y 1n , and the party bit frame y 2 is comprised of a transmission unit of y 21 , y 22 , . . . , y 2n . finally , the party bit frame z 1 is comprised of a transmission unit of z 11 , z 12 , . . . , z 1n , and the party bit frame z 2 is comprised of a transmission unit of z 21 , z 22 , . . . , z 2n . the systematic bit frame x , the interleaved systematic bit frame x ′, and the four different parity bit frames y 1 , y 2 , z 1 , and z 2 are provided to a puncture 516 . the puncture 516 punctures the systematic bit frame x , the interleaved systematic bit frame x ′, and the four different parity bit frames y 1 , y 2 , z 1 , and z 2 according to a puncturing pattern provided from the controller ( amcs ) 420 , and exclusively outputs desired systematic bits s and parity bits p . here , the puncturing pattern is determined according to a coding rate of the channel encoder 404 and the h - arq type in use . the typical puncturing patterns are defined as p 1 = [ 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 ] equation ( 1 ) p 2 = [ 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 ] equation ( 2 ) the puncturing patterns of equations ( 1 ) and ( 2 ) are used when the h - arq type iii ( cc and pir ) is used and the channel encoder 404 has a coding rate 1 / 2 . in the case of the cc , the puncture 516 repeatedly uses the puncturing pattern of equation ( 1 ) or ( 2 ) at initial transmission and retransmission . in the case of the pir , the puncture 516 repeatedly uses the two puncturing patterns at each transmission . if the h - arq type ii ( fir ) is used , the puncture 516 uses a puncturing pattern for puncturing the systematic bits at retransmission . for example , a puncturing pattern for the h - arq type ii becomes “ 010010 ”. in the case of the cc , if it is assumed that the puncture 516 uses the puncturing pattern of equation ( 1 ), the puncture 516 outputs x and y 1 according to the puncturing pattern “ 110000 ”, and further , outputs x and z 2 according to the puncturing pattern “ 100001 ” and punctures the other bits , at each transmission . as another example , if it is assumed that the puncture 516 uses the puncturing pattern of equation ( 2 ), the puncture 516 outputs x and y 1 according to the puncturing pattern “ 110000 ”, and further , outputs x and z 1 according to the puncturing pattern “ 100010 ” and punctures the other bits , at each transmission . in the case of the pir , if the x , y 1 , x and x 2 are transmitted at initial transmission , the x , y 1 , x and z 1 are transmitted at retransmission . when using an r = 1 / 3 code adopted in 3gpp , the channel encoder may be implemented with the first channel encoder 510 and the puncture 516 shown in fig5 . [ 0062 ] fig6 illustrates a structure of a receiver corresponding to the transmitter of fig4 according to an embodiment of the present invention . referring to fig6 a demodulator 610 receives modulated data transmitted from the transmitter , and demodulates the received data according to a demodulation mode corresponding to the modulation mode used in the modulator 414 of the transmitter . a buffer rearrangement part 612 receives the demodulated data from the demodulator 610 , and rearranges the demodulated data to combine it under the control of a buffer controller 614 . the buffer rearrangement part 612 provides the rearranged data to a deinterleaver 616 . an operation of the buffer controller 614 will be described in detail later . a deinterleaving operation of the deinterleaver 616 corresponds to the interleaving operation performed by the interleaver of the transmitter . a combiner 618 combines the same coded bits buffering . that is , the combiner 618 is inactivated when normally receiving the coded bits from the transmitter . however , the combiner 618 performs the combining when the transmitter retransmits the same coded bits as the previously transmitted coded bits at a retransmission request . a channel decoder 622 receives the combined coded bits output from the combiner 618 , decodes the received coded bits according to a prescribed decoding technique , and outputs desired received bits . here , the prescribed decoding technique receives systematic bits and parity bits , and decodes the systematic bits . the prescribed decoding technique is determined by the coding technique of the transmitter . a crc checker 624 receives the decoded bits output from the channel decoder 622 , and checks crc added to the received bits to determine whether errors have occurred in the received bits . if it is determined that no error has occurred in the received bits , the crc checker 624 outputs the received bits , and transmits ack to the transmitter in acknowledgement of the received bits . however , if it is determined that errors have occurred in the received bits , the crc checker 624 transmits nack , that is , negative ack , to the transmitter to request retransmission of the errored bits . a buffer 620 is initialized to discard the corresponding coded bits buffered therein upon receiving ack from the crc checker 624 . however , upon receipt of nack , the buffer 620 buffers or temporarily stores the corresponding coded bits to combine them with the coded bits to be retransmitted . in addition , the crc checker 624 provides the ack / nack to the buffer controller 614 so that the buffer controller 614 may control the buffer rearrangement part 612 . the present invention proposes a transmitter and a receiver supporting the h - arq technique in a cdma mobile communication system using the 16qam modulation as the modulation order . the invention expands the modulation to an m - ary modulation order through normalization . the invention separates the h - arq type , and proposes several embodiments corresponding to the separated h - arq types . the embodiments of the present invention will further be described in detail herein below with reference to the accompanying drawings . in the following description , it will be assumed that the embodiments of the present invention use 16qam as the modulation order , use the coding rate 1 / 2 , use cc and pir as the h - arq type , and uses the puncturing pattern of equation ( 1 ). in addition , the detailed description of the embodiments will be separately made for the different h - arq types , including cc , pir and fir . further , the s bits and the p bits are commonly known as the coded bits . therefore , in the following description , the term “ coded bits ” will be construed as the s bits and the p bits . first , an operation of transmitting data will be described with reference to the structure of the hsdpa transmitter shown in fig4 . the crc addition part 402 adds crc to transmission data , and the crc - added data is coded with a prescribed code by the channel encoder 404 . that is , the channel encoder 404 outputs coded bits . an operation of the channel encoder 404 will be described in more detail with reference to fig5 . the crc - added data source is output as the s bits x , and at the same time , provided to the first channel encoder 510 . the data source provided to the first channel encoder 510 is coded into different p bits y 1 and y 2 at a prescribed coding rate . further , the data source is interleaved by the interleaver 512 and then provided to the second channel encoder 514 . the interleaved data provided to the second channel encoder 514 is output as other s bits x ′. further , the interleaved data provided to the second channel encoder 514 is coded into different p bits z 1 and z 2 at a prescribed coding rate . the puncture 516 performs puncturing on the s bits x and x ′, and the p bits y 1 , y 2 , z 1 and z 2 according to a prescribed puncturing pattern , and outputs final s bits and p bits at a desired coding rate . as stated before , if the h - arq type is the cc , the puncturing pattern at initial transmission is identical to the puncturing pattern at retransmission . that is , when the cc is used as the h - arq type , the bits transmitted at initial transmission are identical to those transmitted at retransmission . the puncturing pattern is either previously recognized by the puncture 516 , or provided from the outside . in fig5 the channel encoder is provided with the puncturing - pattern from the outside . referring back to fig4 the coded bits from the channel encoder 404 are provided to the rate matcher 406 , where they are subject to rate matching . commonly , the rate matching is performed by repetition and puncturing operations on the coded bits , when a transport channel is subject to multiplexing or the output bits of the channel encoder are not identical in number to the symbols transmitted over the air . the coded bits rate - matched by the rate matcher 406 are interleaved by the interleaver 408 according to a predetermined interleaving pattern . the interleaving pattern is recognized by the receiver . the interleaved coded bits from the interleaver 408 are delayed as shown in fig7 by the buffer delay 410 under the control of the buffer controller 412 . the delayed coded bits are provided to the modulator 414 , where they are mapped to prescribed symbols . an operation of the buffer delay 410 is illustrated in fig7 by way of example . it is assumed in fig7 that the modulation is 16 and one frame has 12 bits for the convenience of explanation . in this case , one symbol is comprised of 4 bits , and has a reliability pattern [ h , h , l , l ]. therefore , as illustrated in fig7 at initial transmission 702 , the 1 st , 2 nd , 5 th , 6 th , 9 th and 10 th bit positions are mapped to the bits with higher reliability , and the 3 rd , 4 th , 7 th , 8 th , 11 th and 12 th bit positions are mapped to the bits with lower reliability . however , at retransmission 704 caused by the nack received from the receiver , the 1 st , 2 nd , 5 th , 6 th , 9 th and 10 th bit positions are mapped to the bits with lower reliability , and the 3 rd , 4 th , 7 th , 8 th , 11 th and 12 th bit positions are mapped to the bits with higher reliability . that is , a twice - retransmitted bit is mapped to the bit position with higher reliability at initial transmission and the bit position with lower reliability at second transmission . this method is repeated from third transmission . as an application of the first method , a second method will be introduced in fig8 . as in the first method of fig7 it is also assumed in the second method of fig8 that the modulation order is 16qam and one frame has 12 bits for the convenience of explanation . in this case , one symbol is comprised of 4bits , and has a reliability pattern [ h , h , l , l ]. therefore , at initial transmission , the coded bits are transmitted without delay . however , from first retransmission , the coded bits are delayed bit by bit at each retransmission . therefore , from initial transmission to third retransmission , a certain bit is transmitted through the bit position with higher reliability twice and through the bit position with lower reliability twice . operations of the first method and the second method , normalized with an m - ary modulated signal , will be described herein below . 1 . 1 ) at initial transmission , the intact interleaved bits are transmitted to the modulator 414 . 1 . 2 ) upon receipt of ack , the buffer controller 412 transmits the intact interleaved bits to the modulator 414 . 1 . 3 ) upon receipt of nack , the buffer controller 412 delays the coded bits to be retransmitted by ( log 2 m )/ 2 before transmission to the modulator 414 . 1 . 4 ) upon receipt of the nack again , the buffer controller 412 transmits the intact coded bits to be retransmitted to the modulator 414 . 1 . 5 ) upon receipt of the nack once again , the buffer controller 412 delays the coded bits to be retransmitted by ( log 2 m )/ 2 before transmission to the modulator 414 . 1 . 6 ) upon receipt of ack , the buffer controller 412 repeatedly performs the operations of 1 . 4 ) and 1 . 5 ). 2 . 1 ) at initial transmission , the intact interleaved bits are transmitted to the modulator 414 . 2 . 2 ) upon receipt of ack , the buffer controller 412 transmits the intact interleaved bits to the modulator 414 . 2 . 3 ) upon every receipt of nack , the buffer controller 412 delays the coded bits to be retransmitted by 1 bit , performs this operation on the 1 st bit to the ( log 2 m − 1 ) th bit , and then delays again the coded bits in the order of 1 st bit , 2 nd bit , . . . ,( log 2 m − 1 ) th bit . 2 . 4 ) the buffer controller 412 continues the operation of 2 . 3 ) until the ack is received . when the second method is employed , the receiver rearranges received bits by reversely performing the delay operation , and then , combines the rearranged bits . the second method has been introduced as an application of the first method . in the following description , the invention will be described with reference to the first method . next , an operation of receiving data will be describe with reference to the structure of the hsdpa receiver , shown in fig6 corresponding to the transmitter . the demodulator 610 receives data transmitted from the transmitter , and demodulates the received data into coded bits according to a demodulation mode corresponding to the modulation mode used in the modulator 414 of the transmitter . the demodulated coded bits from the demodulator 610 are rearranged by the buffer rearrangement part 612 under the control of the buffer controller 614 . the rearranged coded bits are applied to the deinterleaver 616 , where they are deinterleaved . an operation of the buffer rearrangement part 612 will be described herein below with reference to fig9 . after first transmission of nack , the buffer rearrangement part 612 receives a retransmitted frame as represented by reference numeral 902 of fig9 . for combining , the coded bits exist in the same potions at each transmission . therefore , as represented by reference numeral 904 of fig9 the buffer rearrangement part 612 rearranges the coded bits by delaying ( shifting left ) the respective bits by 2 bits , and provides the rearranged coded bits to the deinterleaver 616 . that is , the operation of the buffer rearrangement part 612 corresponds to the operation of the buffer delay 410 in the transmitter . the deinterleaver 616 performs deinterleaving according to the interleaving pattern used by the interleaver 408 of the transmitter . the deinterleaved coded bits from the deinterleaver 616 are provided to the combiner 618 , where they are subject to combining . that is , the combiner 618 combines the coded bits received at initial transmission with the same coded bits received at retransmission . if there were several retransmissions , the combiner 618 buffered - combines the coded bits received at each retransmission with the coded bits received at initial transmission and previous retransmission . the combining , as stated above , is performed on the same coded bits . in order to perform combining on the retransmitted coded bits , the combiner 618 recognizes the previously received coded bits . for example , the combiner 618 is provided with the previously received coded bits from the buffer 620 , and the buffer 620 determines whether to buffer the previously received coded bits , based on the crc check results from the crc checker 624 . the combiner 618 provides the combined coded bits to the channel decoder 622 . however , at initial transmission , the combiner 618 may not perform combining on the coded bits provided from the deinterleaver 616 . therefore , at initial transmission , the combiner 618 provides the intact coded bits from the deinterleaver 616 to the channel decoder 622 . the channel decoder 622 decodes the coded bits provided from the combiner 618 into information bits transmitted by the transmitter according to a prescribed decoding technique . here , the prescribed decoding technique is to receive s bits and p bit , and decode the s bits , and the prescribed decoding technique is determined by the coding technique of the transmitter . the crc checker 624 receives the information bits decoded by the channel decoder 622 , and determines whether errors have occurred in the received information bits , by checking crc included in the information bits . if it is determined that errors have occurred in the information bits , the crc checker 624 reports it to the upper layer , and transmits a retransmission request for the corresponding information bits . however , if it is determined that no error has occurred in the information bits , the crc checker 624 outputs the information bits , and then performs error check on the next information bits provided from the channel decoder 622 . although not illustrated in fig6 when the crc checker 624 detects an error , the upper layer transmits nack to the transmitter for retransmission request . however , if the crc checker 614 detects no error , the upper layer transmits ack to the transmitter in acknowledgement of the information bits . as mentioned above , when nack is transmitted , the errored coded bits are stored in the buffer 620 . however , when ack is transmitted , the buffer 620 is initialized . [ 0097 ] fig1 and 11 illustrate a throughput comparison between the conventional method and the proposed method in fading environment and additive white gaussian noise (“ awgn ”) environment , respectively . it is noted that the method according to the present invention can obtain a remarkable performance gain in both the fading environment and the awgn environment . first , an operation of transmitting data will be described with reference to the structure of the hsdpa transmitter shown in fig4 . the crc addition part 402 adds crc to transmission data , and the crc - added data is coded with a prescribed code by the channel encoder 404 . that is , the channel encoder 404 outputs systematic bits ( s bits ) which are actual transmission data , and parity bits ( p bits ) for error controlling the transmission data , through coding . an operation of the channel encoder 404 is performed in the same manner as performed when cc is used as the h - arq type . however , the puncturing pattern for the puncture 516 of the channel encoder 404 is newly defined . the puncturing pattern for the pir is defined such that the same bits are transmitted for the s bits both at initial transmission and retransmission and the different bits from the previously transmitted bits are transmitted for the p bits at initial transmission and retransmission . when the pir is used , the puncture 516 may alternately use the puncturing patterns of equations ( 1 ) and ( 2 ). the s bits and the p bits output from the channel encoder 404 undergo modulation after passing through the rate matcher 406 and the interleaver 408 , as done when the cc is used . that is , when the pir is used as the h - arq type , the transmitter transmits data in the same way as performed when the cc is used as the h - arq type , except that the channel encoder 404 has a different puncturing pattern . here , the buffer controller 412 delays the coded bits by controlling the buffer delay 410 only when the packet is retransmitted . whether to transmit the packet may be previously recognized by the puncturing pattern . next , an operation of receiving data will be described with reference to the structure of the hsdpa receiver , shown in fig6 corresponding to the transmitter . an operation of processing the data received through the demodulator 610 , the buffer rearrangement part 612 and the deinterleaver 616 is performed in the same method as when the cc is used as the h - arq type . however , when the pir is used as the h - arq type , the combiner 618 performs combining considering whether the deinterleaved coded bits provided from the deinterleaver 616 are identical to the previously deinterleaved coded bits , at retransmission . this is because the puncturing pattern used for the cc is different from the puncturing pattern used for the pir . that is , when the pir is used as the h - arq type , the same s bits are transmitted at both initial transmission and retransmission , whereas the same p bits are not transmitted at the initial transmission and retransmission . therefore , the combining is performed only when the same frame is transmitted . for example , assume that the same p bits as the p bits transmitted at first transmission or initial transmission are transmitted at third transmission or second retransmission , and the same p bits as the p bits transmitted at second transmission or first retransmission are transmitted at fourth transmission or third retransmission . in this case , the coded bits are not delayed at initial transmission and first retransmission , and the coded bits are delayed at second retransmission and third retransmission . whether the transmitted coded bits are identical may be determined based on the puncturing pattern . a structure for decoding the output of the combiner 618 is also identical to the structure for the case where the cc is used , so the detailed description thereof will not be provided . the crc addition part 402 adds crc to transmission data , and the crc - added data is coded with a prescribed code by the channel encoder 404 . the channel encoder 404 outputs the s bits and the p bits at the same rate according to the puncturing patterns of equations ( 1 ) and ( 2 ) at initial transmission , and outputs only the p bits at retransmission . this may be achieved by adjusting the puncturing pattern of the puncture 516 in the channel encoder 404 , and the puncturing pattern is recognizable by both the transmitter and the receiver . when the fir is used as the h - arq type , puncturing patterns p 3 and p 4 used for retransmission are defined as p 3 = [ 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 ] equation ( 3 ) p 4 = [ 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 ] equation ( 4 ) as shown in equations ( 3 ) and ( 4 ), when the fir is used as the h - arq type , the channel encoder 404 has the puncturing patterns for puncturing the s bits and outputting only the p bits . for example , when the puncturing pattern of equation ( 3 ) is applied to the channel encoder 404 of fig5 the channel encoder 404 outputs the coded bits y 1 , y 2 , z 1 and z 2 . therefore , the channel encoder 404 provides the coded bits comprised of the s bits and the p bits to the rate matcher 406 at initial transmission , but provides only the p bits to the rate matcher 406 at retransmission . the coded bits provided to the rate matcher 406 are provided to the interleaver 408 after being rate - matched . when the fir is used as the h - arq type , the s bits are transmitted only at initial transmission and not transmitted at retransmissions . since only the p bits are transmitted at retransmissions , a delay in transmitting the coded bits is not considered at initial transmission , but considered from first retransmission . that is , after retransmission , only the same coded bits are delayed . this is because it is preferable to transmit all the p bits with higher reliability instead of transmitting a specific p bit with higher reliability . therefore , the transmitter decides lower reliability for the two coded bits previously decided to have higher reliability , and higher reliability for the two coded bits previously decided to have lower reliability , through a delay in transmitting the coded bits . the point where the coded bits are delayed may be recognized based on the puncturing pattern , as when the cc or the pir is used . the delay is performed only when the packet to be transmitted is identical to the previously transmitted packet . for example , if the puncturing pattern of equation ( 3 ) is used at retransmission , the transmitter decides higher reliability for the coded bits y 1 and y 2 and lower reliability for the coded bits z 1 and z 2 at first retransmission , and decides lower reliability for the coded bits y 1 and y 2 and higher reliability for the coded bits z 1 and z 2 at second retransmission . the decision on the reliability can be made depending on the delay by the buffer delay 410 . the interleaved coded bits are provided to the modulator 414 , where they are mapped to the bit positions corresponding to the decided reliabilities before being transmitted to the receiver . next , an operation of receiving data will be described with reference to the structure of the hsdpa receiver , shown in fig6 corresponding to the transmitter . an operation of processing the data received through the demodulator 610 , the buffer rearrangement part 612 and the deinterleaver 616 is performed in the same method as done when the cc or the pir is used as the h - arq type . however , when the fir is used as the h - arq type , the same p bits are received with different reliabilities at every other retransmission . therefore , the combiner 618 combines the same p bits received at each retransmission . the combiner 618 performs combining in the same method as used when the cc or the pir is used as the h - arq type . meanwhile , a process for decoding the information bits output from the combiner 618 is also identical to the process for the case where the cc or the pir is used , so the detailed description thereof will not be provided . as described above , the present invention may remarkably increase transmission efficiency by rearranging the bits stored in the buffer and mapping the rearranged bits to the bit positions with different reliabilities at each retransmission , thus to average llr values for input bits of the channel decoder . in addition , the present invention may remarkably increase the overall system performance without an increase in system complexity , when utilized for the hsdpa , which may be applied to the wired / wireless transmitter and receiver and may also be standardized in the future . that is , compared with the existing system , the system according to the present invention may increase the throughput by reducing the bit error rate . while the invention has been shown and described with reference to a certain preferred embodiment thereof , it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims . | 7 |
with reference to fig1 and fig2 , a first preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a memory card body 10 and a circuit board inside the body 10 . the shape and the size of the memory card body 10 are of the same specification as a standard memory card . the circuit board includes at least a dual interface control circuit 20 , a memory module 30 , a switch circuit 12 and a power control circuit 13 . one end of the circuit is configured with multiple electrical contacts 11 . in this preferred embodiment of the present invention , the dual interface control circuit 20 is made up by a memory card control circuit 21 , a communication serial interface control circuit 22 and a logic control circuit 23 . the memory card control circuit 21 and the communication serial interface control circuit 22 are respectively coupled to the memory module 30 and an oscillator 14 . moreover , the memory card control circuit 21 and the communication serial interface control circuit 22 are both coupled to the logic control unit 23 . the dual interface control circuit 20 further has a memory card standard interface 24 and a communication serial interface 25 respectively provided from the memory card control circuit 21 and the communication serial interface control circuit 22 . further , the electrical contacts 11 form a communication port of the memory card . the communication port accomplishes an integration of the memory card standard interface 24 and the communication serial interface 25 . the foregoing integration of the communication port means that the memory card standard interface 24 and the communication serial interface 25 share the same electrical contacts 11 . a feasible technology is to make the switch circuit 12 switch the memory card standard interface 24 and the communication serial interface 25 , so as to make the electrical contacts 11 switch from external connection signals to a respective control circuit of the dual interface control circuit 20 . moreover , a design of the switch circuit 12 can further comprises static electricity protection for the memory card . power for the memory card standard interface 24 and the communication serial interface 25 are common coupled to the same electrical contacts 11 via the switch circuit 12 and the power control circuit 13 . the power control circuit 13 not only provides the power to the dual interface control circuit 20 and the memory module 30 , but also depends on a predetermined voltage detection and definition range to control the switch circuit 12 to determine which control circuit of the dual interface control circuit 20 that the shared electrical contacts 11 will be coupled with . with reference to fig3 a to fig3 d , the first preferred embodiment of the present invention includes the dual interface control circuit 20 , the memory module 30 , the electrical contacts 11 , the switch circuit 12 , the power control circuit 13 and the oscillator 14 . the memory card standard interface 24 that the dual interface control circuit 20 supports is of sd memory card standard interface having corresponding signal pins of sd 0 to sd 3 , sdclk , sdcmd , and the like . the communication serial interface 25 that the dual interface control circuit 20 supports is of an usb interface having corresponding signal pins of dp and dm . the dual interface control circuit 20 is coupled to the memory module 30 by multiple pins . further , the pins of sd 0 to sd 3 of the memory card standard interface 24 are coupled to the electrical contacts 11 , and the pins sdclk and sdcmd are coupled to the switch circuit 12 . the pins of dp and dm of the communication serial interface 25 are coupled to the switch circuit 12 . the power pins vcc 33 of the dual interface control circuit 20 and the memory module 30 are coupled to power contacts vdd of the electrical contacts 11 via the power control circuit 13 . a power terminal vcc of the switch circuit 12 is coupled to the power contacts vdd of the electrical contacts 11 . the power control circuit 13 includes an electrical switch circuit , a voltage regulator circuit u 3 and a voltage detection circuit u 4 . in this preferred embodiment , the electrical switch circuit is a field effect transistor ( fet ) q 1 having a source and a drain respectively coupled to the power contact vdd of the electrical contacts 11 and the power pin vcc 33 of the memory card standard interface 24 . a gate of the field effect transistor q 1 is coupled to the voltage detection circuit u 4 . an input terminal of the voltage detection circuit u 4 is coupled to the power contact vdd , and an output terminal of the voltage detection circuit u 4 is coupled to a control pin usb_actv of the dual interface control circuit 20 . moreover , an input terminal and an output terminal of the voltage regulator circuit u 3 are respectively coupled to the power contact vdd of the electrical contacts 11 and the power pin vcc 33 of the dual interface control circuit 20 and the memory module 30 . a standard operating voltage of the sd memory standard interface is defined as 3 . 3 volts , and a standard operating voltage of the usb interface is defined as 5 volts . when the memory card of the present invention is plugged in an electronic device that supports the sd memory card , the electronic device provides power to the memory card . the power control circuit 13 of the memory card can detect that the power voltage of the electronic device is 3 . 3 volts with the power detection circuit u 4 . then a corresponding control signal s , such as a low voltage level signal or a logic zero is generated . the control signal s will be sent to a pin 1 of the switch circuit 12 and the gate of the field effect transistor q 1 of the power control circuit 13 . at this moment , the switch circuit 12 makes c 0 and c 1 of the electrical contacts 11 coupled to the pins sdclk and sdcmd of the memory card standard interface 24 of the dual interface control circuit 20 . the control signal s of the power control circuit 13 makes the field effect transistor q 1 conductive with a resistor r 5 , so as to make the power contacts vcc 33 and vdd electrically connected to be 3 . 3 volts . hence the dual interface control circuit 20 and the memory module 30 can operate with normal voltage supply . on the other hand , when the memory card of the present invention is plugged in an interface connector of an electronic device that supports the usb interface , vdd is 5 volts . the control signal s output from the power detection circuit u 4 of the power control circuit 13 changes to a high electric potential or a logic one . the switch circuit 12 then makes c 0 and c 1 of the electrical contacts 11 coupled to the pins dp and dm of the communication serial interface 25 of the dual interface control circuit 20 . then control signal s also turns off the field effect transistor q 1 of the power control circuit 13 . the vdd with 5 volts voltage is then coupled to the power contact vcc 33 via the voltage regulator circuit u 3 . the power contact vcc 33 still acquires 3 . 3 volts to make the dual interface control circuit 20 and the memory module 30 operate with normal voltage supply . further , the control signal s generated by the power control circuit 13 can be coupled to the dual interface control circuit 20 to make the dual interface control circuit 20 control peripheral signal flow . the signal flow includes the control signal of the switch circuit 12 . with reference to fig4 , the memory card of the present invention can further integrate the dual interface control circuit 20 , the switch circuit 12 or the power control circuit 13 as an integration control module 40 . when the memory card of the present invention is plugged to the electronic device , the power control circuit 13 can directly or indirectly control the switch circuit 12 . the integration control module 40 is of a new design circuit module controlled by an interface drive circuit 41 . an operating mode of the electrical contacts 11 of the memory card is then defined in a powered state that is when the integration control module 40 and the electronic device are in a handshake state . when the memory card of the present invention is plugged to the electronic device which supports the usb interface , an usb interface specification is defined as follows : when an electronic device is coupled to a product such as a memory card of the present invention , the electronic device detects the product and then makes the voltage level of pins dp and dm of the communication serial interface of usb to a low level for 10 milliseconds . when the memory card of the present invention is plugged to the electronic device which supports the sd memory card standard interface , an sd memory card standard interface specification is defined as follows : when an electronic device detects a product such as a memory card of the present invention , the electronic device should wait for a response of the product with a poll interval for 50 milliseconds after electrical contacts send out a clock signal clk and also the electrical contacts send out an instruction cmd . the integration control module 40 can make the communication port compatible to the interface that the plugged device supports in the device handshake status according to the usb interface specification and the memory card standard interface specification . the design of the present invention also can be used for a low voltage usb device . it can be clearly understood from the above description that the present invention provides a memory card having the communication serial interface integrated with the standard card interface . the memory card can be used for the device that is compatible to the standard card interface of the memory card or used for the device that is compatible to the communication serial interface . the shape , size and the electrical contacts are also compatible to the specification of a conventional memory card . therefore the integrated communication serial interface memory card includes more additional values and features of good utility than the conventional standard memory card , which provides better mechanical compatibility than the conventional dual interface memory card . the memory card can be cf ™ card , sd memory card , minisd ™ card , microsd ™ card , mmc card , mmcplus ™ card , mmcmobile ™ card , mmcmicro ™ card , memory stick , memory stick pro , memory stick duo , memory stick pro duo , memory stick micro , xd - picture cards ™ or t - flash . while the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of a preferred embodiment , it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto . on the contrary , it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures , and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures . | 6 |
as an embodiment of a vehicle control device according to the present invention , for example , a case wherein the present invention is applied to an engine control device will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings . fig1 is a view showing the arrangement of an embodiment according t o the present invention . referring to fig1 an engine control device 1 comprises a cpu 10 for various arithmetic operations and processes , a prom ( nonvolatile ) 11 serving as an electrically erasable / writable storage means in which a control program or data is loaded on the cpu 10 to perform the arithmetic operations and processes , a mask rom 12 , which is disabled from being erased / written , in which an updating process program for updating the prom 11 is stored , a ram 13 for writing or reading data which is arithmetically operated and processed by the cpu 10 , an i / o 14 for receiving input signals from various sensors or outputting various control signals , and a switching circuit 15 for selecting the updating process program stored in the mask rom 12 and the control program stored in the prom 11 on the basis of an updating signal 2a from an updating device 2 ( to be described later ) serving as an external device . the updating device 2 incorporates an updating program 20 and a program for controlling this device . the mask rom 12 of the engine control device 1 receives the updating program 20 incorporated in the updating device 2 through the switching circuit 15 , the cpu 10 , and a serial communication line 2c to store an updating process program for updating the prom 11 . a serial communication line 2b is used when the cpu 10 checks the updating device 2 to determine whether the receiving operation is correctly performed , when a control signal is transmitted to the updating device 2 , or the like . a crank angle signal 14a for measuring an engine speed and an intake air amount signal 14b for measuring an amount of air taken in an engine are input to the i / o 14 , a fuel injection amount to the engine is arithmetically operated by the cpu 10 on the basis of these input signals , and a control amount depending on the arithmetic result is output as a fuel injection control signal 14c through the i / o 14 . the cpu 10 , the prom 11 , the mask rom 12 , the ram 13 , the i / o 14 , and the switching circuit 15 are connected to each other through address / data buses . a control program required for engine control is stored in the prom 11 , and the prom 11 can perform an electrically erasing / writing operation . however , when the updating signal 2a is not input from the external updating device 2 , the prom 11 serves as a read - only rom which cannot perform an erasing / writing operation . when the updating signal 2a is input , the prom 11 serves as a rom which can perform an erasing / writing operation . the cpu 10 , the mask rom 12 , the switching circuit 15 , and the updating device 2 constitutes an updating process means . fig2 is a memory map showing address allocation for a memory included in the engine control device 1 in this embodiment . in fig2 memory areas are arranged in ascending order of addresses from the top . more specifically , a memory area 30 for various registers for switching the functions in the cpu 10 , a memory area 31 for the ram 13 , a memory area 32 for the mask rom 12 for storing an updating process program , a memory area 33 serving as a first memory area for the prom 11 for storing a control program required for engine control , and a reset vector area 33a serving as a second memory area which is a part of the memory area 33 are sequentially arranged from the top . upon completion of reset releasing , the cpu 10 loads an address designated by the reset vector area 33a , and the control program is executed and processed from the designated address . an updating process for the prom 11 will be described below with reference to fig3 to 6 . fig3 is a flow chart showing the processes of the updating process program stored in the mask rom 12 and executed when the updating signal 2a is input from the updating device 2 to the engine control device 1 . referring to fig3 various initial settings for the processes are performed in step s11 , and a serial communication ( sci ) mode for receiving an updating command from the updating device 2 and the updating program 20 incorporated in this device , sending a reply to the command , or the like is performed in step s12 . in step s13 , an external communication signal is received , a reception interrupt wait state for performing an interrupt process is set . fig4 is a chart showing a communication sequence between the engine control device 1 and the updating device 2 which are used for an updating process . fig5 is a flow chart showing processes executed by sci interrupt occurring when a communication signal such as a command from the updating device 2 is received . referring to fig4 when the updating signal 2a from the updating device 2 is on - output in step s21 , the engine control device 1 sets an updating process mode in step s31 . more specifically , when the updating signal 2a is on - output , the prom 11 is enabled to perform an erasing / writing operation , a switching operation to the updating process program stored in the mask rom 12 is performed by the switching circuit 15 , and the cpu 10 executes the processes of the flow chart shown in fig3 and then is set in an sci interrupt wait state , i . e ., a command wait state . when the updating device 2 transmits an erasing command for erasure in step 22 , the engine control device 1 executes an erasing process in step s32 ( erasing means ). more specifically , when the cpu 10 receives an erase command , the sci interrupt process shown in fig5 is executed . if &# 34 ; in - writing flag &# 34 ; is not yes in step s41 , an erase command is recognized in step s44 , contents of the prom ( nonvolatile memory ) 11 is erased in step s45 , and the recent interrupt process is completed in step s46 . when the updating device 2 transmits a write command for a writing operation in step s23 in fig4 the engine control device 1 prepares the writing process in step s33 ( first writing means ), and writes first write data d1 , which may be referred to as a part of a control program to be written first , and transmits d1 in a predetermined format in the prom 11 . here , the write data d1 corresponds to data stored in a memory area other than the reset vector area 33a of the memory map in fig2 i . e ., the memory area 33 . more specifically , when the cpu 10 receives the write command , the sci interrupt process ( fig5 ) is executed , the cpu 10 recognizes the write command in step s50 , and the cpu 10 sets the &# 34 ; in - writing flag &# 34 ; to yes . at this time , &# 34 ; count 1 &# 34 ; of a counter ( not shown ) included in the cpu 10 for measuring the write data number in the writing process is set to 0 , and the recent interrupt is temporarily ended in step s52 . when write data transmitted after the write command , the sci interrupt process ( fig5 ) is executed again , and the &# 34 ; in - writing flag &# 34 ; is checked in step s41 serving as the first step . however , since &# 34 ; in - writing flag &# 34 ; is set to yes during the previous sci interrupt process , &# 34 ; in - writing flag = yes &# 34 ; is determined in step s41 , and a writing process ( step s42 ) is executed . the detailed process of the writing process in step s42 will be described below with reference to fig6 showing the flow chart of the writing process . as write data , &# 34 ; write all data number ( n )&# 34 ; +&# 34 ; write start address &# 34 ;+&# 34 ; write data d1 &# 34 ;+ . . . +&# 34 ; write data dn &# 34 ; are transmitted in this order . referring to fig6 at an address of the prom 11 obtained by adding the value of count 1 set to zero in step s51 to the &# 34 ; write start address &# 34 ; transmitted secondly in step s61 , &# 34 ; write data d1 &# 34 ; which is transmitted thirdly is written . the value of count 1 is incremented in step s62 , the value of count 1 is compared with &# 34 ; write all data number n &# 34 ; transmitted first in step s63 . until the value of count 1 reaches &# 34 ; write data number n &# 34 ;, i . e ., until all the data are completely written , the above process is repeated every time the write data is received . in this manner , &# 34 ; write data &# 34 ; transmitted thirdly , fourthly , . . . , are sequentially written in the prom 11 . if it is determined in step s63 that all the data are completely written , the &# 34 ; in - writing flag &# 34 ; is set to no in step s64 to end the writing process . the &# 34 ; in - writing flag &# 34 ; is set to no for the following reason . that is , next reception data is determined to be no in step s41 of the sci interrupt process ( fig5 ) executed when the data is received , and the next reception data is recognized as a next command . returning to fig4 when the updating device 2 transmits a checksum transmission command to request a checksum in step s24 , the engine control device 1 calculates the checksum and transmits the result in step s34 . more specifically , when the cpu 10 receives a checksum transmission command , the sci interrupt process ( fig5 ) is executed , the cpu 10 recognizes a checksum command in step s47 , and data in all the areas of prom 11 is added in step s48 . after the total value ( checksum ) is calculated , the result is transmitted to the updating device 2 , and the recent interrupt process is ended in step s49 . steps s25 , s26 , and s27 shown in fig4 and processed by the updating device 2 are the characteristic features of this embodiment . first , the checksum which has been transmitted is calculated in advance in step s25 ( collation means ), and the value of the checksum collates with the design value of the stored checksum . when the collation results coincide with each other , the same writing process as that in steps s23 and s33 described above is performed to write data d2 in steps s27 and s35 ( second write means ). the updating signal 2a is turned off in step s28 to end all the updating processes , and the engine control device 1 receives the off updating signal 2a to end all the updating processes . here , the updating signal 2a is the contents of the minimum control program which is required to cause the engine control device 1 to arithmetically process a normal control amount , and corresponds to data stored in the reset vector area 33a of the memory map in fig2 . on the other hand , when collation results do not coincide with each other in step s25 , after the updating device 2 displays writing defect in step s26 , the process in step s28 described above is performed to end all the updating processes . when the updating lines ( serial communication lines 2b and 2c ) are instantaneously cut off in the above processes , e . g ., in the middle of writing the first write data d1 , the checksum collation results do not coincide with each other in step s25 . because the intended normal data is not written in the reset vector area 33a , the areas not written stay in the state as they were when the erasing process was executed ( all &# 34 ; 1 &# 34 ;) in step s32 . as a result , an address at which execution of the control program is started is not normally designated after the cpu 10 releases the reset state , and the engine control device 1 will therefore output an apparently abnormal control amount . referring to fig5 when the signal transmitted from the updating device 2 does not correspond to any one of signals in steps s41 , s44 , s47 , and s50 , an error sent back to the updating device 2 in step s53 , the interrupt process is ended in step s54 . in reception of the error reply , although not shown , for example , the updating device 2 can also perform the same process as that performed when the checksums do not coincide with each other in step s25 . in this embodiment , an updating process means for updating a control program stored in an electrically programmable nonvolatile memory into an updating program stored in an external updating device is arranged , the updating process means erases the program in the nonvolatile memory and then performs a writing process to the first memory area , i . e ., the memory area 33 . only when the writing process is correctly executed , a writing process is executed to the second memory area , i . e ., the reset vector area 33a , in which the minimum control program which is required to cause the control device to arithmetically process a normal control amount . for this reason , the control program can be updated without removing the nonvolatile memory , i . e ., a rom . in addition , when writing defect occurs due to some factor , after data in the memory is erased , part of the control program first written is in the memory . thereafter , only when the part of the control program first written is correctly written , the remaining part ( i . e ., the minimum part of the control program which is required to normally operate the control device ) is written . more specifically , if the part of the control program intended to be written first cannot be correctly written , the remaining part ( i . e ., the minimum control program required to normally operate the control device ) is not written . for this reason , the writing defect can be easily detected in the step following the updating step , and defective products can be prevented from being issued to the market . embodiment 1 has described a case wherein the reset vector area 33a is used as a remaining part of the control program ( write data d2 )( i . e ., an area in which the minimum control program which is required to cause the engine control device to arithmetically process a normal control amount ). however , the present invention is not limited to this embodiment , and , as the above remaining part designated in the memory area 33a , a vector address area for designating a jump destination when various interrupts such as the sci occur may be used . in embodiment 1 , fuel injection control , which is typical of engine controls , has been described . however , an input / output signal may also perform ignition control and idling speed control for controlling an amount of air for idling . furthermore , in embodiment 1 , a case in which the present invention is applied to an engine control device has been described . however , the present invention is not limited to this arrangement , and the present invention can also be similarly applied to other vehicle control devices such as a transmission control device and a power steering control device . | 6 |
detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment are provided herein . it is to be understood , however , that the present invention may be embodied in various forms . therefore , specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting , but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system , structure or manner . in the following detailed description , certain specific terminology will be employed for the sake of clarity and a particular embodiment described in accordance with the requirements of 35 usc 112 , but it is to be understood that the same is not intended to be limiting and should not be so construed inasmuch as the invention is capable of taking many forms and variations within the scope of the appended claims . in accordance with the present invention , the accompanying drawings show various means for securing a commercially available backpack style hydration pack to the top planar area of a motorcycle fuel tank , of which said fuel tank area is generally located above the motorcycle engine and frame , behind the steering area and in front of the riders seat . such mounting means are realized by utilizing a plurality of fastener elements and materials joined to create the following attachment arrangements . by way of illustration of the present invention , fig1 shows an enlarged plan view of a preferred embodiment comprising a system of commercially available side release buckles attached to nylon web material . the female connector assembly ( 23 ) has a preferred connectable element of a female side release buckle end ( 30 ) and has an aperture ( 33 ) of a given size formed into the web material ( 28 ) opposing end for receiving a body panel mounting screw or other available fastener . the male connector assembly ( 21 ) has a preferred connectable element of a male side release buckle end ( 32 ), which mates with female end ( 30 ). assembly ( 21 ) forms the adjustable portion of the strapping assembly and is made by weaving one end of a given length of web material ( 28 ) through the openings of the male connector ( 32 ), and the remaining end of material ( 28 ) being fashioned , preferably by being folded and attached back on itself , so as to form a small loop at the end of the web material . a metal hoop ( 27 ), loop or other strong connector hardware such as a small gated spring hook is slid through the loop in the web material ( 28 ). a small form of elastic band ( 29 ) or other suitable banding may be placed over the assembly ( 21 ) to retain the excess web material after adjustment . [ 0036 ] fig2 is a plan view of the outer or “ face side ” of a backpack style hydration pack ( 22 ). in the illustrated embodiment , upper shoulder strap ( 24 ) is usually differentiated from the lower strap ( 26 ) in that the upper strap ( 24 ) is formed into or attached to a wider and padded area of material which is generally integrated into the pack design . said lower strap ( 26 ) being attached to the lowest portion of pack ( 22 ) and preferably separable from upper strap ( 24 ) usually by means of a slide , buckle or other element . the preferred embodiment shows right and left upper shoulder straps having assembly ( 21 ) attached with loop ( 27 ) as installed by sliding an available section of upper shoulder strap ( 24 ) through opening in loop and positioning loop so that strap assembly ( 21 ) may lay forward toward lead edge of upper shoulder strap . the lower shoulder straps ( 26 ) are removed from the upper straps ( 24 ) by divorcing them from the appropriate connector used on the given pack or by cutting the lower shoulder strap away if sewn to the upper strap . the male side release connectors ( 32 ) are attached to lower straps ( 26 ) by weaving said straps through the respective connector ( 32 ) and sliding the connector to the base of the hydration pack . the lower shoulder straps ( 26 ) may be re - attached to the upper shoulder straps via the original attachment means , or simply gathered and bound in a form of banding so as to be secure . in the instance of the lower strap ( 26 ) being cut from the upper strap ( 24 ), the two may be re - connected for use as a backpack configuration by sliding connector ( 32 ) far enough up on strap ( 26 ) so as to be connected to assembly ( 21 ). further examination of fig2 shows the strapping assemblies ( 23 ) in relative position to be connected to strapping assemblies ( 21 ). [ 0037 ] fig3 a is an elevation view of the motorcycle ( 20 ) with the hydration pack ( 22 ) in relative position to be mounted on the motorcycle fuel tank top . the pack ( 22 ) is positioned face up , backside down and upper shoulder straps forward . [ 0038 ] fig3 b is an elevation view of the motorcycle ( 20 ) with the hydration pack ( 22 ) in the mounted position on the tank top . the pack is positioned face up , backside down and upper shoulder straps forward . [ 0039 ] fig4 a is a perspective view of the preferred design of motorcycle ( 20 ) dash / handlebar area and fuel tank area . the dash of this motorcycle has two lower dash screws ( 36 l , 36 r ) in front of the handlebars below the gauges . there are also two body panel screws located at the most forward portion of the fuel tank top ( 37 l , 37 r ), two rearward of the fuel filler door ( 38 l , 38 r ), two near the rearward edge of the tank top ( 39 l , 39 r ), and two beneath the riders &# 39 ; seat ( 40 l , 40 r ). [ 0040 ] fig4 b is a perspective view of the preferred design of motorcycle ( 20 ) dash / handlebar area and fuel tank area . the preferred method in which the female connector assemblies ( 23 ) are fastened to the dash is by locating and removing screws ( 36 l , 36 r ), inserting the screws through their respective apertures ( 33 ) in the strapping material , and reinstalling the screws into the dash with assemblies ( 23 ) securely attached . the preferred method in which the connector assemblies ( 23 ) are fastened to the area beneath the seat is by removing the screws ( 40 l , 40 r ), inserting the screws through their respective apertures ( 33 ) in the strapping material , and replacing the screws into the removed location with assemblies ( 23 ) securely attached . the pack base male ends ( 32 ) are then locked into place by connecting them to assemblies ( 23 ) beneath the seat area . the pack ( 22 ) is then laid forward , backside down across the top planar area of the motorcycle fuel tank with strap assemblies ( 21 ) extended forward , subsequently locking the connectors ( 32 ) to the connectors ( 30 ) in assemblies ( 23 ) mounted on the dash . to restrain the hydration pack ( 22 ) against vertical and lateral movement the user pulls the excess web material ( 28 ) in assembly ( 21 ) until strapping is taught and pack ( 22 ) is tight against motorcycle tank surface . excess web material may be secured under banding ( 29 ). of importance is that the hydration pack drink tube ( not shown ) may be routed so as to be readily accessible by the rider , and may be secured by means provided with the pack or by simply tucking the tube under either taught upper shoulder strap . [ 0041 ] fig5 a is an elevational view of a motorcycle handlebar area and fuel tank ( 42 ) area with an alternative mounting means which comprises a magnetic base hydration pack mount ( 44 ) on the top surface of the tank . the magnets ( 46 ) are attached to the pad material base ( 44 ) by various means such as stitching or gluing and are enclosed by other durable material . the mounting straps ( 28 ) on assemblies ( 23 ) are then attached to the base ( 44 ) via various means such as stitching , rivets , or snaps and are positioned strategically to correspond with male fastener elements ( 32 ) at base of pack ( 22 ) to provide for secure mounting of the pack to the magnetic base ( 44 ). additionally , a lateral strap assembly ( 21 and 23 ) should be secured to the base ( 44 ) by various means of securing the web strapping to the base material . the pack ( 22 ) has male connector ends ( 32 ) applied to the lower shoulder straps ( 26 ), per fig2 with the upper shoulder straps ( 24 ) re - connected to the lower straps ( 26 ). the pack ( 22 ) is then secured to the base ( 44 ) by connecting the male connector ends ( 32 ) at the base of the pack to the female strap ends ( 30 ) on the base ( 44 ). the pack ( 22 ) is then placed backside down over the magnetic base and is secured with mounting strap assembly ( 21 and 23 ) placed laterally across the hydration pack , with male / female connectors fastened . [ 0042 ] fig5 b is a perspective view of an alternative and universal fastening arrangement , consisting of the strapping material ( 28 ) and female fastener end ( 30 ) with a j - type hook or gutter hook ( 34 ) attached . the j - hook ( 34 ) may be attached either permanently by stitching or by use of locking slides along the strapping material to form an alternative to assembly ( 23 ). the j - hooks can then be secured to the flat metal seam found under some motorcycle fuel tanks , or to any rigid flat edge or body panel lip on the motorcycle which would accommodate the j - hook and provide for adequate tension to secure the mounting strap . other attachment considerations of importance are that in addition to or replacement of the j - hooks , other means may be used such as hook and loop tape , double sided tape , “ dual lock ” tape , magnets , etc . attached to the strap assembly ends to secure the strap ends to the motorcycle . referring to fig1 an alternative for loop ( 27 ) on assembly ( 21 ), not shown in the illustrations may be the application of a clamping or cam buckle device attached to the loop end of assembly ( 21 ) to attach the assembly to the upper shoulder strap area of a pack not having an upper shoulder strap as described in these embodiments . the removal of the hydration pack from the motorcycle requires the simple effort of squeezing the outboard prongs of the male connector elements ( 32 ) on the attachment arrangements and sliding the connector elements ( 32 and 30 ) apart , thereby releasing the pack ( 22 ) from the motorcycle tank area . while the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment , it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth , but on the contrary , it is intended to cover such alternatives , modifications , and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims . | 1 |
fig1 shows the two primary components of a self - propelled windrower 10 , i . e ., tractor 12 and header 14 . tractor 12 has a main frame 16 , with a longitudinal horizontal axis from front to back , that is supported by a pair of drive wheels 18 ( only one shown ) on the forward portion thereof and a pair of rear wheels 20 , 21 ( see fig2 for both wheels ) adjacent the rear end . an engine , located under cowling 24 , a transmission and other components , all well known in the art , are supported on the main frame 16 and provide the power necessary for the machine to operate . a cab 26 , also supported on the main frame , encloses the operator &# 39 ; s platform to provide an environmentally controlled location from which the windrower may be comfortably operated . header 14 may be of several designs , but typically comprises a cutting mechanism , either a sicklebar or rotary cutter , a feeder mechanism and conditioning rolls . the header is supported by a hydraulic lift and flotation structure 28 that may be activated to selectively raise or lower the header between transport and operational positions . it is significant to note here that the rotary cutter operates at such speed and efficiency that operational speed of the windrower is limited not so much by the efficiency of the header , but more so by the comfort of the operator and the long term integrity of the windrower itself . the rear axle suspension system on the typical self - propelled windrower is such that bumps and irregularities in the field are directed through the chassis to the operator . the higher the speed of the windrower , the more stress the chassis is subjected to , and the more discomfort experienced by the operator . the rear axle suspension system to be described herein reduces this stress and discomfort , making it possible to operate the windrower at a higher ground speed and thus greater crop throughput . fig2 shows a general rear view of the windrower 10 , with a depiction of the main elements of suspension system 30 . a split axle , comprised of two mirror image axle members 32 , 34 interconnect rear wheels 20 , 21 and main frame 16 . each axle member is made up of two telescoping members 36 , 38 ( since one side is the mirror image of the other , only one will be described in detail , though the same reference numbers will be used when describing components of both axle members ), each having horizontal front - to - back holes therein that can be aligned and pinned or bolted to fix the distance at which telescoping member 38 extends outwardly beyond member 36 . in this manner , the distance between wheels 20 , 21 may be varied as required by the farming process being undertaken . wheel 21 is bolted to the axle of tailfork 40 which in turn has a generally vertically extending stub axle ( not shown ) fixed in a bearing housing 42 at the outer end of telescoping member 38 . a flange 44 is affixed to the inner end portion of telescoping member 36 and is attached to main frame 16 by pin 46 for vertical pivotal movement thereabout . an air spring 50 is positioned toward the outward end of telescoping member 36 to work between main frame 16 and axle member 32 . this interaction can be seen well in fig4 . a spring cover 52 , affixed to main frame 16 where the inward side of the cover and the main frame are in contact , extends up and over and contacts the top of spring 50 , and extends downwardly past telescoping member 36 . thus , the air springs absorb a great deal of the forces encountered by the wheels , and provide an independent suspension for the two axle members . the two air springs 50 , 51 are interconnected by air tubes 54 , 56 that are joined by t - connector 58 . the free leg of t - connector 58 is attached to second t - connector 60 . one leg of t - connector 60 is attached to a relief valve 62 and the other to a tank valve 64 . tank valve 64 is used to pressurize the two air springs , and to adjust the pressure therein . of course , it is not required for operation that the two air springs be interconnected ; however , it filled individually , extra effort must be exerted to assure that they are at the same , or very nearly the same , pressure . when the tractor is supporting the header , the primary weight distribution is focused on the front wheels 18 . however , when the header is removed , as might be done for road transit , the rear wheels 20 , 21 bear the greater weight . in fact , the weight is such that the axle members pivot substantially or fully to the maximum , causing the machine to “ squat ” at the rear end . steering under these circumstances becomes difficult because the rear wheels cannot freely pivot within bearing housing 42 . to overcome this problem , a pin 70 is provided for manual selective insertion through tube 72 which is rigidly affixed to telescoping member 36 ( see fig3 and 4 ). fig4 further shows that spring cover 52 is located closely adjacent one end of tube 72 , such that pin 70 protrudes through tube 72 and a somewhat elongate slot 74 through the cover . thus , insertion of pin 72 incapacitates the air spring and locks axle member 34 to main frame 16 in a generally horizontal position . the vertical location of pin 70 within the slot 74 also serves as a gauge to determine if the machine is level . if the pin is in the center of the slot , the windrower is substantially level . a snap or cotter pin 76 can be inserted through a hole in the end of pin 70 to hold it in position . it will be understood that changes in the details , materials , steps and arrangements of parts which have been described and illustrated to explain the nature of the invention will occur to , and may be made by those skilled in the art upon a reading of this disclosure within the principles and scope of the invention . the foregoing description illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention ; however , concepts , as based upon the description , may be employed in other embodiments without departing from the scope of the inventions . accordingly , the following cairns are intended to protect the invention broadly as well as in the specific form shown . | 1 |
before describing the embodiments of the present invention , the related art and the disadvantages therein will be described with reference to the related figures . fig1 is a view showing a general automatic personal search telephone system . in the figure , reference numeral 11 is a location telephone number registration means serving as the center of the automatic personal search telephone apparatus and reference numeral 12 is an exchange , including inside a network nw . the term &# 34 ; location telephone number &# 34 ; means a telephone number of the telephone set which is located nearest to a current location of the call terminating subscriber , which telephone number has been registered by the call terminating subscriber . the automatic personal search telephone apparatus includes , in addition to the location telephone number registration means 11 , an interface unit ( not shown ) etc . in the exchange 12 . reference numeral 13 represents a plurality of subscriber telephone sets . as mentioned earlier , the location telephone number registration means 11 is connected to the exchange 12 which accommodates a plurality of subscriber telephone sets 13 and , when receiving a personal identification number of a call terminating subscriber from the subscriber telephone set of the call originating subscriber ( for example , the telephone set of the left side ), reads out from the registration area ( not shown ) corresponding to the personal identification number id the telephone number nb of the subscriber telephone set 13 at the current location of the call terminating subscriber and outputs it to the exchange 12 . therefore , when the call terminating subscriber goes somewhere , it is necessary to register in advance in the location telephone number registration means 11 , through the exchange 12 , the telephone number nb of the other subscriber telephone set 13 ( for example , the telephone set at the right side ) at that location . fig2 is a view more specifically showing the conventional system of fig1 . the above - mentioned registration area is formed in the memory 15 . the reading and writing operations with respect to the memory 15 are performed by a central processing unit ( cpu ) 14 . according to the example of the figure , a subscriber ( id is # 111 ) with the telephone set 13 at the right side of the figure as the home position is shown as changing his location to office &# 34 ; y &# 34 ;. in the general automatic personal search telephone system shown in fig1 and fig2 the problems mentioned earlier exist . that is , if a call terminating subscriber forgets to change his registration in the location telephone number registration means 11 despite he have moved and changed his location , the location registered in the location telephone number registration means and the actual location of the call terminating subscriber will no longer match and the probability of being able to access the call terminating subscriber without error will end up lower . below , a detailed explanation will be made of the automatic personal search telephone system according to the present invention . fig3 is a block diagram showing the principle and construction of the system of the present invention . in the figure , the automatic personal search telephone apparatus 10 according to the present invention has the above - mentioned location telephone number registration means 11 and also a location telephone number determining means 21 and location information source 22 . the location telephone number determining means 21 receives as input the first information nb1 read out from the location telephone number registration means 11 and the second information nb2 specifying more accurately the first information nb1 , determines the location telephone number nb envisioned as where the call terminating subscriber is currently located , and outputs it to the exchange 12 . further , the location information source 22 collects and holds information on the movements of the call terminating subscriber to so as provide the second information nb2 . the information registered in the location telephone number registration means 11 ( first information nb1 ) is not guaranteed to be accurate at all times . therefore , the first information nb1 is specified much more accurately by the second information nb2 . this second information nb2 is collected independently and provided from the location information source 22 . this location information source 22 , for example , collects and holds information on the current destination of the call terminating subscriber , information on telephone numbers of the destinations , information on schedule , management etc . fig4 is a view showing a first embodiment of the system according to the present invention . in the figure , portions given the reference numerals 11 , 12 , 13 , and 21 and signals shown by reference characters id , nb , and nb1 are as explained in reference to fig3 . therefore , in fig4 the location information source 22 and second information nb2 of fig3 are shown in more detail . that is , the location information source 22 of fig3 is shown more specifically in fig4 as the destination detecting means 31 and the destination telephone number extracting means 32 . further , the second information nb2 in fig3 is shown more specifically as the destination detecting information nb21 and the destination telephone number extraction information nb22 which are respectively provided from the above - mentioned means 31 and 32 to the location telephone number determining means 21 . note that the destination telephone number extraction information nb22 is provided from the system designer of the telephone system or manager of the office in question . further , nb21 is linked with nb22 . when a telephone number cannot be specified by nb21 alone , reference is made to the means 32 . explaining this in more detail , the exchange 12 is an electronic exchange and can connect to a subscriber telephone set 13 corresponding to an input personal identification number from any other subscriber telephone set 13 and can start up individual services from a location telephone number determining means 21 corresponding to that input personal identification number . the destination detecting means 31 is , for example , an entry / exit managing apparatus which is installed in offices having entry / exit management systems which manage the entry and exit of call terminating subscriber at a building , grounds , office , etc . using ic cards etc . and manages destination information corresponding to the personal identification numbers of the call terminating subscribers . the destination telephone number extracting means 32 is a telephone number designation apparatus for different destinations and manages and designates the key telephone numbers of destinations which may be used by the above entry / exit management systems and key numbers of the smallest units of destinations such as departments , sections , work floors , and customers . the location telephone number determining means 21 is a destination telephone number determining apparatus which retrieves , compares , and checks information with respect to the personal identification numbers input from the subscriber telephone sets 13 by the destination detecting means 31 and destination telephone number extracting means 32 , determines the telephone number of the destination of the call terminating subscriber , and notifies the same to the exchange 12 . in the present invention , the personal identification number input from the subscriber telephone set 13 as shown in fig4 gives the destination , area scheduled to be traveled to , and other second information nb21 and nb22 from the destination detecting means 31 and destination telephone number extracting means 32 by the location telephone number determining means 21 . based on the obtained second information , the priority etc . are considered and a decision made on the telephone number of the location of the destination or the key telephone number of the area scheduled to be traveled to . therefore , even if the call terminating subscriber forgets to register the telephone number of the location of his destination at the destination or even if he registers it and then goes somewhere else , it becomes possible to follow the call terminating subscriber to his destination and call him there even when not registering again the telephone number of the new destination location . fig5 is a view showing a second embodiment of the system according to the present invention . this second embodiment consists of the above - mentioned first embodiment with the addition of a schedule management means 33 . this means 33 provides schedule management information nb23 of the call terminating subscriber to the location telephone number determining means 21 . this schedule management means 33 is provided in offices having schedule management systems which manage the scheduled destinations ( conference rooms etc .) corresponding to personal identification numbers of call terminating subscriber and manages the scheduled destinations and telephone numbers thereof of the call terminating subscriber . the location telephone number determining means 21 retrieves , compares , and checks information held by the schedule management means 33 for a personal identification number input from a subscriber telephone set 13 , determines the telephone number of the destination of the call terminating subscriber , and notifies it to the exchange 12 . in actual operation , when the location telephone number determining means 21 judges that the telephone number of the call terminating subscriber cannot be specified by the location telephone number registration means 11 or the telephone number of the call terminating subscriber cannot be specified by the destination telephone number extracting means 32 which extracts the telephone number based on the location of the call terminating subscriber detected by the destination detecting means 31 , the means 21 finds the telephone number by the schedule management means 33 . fig6 is a view showing somewhat more specifically the system according to the present invention and is based on the above - mentioned second embodiment . if based on the first embodiment , the blocks 33 and 43 would be excluded from the figure . in fig6 the file units forming the data base ( db ) are shown by reference numerals 41 , 42 , 42 , and 51 . the individual data bases in the file units are shown by db1 , db2 , db3 , and db0 . the contents of them are as follows : db0 : telephone numbers of locations registered by call terminating subscribers at destinations a telephone system constructed in this way has the subscriber telephone sets 13 which registers the personal identification numbers id in advance in the file units 51 as db0 . when a personal identification number 1 ( id ) input from a subscriber telephone set 13 by a call originating subscriber is received by the electronic exchange 12 and a request for the personal search telephone operation is recognized , the electronic exchange 12 notifies the personal identification number 1 to the location telephone number determining means 21 and requests the desired telephone number . the location telephone number determining means 21 uses the personal identification number 1 as a retrieval key and learns the current destination information 2 ( nb21 ) from the current destination information data base db1 managed through the current destination detecting means 31 , for example , an entry / exit management apparatus , obtains the destination telephone number information 3 ( nb22 ), obtains the location telephone number information 4 ( nb1 ) from the location telephone number information data base db0 managed through the location telephone number registration means 11 , and thus obtains the telephone number of the location of the call terminating subscriber . the location telephone number determining means 21 first compares the current destination information 2 with the telephone number given by the location telephone number information 4 and if they match notifies the location telephone number information 4 to the electronic exchange 12 as the telephone number 6 ( nb ) which is to be searched . if the location telephone number information 4 and the current destination information 2 do not match , the telephone number information 3 corresponding to the current destination information 2 is notified to the electronic exchange 12 as the telephone number 6 which is to be searched . if the current destination information 2 is blank , i . e ., the call terminating subscriber is at a destination which cannot be covered by the entry / exit management apparatus 31 , the telephone number 5 obtained from the schedule management means 33 is notified to the electronic exchange 12 as the telephone number 6 which is to be searched . further , when the current destination information 2 , destination telephone number information 3 , and the telephone number information 5 are all blank , the predetermined telephone number 4 corresponding to the personal identification number 1 ( in general , the key telephone number of the sector to which the call terminating subscriber belongs ) is notified to the electronic exchange 12 as the telephone number 6 which is to be searched . the electronic exchange 12 connects , using the telephone number 6 , the subscriber telephone set 13 at which the personal identification number 1 has input . note that in the above example , the apparatuses 31 , 32 , 33 , 21 , and 11 making up the location telephone number determining means 21 were provided as independent apparatuses , but if the desired information can be managed as a whole , a single apparatus may be provided . further , two or three or even more apparatuses may be provided . further , these apparatuses may be realized using specialized hardware or using software using a general purpose computer , etc . all the apparatuses may be included in the electronic exchange 12 . whatever the case , the principle and effects are all the same . when software is used , the flow chart shown in fig7 a , 7b , and 7c may be applied , and when hardware is used , the block construction of the later mentioned fig8 may be applied . each of these , however , are just examples . fig7 a ( 7a - 1 , 7a - 2 ), 7b , and 7c show a flow chart showing an example of the operation of the location telephone number determining means according to the present invention . the term &# 34 ; registered telephone number &# 34 ; means a telephone number which is fixedly registered for the call terminating subscriber , e . g ., the telephone number of the telephone sets at his home or office . near the steps in which the file units are directly the referred to respective file units are illusted at corresponding steps . the exchange 12 and the subscriber telephone set 13 are also illustrated near the related steps . step a of fig7 a also exists in the conventional automatic personal search telephone apparatus , but one of the features of the present invention is that when &# 34 ; yes &# 34 ;, investigation is further made of the probability of the location telephone number using as a hint the above - mentioned second information . another characteristic of the present invention is that when &# 34 ; no &# 34 ;, after step c , the location of the call terminating subscriber is designated and the telephone number at the location is determined . the original first information nb1 and the second information nb2 of the present invention are considered comprehensively and , finally , at step d of fig7 c , determination is made of the telephone number of the location where the call terminating subscriber is most likely to be , notification is made to the exchange 12 , and the call terminating subscriber desired by the call originating subscriber is connected to the subscriber telephone set 13 . fig8 is a view showing an example of the hardware of a logical processing portion of a location information source and a location telephone number determining means according to the present invention . this is an example of the hardware construction of the portion but the file units in fig6 are omitted . in the figure , the group of blocks to the right of a decision logic unit 211 is the portion for reading out data from the corresponding file units ( 41 , 42 , 43 , and 51 ). those blocks which are given reference numerals where the two hundred - place and ten - place digit numbers are the same as reference numerals in fig6 correspond to those functional portions . that is , the location telephone number reading unit 111 and the registered telephone number ( telephone number of home position of subscribers ) reading unit 112 correspond to the location telephone number registration means 11 of fig6 the destination information reading unit 311 corresponds to the destination detecting means 31 of fig6 and the destination telephone number reading unit 321 corresponds to the destination telephone number extracting means 32 of fig6 . the data read out from these reading units are used as the input of the decision logic unit 211 . when the personal identification number of the desired call terminating subscriber is input by the call originating subscriber to the exchange 12 , this is received by the personal identification number registration unit 113 and the decision logic unit 211 corresponding to the location telephone number determining means 21 is made active . the activated decision logic unit 211 successively fetches read data from the above - mentioned reading unit and determines the telephone number of the call terminating subscriber sought . during this decision , several decision logic processings are required . these are performed by the unit 212 for judging the existence or nonexistence of the stored telephone number and the coincidence judging unit 213 for read information . the former judging unit 212 is the functional equivalent of the steps a , c , and e of fig7 a and steps f and g of fig7 b . the latter judging unit 212 is the functional equivalent of step b in fig7 a . the destination telephone number extracting means 32 in both the first embodiment and the second embodiment is a memory which stores , in a form of table for each of the locations , the telephone numbers corresponding to locations of destinations of the call terminating subscribers . the destination detecting means 31 in the first embodiment and the second embodiment will be explained in further detail below . first , the means 31 may be a detector , for example , a time clock ( time recorder ), which produces work attendance / absence information managed using , as a medium , ic cards or other personal cards of the call terminating subscriber used when call terminating subscriber enter or exit a building or room . second , the means 31 may be a detector , for example , a pass room checker which produces entry / exit information managed using , as a medium , ic cards or other personal cards of call terminating subscriber used when entering or existing a building or room . fig9 is a view showing first and second examples of a destination detecting means . the above - mentioned time recorder ( first example ) is shown by reference numeral 91 and the above - mentioned pass room checker ( second example ) by 92 . note that in fig9 reference numeral 10 is an automatic personal search telephone apparatus according to the present invention , 93 is a building , 94 is a room , and 95 is a data bus . third , the destination detecting means 31 is a password entry device , for example , a 10 - key or id card reader , which receives as input personal password information on terminal equipment which a call terminating subscriber can use when the call terminating subscriber uses terminal equipment . if the terminal equipment is digital telephone equipment , it may be pushbutton . in general , the terminal equipment is a personal computer or work station . fig1 is a view showing a third example of a destination detecting means . the above - mentioned terminal equipment ( te ) is shown by reference numeral 101 . this has a password entry device attached ( third example ). fourth , the destination detecting means 31 may be comprised of a personal , portable transmitter carried by call terminating subscriber , the personal identification number information corresponding to the call terminating subscriber being transmitted by ratio waves from the transmitters . the ratio waves are received by receivers in the rooms . fig1 is a view showing the fourth example of a destination detecting means . the above - mentioned transmitter and receiver ( fourth example ) are shown respectively by reference numerals 111 and 112 . next , an explanation will be made of the automatic personal search telephone system according to the present invention . fig1 is a view showing a first example of the constitution of the automatic personal search telephone system according to the present invention . in the first example , the automatic personal search telephone apparatus 10 according to the present invention is formed integrally inside the exchange 12 . in fig1 , the automatic personal search telephone apparatus 10 is shown assembled in the central processing unit ( cpu ) 14 in the exchange 12 . reference numeral 16 is a memory ( mem ) which cooperates with the cpu 14 . the cpu 1 is the central processing unit serving as the center of a work attendance / absence management system . the work attendance / absence information s 1 is input and the predetermined processing is performed , then the data of the call terminating subscribers is supplied to the cpu 14 . the cpu 2 is a central processing unit serving as the center of , for example , a building management system . the information s 2 in the building for the call terminating subscriber is input and the predetermined processing performed , then the data on the call terminating subscribers is supplied to the cpu 14 . fig1 is a view showing a second example of the constitution of the automatic personal search telephone system according to the present invention . in this second example , the automatic personal search telephone apparatus 10 according to the present invention is provided separately outside the exchange 12 . in fig1 , the central processing unit ( cpu 0 ) serving as the center of the external automatic personal search telephone apparatus 10 is shown cooperating with the cpu 14 in the exchange 12 . the cpu 14 and the cpu 0 are connected by a tcsi . tcsi stands for a telecommunication and computer service interface . note that the cpu 1 , cpu 2 , s 1 , and s 2 are as explained in fig1 . therefore , the cpu 14 obtains the destination information of the call terminating subscriber from the external cpu 0 and controls the network nw using this as control information . fig1 is a view showing in further detail the example of constitution of the system of fig1 . in the figure , the inside of the automatic personal search telephone apparatus 10 is drawn in somewhat more detail compared with fig1 . the cpu 0 has connected to it through a common bus four data bases db0 to db3 . however , these data bases are also shown in fig6 . the data bases db0 to db3 are managed by the central processing units cpu 00 to cpu 30 . the cpu 00 to cpu 30 collect various types of information s 00 to s 30 . lc in fig1 is a line circuit , and trk is a trunk . fig1 is a view showing a third example of the constitution of the automatic personal search telephone system according to the present invention . the characteristic feature of the third example is that the call originating subscriber can register voice mail from the subscriber telephone set 13 and that voice mail can be transmitted to the subscriber telephone set 13 &# 39 ; at the destination of the call terminating subscriber . for this reason , a well known voice mail apparatus 150 is connected to the exchange 12 . in the apparatus 150 is a file 151 which records voice mail . when the time for transmitting the voice mail to the call terminating subscriber is designated , when that time comes , the location telephone number determining means 21 deduces the location of the call terminating subscriber at that time and sends the voice mail to the subscriber telephone set 13 &# 39 ; nearest to the call terminating subscriber . the location of the call terminating subscriber is deduced by reference to the various types of data bases ( db ). the operation is as follows . the exchange 12 receives from the call originating subscriber ( 13 ) the personal identification number id as an originating call . the exchange 12 , when judging by that call that it must perform the voice mail service , records the voice mail for the call terminating subscriber in the file corresponding to the id . the cpu 152 in the voice mail apparatus 150 accesses the automatic personal search telephone apparatus 10 by the id . if the time of delivery of the voice mail is designated , when that time comes , the cpu 152 accesses the apparatus 10 . the apparatus 10 finds the subscriber telephone set 13 &# 39 ; near the current location of the call terminating subscriber by the location telephone number determining means 21 , calls it up , and sends the voice mail . fig1 is a view showing the specific image of the automatic personal search telephone system according to the present invention and makes much clearer the difference from the conventional system ( fig2 ). in the memory 15 &# 39 ;, the memory area of the location telephone number registration means 11 , the memory area of the destination detecting means 31 , the memory area of the destination telephone number extracting means 32 , and the memory area of the schedule management means 33 are shared . in the memory area 11 is formed a table of pairs of id &# 39 ; s and telephone numbers , in the memory area 31 is formed a table showing if a call terminating subscriber corresponding to an id is in a room ( room 1 , room 2 , room 3 , . . . ), and in memory area 32 is formed a table comprised of pairs of offices ( x , y , z . . .) and telephone numbers used in the same . the star symbols show key telephone numbers . in the memory area 33 is formed a schedule table of the call terminating subscriber corresponding to the id . as explained above , according to the present invention , reference is made to the destinations of a call terminating subscriber , the destination telephone numbers , the scheduled destinations , the scheduled destination telephone numbers , and the key telephone numbers of the destinations for a personal identification number input by a call originating subscriber and a decision is made as to the telephone number of the place envisioned as the location of the call terminating subscriber , so there is the effect that it is possible to access the nearest telephone at the destination of the call terminating subscriber and even if the call terminating subscriber forgets to register the telephone number of his destination , it is possible to call the destination of the call terminating subscriber , so quick contact is possible and work can be performed without loss of time , so the contribution to improvement of work efficiency is great . | 7 |
as an example of the invention , an automobile manufacturer may wish to provide its local dealerships with digital video scenes advertising the manufacturer &# 39 ; s car models and features , to be stored in individual dealership &# 39 ; s internet web site where they can be displayed to an internet visitor . while the prior art of digital video advertising would encompass merely structuring digital video scenes in modules of fixed scene sequences under a selectable heading ( i . e camaro , silverado , et cetera ), it would be far preferable to structure the modules to be presented to the site visitor to contain more personalized content related to the visitor &# 39 ; s likely interest as determined from his or her decisions , stated preferences and / or demographics . this invention enables the scenes to be presented in scene sequences having some content customized to the viewer &# 39 ; s likely preferences , as determined by the visitor &# 39 ; s decisions , expressed preferences or demographics . referring now to fig1 , a car dealership &# 39 ; s web site contains digital video work ( 100 ) for advertising the products and services of the dealership . the work is embodied in the form of a plurality of potentially viewable scenes to be delivered to an internet viewer in modules . the first module is an introductory module ( 100 ) that contains digital video scenes , which are mostly specific to the local dealership , for the purpose of welcoming the visitor and introducing the dealership . the introductory module may include a scene where the visitor is prompted to enter some identifying and demographic personal information , such as name , address , age , sex and employment . at the conclusion of the introductory module is a scene ( 102 ) in which the visitor is asked what model vehicle he would like to be shown . the model names may be displayed in the scene as on - screen buttons for the visitor to select by a mouse - click . as shown in the schematic structure of fig1 , this prompt scene ( 102 ) is a decision point that will determine the next module of scenes to be delivered to the visitor . the various modules that can be selected at this decision point are represented generically as : subcompact ( 104 ), compact ( 106 ), mid - size ( 108 ), full - size ( 110 ), suv ( 112 ) and pick - up ( 114 ). the selection of one of the automobile models leads the visitor to modules of digital video scenes prepared for that model . however , since the web site designer does not know in advance what model will be selected as the first choice , the scene sequences in the module are likely to include scenes describing features that the selected model shares with other models in the product line . for examples , all models may have the same all - wheel drive system , or the standard engine on the full - size model may be the optional engine for the mid - size model . hence , if the visitor chose to see the mid - size automobile first ( see fig2 ), the module ( 108 ) presented to the visitor would be followed by modules ( 116 , 122 , 124 ) containing digital video scenes that are specific to the mid - size model and modules containing one or more scene sequences describing the all - wheel drive feature ( 120 ) and the available engines ( 118 ), including optional engine . if , however , the visitor had chosen to hear about the full - size vehicle first and the mid - size later , it would not appear to be a seamless interactive work if the same or substantially similar scenes were used to again describe the drive system and engine in essentially the same detail as if the visitor were hearing about these features for the first time . in accordance with this invention , the module would contain a set of alternative scenes for the drive system and the engine . if the viewer were being informed of a feature for the first time , a scene of detailed information would be selected from the set and interspersed with other fixed scenes in the module ( 118 , 120 ) to form the detailed scene sequences for the feature . if the viewer had previously seen detailed information on the feature , one or more alternative scenes with more abbreviated information would be taken from the set and interspersed with the fixed scenes in the module . for example , the detailed all - wheel drive scene sequence could be replaced by single scene in which a character says “ the mid - size model uses the exact same all - wheel drive system you saw on the full - size model .” thus , the selection and use of alternative scenes in the module depends upon the order in which the module is viewed . preferences expressed by the viewer inside a module can also determine the scenes displayed to the visitor , as can preferences assumed from the demographic profile of the viewer . once inside the module , the viewer could be asked which of several body styles the viewer would like to see the model presented in . these preferences could appear as on - screen choice buttons , such as convertible , hatchback , 2 - door coupe , and 4 - door coupe . as shown . as shown in fig3 , this choice screen presents another decision point ( 130 ). if the viewer first selects “ convertible ” the digital video player may begin a scene sequence in which the initial scene ( 132 ) is staged in a show room using a mid - size convertible as its main prop , and the following scene is a the mid - size convertible being driven in a setting customized to the viewer . if the demographics show the viewer to be a 25 to 35 year - old male , the video player is programmed to use that information to select from a set of alternative scenes ( 134 a , 134 b , 134 c ), to be interspersed next in the sequence , a scene ( 134 a ) showing a male actor of comparable age driving the convertible in settings associated with single younger males activities . if the demographics show a 55 - 65 year - old male , however , the player would select and intersperse a different alternative scene ( 134 b ) from the set , showing a male actor of comparable age driving the convertible in different settings . this type of alternative scene sets can be used to intersperse customized alternative scenes into scene sequences between purely informational fixed scenes that describe the features of the vehicle rather than allude to the driving or owning experience . similarly , decisions made by the viewer and any known demographics may be used to insert additional choice prompts into the scene sequence . for example , as shown in fig4 , if the model selected and the demographics identify or make the visitor likely to be a woman with young children , the scene sequence could be structured with a decision point screen ( 136 ) after describing he basic safety features of the model , to ask . . . “ would you like to know more about the safety features of this model ”. if the choice were yes , alternative scenes for the safety features could include a digital video scene of a woman driving with young children ( 138 ) interspersed in the scene sequence with the purely informational scenes about the safety systems . if the answer is “ no ”, then the additional safety features would be skipped and the system would remember to not ask the same question when the viewer asks to see another model . the same technique can be used if the demographics indicate an elderly viewer . the interspersed activity scenes would then be of an older driver or couple ( 140 ). in one tangible embodiment of the invention , the scenes used in the various modules can be supplied to the local distributors by the automobile manufacturer , and the distributors can add scenes specific to themselves or to the locale . the introductory module , for example , will likely contain many scenes specific to the distributor , and so will the ending module . distributor specific scenes can be interspersed in the other modules . alternative scenes related to dealership locale can also be used . for example , a driving scene on a southern california dealer &# 39 ; s website could show the vehicle driven along a beachside highway , while the comparable scene for a dealer in vermont might show the vehicle driven on a mountain highway in fall foliage . alternatively , the introductory scene and dealer could be created and stored on the dealership web sites , and the modules related to the vehicle models and features , including the alternate scenes and the programming to select and intersperse alternative scenes could reside on a master server maintained by the car manufacturer , and be linked to by the visitor &# 39 ; s act of first selection of a model . the later type of link to a master server containing the fixed and alternative scones would be particularly useful where the information about probable user preferences is derived in whole or part from external data . in the example proposed earlier of a customized short commercial , the information of probable user preferences may come from the television programs and movies ordered or viewed by a residential account from a cable or satellite tv service . other sources may be catalog and magazine customer lists and purchasing history , merely regional area demographics . the information may be used alone or in combination to select one or more alternative scenes to be placed in the sequence of the commercial to customize the content to the viewer &# 39 ; s apparent preferences . the interactive digital video work described above can be made by composing and filming scenes with a digital video camera . the individual scenes can be stored on computer hard drive or file server , although any suitable digital video storage medium such as a compact disk ( cd ) or dvd could be used for storage of the work . the programming of modules , scene sequences , branching points , display of alternative decisions to prompt the viewer , and decision buttons for detecting the user &# 39 ; s decisions may be done with software such as an executable projector software package , such as macro media director ™. the work may be played with viewer software such as apple quicktime ™, and displayed on a computer having a connection to internet service . if the work is distributed on cd or dvd , the work can be played with a general purpose computer and viewer software — no internet access is necessary . the work may also be delivered over an interactive cable tv network . although the invention is described in the form of a digital video work for marketing products over the internet , the invention is not intended to be limited to embodiment or use . the principles of the invention describe herein are adaptable to works used for education or other reasons for distributing information as a digital video work . the scope of the invention should determined by the claims , which follow . | 7 |
a device in accordance with the invention is realised on the basis of a microcontroller which is protected from a physical point of view , for example the philips 83c852 . a microcontroller 1 of this kind is shown in fig1 and is constructed on the basis of a microprocessor 2 , a random - access memory 3 , a read - only memory 4 which contains notably operating instructions for carrying out the invention , and a memory eeprom 5 for storing variant data such as the secret key of the card , the public key of a third party with which it exchanges data , etc . it also consists of an arithmetic unit 6 for the operations necessary for realising the cryptography functions , and a control unit 7 for the inputs / outputs which is also connected to an input i / o of the microcontroller 1 . said elements of the microcontroller 1 are interconnected by way of a bus 8 . the microprocessor 2 is also connected to the inputs r , c , vr and vdd of the microcontroller 1 , the input r being intended to receive a reinitialization signal for the microprocessor 2 ; the input c receives an external clock signal , the input vr receives a reference voltage signal , and the input vdd receives a power supply signal . all further details can be found in the specification of the cited microcontroller 83c852 . as is shown in fig2 for each data file f1 , f2 . . . fn in the memory eeprom 5 the read - only memory 4 comprises a register which contains the name of the file , the type of rights d1 , d2 , . . . , dn associated with this file , and a pointer to this file in the memory eeprom 5 . thus , in order to carry out an operation on information of a data file of the eeprom memory , it is necessary to pass through the microprocessor 2 which checks whether this type of operation on this data is authorized . for example , the memory eeprom comprises a file of public keys introduced into the device and a file containing the secret key of the device . the rights associated with this information indicates that they cannot be read from the outside . moreover , in accordance with the invention the file of introduced keys has a right which limits the access to its data to the signature authentification operations . in a first embodiment of the device in accordance with the invention , all &# 34 ; plain &# 34 ; messages mo must comply with a predefined structure . in the example to be described hereinafter , it has been elected to attribute a particular value to the 64 significant bits of each message mo ( the size of the messages processed by the rsa system being taken equal to 512 bits in the present example ). the 64 predefined bits are stored in the memory eeprom 5 . in order to facilitate the notation for such a structure , it is advantageous to impart a regular shape thereto , for example &# 34 ; 00 . . . 0 &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; 11 . . . 1 &# 34 ; or &# 34 ; 0101 . . . 01 &# 34 ;. however , it may also be elected to impose a known redundancy on each message mo , for example by repeating the message or given parts thereof several times . fig3 shows a flow chart of the operation of this first embodiment of the device in accordance with the invention , the corresponding instructions being stored in the read - only memory 4 of the microcontroller 1 . the meaning of the various blocks of this flow chart is given hereinafter . box k1 : the microprocessor 2 awaits the arrival of a request on the port i / o of the microcontroller 1 . the contents of these requests are defined in the documents iso / iec 7816 - 3 and 7816 - 4 , 1993 . they also include a field indicating the type of instruction to be executed ( loading of the public key into the file of introduced public keys of the memory eeprom 5 , signature , authentification or verification of a signature ), and a field comprising the data to be processed . upon reception of a request , the procedure advances to the box k2 . box k2 : test enabling determination as to whether a public key loading instruction is concerned . if this is the case , the procedure advances to the box k3 . if not , it advances to the box k4 . box k3 : the public key in the instruction data field is stored in the file of introduced keys of the memory eeprom 5 . subsequently , the procedure returns to the box k1 . box k4 : test enabling determination as to whether a signature instruction is concerned . in this case the procedure advances to the box k5 ; if not , it advances to the box k7 . box k5 : test of the structure of the message mo passed as a parameter of the instruction . if the 64 most - significant bits thereof correspond to the predefined pattern stored in the memory eeprom 5 , indeed a &# 34 ; plain &# 34 ; message is concerned which can be signed without risk of fraud ( the signature instruction will not be circumvented in order to realise fraudulent decryption ): the procedure then continues with the box k6 . if not , the operation is rejected , an error message is transmitted to the terminal ( it is actually a response message as defined in the cited documents whose field &# 34 ; statute &# 34 ; which is encoded on two bytes defines the type of error ), after which the procedure returns to the box k1 . box k6 : calculation of the signature ms =( mo ) d mod ( n ), and output of this signed message ms . the procedure subsequently returns to the box k1 . box k7 : test enabling determination as to whether a signature authentification instruction is concerned . if this is the case , the procedure continues with box k8 . if not , it proceeds to box k11 . box k8 : storage in the random - access memory of the signed message ms passed in the instruction data field , and of the public key &# 34 ; e &# 34 ; to be used which is read in the file of the introduced keys in the memory eeprom 5 . box k10 : verification of the structure of the message mo &# 39 ; obtained ( box k101 ) by comparing its 64 most - significant bits with the predefined pattern stored in the memory eeprom 5 . if no correspondence exists between the two , a negative result indication is output in the box k103 ( its format is identical to that of the error message of the box k5 ). in the case of correspondence , the message mo &# 39 ; is stored in the random - access memory 3 and a positive result indication is output in the box k102 ( it is also a response message as defined in the cited documents whose &# 34 ; statute &# 34 ; field encoded on 2 octets indicates that there is no error , and whose &# 34 ; data &# 34 ; field contains , if necessary , the authentificated message ). subsequently , the procedure returns to the box k1 . box k11 : test enabling determination as to whether a signature verification instruction is concerned . in this case the procedure continues with box k12 ; if not , it proceeds to box k13 . box k12 : comparison of the &# 34 ; plain &# 34 ; message , received in the instruction data field , with the message mo &# 39 ; stored in the random - access memory 3 ( box k121 ). if they are identical , a positive result indication is output ( box k122 ). if not , a negative result indication is output ( box k123 ). subsequently , the procedure returns to the box k1 . box k13 : processing of other types of instruction which are not within the scope of the present invention and which , therefore , are not described herein . subsequently , the procedure returns to the box k1 . this first embodiment , offering the advantage that it is very simple , relates to the case where the identity of the correspondent is known . therefore , it is particularly suitable for given applications whose ultimate use is very well determined . in a second embodiment of the device in accordance with the invention a condensation function is applied to any message before it is signed . such functions are described in the article &# 34 ; comment utiliser les fonctions de condensation dans la protection des donnees &# 34 ;, dated mar . 15 , 1988 and published on the occasion of the colloquium securicom , held in paris in 1988 . a translation of the relevant portions of this document which describe the condensation function ( or compression function ) is annexed at the end of the description of the preferred embodiments . an essential property of such a function is that in practice it is not invertible and that it is impossible to find another message giving the same result . fig4 shows a flow chart of the operation of this second embodiment of the device in accordance with the invention , the corresponding instructions being stored in the read - only memory 4 of the microcontroller 1 . the meaning of the various blocks of this flow chart is given hereinafter . box k21 : the microprocessor 2 awaits the arrival of a request at the port i / o of the microcontroller 1 . the process then advances immediately to box k22 . box k22 : test enabling determination as to whether a public key loading instruction is concerned . if this is the case , the process continues with box k23 . if not , it proceeds to box k24 . box k23 : the public key passed in the instruction data field is stored in the file of the introduced keys the memory eeprom 5 . subsequently , the process returns to the box k21 . box k24 : test enabling determination as to whether a signature instruction is concerned . in this case the process continues with box k25 ; if not , it proceeds to box k28 . box k25 : application of the condensation function h to the message mo to be signed which has been passed in the instruction parameter . box k26 : the message h ( mo ) thus obtained is condensed . in this example the rsa system processes messages of a fixed length of 512 bits . it is thus necessary to complement the message h ( mo ), for example by addition of a predefined pattern z ( stored in the memory eeprom 5 ), in order to increase its length to 512 bits . thus , { m &# 39 ;= h ( mo )∥ z } is the message obtained ( in which the sign ∥ indicates the concatenation operation ). box k27 : calculation of the signature ms =( m &# 39 ;) d mod ( n ), and output of the signed message ms . the process subsequently returns to the box k1 . box k28 : test enabling determination as to whether a signature authentification instruction is concerned . if this is the case , the process continues with box k29 . if not , it proceeds to box k32 . box k29 : storage in the random - access memory of the signed message ms passed in the instruction data field , and of the public key &# 34 ; e &# 34 ; to be used which is read in the file of the introduced keys in the memory eeprom 5 . box k31 : verification of the structure of the message obtained ( box k311 ): it must have the shape x ∥ z , where z is the predefined pattern stored in the memory eeprom 5 . if this is not the case , a negative result indication is output ( box k313 ). if not , the message x is stored in the random - access memory 3 and a positive result indication is output ( box k312 ). the process subsequently returns to the box k1 . this authentification is a first check to ensure that the message ms passed as a parameter is effectively a message signed by the secret key corresponding to the public key &# 34 ; e &# 34 ;. box k32 : test enabling determination as to whether a signature verification instruction is concerned . in that case the process continues with box k33 ; if not , it proceeds to box k34 . box k33 : comparison of the &# 34 ; plain &# 34 ; message received in the instruction data field , whereto the condensation function h has been applied first with the message x stored in the random - access memory 3 ( box k331 ). if they are identical , a positive result indication is output ( box k332 ). if not , a negative result indication is output ( box k333 ). subsequently , the process returns to the box k1 . box k34 : processing of other types of instructions which are not within the scope of the present invention and which , therefore , are not described herein . subsequently , the process returns to the box k1 . even though the first embodiment offers entirely satisfactory results , it is often necessary to have enhanced protection available . such enhanced protection is obtained in this second embodiment , notably as regards the signature , because it utilizes a condensation function . it also offers the additional advantage that it allows for the use of the public key certificate concept ( defined in the ccitt recommendation x509 ) in order to verify the origin of the public key to be used for authentification of a signed message . actually , any user a in possession of a device in accordance with the invention has available , stored in its eeprom memory , a public key certificate c a , signed by the authority as of the system , and public parameters pp a defined as follows : val a is the date of validity of the public key e a of the user a , the dots indicate that other parameters , if any , can be taken into account , n a and n as are the modulo of the user a and the authority as , and d as is the secret key of the authority as . thus , when the user a dispatches a signed message to the user b , he also sends his public parameters pp a in plain writing and also his public key certificate c a . the user b can then authentificate the public key certificate c a of the user a by carrying out the following procedure : application of the condensation function h to the public parameters pp a , where e as is the public key of the authority as , safely available in in each device , followed by comparison of the message t obtained with h ( pp a ). in the case of correspondence , the public key e a of the user a and its modulo n a are authentificated , and the user b can use them for authentification of a signed message as has already been described . this method of authentification of the public key of a user a by a user b actually consists in applying the described signature authentification function to the public key certificate c a , and the described signature verification function to the public parameters pp a . this second embodiment of the device in accordance with the invention thus offers the additional advantage that it enables verification of the authenticity of the public keys of the users before authentification and verification of the signatures . in another embodiment , the decryption function is authorized only for given users . to this end , it suffices to associate with each secret key a criterion for use for the decryption which is limited to these users , and : for the first embodiment : to add to the box k10 , before the testing of the structure of the message obtained , a test for the value of this criterion for use , so that the structure of the message obtained is verified only if the decryption operation is inhibited , for the second embodiment : to position a decryption instruction in the box k34 , the execution of said instruction being subordinate to a test of the nature of the criterion for use of the secret key contained in the secret key file of the memory eeprom 5 . fig5 shows a data exchange system comprising two chip cards a and b , each of which is provided with a device 1a and 1b in accordance with the invention . the respective holders of these two chip cards communicate via a terminal c1 . health systems form an example of a practical application of such a system : the personal card of the patient , being the card a and that of the health professional looking after the patient &# 39 ; s file , formed by the card b , exchange information via the terminal c1 which is located at the doctor &# 39 ; s premises . in table 1 an example is given of the exchange protocol between these three elements , i . e . for the second embodiment of the device in accordance with the invention ( i1 , i2 , i3 and i4 are the positive or negative result indications dispatched by the card b to the terminal c1 after each operation ). evidently , modifications are feasible for the described embodiments , notably in respect of the substitution of equivalent technical means , without departing from the scope of the present invention . the following is a translation of the relevant portions of &# 34 ; comment utiliser les fonctions de condensation dans la protection des donees &# 34 ; which is discussed above . in this day and age , the support media for computerized data storage or exchange have become commonplace . a 300 mb file can be stored on a simple cassette and a common telephone line can transmit this file a great distance at an acceptable rate of 9 . 6 kb / s . the counterpart is that this data circulates in an environment that is becoming more and more hostile , open to sources of error aid , worse , malevolent tampering . this poses the problem of the protection against modification of this data , be it accidental ( errors ) or intentional ( tampering ). before the advent of computers this type of problem was easily solved . the main reason being that messages were exchanged in plain language ( therefore highly redundant ). the very nature of these messages protected them from error without the need for additional control coding . for example , a message such as &# 34 ; the securicom conference will gather the most eminent exerts in the field of security . . . &# 34 ; was easy to correct for anyone familiar with the english language . even today , people using the telex network apply their skills in this sort of exercise . as regards tampering , all that was necessary to detect it was to code the message using a reasonably reliable algorithm . thus , anyone not in possession of the decoding key was unable to modify the message without being detected since the resulting decoded message had every chance of being gibberish ( something like &# 34 ; kjmokr zx vcxt oiiou &# 34 ;). of course , these rule - of - thumb error correction and tampering detection methods are considered today to be inadequate and other more efficient and automated methods must be used . nevertheless , the key concepts of these ancestral methods are still applicable today ; a fraudulent or accidental modification of a message is still detected by the highly probable loss of it &# 39 ; s initial coherence . since , on the other hand , the nature of computerized data is so diversified that it can no longer be assumed to originate from a redundant source , even when it does , it seems that the fight against fraud and errors depends on the adjunct to the message of an artificial control code which needs to be carefully defined . thus , message errors can be detected ( and sometimes corrected ) by tagging on a few control bits that have been computed using appropriate coding . the choice of this coding depends on the transmission or storage medium and the degree of security required ( the acceptable quantity of residual errors ). the control code can be a simple parity bit or several control bytes obtained by the use of cyclical coding . if a message containing control bits is now ciphered we obtain an efficient method to guard against manipulation since , upon deciphering , the coherence between the message and its control bits will no longer exist . this relies on a careful choice of the control bit calculation method . specifically , an error detection / correction code is not necessarily appropriate in this case . all depends on the coding algorithm and the way it is used . however , in many cases and for various reasons , ciphering messages that are not confidential is undesirable . the control codes must then be computed differently , invoking alternate functions . nonetheless , one thing is clear : tampering cannot be parried unless the control codes themselves are protected against manipulation ( otherwise the hacker , who is assumed to be reasonably clever , will modify the message and the control codes so as to preserve their coherence ). in most cases , guarding against tampering will be achieved by including a secret element in the control code computation . this article presents a survey of control code computation methods that provide protection of ciphered and unciphered messages . since , for space - saving reasons , short control codes are favoured ( 32 or 512 bits , regardless of the length of the protected message ) these methods are often referred to in france by the generic term ` compression functions `. peter has just created a data file on his personal computer . since this file is not protected , peter fears that an ill - willed colleague will tamper with it , altering , for example , the data : &# 34 ; i owe paul f3 . 47 &# 34 ;. to detect any such alteration , peter will compute a control code c from his file using a compression algorithm h which he has found in a popular book , on cryptography . the algorithm will be run reasonably fast by a basic programme on peter &# 39 ; s hard disk . peter then jots down the resulting control code on a slip of paper which he places in his pocket . the following day , he re - computes the control code c and compares it with the one he jotted down the previous day . if these numbers are unequal peter assumes his file has been tampered with . he will need to fetch the back - up floppy he had carefully placed in the company safe . if , on the other hand , both numbers are equal peter will assume his file has not been tampered with , even though this proof is not absolutely reliable . in view of the limited size of the possible control codes ( 2 64 if c is 64 bits long ) as compared to the number of all possible files ( hardly computable , but colossal ), it is highly probable that a great number of files would have a control code identical to the one associated to peter &# 39 ; s file . the compression algorithm h will need to have been specified in such a manner that no one is able to determine any one of these ` brother ` files . failing which , all paul would need to do is to compute c ( which would be easy since peter &# 39 ; s file is not ciphered and the compression algorithm h is universally known ) and replace the data ; &# 34 ; i owe paul f13 . 47 &# 34 ;). the algorithm specified above will , from now on , be referred to as a ` hash - function `. if peter now wants his friend mary to be aware of the contents of this file , all he need do is to transmit the file via any data transmission network ( including a network with no security provisions ). peter can verify the transmission &# 39 ; s integrity by phoning mary and giving her the value of the control code . since mary recognizes peter &# 39 ; s voice she will have no doubts concerning the validity of the information she has received . if mary computes a control code value identical to the one peter gave her , she will feel confident that the file she has received has not been tampered with and is error - free . dp3 ! the preceding paragraph demonstrates that a control code can be shared without the use of secret elements . however , the use of such ` manual ` methods is obviously limited . in practice , since control codes use the sane transmission channels as the data they protect , the use of a secret element becomes necessary . let us suppose that peter , not wanting to carry around slips of paper , prefers storing his file and its control code on his computer . he must then use a secret key , either to cipher his entire file as well as its control code , or to simply compute the control code , leaving the file in readable form . in either case , peter can memorize the secret key or store it somewhere safe ( on a magnetic card , for instance ). if the file is ciphered ( with a symmetrical ciphering algorithm ), a control code must be appended to the file before ciphering so that , when the file is deciphered , tampering can be detected by the loss of coherence between the file and its control code . the above is called an mdc ( manipulation detection code ) and care must be taken as to its selection . with unciphered files , the secret key is only used to compute the control code . such a control code is often referred to as an mac ( message authentication code ). an mac can also be used to protect a ciphered file . let us now suppose that peter wishes to communicate his file to mary but does not want to use the phone to give her the control code . if the file is confidential , he will transmit it in ciphered form after appending an mdc . if not , he will transmit the file in readable form along with the appropriate mac ( to simplify the following discussion we will assume that the second choice was retained ). obviously , the secret key must have been previously agreed upon , but this broaches the very important subject of key distribution which is not covered here . as a rule , a key can be shared by several users who mutually trust each other . in this case , the mac allows the members of such a group to verify that exchanged messages have not been altered by anyone outside the group , this will function properly as long as each member is worthy of belonging to the group . if a member of the group denies having received or transmitted a message which was in fact received or transmitted , the other members of the group will be unable to prove the fraud . even if the sect key is given to an impartial arbiter , no judgement can be rendered since any mac computed with this key could have been computed by any member of the group . this problem ( known as non - repudiation ) has various types of solutions . in particular , one of these solutions is to assign personalized keys to each member of the group and to ` physically ` prohibit the mac creation module from producing an mac with any other key but allowing verification to be performed with any of the other keys of the group ( dp3 ! pp . 273 - 274 ). now , replacing the ` physical ` prohibitor by a ` logical ` one leads us to solutions provided by ` public key ` algorithms which are covered in the following paragraph . peter now wishes to communicate his file to a large audience , using an unsafe channel , and without a secret key , in such a way that each recipient can check the file &# 39 ; s origin and integrity . for the last ten years we have been able to meet such requirements . the ` public key ` algorithms introduced by diffic & amp ; hellman in 1976 dh !, the best known of which is rsa rsa !, allow the sender to append electronic signatures to computerized messages . let &# 39 ; s briefly review the principle governing the rsa algorithm . let ( n , e ) be the signatory &# 39 ; s ` public key ` and d the associated secret key . when message m , having been ciphered as a whole number , is inferior to n , it will be signed s = m d modulo n . anyone possessing m and s can verify that s e = m modulo n . only the owner of d could have forged s and thus be unable to deny having emitted the signature . when the message to be signed is equivalent to an integer greater than n , the method most often proposed ( de !, dpi !, os !) is to submit the message to a hash - function which will cipher the message to an integer inferior to n , and then apply the secret key to the ciphered result . note that other methods exist , not ( yet ) very practical , in which the above steps are performed simultaneously , not sequentially ( a !, gmr !, jc !). those which are computed and transmitted using a shared secret element : macs ; those dependent exclusively on the message and which are generally associated with a symmetrical ciphering algorithm : mdcs ; those dependent exclusively on die message and which are generally associated with an electronic signature : hash - functions . compression functions are used to control the integrity of stored or transmitted data . they must reveal any tampering of the data , bit modifications , inversions of bits , characters or blocks , suppressions or additions of data . chaining is generally a valid method of obtaining these attributes . compression functions do not constitute a direct protection against tampering . a random number , a date or a message number must be added to the message before computing the control code . in what follows we will assimilate any message to an integer and we will make no hypothesis concerning the possible internal redundancies of the messages that need to be protected . the mac is a control code which relies on the message itself as well as on a secret key which is shared by the correspondents if the message is transmitted . it is used to control the integrity of any ciphered or unciphered data whether the mac is transmitted using a ` safe ` method or via the same channel as the data itself . the authentication phase consists in re - calculating the control code and comparing the result with the one that was transmitted . if equal , the message is reputed to be untampered . being produced and checked symmetrically , the mac ensures , in addition to the message &# 39 ; s integrity , a certain degree of authentication in as much as it is necessary to possess the secret key to forge the mac ( although it will not provide protection against repudiation since the recipient himself could forge the mac ). if the transmission medium is not ` safe `, the protection of the mac relies entirely on the secret key . without knowledge of this key , the hacker can attempt to produce a forged mac . to avoid this , outputs must be unpredictable and this can be checked by using tests derived from the χ 2 test such as those employed by ciphering algorithms . peter can transmit a control code after his message enabling mary to be convinced of the integrity of the received message . the backer might also attempt to break the secret key by analysing multiple message / mac couples . to protect oneself from exhaustive cyclical key - breaking attempts , as in the case of ciphered messages , the secret key must be sufficiently long . if the transmission channel is ` safe ` the hacker cannot modify the mac . if he wants to modify the message , he would have to manage to leave the mac unchanged without possessing the secret code or even knowing the mac itself . all that is required of the mac is that it be sufficiently long to ensure that any modification of the message will , in all probability , modify the mac . in this case one would lend to use an mdc ( see this chapter ) i . e . a control code that depends solely on the message . however , if a high degree of security is required , as in cases where the ciphering , algorithm is vulnerable to certain types of aggression , one can use an mac which relies on a secret key that is different from the one used to cipher the data , before or after such ciphering . in the first case the mdc will protect the ciphered message and in the second case , the readable message . this second case is the safest since the hacker will have to forge the message as well as the corresponding mac , if he has access to it ( otherwise the forged message and the readable message would need to have the same mac , which , by definition , he does not possess all of this without knowing either of the two secret keys . however , this method complicates the key management system which is already quite complex . an mdc is usually used to protect data that is destined to be ciphered . it is wholly based on the data to be controlled and will be closely dependent on the ciphering algorithm that will be used . aggression attempts are linked to both the nature of the mdc and that of the algorithm . even if the hacker is in possession of the readable message he will generally be unable to forge e k ( m , mdc ). the following method has been proposed ( dp3 !, jmmi ! ); the message is split up into ciphered 64 bit blocks by the des in ecb mode . the bit by bit sum of all the blocks it used as an mdc . this method is unsatisfactory since it allows two blocks to be inverted or one block to be duplicated without affecting the mdc . a better method consists in using the sum modulo 2 32 retaining the carry overs and using the algorithm in cbc mode . if the data is not ciphered one can transmit ( m , e k ( mdc )), this is identical to an mac , but this method can be interesting if a secret key ciphering algorithm is used in other applications since this avoids storing the key to an mac . in this particular case , the mdc must imperatively have hash - function qualities ( see this chapter ). the hash - function is used either alone , if the control code is transmitted via a ` safe ` medium , or with a symmetrical ciphering algorithm , both resulting in an mac but with the added advantage of having been computed in two steps or with an electronic signature . this last method is the only one that provides protection against repudiation . the sender will sign a message m by appending sig ( h ( m )), where sig is the sender &# 39 ; s secret key which be or she alone can compute . in all cases , given m , it must be impossible to compute m &# 39 ;, different from m , in such a way that m and m &# 39 ; have the same control code . the compression function is then said to possess the attribute ( p ). this attribute ( p ) might be insufficient . let us suppose a hacker has managed to produce two different messages having identical control codes ( which is easier than producing a second message having a given control code ). in addition , let us suppose that one of these two messages , which we will call m , is to the advantage of the signatory whereas the other , m &# 39 ;, favours the hacker . if the hacker can , by underlining the advantages of m to the signatory , extort a signature from him , the hacker is now able to sign message m &# 39 ;. this situation , which can be very unwelcome , must be avoided by ensuring that m and m &# 39 ; cannot have an identical control code . the compression function is then said to possess the attribute ( p *). we shall see in paragraph 5 . 1 how this affects the size of the control codes . table 1______________________________________card a terminal c1 card b______________________________________signature mo & lt ;----------- send m . sub . sarequest c . sub . a , pp . sub . a & lt ;-------------- authentification c . sub . a & gt ; indication i1 if i1 verification pp . sub . a positive & gt ; indication i2 & lt ;------------ if i2 authenfication m . sub . sa positive & gt ; indication i3 & lt ;------------ if i3 verification m . sub . sa positive & gt ; indication i4 end & lt ;------------ ______________________________________ | 7 |
an embodiment of the present invention is the method of carrying bookkeeping in an internet communication environment as illustrated in fig1 . the bookkeeping program complies with the theories of double entry accounting and can be carried out by users with various levels of accounting knowledge . a plurality double entry journals being completed can be stored up in the designated database file 10 associated with each individual registered user . the stored data is then used for producing information and generating reports . ( see fig2 .) the functions program 12 and the plurality of user database files are located at a remote server . each of the plurality of users utilize a work platform 14 such as a general - purpose computer linking to the server system at a remote end through an internet connection 16 . in an embodiment of the invention , the data capturer and processor produce the six working pages which correspond to accounts receivable , accounts payable , receipts , payments , transfer transactions , and general transactions . these are respectively the ar 18 , ap 20 , rec 22 , pay 24 , tt 26 and jj 28 pages . the processing procedures of these pages are shown in fig3 - 7 . for example , user selects an appropriate working page according to the specific type of transaction required for input . for instance , page ar may be selected for a credit sale transaction . each page contains pre - set instruction and / or signals , fig1 - 18 , wherein users follow the indication or other guiding instructions / wordings pre - set on each page to input each set of transaction data and press “ enter ” when complete . everything goes automatically according to the steps illustrated in fig3 . for example , in page ar as shown in fig1 data such as invoice number , description , invoice date , invoice amount and spot rate is entered by the user using data input from , for example , a keyboard , voice recognition system , and data transfer from external device . some information may be simply selected from a combo list such as for customer name selection , income category and type of currency . for a new transactions set to be input , the user selects exclusively one of the six pages . once the page is selected and opened for user &# 39 ; s data input , no other page can be opened before the selected page is closed . no two or more pages work simultaneously in same platform . the transaction amount to be entered into the journal according to the rules pre - set by each of the six working pages is arrived at through the processing of transaction data input by the user into that selected page . if the entered data meets the required tests such as form , completeness , and other data integrity tests , the debit amount is then sent into the debit flow pathway dr wherein the amount entered into the journal is arrived at through the processing of transaction data set entered into the selected page by the user . the amount to be sent to the pathway dr will be account receivable from the ar page ; cost from the ap page ; monetary account inflow from the rec page ; cost expense or credit purchase settlement from the pay page ; monetary account inflow from the tt page ; or asset increase or expense increase or dummy amount from the jj page . the determination is made as to whether or not the amount is in foreign currency . if the amount is in foreign currency then the amount is processed by the exchange calculator . the amount is then stored in the debit filed in the debit record set wherein zero is stored in the credit field . the credit amount in contrast to the debit amount enters the credit flow cr wherein the amount entered into the journal is arrived at through the processing of transaction data entered into the selected page by the user . the amount to be sent to the pathway cr will be income from the ar page ; account payable from the ap page ; income or credit sale settlement from the rec page ; monetary account outflow from the pay page ; monetary account outflow from the tt page ; or liability increase or income increase or dummy amount from the jj page . the determination is made as to whether or not the amount is in foreign currency . if it is , then the amount is processed by the exchange calculator . the amount is then stored in the credit field in the credit record - set wherein zero is stored in the debit field . having been processed by the program , the captured data is simultaneously converted into two record - sets , one set carries an amount in debit field and zero in credit field and the other carries amount in credit field and zero in debit field . processed data are stored in double entry journal form as shown by item 1 of fig1 . in case of a foreign currency transaction , the procedures are illustrated in fig4 and the accounting principle of “ foreign exchange translation ” is applied by , for example , translating the amount of foreign currency into local currency . in the case of the transaction involving the account under the categories of current assets and current liabilities , the amount in foreign currency is translated to local currency by adopting the book rate , otherwise , adopting the transaction rate . an exchange record - set is built up for recording the exchange difference resulting from adopting different rates to amount in debit record - set and amount in credit record - set . the amount of exchange difference in exchange record - set is stored in debit field / credit field exclusively in case of adverse / favor exchange derived from . each working page is capable of being recalled for processing on multi transactions set in fig5 . the process of recording each set of transaction data in a transactions set is repeated as shown in fig5 together with fig3 and 4 until the user sends the “ end ” command . a set of record - sets group is , for example , built up as in fig1 , item 3 and item 4 . as each set of transaction data is being processed , a voucher as known in general accounting practice and shown in fig1 , is prompted to users for reference on real time basis . according to each of the working pages , the amount in local currency is recorded in the debit field or credit field for each record - set complying with the rules shown in fig2 . with regard to the jj page 28 , recording in general transaction , this page is constructed for some transactions in which the users determine the debit entry or credit entry of a transaction data set . in case of debiting the selected account for an increase in asset or increases in expense or decrease in liability or decrease in income , a dummy amount ( equal to debit amount ) is credited to a dummy record - set . in case of crediting the selected account for an increase in liability or increase in income or decrease in asset or decrease in expense , a dummy amount ( equal to credit amount ) is debited to a dummy record - set . repeating the procedure as illustrated in fig6 for each additional set of data processing , the dummy account will be updated . dummy record - set will be automatically deleted in the case of when the total debit amount equals to total credit amount , that is , the amount in dummy account becomes zero . the journal entry is completed as shown in items 5 and 6 of fig1 . each double entry journal must at least be composed of two record - sets : one for recording an amount in debit field and one for recording an amount in credit field . for each transaction data set , the user has to fill in some relevant cells in the selected working page , including : 1 ) combo ( s ) for listing name for subject ( s ) e . g . selecting from customer combo of name of subject : say customer name ; however , this cell is not necessary for jj page as user determines the debit or credit amount to be recorded in next transaction data set . whereas , dummy record - set is regarded as ( s ). 2 ) combo ( s ) for listing name for object ( o ) the account transaction related to this subject e . g . selecting from the income combo of account name — say overseas income . 5 ) cell for inputting the amount in currency selected in the currency combo . 6 ) cell for inputting the currency rate of foreign currency transaction — for example , 7 . 78 for a transaction in united states dollar whereas local currency is in hong kong dollar . all the above data will post accordingly information of the record - sets group fig1 , 11 and 12 . according to the above information together with some data extracted from permanent files of that particular user ( the permanent file is built up at first use of the system for storing some data in general use of that particular user ), the data is processed from fig3 to 4 ; a journal is completed as shown in fig1 , item 2 and will then be stored in the database file . in case of transactions set to be processed as fig5 a journal is completed as shown in item 4 of fig1 and , in case of the transactions set to be processed by jj page as in fig6 a journal is completed as shown in fig1 , item 6 . included in each working page for bookkeeping , there are some testing functions for ensuring the integrity of data which is to be stored in the database file . the testing functions in an embodiment of the invention are : date test for ensuring the processed data are recorded in a table of the appropriate year ; format test for ensuring the input of data is in correct format ; input completeness test for ensuring all the necessary data of a transaction is filled fully and logically in input cells on each page ; debit - equal - credit test for ensuring the debit amount in a double entry journal must be equal to the credit amount of that journal ; each transaction data set is subject to all the above tests . if any one of these tests is not passed , the input of that data set will be rejected . the working page will be cleared up and user will be prompted for re - entry . the reason of the entry failure will be stated as hints in the hints cell on each working page and may indicate the nature of the failure in addition to possible remedies or solutions . as the program is working on a web - based internet communication channel , there is an additional feature in the page jj for recording the transferred of assets , liabilities , incomes , expenditures and capital accounts as further elaborated and shown in fig6 . a dummy record - set is added to the journal every time a new journal is created and updated while another set of transaction data will be added to the journal . the amount for dummy record - set is equal to the difference between the debit amount and credit amount of the transactions set . the function of this is to balance the open journal before the journal is completed , thereby protecting against a disconnection from web communication that might cause an open journal not yet having been balanced to be stored in database . the program will automatically delete the dummy record - set after the total debit and the total credits are checked to be equal . if the connection is interrupted , the dummy record - set can be drawn back from database for editing after the recovery of the communication connection . a method according to an embodiment of the invention may first create a user interface having a data capturer and processor which composes ar ; ap ; rec ; pay ; tt ; and jj working pages , respectively , for performing or capturing transactions data of credit sale ; credit purchase ; monetary receipt ; monetary payment ; monetary transfer ; and general transactions , which is able to be sent to the user for inputting transactions data . this may be followed by capturing data on each working page , and then clearing up necessary input cells accordingly before sending to the user for further input of additional transaction data in the same transactions set . a set of procedural steps may then be employed on each of the working pages wherein there is an automatic creation of a record - sets group with at least two record - sets , one for recording processed data of debit record - set and one for recording processed data of credit record - set ; depending on the features of each of the working pages , one of the record - sets is created as “ subject ( s )” and the other as “ object ( o )”. each record - sets group may have only one ( s ) with unlimited number of ( o ); according to the specific procedures of each page , a transaction amount is either posted into the debit field or posted into the credit field of each record set exclusively , either debit record - set or credit record - set created as ( s ) and ( o ) follow the rules for debiting and crediting in each working page ; any additional transaction data in the same set will simultaneously update the transaction record - set ( s ) of the record - sets group and create a new record - set ( o ) incorporating into the record - sets group record - sets group as a whole to constitute a double entry journal while complying with the total - debit - equal - total - credit rule throughout . the record - set may then be defined as ( s ) and record - set as ( o ) by the rules of each working page wherein record - set ( s ) and record - set ( o ) are built up based on transaction data ; except for page jj which records general transactions and record - set ( s ) is built up with special purpose . next a dummy record - set may be created with the jj page as ( s ) for temporarily balancing the record - sets group . this dummy record - set may be needed because the next set transaction data to be input is not anticipatable to the program wherein the function of ( s ) in jj page is for protection of database files from recording record - sets group of single entry or disordered journal entries caused by disturbance or disconnection during the transmission of data and once the total debit is equal to the total credit in a same record - sets group , the ( s ) will be automatically deleted by the program to ensure all processed data stored into the database are double - entry journals . depending on whether foreign currency is involve conversion into local currency may take place . the conversion may adopt the appropriate exchange rates wherein the application of the function “ exchange difference calculation ” is included in each working page and is based on the “ principal of translation of foreign currency transaction ” according to general accounting practice , enabling an automatic creation of a new record - set ( e ) for recording data resulting from an exchange difference derived between the adoption of book rate and transaction rate according to account types involving in the record - set ( s ) or ( o ) or vice versa so that the debit or credit balance in ( e ) corresponds to the adverse or favor difference derived and for each additional data set be processed , this procedure repeats and updates the amount of exchange difference in existing record - set ( e ). the full procedural steps may then be executed the debit - equal - credit test of each working page when a new record - sets group “( s ) plus ( o )” is created or an additional transaction record - set ( o ) is added , the program regarding each as a separate process of the data set . the double entry journal may then be converted into a voucher form which will take place every time following each separate process completed as stated previously . the voucher may then be transmitted or feed back to the user on a real time basis every time completion of a process as stated previously is done as to a particular user inputting transaction data . the double entry journal may then be stored which is comprised of record - sets group whereas each record - set consisting the identification fields of user &# 39 ; s identity and user &# 39 ; s business unit ; account codes ; input amount ; currency ; the converted amount in local currency in debit field or credit field ; open invoice amount in case of credit sale or purchase transaction . the record sets group may then be stored or updated in the form of double entry journal into the designated database file in one stoke immediately after each processing wherein access is given only to an identified user wherein the user is identified through the identification fields for the user &# 39 ; s access right and the limitations set by the program on the usage of database file be kept intact . finally , the reporting command may be received from each of plurality of users and then by reference to the user &# 39 ; s identity and business unit , sorting , working out and analyzing on each of the plurality of journal records retrieved , sending out financial reports in general accounting practice and analysis to the user by way of report editor that writes report line by line word by word to the user &# 39 ; s browser . in an embodiment of the invention , the six working pages may have a distinguishable relationship between the transaction type and account type for debit or credit field and accordingly there is a set of standard processing procedural steps to work out the double entry journal ; a double entry journal has been completed whereas the summation of all debit amounts in debit record - sets equals to the summation of all credit amounts in credit record - sets in same record - sets group : page ar relationship between debiting credit receivable ( s ) and crediting income ( o ) for credit sale ; page ap relationship between crediting credit payable ( s ) and debiting cost ( o ) for credit purchase ; page rec debiting monetary flow - in ( s ) and crediting income ( o ) or customer invoice settlement ( o ) for receipt transaction ; page pay crediting monetary flow - out ( s ) and debiting cost ( o ) or debiting supplier invoice settlement ( o ) for payment transaction ; page tt crediting monetary flow from one monetary item ( s ) and debiting monetary flow to another monetary item ( o ) for monetary transfer transaction ; page journal dummy record ( s ) in debit / credit field and corresponding amount in credit / debit field of record - set ( o ) of general transaction causing change in asset , liability , income , expense or capital account . when additional transaction data set is processed , a new record set ( o 2 ) may be created wherein the existing record - sets group of same record - sets group posted previously is brought back from the database file and be updated as follows : amount of newly derived exchange difference for adding into ( e 1 )= e ; amount of newly created for adding into record set ( s 1 )= f ; the record - sets group will then be updated and the journal will have the following : the six working pages included in the data capturer and processor cover the comprehensive procedures of carrying out bookkeeping work for general purposes as shown in the art . however , it is capable for further development by adding some functions to these six pages for some specific type of business . for instance , adding a selection combo of visa type linking with bank account on page of ar and adding a selection combo list of stock items in pages of ar and jj , the program is also capable of being utilized by retail business . a plurality of journals stored in the database can be retrieved for future usage of reporting in an embodiment of the invention . according to the selection criteria and report types selected by the user , different combinations of processed data can be sorted out from the journal storage which being constantly added by the above - mentioned bookkeeping work as shown in fig7 together with the accounts chart the framework for presentation of the financial statement and the permanent data , such as customer data pool , currency rate pool , etc , forming a full picture depicting the results in fig2 and state of affairs of the business of each of plurality of users . furthermore , other reports for managerial and controlling purpose are available , for example , aging ; outstanding and movement reports of debtors , creditors , and stock ; payment register , and non - current assets register . the methodology of generating reports of the reports editor in the program is for example to line by line write the processed information to the web browser of each of a plurality of users and not pass through any of reporting tools . an example of a report is shown in fig2 . further , functions may be annexed to the preferred embodiment in order to make the management information system working more effective and efficient . as illustrated in fig8 and 9 , the system not only supports multiple users at remote locations , but also supports corporate users with multiple branches located locally and globally . for example , users a , b and c may be separated geographically by great distance . each branch ( referred to as bu ) maintains its own sets of operation and financial information . results of all branches are often required to be consolidated at a head office or other site . each user can be identified by differentiation of user specific information to assign variable access to the system . the system may verify such things as users &# 39 ; identities , passwords and business unit and provides , for example , three levels of access rights as shown in fig9 to each user in a corporation as follows : level 0 — user of this level reads financial information only and will not involved in any of the bookkeeping work . they might be a decision - maker who needs the information for and during meeting in any location . level 1 — user of this level may be engaged in the supervisory work on all branches of the corporation . user can read the combined financial information of all branches as a whole and read the financial information of each branch individually . level 2 — users of this level may be engaged in the bookkeeping work at each branches of the corporation . they can read the financial information of their branches they are working for . an individual and independent database file is assigned for each of the plurality of users in order to reduce the possibility of misplacement of data and protect other users from any malfunction caused by improper user . working platform as shown in fig2 — the data capturer and processor , the six working pages are listed on the functions bar in abbreviation form or full wording form of the working platform . commands for reports requisition may also be included in the functions bars . users can select to use both the abbreviation and full forms or to use abbreviation form only . the commands for pages may be composed of meaningful wordings . by clicking the selected command , the linked working page can be opened . in an embodiment of the invention a user interface as shown in fig2 may be incorporated for use by an internal / external auditor . | 6 |
fig1 shows a diagrammatic view of a wind power installation according to the invention . the wind power installation has a pylon 10 and a pod 20 on the pylon 10 . azimuthal orientation of the pod can be altered by means of an azimuth drive 80 to adapt the orientation of the pod to the currently prevailing wind direction . the pod 20 has a rotatable rotor 70 with at least two and preferably three rotor blades 30 . the rotor blades 30 can be connected to a rotor hub 75 which in turn is connected to an electric generator 60 directly or by means of a gear arrangement ( not shown ). the rotor of the generator 60 is rotated by rotation of the rotor blades 30 and of the rotor 70 and that therefore provides for the generation of electric energy . the wind power installation further has a control unit 40 for controlling operation of the wind power installation . in addition an anemometer and / or a wind direction indictor 50 can be provided on the pod 20 . the control unit 40 can adjust the pitch angle of the rotor blades 30 by means of pitch drives 31 . in addition the control unit 40 can control the azimuthal orientation of the pod by means of the azimuth drive 80 . the electric energy generated by the generator 60 is passed to a power cabinet 90 for example in the base of the pylon 10 . a converter can be provided in the power cabinet 90 , and can deliver the electric power at a desired voltage and frequency to an energy supply network . fig2 a shows a diagrammatic view of a rotor blade 30 of the wind power installation of fig1 together with a crack detection unit according to one embodiment . in this case the crack detection unit comprises at least one ( interruptible ) thread or fiber 110 provided in the rotor blade on the inside ( or alternatively or additionally on the outside ). that thread or fiber 110 is preferably glued to the inside surface of the rotor blade or fixed thereon in some other fashion . in one embodiment , the thread or fiber 110 is secured in a flat manner across a surface of the rotor blade . the thread 110 is an interruptible thread . if the material of the rotor blade 30 cracks then the thread or the fiber will also crack or tear . that is , as the material of the rotor blade 30 separates along a crack , the thread or fiber is also pulled apart . the thread or fiber may be suitably brittle to break apart in response to a particular sized crack to be monitored on the rotor blade . the interruption in the thread 110 in the case of a crack in the material of the rotor blade can be detected by a crack detector 41 . detection of a crack or tear in the fiber 110 can be effected for example electrically or optically . in the case of electric detection , the thread 110 includes electrically conductive material . in the case of optical detection , the thread 110 is capable of conducting light . as will be clear to those of ordinary skill in the art , if electrical detection is used , the crack detector 41 may include an electronic device that is electrically coupled to the thread or fiber and configured to receive an electrical signal from the thread or fiber 110 . if the thread or fiber breaks apart due to a crack in the rotor blade 30 , the electrical signal received by the electronic device will be different than it was prior to the thread or fiber 110 breaking . for instance , after the thread or fiber 110 breaks , a current or voltage received by the electronic device may be zero . if optical detection is used , the crack detector 41 may include an optical device that is optically aligned with thread or fiber and configured to receive an optical signal therefrom . if the thread or fiber breaks apart due to a crack in the rotor blade 30 , the optical signal received by the optical device changes . the crack detector 41 can be part of the control unit 40 or can be connected thereto according to another embodiment of the invention . upon detection of a crack , the control unit 40 can influence operation of the wind power installation ( adjustment of the pitch angles , adjustment of the azimuth angle and so forth ). in particular such influence can lead to a reduction in the mechanical loading on the rotor blade or also on other parts of the wind power installation to suitably protect the components . fig2 b shows a diagrammatic view of a rotor blade on the wind power installation of fig1 with a crack detection unit . threads 120 are provided within the rotor blade or at the inside surface of the rotor blade . in this case the threads are arranged in a grid structure while the threads 111 in fig2 a are oriented substantially in the longitudinal direction or in one direction . the advantage of a grid structure is that the precise position of the crack in the rotor blade can be better detected . the functioning of the crack detector 41 corresponds to that of the crack detector 41 in fig2 a . optionally the threads or fibers shown in fig2 a and fig2 b can also have a return line back to the detector 41 . fig3 a shows a diagrammatic view of a pylon 10 of a wind power installation of fig1 with a crack detection unit according to an embodiment of the invention . provided at the inside surface of the pylon 10 is at least one thread ( or fiber ), preferably a plurality of threads ( or fibers ) 110 , in particular in one direction . the threads 110 are preferably glued or fastened in some way to the inside surface of the pylon ( steel or concrete ). if a crack occurs in the steel or concrete of the pylon then that crack will cause a crack or tear in one of the threads 110 . that crack or tear can be detected by the crack detector 41 . optionally the crack detection unit of fig3 a can have threads or fibers which extend back to the detection unit 41 by way of a return line . fig3 b shows a diagrammatic view of a pylon 10 of a wind power installation of fig1 with a crack detection unit according to another embodiment of the invention . the crack detection unit 100 has at least one thread 130 at the inside surface of the pylon 10 . in this embodiment , the thread 130 can be fastened to the inside surface of the pylon 10 in a meander shape . the thread 130 is coupled to a crack detector 41 . the functioning of the crack detector 41 corresponds in that respect to that of the crack detector in fig2 a . fig4 shows a diagrammatic view of a part of a rotor blade of the wind power installation of fig1 according to one embodiment of the invention . a thread or fiber 130 is provided in a meander shape at the inside surface 32 of the rotor blade 30 . the thread or fiber can be glued to the inside of the rotor blade . if a crack in the material of the rotor blade occurs , that will also lead to a crack or tear in the thread or fiber 130 . such a crack or tear can be detected by a crack detector 41 ( not shown ) as already described hereinbefore . the crack detection unit according to the invention can also be provided for example on the rotor hub 75 . the crack detection unit according to the invention can be used in relation to all components of a wind power installation which is crack - endangered . for that purpose it is only necessary for threads or fibers of the crack detection unit to be fastened ( for example glued ) on surfaces of components to be monitored . the thread or fibers for crack detection can be fastened or glued on the component to be monitored , in point form or in flat areal relationship . fastening of the thread or fiber to the component to be monitored must be such that , if a crack occurs in the component to be monitored , that also leads to a crack or tear in the thread or fiber so that the crack in the component can be suitably detected . in a further embodiment which can be based on the preceding embodiments , the threads or fibers can be fitted or fastened in the component to be monitored . that can be effected for example when casting the foundation . as an alternative thereto the fibers or threads can be provided for example between glass fiber mats upon production of a rotor blade . detection of the exact crack or tear location on the thread or fiber is possible for example if the spacing of the tear location from the beginning of the thread or fiber can be determined by a reflection method . if the thread or fiber is for example electrically conducting , it is then possible to use reflection methods involving remote signaling technology . if the threads or fibers are glass fiber threads or fibers then a fault location can be determined to a precision of a few centimeters by means of the backscatter method . for that purpose a so - called optical time division reflectometer otdr can be used . such monitoring can be effected continuously by an optical switching device during operation of the wind power installation . as an alternative thereto the optical time division reflectometer can also be in the form of a portable device so that a service team can perform the monitoring procedure . if the threads or fibers have a return line then a change in damping can be detected by means thereof . one reason for a change in damping can represent for example a crack . locating a crack can also be effected for example in the peripheral direction in the case of a meander - shape configuration for the detector if the meanders are distributed in the peripheral direction . in fig2 a , 2 b and 3 a the end remote from the detector 41 can be connected to earth so that crack detection can be effected . the embodiments for crack detection shown in fig2 a , 2 b and 3 a can be advantageous when permanent length monitoring is effected . that can optionally also be effected when the threads or fibers are disposed in or fastened in the component to be monitored ( cast or laid internally therein , for example between glass fiber mats ). crack detection can respond upon an abrupt reduction in the line length . as an alternative thereto length monitoring can be successful when the thread or fiber has a return line back to the detector . that return line to the detector can also be glued on the surface of the rotor blade or fastened thereto in areal relationship and can also be used for crack detection . the crack detection unit according to the invention can be used in relation to all components of a wind power installation , which are at risk of cracking . in that respect the components can represent for example the foundation of the wind power installation , the pylon of the wind power installation ( particularly in the case of a concrete pylon ), all cast parts of the wind power installation ( for example rotor hub ) as well as the rotor blades . the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments . all of the u . s . patents , u . s . patent application publications , u . s . patent application , foreign patents , foreign patent application and non - patent publications referred to in this specification and / or listed in the application data sheet are incorporated herein by reference , in their entirety . aspects of the embodiments can be modified , if necessary to employ concepts of the various patents , application and publications to provide yet further embodiments . these and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above - detailed description . in general , in the following claims , the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims , but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled . accordingly , the claims are not limited by the disclosure . | 5 |
while this invention is illustrated and described in a preferred embodiment , the invention may be produced in many different configurations . there is depicted in the drawings , and will herein be described in detail , a preferred embodiment of the invention , with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and the associated functional specifications for its construction and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated . those skilled in the art will envision many other possible variations within the scope of the present invention . in the prior art , when multiple controllers are used in a software defined network ( sdn ) ( or several sdns are interconnected , each with different controllers ), a manual configuration step is needed to program each controller with the information of the other controller ( s ). the present invention eliminates that manual step by providing a system and method that allows each controller to automatically discover and authenticate other controllers in the network . an autonomous system ( as ) may be represented as a single sdn . alternatively , it may be comprised of many interconnected sdns . thus , two sdns that are interconnected may be in the same as or in different autonomous systems . if the interconnected sdns are in the same as , their controllers may exchange all the control information they contain . doing so , the controllers will be replicas of each other . however , policies may be defined to limit the control plane information each such controller shares with the other controllers . if the sdns are in different autonomous systems , their controllers will only exchange limited control information . for example , the internal network of the as may be represented to the foreign controller in a more summarized or aggregated form . also , there will be processes in place to ensure the other controller is trusted . the method of exchange of control information amongst controllers , once they discover each other , could be similar to exchange of routing information amongst routers in the classical internet using various routing protocols , and therefore is kept outside the scope of this patent application . the controller discovery process covered in this invention can be triggered by a change in the network ( for example , when a new connection is established ) and / or , periodically , at regular intervals . the former is more efficient in terms of messages injected into the network , but at the same time , it is more prone to message losses . although some rules are defined in the following paragraphs to tolerate potential losses , it is advisable to perform controller discovery at regular intervals that are not short , besides being triggered by changes in the network . the information gathered through the controller discovery process can be stored in the controller information base ( cib ), which is similar to the network information base ( nib ) used to store the information required to control the underlying switches . cib can be considered as a table whose entries contain the information necessary to identify and access the discovered controllers , as shown in table i below : below are the possible fields of a cib entry that stores the access information for a discovered controller : controller - id : id of the discovered controller , which should be unique within the scope of the discovery process . controller - ip : ip address of the discovered controller . switch - id : id of the local switch from where the discovered controller can be accessed . this local switch is managed by the controller that maintains the cib . port - no : port number of the local switch from where the discovered controller can be accessed . status : status of the discovered controller , which can take values such as ‘ live ’, ‘ dead ’, ‘ not accessible ’, or any other status values depending on the requirements . the controllers listed in the cib may change status under different conditions . for example , upon receiving a controller - advertisement message from a remote controller , the status of the remote controller will be set as ‘ live ’, whereas not receiving a controller - advertisement message from a previously discovered remote controller in the health - check process will change the status to ‘ dead ’. alternatively , if a data link that was previously used to interconnect the switches which enabled the control plane connectivity between the controllers is broken ( i . e ., the port of the switch in the cib table above associated with a remote controller ) and access between the controllers thereby becomes unavailable , the status of the remote controller will be set as ‘ not accessible ’, upon receiving a message indicating the corresponding change in the network . while there are other values that can possibly be used for representing the status of a controller , it may also suffice to use only two values , which are ‘ live ’ and ‘ dead ’. the discovery process involves a single message , namely the controller - advertisement message , which is used by controllers to advertise their presence together with connection information . since there is no explicit reply message of controller - advertisement , message losses can be tolerated by adhering to the following rules : a controller that receives a controller - advertisement message with its solicit - flag set should respond with its own controller - advertisement message with its solicit - flag cleared , unless it does not want to participate in the controller discovery process . a controller that has sent a controller - advertisement message over a connection should resend the advertisement message with its solicit - flag set , in case no remote controller - advertisement message is received from the same connection after a specific period . the controller - advertisement message will have the following structure , in addition to the ip header , if encapsulated as an ip packet : src - addr : carries the access information for the controller that sends the advertisement message . controller - id : id of the controller , which should be unique within the multicast scope . solicit - flag : this flag determines if the receiver of the advertisement message should respond with its own advertisement message or not . if set , the receiving controller should prepare its own controller - advertisement message and respond with it to the sender , unless it does not want to participate in the controller discovery process . if not set , no response should be sent . typically , controller discovery is performed with the solicit - flag not set . on the other hand , controller - advertisement for a controller &# 39 ; s health - check ( towards an already discovered controller ) should have its solicit - flag set to force a response from the discovered controller . similarly , a controller - advertisement message , which is resent after a specific period because no remote controller - advertisement message is received from the newly activated switch - port , should have its solicit - flag set . algorithm - id : id of the cryptographic algorithm that generates the signature . this can be either a symmetric - key or an asymmetric - key ( public - key ) algorithm . this field is optional together with the following signature field . signature : cryptographically generated code that authenticates the advertisement message . this code can be constructed by the given cryptographic algorithm , using the src - addr , controller - id , switch - id and port - no fields . the controller that receives a controller - advertisement message with an existing signature value can validate the authenticity and the integrity of the received message . since this field is optional , it is up to the controller to discard a received advertisement message with a null signature value . switch - id : id of the switch , from where the advertisement message is sent . the id should be unique within the scope of the controller that originates the message . this field can be used for local topology discovery , that is , the discovery of connections between the switches managed by the same controller , together with port - no field . if a controller receives its own controller - advertisement message that is previously constructed , then it can utilize the switch - id and port - no fields to learn the existing connection between the sending and the receiving switches . this field is optional . port - no : id of the port , from where the advertisement message is sent . the id should be unique within the scope of the sending switch . this field is optional . optional - fields : additional fields that can be utilized for controller - to - controller information exchange , which may be performed during the discovery process rather than being done after completing the discovery process . id of the subnetwork that a controller manages and capability information of a controller are examples to such optional fields . when a new data connection is established between two switches in an sdn network , a physical connection is established between the ports of these switches . upon such a change in the port status ( i . e ., the port changing status from idle to active ) of the said switches , they notify their respective controllers of the corresponding change . then , the controllers can act accordingly to discover the change in the network . fig2 a illustrates the scenario where there exist two subnetworks managed by different controllers , controller 1 201 and controller 2 202 . these subnetworks may belong to the same or different sdns . in this scenario , when two subnetworks interconnect , their controllers ( i . e ., controller 1 201 on the first subnetwork and controller 2 202 on the second subnetwork ) will need to discover one another , and authenticate / exchange routing information to properly route packets from one subnetwork to the other . in fig2 a , switch 1 205 is controlled by controller 1 201 on the first subnetwork , whereas switch 2 206 and switch 3 207 are controlled by controller 2 202 on the second subnetwork . the openflow protocol is run on control links between the controllers and the switches , shown in dashed lines numbered with 200 , 203 , and 204 . initially , as shown in fig2 a , switch 1 205 and switch 2 206 are not connected , and controller 1 201 and controller 2 202 are not aware of each other . thereafter , as depicted in fig2 b , a data connection , numbered with 208 , is established between port p 10 of switch 1 205 and port p 20 of switch 2 206 . when this connection is established , the controller discovery process is automatically triggered . an exemplary flowchart , showing the discovery process initiated by controller 1 201 upon connecting ports p 10 and p 20 , is depicted in fig3 a and fig3 b . it should be noted that although fig3 a - b depict a discovery process initiated by controller 1 201 , a reciprocal discovery process ( not shown ) is also initiated by controller 2 202 , and is within the scope of the present invention . the steps below describe the controller discovery process initiated by controller 1 201 , as illustrated in fig3 a - b . reference is also made to fig4 as it depicts the sequence of messages . step 300 : begin method . step 302 : switch 1 205 , port p 10 is connected to switch 2 206 , port p 20 . step 304 : upon port p 10 being connected to port p 20 , switch 1 205 sends port - status message to controller 1 201 . this openflow message is intended to inform the controller that a previously idle port is now active . for example , the corresponding openflow message from switch 1 205 to controller 1 201 contains : step 306 : in response to receiving the port - status message sent from switch 1 205 , controller 1 201 prepares a controller - advertisement message that carries its own id and optionally the id of switch 1 205 and port p 10 , according to an aspect of this invention . the solicit - flag should be cleared ( i . e ., its value should be off ), since this is the initial message . this message will carry the ip address of controller 1 201 in its ip header . the content of the prepared controller - advertisement message is as follows : step 308 : controller 1 201 hands over the controller - advertisement message to switch 1 205 , to be sent out from port p 10 . using openflow protocol , this message can be sent inside the packet - out message , as shown below : step 310 : controller 1 201 starts a timer t ca , so as to resend the controller - advertisement message prepared in step 306 unless a remote controller - advertisement message has been received from port p 10 of switch 1 205 before t ca times out . this timer is for tolerating potential message losses . step 312 : controller 1 201 checks to see if a remote controller - advertisement message — in this case prepared by controller 2 202 — has been received before t ca times out . if no advertisement message is received in that period , then controller 1 201 resends the controller - advertisement message prepared in step 306 , but this time with solicit - flag set ( i . e ., the solicit - flag is on ). step 314 : a remote controller - advertisement message , which is prepared by controller 2 202 , is received at port p 10 of switch 1 205 . when remote controller , namely controller 2 202 , is discovered , there is no need to resend the controller - advertisement message prepared in step 306 . step 316 : switch 1 205 sends the controller - advertisement message prepared by controller 1 201 to switch 2 206 from port p 10 . step 318 : switch 2 206 receives the controller - advertisement message sent by switch 1 205 on port p 20 . step 320 : switch 2 206 checks the controller - advertisement message to determine whether or not to forward the message to controller 2 202 . the check involves looking up its forwarding table to see if there exists an entry that matches the message header . for the controller discovery to proceed , switch 2 206 should forward the message to controller 2 202 , because either there is no flow entry matching the message or the matching flow entry dictates the switch to forward the message to the controller . otherwise , the discovery process ends in step 336 . this may occur because the controller 2 202 has a policy that restricts the controller discovery process or there may also be other reasons not covered here . step 322 : in case switch 2 206 decides to forward the controller - advertisement message to controller 2 202 , it does so by utilizing the packet - in message of the openflow protocol . so , controller 2 202 receives the advertisement message carried inside the packet - in message , as shown below : step 324 : controller 2 202 checks the authenticity of the received controller - advertisement message using the algorithm - id and signature fields of the message . if the message turns out to be valid , the process continues with step 326 . otherwise , the advertisement message is discarded , and the discovery process ends in step 336 . also , if no authentication data is presented in the advertisement message , it is up to the controller — in this case , controller 2 202 — to discard the message , or to continue with the discovery process . step 326 : controller 2 202 checks the controller - id field of the controller - advertisement message , to determine if the message was originated by itself . step 328 : if controller 2 202 determines that the received controller - advertisement message was its own message that is previously originated , as depicted in fig6 , then it can utilize the switch - id and port - no fields of the advertisement message and the in port field of the packet - in message to discover the connection established between the sending and receiving switches . after that , controller 2 202 can update its nib accordingly , without making any changes in the cib . step 330 : if controller 2 202 determines that the received controller - advertisement message was originated by another controller — which is originated by controller 1 201 in our case , then controller 2 202 updates its cib to reflect the newly discovered controller — controller 1 201 . assuming that the controller 2 202 cib was empty at the beginning , then the status of the cib will be as in table ii after discovering controller 1 201 : since a reciprocal discovery process is also initiated by controller 2 202 , the controller 1 201 cib will be as shown in table iii ( shown below ) after the discovery of controller 2 202 , assuming that the cib was empty at the beginning step 332 : controller 2 202 checks the solicit - flag of the received controller - advertisement message . if the value is off ( i . e ., if the solicit - flag is cleared ), then the discovery process ends in step 336 . step 334 : if the solicit - flag of the received controller - advertisement message is on ( i . e ., if the solicit - flag is set ), then it means that controller 1 201 has requested a controller - advertisement message from controller 2 202 . in that case , controller 2 202 prepares a controller - advertisement with its own information and solicit - flag cleared , and then sends the message to controller 1 201 from port p 20 of switch 2 206 . step 336 : the discovery process ends for the established connection . fig4 depicts the controller - advertisement message traverses for the controller 1 201 initiated discovery process as follows : [ controller 1 201 ]→[ switch 1 205 ]→[ switch 2 206 ]→[ controller 2 202 ]. for the reciprocal process , where controller 2 202 initiates discovery , the controller - advertisement message traverses are as follows : [ controller 2 202 ]→[ switch 2 206 ]→[ switch 1 205 ]→[ controller 1 201 ]. this scenario is depicted in fig5 . in case controller 1 201 and controller 2 202 are a single controller ( i . e ., just controller 1 201 ), the controller - advertisement message traverses , as per fig6 , as follows : [ controller 1 201 ]→[ switch 1 205 ]→[ switch 2 206 ]→[ controller 1 201 ]. it is also possible for a switch to be managed by multiple controllers , for redundancy and / or performance issues . fig7 illustrates such a scenario , where a first subnetwork is managed by controller 1 702 and a second subnetwork is managed by controller 2 704 and controller 3 706 . in this scenario , dotted lines 714 , 716 , 718 , 720 , and 722 represent various control links . it should be noted that while switch 1 708 has only one control link with controller 1 702 , switch 2 710 has two control links 716 and 720 , one for each of the controllers , controller 2 704 and controller 3 706 ( i . e ., switch 2 710 is managed by controller 2 704 and controller 3 706 ). similarly , switch 3 712 has two control links 718 and 722 , one for each of the controllers , controller 2 704 and controller 3 706 ( i . e ., switch 3 712 is also managed by controller 2 704 and controller 3 706 ). the controller discovery process covered in this invention covers such a scenario , such that the controller - advertisement message prepared by controller 1 702 is forwarded to both controller 2 704 and controller 3 706 by switch 2 710 . moreover , controller 2 704 and controller 3 706 both prepare controller - advertisement messages to be forwarded to switch 1 708 and eventually to controller 1 702 , when notified by switch 2 710 of the change in the port status ( i . e ., the port changing status from idle to active ). additionally , the present invention provides for an article of manufacture comprising computer readable program code contained within implementing one or more modules to automatically discover multiple controllers in software defined networks ( sdns ). furthermore , the present invention includes a computer program code - based product , which is a storage medium having program code stored therein which can be used to instruct a computer to perform any of the methods associated with the present invention . the computer storage medium includes any of , but is not limited to , the following : cd - rom , dvd , magnetic tape , optical disc , hard drive , floppy disk , ferroelectric memory , flash memory , ferromagnetic memory , optical storage , charge coupled devices , magnetic or optical cards , smart cards , eeprom , eprom , ram , rom , dram , sram , sdram , or any other appropriate static or dynamic memory or data storage devices . implemented in computer program code based products are software modules for : a ) receiving a message from said first switch identifying activation of a first port , which is due to establishment of a connection between a first port in said first switch and a second port in said second switch ; b ) generating a controller - advertisement message carrying information required to identify and access said first controller ; c ) forwarding said generated controller - advertisement message from said first controller to said first switch , said first port in said first switch further forwarding said controller - advertisement message to said second port in said second switch , said second switch further forwarding said controller - advertisement message to said second controller along with an identification of said second port over which said controller - advertisement message was received ; wherein said second controller in said second subnetwork identifies said first controller in said first subnetwork based on information carried in said controller - advertisement , and said second controller generating a controller information base ( cib ) entry containing information required to identify and access said first controller . implemented in computer program code based products are software modules for reciprocally ( and independently of the controller - advertisement message originating from the first controller ): ( a ) receiving a message from said second switch identifying activation of a second port , which is due to establishment of a connection between a second port in said second switch and a first port in said first switch ; ( b ) generating a controller - advertisement message carrying information required to identify and access said second controller ; ( c ) forwarding said generated controller - advertisement message from said second controller to said second switch , said second port in said second switch further forwarding said controller - advertisement message to said first port in said first switch , said first switch further forwarding said controller - advertisement message to said first controller along with an identification of said first port over which said controller - advertisement message was received ; wherein said first controller in said first subnetwork identifies said second controller in said second subnetwork based on information carried in said controller - advertisement , and said first controller generating a controller information base ( cib ) entry containing information required to identify and access said second controller . also , implemented in computer program code based products are software modules for : a ) receiving a message from said first switch identifying activation of a first port , which is due to establishment of a connection between a first port in said first switch and a second port in said second switch ; b ) generating a controller - advertisement message carrying information required to identify and access said first controller ; c ) forwarding said generated controller - advertisement message from said first controller to said first switch , said first port in said first switch further forwarding said controller - advertisement message to said second port in said second switch , said second switch further forwarding said controller - advertisement message to said second controller along with an identification of said second port over which said controller - advertisement message was received ; d ) if said first controller and said second controller are a single controller , then : ( i ) updating said single controller &# 39 ; s network information base ( nib ) with a new entry showing new connection information between said first switch and said second switch , utilizing the information carried in the optional switch - id and port - no fields of said controller - advertisement message , and ( ii ) discarding any controller - advertisement messages that are looped to itself ; e ) if said first controller and said second controller are different controllers , then said second controller : ( i ) identifying said first controller using information carried in said controller - advertisement message originated from said first controller ; and ( ii ) generating a new controller information base ( cib ) entry containing information for said first controller . once a controller has discovered a number of neighboring controllers , it should keep track of their statuses , for proper operation . this can be achieved by sending controller - advertisement messages , with solicit - flag set , to each of the previously discovered controllers , and waiting for them to send their controller - advertisement messages in return . returning to the discussion of fig2 through fig5 and considering the cib given in table iv ( which is the same as the example in table i ), controller 2 202 will prepare a controller - advertisement message with solicit - flag set , carrying its own access information , and then send the advertisement message to each of the controllers in the cib . as neighboring controllers receive the controller - advertisement message with solicit - flag set , they will respond to controller 2 202 with their controller - advertisement messages , with solicit - flag cleared . upon receiving the advertisement messages from neighboring controllers , controller 2 202 will maintain the statuses of these controllers . this process should be repeated at regular intervals for proper operation . in addition to sending advertisement messages per cib entry periodically , network change events should be processed to maintain the statuses of discovered controllers . for instance , upon receiving a port - status message showing that a port has become inactive , the accessibility states of the neighboring controllers that are accessible through that port should be changed accordingly . after discovering each other , two controllers should build a secure connection between themselves , like transport layer security ( tls ), over which controller - to - controller information such as routing , service and capability information will be exchanged . establishing the secure connection is well - defined and beyond the scope of this invention . after completing the discovery process and establishing a secure end - to - end connection , the two controllers may need to exchange information such as : 1 — routing information ( nib ): the controllers may share a part of ( aggregate ) or all the routing information that they maintain , so as to enable packet routing between the networks that are in their control . 2 — network capability information : the controllers may exchange the capabilities of their networks , such as the maximum bandwidth or minimum latency that can be offered , so as to support end - to - end quality of service ( qos ). 3 — controller capability information : each controller may have different hardware and software - specific capabilities . accordingly , each controller may be capable of handling only specific types of flows , and may have upper bounds on the traffic load that it can handle . 4 — service offerings : the controller may provide certain services to the users of the sdn ( such as location based services ), which it may decide to make visible to the discovered controller so as to offer these services to the users of the other sdn , as well . it is also possible to include some or all of this information in the controller - advertisement messages as part of the discovery process . this can be achieved by using the optional - fields defined in the controller - advertisement message . a system and method has been shown in the above embodiments for the effective implementation of automatic discovery of multiple controllers in software defined networks ( sdns ). while various preferred embodiments have been shown and described , it will be understood that there is no intent to limit the invention by such disclosure , but rather , it is intended to cover all modifications falling within the spirit and scope of the invention , as defined in the appended claims . for example , the present invention should not be limited by number of sub - networks , number of controllers , number of switches , number of switches per controller , number of controllers per switch , software / program , computing environment , or specific computing hardware . | 7 |
the ammonia and fluoride values of aqueous solutions containing ammonium fluoride as the primary solute can be recovered using the process of the present invention irrespective of the source of the solution . high concentrations of ammonia in the solutions are not deleterious to the process . such solutions are typically found as by - product streams in ammonation reactions of organic fluorine compounds and in glass frosting and metal pickling operations . a suitable solution , for example , is obtained as a by - product in the conversion of 3 , 5 - dichloro - 2 , 4 , 6 - trifluoropyridine to 4 - amino - 3 , 5 - dichloro - 2 , 6 - difluoropyridine by treatment with aqueous ammonia . potassium hydroxide can be employed either as a solid or as an aqueous solution and can be combined with the aqueous ammonium fluoride solutions to be subjected to the process in any convenient manner . for example , it can be added to the ammonium fluoride solution or the ammonium fluoride solution can be added to it . the combination can be made at any temperature or pressure and is normally made under ambient conditions . the combination can be made gradually or all at once , with or without agitation . it is preferred to combine these agents gradually with agitation . it is further preferred to make the addition in a vessel with controlled openings to prevent the ammonia formed from escaping to the atmosphere . the purity of the potassium fluoride recovered in the process is partially dependent upon the amount of potassium hydroxide employed . potassium hydroxide in excess of an amount equimolar to the amount of fluoride ion present results in recovered potassium fluoride containing potassium hydroxide whereas less than an equimolar amount results in recovered potassium fluoride containing potassium bifluoride . it is generally preferred to employ an amount essentially equimolar to the fluoride ion contained in the aqueous ammonium fluoride solution , but useful products are obtained with other amounts and , in some cases , an excess or insufficiency may even be preferred . the ammonia formed on the addition of potassium hydroxide is partially soluble in water . that in excess of solubility is rapidly volatilized on addition of potassium hydroxide . essentially all of the remaining ammonia can be volatilized by heating the solution at the boiling point or by heating to near boiling and passing steam through the solution . the volatilized ammonia is further distilled to obtain anhydrous ammonia or it is absorbed in water to obtain aqueous ammonia . other conventional methods of collecting ammonia can also be employed . in some cases it may be necessary to subsequently remove organic compounds that were present in the initial solution and are volatile with steam from the ammonia collected before it can be reused . this can be done by conventional methods , such as decantation or extractions . the ammonia removal activity is generally continued until the remaining solution is essentially ammonia free or until the concentration of ammonia in the volatilized fraction is too low to permit economic recovery . the ammonia - removed solution so obtained is a suitable substitute solution for fluoride recovery . aqueous solutions containing potassium fluoride as the primary solute obtained in other ways are equally suitable . the solution remaining after the removal of ammonia is next optionally concentrated by removal of water . this is done for convenience and to minimize raw material and energy costs . water removal is conveniently accomplished by distillation at atmospheric or reduced pressure using conventional equipment and techniques . it can , however , also be accomplished by other means , such as by evaporation , by the use of semi - permeable membranes , by selective absorbants , and the like . the removal of water is usually continued until the concentration of potassium fluoride in the remaining solution is at least 20 percent . it is preferred to concentrate to a solution containing at least 30 percent potassium fluoride and especially preferred to concentrate to at least 40 percent . the concentration step is , of course , omitted if the potassium fluoride solution as obtained is already suitably concentrated . a water soluble , dipolar , aprotic solvent is combined with the potassium fluoride concentrate in the following step of the process . the result is a solution or a multiphase two phase system depending on the amount of water present , the temperature , and the water to solvent ratio . sufficient solvent is used so that the final product of the process will be a mobile slurry of potassium fluoride in the solvent . generally , an amount of solvent that will produce a final slurry containing about 3 to about 35 percent potassium fluoride is employed . it is preferred to use an amount that will produce a slurry containing about 5 to about 25 percent potassium fluoride and most preferred to use an amount that will produce a slurry containing about 8 to about 20 percent . the solvent and potassium fluoride concentrate can be combined at any convenient temperature or pressure and in any way . it is often convenient to add the solvent to the concentrated solution . the addition is generally done while the concentrated solution is still hot from previous operations and is best done with good agitation . it is also often convenient to add the concentrated solution to the solvent . in a preferred embodiment of the process the concentrated solution is added to the hot solvent as a spray . this procedure facilitates the precipitation of small particles of potassium fluoride which readily form mobile slurries . water soluble , dipolar , aprotic solvents which distill above the boiling point of water can generally be employed in the process . examples of suitable solvents include dimethylformamide , dimethylacetamide , n - methylpyrrolidone , n - cyclohexylpyrrolidone , dimethyl sulfoxide , and sulfolane . n - methylpyrrolidone is preferred . the remaining water is next removed as a distillate by fractionation of the hydrous potassium fluoride - solvent slurry . any conventional batch or continuous distillation equipment and procedure can be used , but it is preferred to use an apparatus having means for agitation in the pot . depending upon the column efficiency and the solvent employed , it may be necessary to coincidentally remove some of the solvent as distillate in order to obtain a sufficiently water - free final product . distillation is continued until the slurry contains insufficient water to appreciably affect its intended use in a deleterious way . generally , the water content of the final product is reduced to less than 1 percent . preferably , it is reduced to less than 0 . 1 percent and most preferably to less than 0 . 02 percent . the individual operations of the present invention can be carried out in separate equipment or multiple individual operations can be carried out in the same equipment . it is often convenient to carry out all of the operations sequentially in a single apparatus . thus , for example , the aqueous ammonium fluoride solution is placed in a batch distillation apparatus , preferably equipped with means for agitation and at least one set of fractionation columns . the solution is heated under agitation , potassium hydroxide is added , and the ammonia removed by distillation and collected . the distillation is continued to remove water and concentrate the solution . a water soluble , dipolar , aprotic solvent is then added to the agitated , hot , concentrated solution and distillation continued until the water removal is complete . slurries of potassium fluoride in dipolar , aprotic solvents are useful for the conversion of aryl and heterocyclyl chlorides to aryl and heterocyclyl fluorides . for example , pentachloropyridine is known ( j . chem . soc ., 1964 , 594 - 7 ) to react with potassium fluoride in dipolar , aprotic solvents including n - methylpyrrolidone and sulfolane to produce 3 , 5 - dichloro - 2 , 4 , 6 - trifluoropyridine . aryl and heterocyclyl fluorides are useful as chemical intermediates , as dye bonding agents , and in a variety of other applications . the following examples are presented to illustrate the process and should not be construed as limiting the scope . potassium hydroxide ( 24 g of 85 percent pellets , 0 . 36 mole ) was combined with 24 g of ice and the resulting solution was placed in a 500 ml round bottom flask equipped with a mechanical stirrer and a take - off tube , the outlet of which was connected to a condenser and a dry ice trap in sequence . a 100 ml ( 101 . 2 g ) portion of an aqueous solution containing 4 . 7 moles / 1 of ammonium fluoride ( as determined by a fluoride ion specific electrode ) and some ammonia , which solution was obtained as a by - product from the reaction of aqueous ammonia and 3 , 5 - dichloro - 2 , 4 , 6 - trifluoropyridine , was added with stirring at the rate of about 10 ml per min . the resulting mixture , which had a ph of 12 - 13 , was allowed to stand overnight . the residual ammonia and some excess water were distilled from the resulting solution at 70 °- 100 ° c . and atmospheric pressure to recover 69 . 1 g of aqueous ammonia . the pressure was carefully reduced and the hot solution remaining , which contained about 30 - 40 percent potassium fluoride , was slowly diluted with 150 ml of n - methylpyrrolidone so as to keep the temperature above 80 ° c . another 59 . 3 g of water was removed by distillation at 60 °- 65 ° c . and 60 mm hg pressure and condensed . the dry ice trap contained about 6 g of ammonia at this point . the take - off tube was replaced by a 10 tray column , 50 ml of n - methylpyrrolidone was added and the remaining mixture distilled at 100 mm hg pressure and up to about 120 ° c . to obtain 11 . 4 g of distillate . the distillation was continued at 25 mm hg pressure and 90 °- 100 ° c . to obtain another 12 . 4 g distillate . the water content of the residual potassium fluoride in n - methylpyrrolidone slurry was found by karl fischer titration to be about 219 ppm . this slurry was successfully used for the conversion of pentachloropyridine to 3 , 5 - dichloro - 2 , 4 , 6 - trifluoropyridine . a 100 ml aqueous ammoniacal ammonium fluoride solution , obtained as a by - product in the reaction of aqueous ammonia with 3 , 5 - dichloro - 2 , 4 , 6 - trifluoropyridine , containing 0 . 31 mole fluoride ion and 0 . 59 mole of ammonia ( as determined by ion - specific electrode analysis ) was added with vigorous stirring to 25 . 4 g of aqueous solution containing 0 . 26 mole of potassium hydroxide in a 2 l flask equipped with a mechanical stirrer , heating mantle , and take - off tube with a condenser and a dry ice cooled trap in sequence . gas evolution began immediately . the mixture was heated to reflux with stirring to distill off the ammonia . about 53 g of distillate consisting of ammonia and water was collected in the condenser . n - methylpyrrolidone ( 250 ml ) was added with stirring to the remaining approximately 60 ml of hot aqueous solution at a rate so that the pot temperature remained above 95 ° c . distillation was continued . another 250 ml of n - methylpyrrolidone was added as before , and distillation continued until the head temperature was approximately 200 ° c . the total distillate obtained after solvent addition was about 76 g , some of which was n - methylpyrrolidone . the remaining potassium fluoride slurry contained some potassium bifluoride . it was used for the conversion of pentachloropyridine to 3 , 5 - dichloro - 2 , 4 , 6 - trifluoropyridine . potassium hydroxide ( 100 g of 85 percent pellets , 1 . 5 mole ) and 80 g of ice were combined in a 2 l stainless steel round bottom flask equipped with an inlet port , a mechanical stirrer , a thermometer , and a 5 tray column and condenser assembly with a vent and a scrubber containing 250 ml of water attached on the outlet . a 500 ml aqueous ammoniacal ammonium fluoride solution prepared by dissolving 55 . 6 g ( 1 . 5 moles ) of ammonium fluoride and 88 . 4 g of 29 percent aqueous ammonia ( 1 . 5 moles ) in water was added to this dropwise with agitation over a 15 minute period . the flask was then heated over a 2 hour period to a head temperature of 100 ° c . to drive off ammonia . heating was continued until about 100 ml of water was obtained as distillate . the distillate and scrubber were combined to obtain 395 ml of aqueous ammonia . another 94 ml of water was removed by distillation . analysis of the remaining solution by ion specific electrode analysis indicated a ph of 13 . 9 , 3 . 83 molar potassium ion , 3 . 89 molar fluoride ion , and 3 . 65 × 10 - 3 molar ammonia . the scrubber was 5 . 72 molar in ammonia ( 2 . 25 moles , 75 percent recovery ) and the second aqueous cut was 0 . 11 molar in ammonia ( 0 . 01 mole , 0 . 3 percent of total possible ). a 1 . 5 l quantity of n - methylpyrrolidone was added and the mixture was distilled with stirring until the head temperature reached 200 °- 205 ° c . to obtain about 450 ml of distillate . the residual slurry contained about 0 . 13 percent water by karl fischer titration . distillation was continued at 100 mm hg pressure and another 50 ml of solvent removed to obtain an approximately 6 . 2 percent slurry of potassium fluoride in n - methylpyrrolidone containing about 0 . 03 percent water . | 2 |
it will be recognized from the above , that the novel mirrors disclosed here can be formed in innumerable different configurations and sizes . the precise size and configurations of the mirror - head portion and handle portion , including the choice of materials , geometries , shapes and the like will depend in large part on the particular application and use environment for which it is intended . for convenience , the particular embodiments of mirrors described in this more detailed description of certain preferred embodiments will generally be of a type suitable for use in the performance of oral examinations , oral surgery and other dental procedures . it will be within the ability of those skilled in the art , however , given the benefit of this disclosure , to select suitable materials and designs , as well as suitable manufacturing techniques , for production of disclosed mirrors suitable for these and other types of applications . in accordance with certain preferred embodiments , and referring now to fig1 a dental mirror 5 is seen to comprise a handle portion 10 unitary with a mirror - head portion 20 . the handle portion 10 typically has a proximal or first end 12 , an elongate shaft 13 and a distal or second end 14 . as used here , the term proximal end or first end refers to the end of the handle portion , e . g . the shaft , closest to the mirror - head portion . the term distal or second end refers to the end of the handle portion furthest away from the mirror - head portion . the mirror - head portion 20 is permanently fixed to the handle portion 10 at first end 12 such that there exists a smooth and continuous surface from the first end 12 of the handle portion 10 to the mirror - head portion 20 . the shaft 13 typically comprises one or more ergonomic features , such as those described above , that facilitate comfortable handling of the dental mirror during oral examinations , oral surgery , etc . such ergonomic features include but are not limited to depressions , ridges , indentations , etc ., that allow fitting of an operator &# 39 ; s hands to the shaft of the dental mirror . for example , referring to fig2 the shaft may have depressions 30 which receive the fingers of an operator . the ergonomic features may have numerous sizes as the size of the operator &# 39 ; s fingers may vary , and typically the ergonomic features are located closer to the distal or second end 32 of the handle . in alternative embodiments , an ergonomic rubber sleeve can be slipped over the distal or second end 14 of the handle portion 10 ( see fig1 ) to provide for ergonomic grasping of the shaft 13 . one skilled in the art given the benefit of this disclosure will be able to select suitable ergonomic features . in accordance with certain preferred embodiments , the dimensions and cross - sectional shapes of the handle can vary . for example , the inset of fig1 shows an elongate shaft having a circular cross - sectional shape 22 with a cross - sectional diameter d . additionally , the length and width of the handle may also be variable but preferably is of a sufficient length and width to be held in the hand of an operator , e . g . a dentist or oral surgeon . the handle is preferably tapered , e . g . the cross - sectional diameter of the handle at the first and second ends is less than the cross - sectional diameter at the center of the elongate shaft . in preferred embodiments , the length of the handle portion is about 4 - 8 inches , e . g . about 6 ± 0 . 5 inches , and the width of the handle portion is about 0 . 2 - 0 . 5 inches , e . g . about 0 . 3 ± 0 . 05 inches at its largest point . in certain embodiments , the handle portion is hollow to provide for a lightweight dental mirror . one skilled in the art given the benefit of this disclosure will be able to select suitable lengths , widths , and cross - sectional shapes for the handle portion of the dental mirror . in accordance with certain preferred embodiments , the mirror - head portion of the dental mirror may comprise numerous different shapes . for example , the shape of the mirror - head portion may be generally circular ( see e . g . mirror - head portion 20 in fig1 ). other shapes and configurations are possible . for example , referring to fig3 a - 3 d , triangular mirror - head portion 50 , rectangular mirror - head portion 55 , elliptical mirror - head portion 60 , and hexagonal mirror - head portion 65 may be substituted for circular mirror - head portion 20 shown in fig1 . one skilled in the art given the benefit of this disclosure will be able to select mirror head shapes suitable for an intended use of the mirror . the width of the mirror - head portion , at its largest point , is preferably less than about 1 inch . because the mirror - head portion may comprise numerous shapes and geometries , the dimensions of the mirror - head portion may vary . for example , in embodiments comprising a circular mirror head , the diameter of the mirror - head portion is preferably less than about 1 inch , e . g . about 0 . 9 ± 0 . 1 inches . regardless of the shape of the mirror - head portion , preferably there are no jagged or sharp edges that might lacerate any portion of a subject &# 39 ; s mouth . in embodiments comprising an equilateral triangular mirror - head portion , preferably each side is less than about 1 inch . the size and shape of the mirror - head portion is typically limited by an operator &# 39 ; s ability to position the mirror head and view a desired region within a subject &# 39 ; s mouth . one skilled in the art given the benefit of this disclosure will be able to select mirror - head portion dimensions , e . g . widths , heights , and or diameters , and shapes suitable for an intended use . in accordance with certain preferred embodiments , the angle between the mirror - head portion and the handle portion may be variable . for example , referring to fig4 the angle θ between the longitudinal axis 70 of the handle portion 10 and the longitudinal axis 80 of the mirror - head portion 20 , i . e . the mirror head angle , is preferably equal to or greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees . in certain procedures such angles provide for viewing of the mirror by the operator after insertion of the mirror into a subject &# 39 ; s mouth . preferred angles for the mirror head include 140 degrees , 150 degrees , 160 degrees , 170 degrees , and especially any angle between about 145 degrees and 165 degrees . one skilled in the art given the benefit of this disclosure will be able to select mirror head angles suitable for an intended use . in accordance with certain preferred embodiments , the mirror - head portion of the dental mirror preferably comprises a reflective or mirror surface on both sides , e . g . the opposing or first and second faces , of the mirror - head portion . that is , the mirror - head portion provides a mirror surface on opposite sides of the mirror support structure . preferably a rim does not surround the mirror surfaces , e . g . the mirror head is rimless . that is , the mirror surfaces are substantially smooth and substantially covers the first and second faces of the mirror - head portion . in certain embodiments , the mirror surface covers all surfaces of the mirror - head portion , e . g . the mirror surfaces envelope the entire mirror support structure . such encompassing mirror surfaces typically increase the overall light levels within a subject &# 39 ; s mouth . furthermore , there exists no absolute requirement that the mirror surfaces be limited exclusively to the mirror - head portion . in certain embodiments ( discussed below ) where the mirror surfaces are disposed on or deposited on the mirror - head portion , the mirror surfaces may extend beyond the mirror - head portion and onto the handle portion , e . g . onto the proximal or first end of the handle portion . regions of the mirror surface that extend beyond the mirror - head portion may also be used as a reflective surface and typically increase the overall light level within a subject &# 39 ; s mouth . one skilled in the art given the benefit of this disclosure will be able to design mirror - head portions having mirror surfaces on both sides of the mirror - head portion . in accordance with certain preferred embodiments , the dental mirror can be manufactured from disposable materials such as plastics , rubbers , papers , and the like . preferably , the materials are resistant to breaking under jaw pressure . that is , preferably the materials are capable of withstanding jaw closure on the handle portion and / or mirror - head portion of the mirror without breaking or fracturing the mirror surfaces or the handle portion . also , preferably the materials are not excessively hard such that damage to teeth results if a subject bites down on the mirror - head portion or the handle portion . in certain embodiments the materials are capable of receiving a coloring agent , e . g . a dye or paint , to alter the appearance of the handle portion , e . g . to color the handle portion for a more pleasing and aesthetic appearance . such colored mirrors may be especially useful for dental procedures involving children . optionally , the handle portion and the mirror - head portion can be coated with flavoring to provide for a pleasant taste , e . g . fruit - flavored , bubble - gum flavored and the like . in other embodiments , the dental mirror comprises a handle portion manufactured from a flexible and bendable material for attachment to a subject &# 39 ; s mouth , e . g . the shaft may be bent into a u - shape for use of the dental mirror ( positioning the mirror head inside the mouth ) without requiring manual grasping by the operator ( see fig5 ). such bendable dental mirrors provide for removable attachment to a subject &# 39 ; s mouth without the need for clamps or tape . one skilled in the art given the benefit of this disclosure will be able to originally form or subsequently bend the shafts of the dental mirrors into suitable configurations for removable attachment to a subject &# 39 ; s mouth . in accordance with certain preferred embodiments , the mirror surfaces may be deposited , or otherwise attached to the mirror - head portion , using well - known techniques for depositing reflective metal films and coatings onto a substrate , such as the mirror support structure . suitable deposition techniques for depositing the mirror surfaces are well known to those skilled in the art and include but are not limited to vapor deposition techniques such as directed vapor deposition , chemical vapor deposition , etc . suitable deposition materials include silver , aluminum , titanium , rhodium , and mixtures of any of these metals that provide a reflective surface after deposition onto a substrate . in certain embodiments , the mirror surfaces are painted on using reflective paints having a mirror finish or the mirror - head portion is dipped into reflective paints having a mirror finish . suitable reflective paints are available from several manufacturers including sherwin - williams , inc . ( cleveland , ohio ). one skilled in the art given the benefit of this disclosure will be able to select suitable reflective materials for coating onto the mirror - head portion to create one or more mirror surfaces . in accordance with preferred embodiments , after deposition , or attachment , of the mirror surfaces to the mirror - head portion , the mirror surfaces can be coated with an antifog coating or film . that is , an anti - fog coating or film may be disposed on , brushed on , coated on , sprayed on , deposited on , etc ., the mirror surfaces to prevent build - up of unwanted condensation that may inhibit or deter from viewing the mirror surfaces . suitable anti - fogging agents and coatings are well known to those skilled in the art and include but are not limited to those manufactured by hydromer inc . ( poland ) and vista - clear ® manufactured by amcon laboratories ( st . louis , mo .). such anti - fog coatings may be food grade or industrial grade coatings depending on the intended use of the dental mirror . other suitable anti - fog coatings are described in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 467 , 073 and u . s . pat . no . 4 , 847 , 324 , the entire disclosure of each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference for all purposes . preferably the anti - fog coatings are non - toxic and resistant to leaching from the mirror - head portion . one skilled in the art given the benefit of this disclosure will be able to select and deposit suitable anti - fog coatings onto the mirror - head portion of the dental mirror described here . in accordance with certain preferred embodiments , sensors or indicators may be attached to the mirror to indicate that the mirror has been used . that is , an indicator that changes color may be attached to the handle portion and / or mirror - head portion of the mirror , for example , after the dental mirror has been placed into a subject &# 39 ; s mouth . the indicator is typically added to dental mirrors to indicate that the dental mirror has been used and , thus , should be disposed of appropriately . the indicator thus can prevent an operator from using the dental mirror on more than one subject . for example , a temperature indicator strip , such as those manufactured by tempco ( wood dale , ill .) and reatec ag ( zurich , switzerland ), may be attached to the proximal or first end of the handle portion such that the indicator changes conditions or states after the mirror - head portion is inserted into or near the mouth of a subject . for example , referring to fig6 a , an indicator 150 may comprise a first color , e . g . white , prior to insertion into a subject &# 39 ; s mouth . that is , the indicator preferably has a first color at a first temperature t 0 , e . g . room temperature . after insertion into a subject &# 39 ; mouth , the indicator can change color , e . g . from white to black ( see indicator 160 in fig6 b ), in response to the increase in the temperature from t 0 to t 1 . other sensors are possible including but not limited to humidity sensors and the like . the indicators may be attached using an adhesive , rubber bands , two - sided tape , or other suitable devices for attachment of indicators to the mirror . one skilled in the art given the benefit of this disclosure will be able to select suitable indicators for informing a user that the dental mirror has been used . suitable manufacturing techniques using the materials discussed above , and other materials , will be apparent to those skilled in the art given the benefit of this disclosure . in certain embodiments , a mold or die is used to create the unitary handle portion and mirror - head portion . that is , materials such as plastic or rubber may be poured into or injected into a mold having the shape and dimensions of the mirror . the mirror head angle may be adjusted after the materials have hardened by reheating the proximal or first end of the handle portion and bending the mirror - head portion to a desired mirror head angle . in other embodiments , the handle portion of the dental mirror can be extruded from heated plastic for example and the proximal or first end of the handle can be flattened or shaped to provide a suitable mirror - head portion . in additional embodiments , the handle portion and mirror - head portion are manufactured separately and are permanently attached using suitable methods . for example , the mirror - head portion may be permanently attached to the handle portion using an adhesive or by heating the proximal end of the handle portion and the mirror - head portion such that the handle portion and mirror - head portion become unitary . after forming the unitary handle portion and mirror - head portion , the mirror surfaces and anti - fog coatings may be disposed onto the mirror - head portion . in accordance with other preferred embodiments , the unitary dental mirror may be manufactured from a sheet of material using a punch template . for example , a generally planar sheet of material , e . g . plastic , paper , rubber , and the like , can be used to manufacture a plurality of dental mirrors . a template having a plurality of cut - outs in the shape of the dental mirror can be used as a punch . that is , the template can be pressed onto and through the material , using a pneumatic press and the like , to create a plurality of dental mirrors comprising the shape of cut - outs . subsequently , the dental mirrors can be sanded and / or polished to remove any sharp edges , and the mirror - head portions can be angled ( discussed above ) and mirror surfaces can be deposited onto the mirror heads to create the two - sided unitary dental mirrors . one skilled in the art given the benefit of this disclosure will be able to select suitable methods for manufacturing a plurality of dental mirrors in a rapid and inexpensive manner . other suitable manufacturing techniques , such as injection molding , using plastic materials and the like , may be used to form the mirrors described here . in certain embodiments , a reinforcing member is added to the elongate shaft of the handle portion to provide for increased rigidity and to prevent breaking or fracturing of the elongate shaft . suitable reinforcing members will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art given the benefit of this disclosure and include , but are not limited to , hard plastics , rubbers , papers , and the like . although the present invention has been described above in terms of specific embodiments , it is anticipated that other uses , alterations and modifications thereof will become apparent to those skilled in the art given the benefit of this disclosure . it is intended that the following claims be read as covering such alterations and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention . it is intended that the articles “ a ” and “ an ”, as used below in the claims , cover both the singular and plural forms of the nouns which the articles modify . | 0 |
referring now to fig1 there is shown a sheet of thin carrier material 1 having an array of individual thermal flow sensors 2 formed thereon . in a typical example , the carrier sheet is of thermally insulative material such as pyrex glass , other forms of glass , polyimide resin or other forms of plastic . the sheet 1 , depending upon the type of material and its rigidity , may have a thickness varying from between 5 and 120 microns . also , the sheet 1 need not be of one type of material but may also comprise an apertured substrate member with a very thin thermally insulative layer bonded thereto , such as a glass substrate with a very thin , such as 5 micron thick , layer of polyimide film bonded to the major face of the underlying sheet of glass . in a typical example , the individual thermal sensors 2 have an electrode configuration as shown in fig7 and that configuration will be further described with regard to fig7 . the carrier sheet 1 bearing the thermal sensors 2 , is then bonded as by adhesive such as epoxy , to the major face of an array of molded half duct structures 3 . suitable duct materials include any one of a number of thermosetting plastic materials having high chemical and electrical resistance such as bakelite . the array of half duct structures 3 each comprise a semi - cylindrical duct portion 4 which is flanged with longitudinally directed flanges 5 . the array of flanged duct portions 3 are notched at 6 to define break lines 7 indicated in dotted . the individual semi - cylindrical duct portions with the bonded thermal flow sensor airfoil 1 , as shown in fig3 are then broken away from the matrix or array to form individual sensor elements . in addition to breaking along the break lines 7 , parts may be separated by cutting with a hot wire . the individual thermal flow sensor units 10 are as shown in fig3 and are assembled into a molded housing of the type shown in fig4 and 5 to form a completed fluid flow sensor . more particularly , the outer semi - cylindrical portion of the duct 4 nests within a semi - cylindrical recess 6 in a block body portion 7 formed , for example , of thermosetting resin . the lower block body portion 7 includes a flanged portion 8 which receives the similarly flanged portion 5 of the thermal sensor 3 . in one embodiment , the semi - cylindrical duct portion 4 includes a flow restrictor 9 which includes an outwardly flared throat portion 11 disposed facing toward the direction of fluid flow so that fluid passing through the restriction increases its velocity over the airfoil produced by the thin carrier 1 . this serves to increase the velocity of the flow in the low flow regime thereby increasing the sensitivity of the thermal fluid flow sensor in the low flow regime . in addition , in the higher flow regimes , it forces the flow to be laminar over the airfoil 1 to minimize the possibility of undesired flow separation and to increase the operable range of flow measurements of the thermal flow sensor . the block body includes an upper half section 12 having a molded flow restrictor portion 13 forming the mirror image of the lower flared throat portion 11 . the upper block body portion 12 includes a pair of axially aligned semi - cylindrical portions 14 and 15 axially aligned with the lower semi - cylindrical bore 6 . a pair of tubular sections of conduit or duct 16 and 17 extend axially into the block bodies 7 and 12 from opposite ends to allow connection of the thermal flow sensor 3 of fig4 and 5 into a tubular conduit , within which the flow is to be sensed . block body portions 7 , 12 and flow sensor 3 together with the tubes 16 and 17 are bonded together via a suitable adhesive as of epoxy , to form a complete device . the upper half 12 of the block body does not extend over the flanged portions 5 and 8 of the thermal sensor 3 and lower block body portion 7 so as to allow electrical connections to be made at 19 via leads 18 to terminals provided on the upper surface of the insulative sheet 1 . referring now to fig6 there is shown how the thermal flow sensor 3 is incorporated in a conduit together with a valve to form a mass flow controller 21 . a screen structure 22 is disposed upstream of the thermal sensor 3 for rectifying the flow of fluid within the conduit 16 as the flow feeds into the throat 11 and 13 of the thermal flow sensor 3 . after the flow passes through the sensor , it thence passes through tubulation section 17 to an electrostatic flow control valve member 25 which is pulled down into sealing engagement with the lip of the aperture in the valve plate 24 via a control voltage v c applied between the cantilever spring 25 and the valve plate 24 . a suitable electrostatic valve 23 of this type is disclosed and claimed in co - pending u . s . patent application ser . no . 545 , 907 filed oct . 27 , 1983 now issued as u . s . pat . no . 4 , 585 , 209 on apr . 29 , 1986 . in the mass flow controller 21 , the thermal flow sensor 3 senses the mass of fluid passing through the thermal sensor 3 and the output is taken from the thermal sensor 3 via output 27 and fed to a suitable controller more fully disclosed in fig8 which produces a control signal applied to the valve 23 for controlling the flow to a desired rate . referring now to fig7 there is shown a preferred electrode pattern 2 for the thermal fluid flow sensor 3 . the electrode pattern 2 includes a heater resistor r h 31 with its longitudinal axis oriented transversely to the direction of the fluid flow to be measured 32 . the resistor 31 is connected to a pair of terminals 33 and 34 via low resistivity leads 35 and 36 , respectively . a reference resistor r r 37 is disposed upstream of the heater 31 and is connected to terminals 38 and 39 via conductive lead portions 41 and 42 . the heating resistor 31 and the reference resistor 37 are preferably formed of the same material having the same temperature coefficients which are selected to be relatively high . a typical resistance material would be , for example , nickel or platinum . the heating resistor 31 is dimensioned so that its sheet resistance is 1 / 10 or less of that of the reference resistor 37 so that when it is connected in a bridge as shown in fig8 primarily all of the heating current flows through the heating resistor 31 and the reference resistor 37 is heated , if at all , only by a negligible amount . a pair of temperature dependent resistors 44 and 45 are disposed upstream and downstream respectively relative to the heating resistor 31 . again , resistors 44 and 45 are selected of a temperature dependent resistive material such as nickel or platinum . the upstream resistor 44 is connected to a pair of terminals 46 and 47 via a pair of electrically conductive leads 48 and 49 . similarly , downstream resistor r d 45 is connected to a pair of terminals 51 and 52 via conductive leads 53 and 54 . the conductive lead portions 41 , 42 , 36 , 35 , 48 , 49 , 53 , 54 are preferably made of the same material as that of the resistive elements 37 , 44 , 31 and 45 but have a much thicker deposition of the conductive material so that the resistance of the leads is negligible compared to the resistance of the resistive elements . by making the leads of the same material as that of the resistive elements , undesired electromotive forces are eliminated due to the junctions of dissimilar materials . in one embodiment , a slit 55 is provided in the airfoil member 1 between the heater 31 and the reference resistor 37 to provide increased thermal isolation between the reference resistor 37 and the heating resistor 31 . in this manner , the reference resistor 37 can be employed for sensing the ambient temperature of the fluid flow prior to experiencing heating by the heating element 31 . sensing the ambient allows the heating element 31 to be operated at an elevated temperature relative to the ambient such as + 40 degrees c . relative to the ambient temperature . as an alternative to temperature dependent resistors 44 and 45 , these could be replaced by pyroelectric sensors of the type disclosed in u . s . pat . no . 4 , 332 , 157 issued june 1 , 1982 , the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference . in such a case , the thin carrier sheet 1 would be made of a suitable pyroelectric crystal or plastic material , with an electrical conductive electrode disposed on the opposite side of the sheet 1 . referring now to fig8 there is shown an electrical circuit incorporating the thermal sensor electrode pattern 2 of fig7 . more particularly , heater resistor 31 is connected in series with an equivalent resistor r h 1 61 in one arm of a wheatstone bridge 62 . the reference resistor 37 and an equivalent resistor r r 1 63 are series connected in the second arm of the bridge 62 . the bridge is fed at input terminals 64 and 65 with a current derived from a pulsed current source 66 which is fed through terminals 64 and 65 via the intermediary of a current regulator 67 and current sensing resistor 68 . the output unbalance signal from the bridge 62 is derived across output bridge terminals 69 and 71 and fed to an input of a differential amplifier 72 for amplification therein and the output thereof is fed to the input of the current regulator 67 for regulating the current fed to the bridge so as to rebalance the bridge . the resistors of the bridge 62 are chosen of such a value that the bridge will be balanced when the temperature of the heating element 31 is at some pre - determined elevated temperature above the ambient temperature . the value of resistors 37 and 63 are chosen to be at least 10 times the resistance of the heating resistor r h 31 and its counterpart 61 so that essentially negligible heating is obtained via the current flow through the bridge of the reference resistor 37 . thus , regardless of the temperature of the fluid flow 32 , the heating resistor 31 always operates at a predetermined temperature t above the ambient temperature . the upstream temperature dependent resistor 44 and the downstream temperature dependent resistor 45 are connected in series to form one arm of a second wheatstone bridge 74 energized with voltage at terminals 75 and 76 . a second arm of the wheatstone bridge 74 includes the series connection of temperature independent reference resistors 77 and 73 each having a value of resistance equal to the quiescent resistor value of the upstream and downstream resistors 44 and 45 , respectively . temperature dependent resistors 44 and 45 , in this bridge configuration , are arranged for sensing asymmetry in the temperature profile in the plane transverse to the direction of elongation of the resistors 31 , 45 and 44 . more particularly , with no flow ( quiescent state ), resistor 44 will have the same value as resistor 45 and the output of bridge 74 as taken across terminals 79 and 81 will be of zero value . as the flow increases , the upstream reference resistor 44 will be cooled , thereby lowering its resistance ( assuming a positive temperature coefficient ) while the downstream resistor 45 will be warmed by the flow of warmed fluid passing over the heating resistor 31 , thereby increasing its resistance ( for a positive temperature dependence ) producing an asymmetry in the temperature profile which is detected by the bridge 74 . the bridge unbalance signal is derived across output terminals 79 and 81 and is fed to a differential amplifier 82 and thence to an a to d converter to derive a digital output signal representative of the flow rate which is thence fed to a display and adder 84 which displays the flow rate measured by the bridge 74 . although the heater 31 may be operated in the d . c . mode , it is desirable when operating in the low flow regime that the heater 31 not produce convection in the fluid which will produce undesired convection flow currents which would be detected by the bridge 74 . accordingly , the current source 66 , which feeds the heating current to the heating resistor 31 , is pulsed . the duty cycle is arranged so that the duty cycle of the heater is shorter than the time constant for establishing free convection flow . the a to d converter 83 is syncronized with the pulsed current source 66 so readings of the unbalance signal of the bridge 74 are taken only at periods during which the temperature of the heater has stabilized during the oncurrent pulses . a reference flow rate digital signal is applied to one input of the adder portion of the display and adder 84 for comparison with the digital output of the a to d converter 83 to derive an error signal which is thence fed to a d to a converter 85 to produce an analog voltage which is fed back via a voltage regulator 90 to the valve 23 for controlling the flow through the mass flow controller 21 to a desired value determined by the reference input at 86 . the thermal sensing bridge 74 , which detects asymmetry in the thermal profile around the heater 31 , is particularly sensitive in the flow regime . however , as the higher end of operable flow regime is reached , the bridge 74 becomes less sensitive and at this point it would be desirable to switch the measurement to a sensor which is relatively more sensitive in the high flow regime . accordingly , the sensing resistor 68 which senses the heater current flowing to maintain the heater 31 at the pre - determined elevated temperature relative to the ambient is a measure of the heat loss from the heater to the fluid flow . as the fluid flow increases , more and more current is required to maintain the pre - determined temperature difference , i . e ., to replace the heat lost to the flow . the output across current sensing resistor 68 is fed to a differential amplifier 87 , thence to an a to d converter 88 which converts the analog current signal to digital form . an output from the pulsed current source causes the a to d converter to readout only the current at the time when the heater 31 has stabilized . as an alternative , the current source 66 can be run d . c . in the high flow regime when free convection flow currents are not a problem . the output of the a to d converter 88 is fed to an adder 89 for comparison with a no - flow reference digital value to derive the difference value indicative of the flow rate in the high flow regime . this flow rate signal is then fed to the digital adder and display 84 for comparison with the reference flow rate at 86 to derive a difference digital output fed to the d to a converter 85 and thence to the voltage regulator 90 and the valve 23 . thus , in the high flow regime , the measurement circuit of fig8 measures the flow by measuring the additional heater power required to maintain the heater 31 at a pre - determined elevated temperature t relative to the ambient temperature as sensed by reference resistor 37 . thus , the composite circuit of fig8 yields a very sensitive measurement of the flow rate in the low flow regime and extends the measurement accuracy well into the high flow regime by sensing the heater power required to maintain the heater 31 at a pre - determined elevated temperature relative to the ambient . referring now to fig9 there is shown an alternative batch fabrication method of the present invention . more particularly , a thin sheet of carrier material 91 , such as glass , polyimide , pyroelectric crystal or plastic , is bonded overlaying a major face of a substrate wafer 92 , as of silicon , glass or polyimide . the substrate wafer 92 has an array of apertures 93 etched therethrough to provide frame portions for supporting the thin carrier portion of the sheet 91 . the carrier sheet 91 may be bonded to the substrate 92 via any one of a number of suitable methods . when the carrier sheet 91 is of plastic material such as polyimide , it may be bonded by suitable adhesive such as epoxy to the substrate wafer 92 . in the case that the carrier sheet 91 is of glass , such as pyrex , it may be bonded to a silicon substrate 92 by an adhesive or by anodic bonding ( electrostatic plus temperature ). in the case where the sheet 91 is glass and the substrate is glass , the sheet 91 may be bonded to the substrate via a suitable adhesive , as of epoxy , or by heating the assembly to a sufficient temperature , as of 750 degrees c . to 820 degrees c ., to fuse the glass sheet to the substrate glass plate . the apertured substrate plate serves to provide frame members for supporting the very thin carrier sheet , similar to the manner in which a window frame supports a window pane . in a typical example , the substrate wafer 92 may be of a substantial thickness as of 15 mils to 4 mils thick and the sheet material 91 may be from 5 microns to 4 mils in thickness . after the carrier sheet 91 has been bonded to the substrate 92 , it may be further thinned by suitable etchants . in the case of glass , a suitable etchant is a mixture of nitric and hydrofluoric acid , there being 30 % nitric by volume to 70 % hydrofluoric by volume and heated to a temperature of 48 degrees c . this etchant has an etch rate of approximately 13 microns per minute for pyrex glass . once carrier sheet 91 has been bonded to the substrate 92 , the composite structure ( see fig1 ) may be processed in the manner of semiconductive wafers by metallizing and etching the major face of the wafer which is to support the electrode structure , such as those shown in fig7 . after the electrode patterns have been formed on the major face of the composite wafer , the wafer is diced into the individual sensor chips as shown in fig1 . in addition , the substrate wafer 92 is etched or otherwise scribed on the opposite major face at positions as shown at 94 to provide weakened portions in the frame structure of each chip so that portions of the frame can be broken away from the reamaining structure after mounting of the chip to opposite lips of its duct structure 4 , as shown in fig3 . in addition , during the processing of the major face of the wafer , the thin carrier portion 95 may be apertured in a pattern as shown in fig1 to provide the thermal isolation slot 55 and two slots 96 and 97 on opposite sides of the remaining carrier portion and in alignment with break lines 98 formed by the weakened portions 94 of the frame . the frame of the resultant chip 99 is bonded by suitable adhesive , such as epoxy , across the lower duct portion 4 of fig3 and is also bonded to the flange portion 5 of fig3 . then , the side frame portions 101 and 102 are broken away leaving the airfoil sensor of fig7 mounted in self - supporting relation across the duct 4 . in an alternative method for batch fabrication of the sensor chips 99 ( see fig1 ), a layer of carrier material is grown or deposited on the major face of an imperforate substrate wafer 103 . suitable thermally insulative layers deposited on the substrate wafer may comprise , for example , silicon dioxide , silicon nitride and polyimide or other organic polymer . the wafer is then etched from the opposite major face of the wafer as shown in fig1 to an etch stop on the thin layer of thermally insulative carrier material 95 thereby forming the array of window frame members 103 holding the thin carrier sheet 95 bearing the thermal sensing electrodes , as indicated in fig7 . referring now to fig1 , there is shown an alternative thermal flow sensor electrode structure . in this embodiment , the thin carrier sheet of electrically and thermally insulative material , such as sheet 1 of fig1 or sheet 95 of fig1 and 11 , is apertured to define an open grid structure 103 . in a typical example , the lattice elements of the grid structure 103 have a thickness as of 5 microns to 120 microns and a width of 0 . 5 mils to 10 mils . a meandering electrode , such as a temperature dependent resistor 104 , is formed as a thin layer on the grid structure 103 . in the case of a temperature dependent resistor 104 , the resistor layer would have a thickness in the order of 500 to a few thousand å and is made of a material selected from the group consisting of nickel , platinum and copper . the ends of the meandering resistor 104 are connected to electrically conductive leads 105 which extend out to the edge of the chip to form terminals for making electrical connection to the electrode structure 104 . a batch of the electrode structures 104 is made by metallizing , photomasking , and etching a wafer utilizing conventional semiconductive processing technology . in a typical example of a thermal mass flow meter , three of the grid structures are fabricated to form resistors 37 , 44 and 45 of the bridge circuits 62 and 74 of fig8 . these grids 103 are then mounted across the flow duct 17 in a manner as shown in fig1 . one of the grids 103 would have the electrode structure 104 made of a lower resistivity , i . e ., & lt ; 1 / 10th , so as to serve as a heater 31 . the elongated grid elements of the electrode structure 104 are preferably oriented orthogonally relative to those of the heater 31 . the composite wafer structure including the individual grid electrode structures 103 are then diced into individual chips as indicated in fig1 and the chips are mounted transversely in the duct 17 . the axial spacing along the duct 17 between the various sensing resistor and heating resistors are conveniently determined by the thickness of the substrate 92 or 1 . the various electrode structures 2 forming the thermal sensor and heater elements may be passivated using any one or more of the conventional semiconductor passivating techniques such as sputtered pyrex or low temperature chemical vapor deposition of silicon dioxide and silicon nitride . other suitable passivating techniques include depositing thin films of organic polymeric material such as polyimide . the advantages of the present invention include : batch methods for fabricating thermal flow sensors thereby reducing the cost ; self - supporting thermal flow sensor structures thereby simplifying the sensors and allowing operation over a wider range of flow rates ; and improved sensor configurations combining sensitivity in the low flow regime with sensitivity in the high flow regime to create a wider dynamic sensing range . | 6 |
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